rayilan, a top PKK commander in the field, heralded a strategic shift in the Kurds’ long-running struggle for greater rights.
If all goes according to plan the PKK’s 29-year armed campaign for Kurdish independence (an aim that was later scaled down to autonomy) will have come to a close. It remains a big if but the potential rewards are huge. Peace with the Kurds would remove one of the biggest obstacles to democratic reform and, in theory, ease Turkey’s membership of the European Union.
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off - as she loves the area more than ever.
Your right that the Turk and Kurd community has contributed greatly to the current identity but dont forget that the Greeks also contributed but have largey moved on at least in terms of business.
as The Bunymen sang 'Nothing ever lasts forever'…
ase you can be forgiven).
Which is it. Turk, Kurd or Cypriot ? or are they all the same thing to us ?
Please don't jump on me. I'm not attacking anyone simply trying to clear up the misunderstanding once and for all. There is a presence of mafia on green lanes but can we please stop using a scattergun approach to identifying their nationality. Either we know or we don't lets not just guess.…
Added by james walsh at 16:55 on February 14, 2010
ike this. Would that the British would actually get off their arses and protest (and I include myself in that). Occupy was the most recent time people have protested and despite being crushed by the police that has had a massive effect, pushing inequality and our broken and corrupt financial up the agenda and influencing the way we look at the news media. Nothing gets politicians attention like mass rallys. Not even a Twitterstorm ;) …
d uprising in the Middle East. It will culminate in a march from Wood Green station to Manor House.
The organisers write:
The popular uprisings that started with Tunisia followed by Egypt and spreading to other Middle Eastern countries came as a surprise to much of the world. With these uprisings, the people of the Middle East are saying "No" to anti-democratic, neo-colonial, and despotic regimes supported by the US and European powers.
However, the uprising of the Kurdish people has received little attention in the media in Britain and Europe. This year, the celebration of the Kurdish New Year (Newroz) in Amed (Diyarbakir) in North-Kurdistan (Turkey) has been accompanied by widespread political demonstrations and agitation for language rights, democracy and freedom. The Kurdish people are a part of the spring 2011 jasmine revolution and it is about time that the world should hear their voices for liberation and the underlying reasons for their demands for justice.
Democratic Solution Tents were established in Turkey on 18 March 2011 by Peace Mothers initiative, in all the cities of the Kurdish territories and in Turkey the Kurdish people stood firm for 24 hours in the tents to end the war and in order to demonstrate their will in a powerful and direct way.
In solidarity the Kurds in Europe including the UK are raising tents in all of the major cities where they reside.
For further information email: knklondon@gn.apc.org or estella24@tiscali.co.uk
More on BritKurd's Facebook page
Pictures by yours truly.
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lection the pro-Kurdish 'Peoples Democratic Party' gained 10% of the vote to gain seats in the parliament for the first time; their support was not only from Kurds but from liberal Turks on a platform of environmentalism, minority rights, LGBT rights, egalitarianism, so I don't think there is any need to worry about what the local Turkish population think of the demo. (I saw lots of posters in English and was also handed a leaflet to explain the background to the demonstration-in English).…
oke fear and infer wrong-doing?
For my part, the whole situation in Kurdistan is so complex and most of us understand so little about it, that I would hesitate to make any casual comments about about the PKK or the situation in general.
I have sympathy with the Kurds wanting a homeland they call their own and for freedom from persecution the countries in which they are a minority. I condemn any terrorist organisation that targets civilians.…
d it really is out of order, no concern whatsoever for local residents. We cant do much about the situation of the Kurds and this is not the way to win sympathy. If this were a gang of black teenagers running around, they'd probably be all rounded up and arrested.
How can we politely express our concerns to the Kurdish centre that a. we are sympathetic and want to understand their anger but b. its not fair on local residents to have to put up with these late night noisy outbursts?…
late and play piano. Nevertheless in my immediate neighbourhood I feel a bit isolated; I like the turks/Kurds/ other ethnic groups of Green Lanes but it's hard to feel much community among such diverse communities. I'd love to be able to go into one of the cafes and chat with
anyone/kindrede spirit from local area occasionally. I think the site is wonderful-thanks to all those with the initiative to set it up
Judy G…
Added by judy gahagan at 12:02 on January 12, 2011