Kurdish Woman Seeking US Congress to Support Plight of Kurds from Sky
Kurds in every corner of the world supported an independence referendum held by the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on September 25th, 2017. The support was as varied and diverse as the Kurds. There were rallies, political actions, cultural festivals, celebrations, demonstrations, and numerous articles and opinion pieces. Kurds shouted their support for independence to the skies.
After Kurdistani people voted YES for their dream of self-governance, Dr Soraya Fallah, a researcher and a human rights activist, decided to show her support and enthusiasm by Skydiving 13,000 ft above the ocean in California, United States. She wanted the world to know that self-determination is a right and the referendum was held in accordance with international laws and regulations.
On the day of her jump, Dr. Fallah carried the message: “I am an American Citizen and I call on my Congress, the United States Congress, to support the vote of the people of Kurdistan to form an independent state. I ask you to support the "Yes" vote of Kurdistan.”
Dr. Fallah said that she believes the United States Congress should support the 93 percent of people in the Kurdish region of Iraq who voted for their future. She hopes that more members of Congress will follow Congressman Trent Franks’s resolution. The representative of Arizona has sent his bill to Congress and urged other delegates to support his bill.
Dr. Fallah did this grand activity in part to raise awareness on an issue that receives little international attention. She states that many in her American community are simply unaware of the plight of the Kurds. She points out that in the West there is a great deal of talk on democracy building in the Middle East. The Kurdish referendum is an example of a struggling nation democratically working towards determining their own fate. Such movements need to be supported and celebrated.
On the first day of October, 2017, in Lompoc Valley California, near the city of Santa Barbara, California, while wearing and carrying the Kurdish flag, Dr Fallah flew 13,000 ft. with the help of her instructor Mr. Casey. He supported her cause by filming and interviewing her in the process.
Following the decision of the central Iraqi government to impose an air embargo and close the Kurdistan capital's airport, as well as Kurdistan’s neighboring countries halting commercial exchanges with Kurdistan, Dr. Fallah symbolically picked an airport to raise the Kurdish flag. She believes that someday, not too far in the future, the Kurdish flag will be raised in airports around the world.
Dr. Fallah hopes to organize a Skydiving event in the near future with other members of her community to hopefully gain the attention of media and reach her representatives.
