For the 20th Anniversary of the1988 Political Prisoners' Massacre in Iran

A poetry performance on Oct 5th

Iranian.com

I Ran Into Myself in the Street and Asked

How many? 8,000? 10,000? Who were they really?

by Cklara Moradian
12-Oct-2008

I performed a creative piece at the Oct 5th gathering of the Society for Human Rights in Iran, Southern California, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the 1988 Political Prisoner's Massacre in Iran. My piece was intended to promote the participation of Iranian youth, as well as give those unfamiliar with the atrocities in Iran an idea of what we are remembering. The event was held at UCLA and was not affiliated with any political organizations, and simply wished to remember the thousands of innocent people who were tortured and executed in the 1980s by the Islamic Republic of Iran's regime and promote the need for Human Rights organizations around the world to make sure that such travesty never occurs again.

(To the audience) - I met my own ignorant self on the street and asked:

Me: Have you ever heard of “a Prisoner of Conscious”?

Me2: Well, no! But I’m a smart woman, I’m sure I can guess what it is.

Me: Go ahead, take your best shot!

Me2: Nice choice of words(sarcastically)! I think, it means people locked up for having no conscience. You know, just to prevent them from doing something really bad, like murder, in the future.

(To the audience): *laughing* I thought this was my ignorant self, not my moronic self!

Me: (to the audience) No! Let me tell you who a “prisoner of conscious” is:

Imprisoned, prosecuted for what is in his or her mind- NOT for what they have actually done!

Yes, here thoughts are louder than actions, and the profundity of these words should echo loud in your minds, because this means YOU (pointing at audience), and YOU and YOU and YOU and YES, I (pointing at myself) too should all be “Prisoners of Conscious”, it means 1984 manifested, it means “thought crimes”, it means, (loudly) WE ARE ALL criminals!

It means we all deserve to be as severely punished as the jurisdiction of life allows. It means if you think; you are dangerous!

SO I begin with a quote, because in the system of oppression of the towers of academia, my creativity was beaten, and instead I was bombarded by clichés. I was told to begin every essay with either a profound definition or the words of a wise man. Who cared what my own hands could produce?

A deaf Jam slam poet says: “I am not angry; I am anger! I am not dangerous; I am danger! I am abominable stress, Iliadic relentless, I am a breath of vengeance; I am the death sentence!”

Let me tell you who a "Prisoner of Conscious" is.

Not to you! (Point to the audience) Not you, the men and women who were once there, not you the Human Right activists who injected me with the truth and were blamed for carrying the syringes of reality.

I don’t want to preach to the choir. No! I speak to my own moronic self in the street. Hence, this piece is written in English, because I want these words to ring, and ring, and ring, and echo, and echo, and echo all over the world, it must and it shall! I don’t want the solitary cells of Evin to be a secret anymore! I don’t want this to be our burden any longer; I want everyone to know who a "Prisoner of Conscious" is:

Once a young boy who had just formed the mustache above his lips, a young girl not yet reached puberty, tortured, brutally, ruthlessly in the invisible walls of Evin and Gohar Dasht, and so many unnamed provinces of Iran. Once a young mom, she had just given birth, once a young man, he had just proposed. But ethereal romance was too good for those times; a "Prisoner of Conscious" devotes body and his "lack of soul" to ideas, to ideals, to his manifesto, to his book of truth, NOT the holy book! A "Prisoner of Conscious" is an unknown man, a statistically insignificant, and yet a powerful force in this world, a nameless threat, he is flesh, she is flesh, flesh and bones! An idealist, a dreamer, she hoped, he wished, she desired, he fought for something more than the status quo. And yes, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, that was their crime!

How many? 8,000? 10,000? Who were they really? What were they names? What did they like? What did they dream of? Were their affiliations a manifestation of their time? Were they a victim of their surroundings, of their social standings?

Let’s play a game shall we?

I will ask you a question, and if you answer me wrong, you are sent to the gutters! BUT wait...don’t answer! It’s a rhetorical question! You were doomed poor child, way before you were brought before my eyes! And thus is the story of every “Prisoner of Conscious”.

I do have a story for you. It’s my story! I was in my mother's womb when she was a "Prisoner of Conscious", so I was a “prisoner of Conscious” too before I was born! My father was a "Prisoner of Conscious” in Iran in the 1980s as well. I was 8 years old when I left Iran and I have never looked back since. My memories of Iran are neither sweet nor passionate.

And what does the topic of ME has anything to do with the topic of YOU or the topic of the “Prisoner’s of Conscious”?

EVERYTHING! WHY? You might ask.

I am the next generation of Human Rights activists for Iran; I am the future of this movement, and everything you have fought for.

Oh, That title is much more a burden than an honor, believes me! But if you and my mother and my father do not find a way to teach me about how to carry on your legacy, how to continue this fight for human rights, for ideas that were once flesh, how to organize and become a united front, how not to repeat the same mistakes, you have allowed all of those "Prisoner’s of Conscious" of 1988 and the hundreds of others dying on hunger strike in Iran RIGHT NOW, go on silent and go on silent and go on silent!

If you do not find a way to reach out to my 15 year old brother who is completely disconnected with Iran, apathetic even, the silence and inaction will eventually bury them under history. That will be YOUR intellectual genocide!

And I want to run into myself in the street one day and say: I am glad we are finally victorious! I am glad we have triumphed!

Thank you.

------------------------------------------------

vokradio.com Los Angels-California

Society for Human Rights in Iran-Southern California

For the 20th Anniversary of the1988 Political Prisoners' Massacre in Iran

Speakers: Survivors of the political prisoners massacre in Iran in the 80's

Azizeh Shahmoradi & Dr. PanteA Bahrami

Introducing and premiering the documentary by Dr. PanteA Bahrami

"And in Love I Live"

Music performance and Poetry reading:

Aidin Akhovat, Tar, a company with a percussionist

October 5,2008 3:00PM -6:30 PM

UCLA

Center for Health Science

Lecture Hall 23-105 CHS

For more information: Please visit http://www.shrisc.org

or

call (310) 990-1696

Celebration of Second anniversary of the One Million Signatures Campaign for equality

In celebration of the second anniversary of the One Million Signatures Campaign for equality, we have planned a day of art and self-expression and we want you to be a part of it. We are setting up a large canvas in front of the Iranian grocery store Wholesome Choice in Irvine and we are inviting everyone to imagine a world without discrimination and to paint or write their messages for women's rights activists in Iran. Come spend 20 minutes of your Saturday with us and think about your role in building a better community and a better world. We will be there on Saturday August 23rd from 11 AM to 9 PM and you can stop by any time you want.

We will also have a face-painting station for children and also a listening station (Istgahe dard-o-del) where we can listen to and record your real life stories and experiences (whether they are stories of difficulties caused by inequality or stories of strong women in your life who have inspired you- we are ready to listen).

Come visit us on your way to the store, or join us for some tea and a few brushstrokes :) We can work together and take another step toward a more just and equal society both in Iran and in Southern California.
Here is the address:
Wholesome Choice Market
18040 Culver Drive
Irvine, CA, 92612

Please feel free to forward this invitation to your friends.

We are students and professionals who have formed a local grassroots branch of this campaign in California. We do not pursue any political goals and are not formed around any ideology.
--
One Million Signatures Campaign - CA
http://campaignforequality.org/english.php
http://www.change4equality.info/english/spip.php?article226

KWRC,KNCNA on Hana Abdi and Human Rights vioalation in Iran

The Last Executioner of Children and Women in the Modern World News from the KNC Public Relations Committee Kurdish National Congress of North America Inquiries: 818-434-9609 Contact: Mrs. Soraya Fallah Iran: The Last Executioner of Children and Women in the Modern World California. June 28, 2008. The Iranian Islamic authorities, soon after they tightened their grip on the country in 1979, following the overthrow of the Shah's tyrannical establishment, have been suppressing every basic human, religious, and ethnic right in Iran. This, in essence, is a grave violation of every democratic principle. Months after they established their religious sectarian rule, and on an order from Khomeini, the Iranian authorities sent their forces to Kurdistan-Iran in order, as they put it, to wipe out the "foreign agents." They declared a so-called "Jihad" against the Kurdish people. Their jihad did not even spare pregnant women and children sleeping in their cradles. After regaining control over Kurdistan, instead of working to bring tranquility to the people and show concern for their welfare, the Iranian regime continued the same policies of its predecessor, the Shah's despotic regime. The Iranian regime maintained the policy of persecuting Kurdish human rights advocates and freedom seekers. In 1989, Iranian regime used the negotiation tactics to trap the Secretary General of Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI), Dr. Abdurrahman Qasmlu along with two of KDPI leadership members in Vienne, and murdered them while they were negotiating terms to find a peaceful solution to the Kurdish national demands within a democratic Iran. They were slain while sitting at the negotiation table. This pattern of suppression and murder was repeated in 1992 in Berlin when Qasmlu's successor, Abdurrahman Sharafkandi along with several of his supporters were murdered after returning from a peace conference. Dozens of other Iranian Kurdish democratic and human rights activists who had fled to Kurdistan-Iraq to escape a certain death were murdered by Iranian co-conspirators and agents who followed them to Iraq and executed them. According to the Amnesty International's recent report (2008), Iran is the only country in the world that still executes children and child offenders (those accused of committing an offense when they were under 18 years of age). In the past decade, the Iranian regime sentenced 177 child offenders to death, of which 34 executions have already taken place. Their ages ranged from 12 to 17 years. The remaining 114 await execution. Today, Iran accounts for 73% of all juvenile executions worldwide. The theocratic state has also launched a campaign of suppression against women and women's organizations who are advocating for human rights for women. Iranian women's groups have been peaceably assembling and using democratic means to try to make the regime to grant them more freedom. Their civic movement has proved to be effective to promote the idea of social justice where all citizens are considered equal before the law regardless of their gender, religion/sect, or ethnicity. As a result, these organizations and their leaders have met with harsh repression in a recent crackdown. Amongst these women's rights activists are two Kurdish women's rights advocates, Ms. Hana Abdi and Ronak Safarzadeh, both age 21. They had been in prison in the Kurdish city of Sina (Sanadaj), since their arrest on September 25 and October 23, 2007 respectively. The crimes, of which they are charged include being active in the Azarmehr Association of the Women of Kurdistan, a group that promotes women's status through capacity-building workshops and sports activities for women in Sina and elsewhere in Kurdistan-Iran; and volunteering with the One Million Signatures Campaign for Equality. Iran has used propaganda to stigmatize advocates of human rights and democratic principles as enemies of Islam and nation, and labels them as "munafiqeen," or "foreign agents," By characterizing those who disagree with their political and religious agendas as munafiqeen's or enemies of Islam, the Iranian theocracy have created a climate in which they believe it is righteous for them to murder those whom they suspect of being in violation with their way of thinking. By using the epithet of 'anti-Islam' against innocent people or accusing people of "endangering the national security" without providing undeniable proof of such claims, the Iranian regime has itself become "extremist' through acts such as murdering children and public "stoning" of women. The irresponsible behavior of the Iranian Mullahs has begun to destabilize the entire Middle East. By justifying their intolerance under the banner of "Islam" they have been promoting terrorist groups affiliated with its ideology and succeeded in demonizing the image of Islam to the larger world community. Further, their ambitions to help bring about the downfall of a sovereign nation and their ambition to obtain nuclear weapons have brought Iran into serious confrontations with the world. This sort of brinksmanship can only bring calamity to Iranian people. We call upon the leaders of Iran to stop promoting terrorist groups , relinquish its extremist rhetoric and actions and rejoin the world community as a modern functioning state. Internally, we hope it will continue to provide better economic opportunities for its citizens to achieve a decent living standard, and to protect its citizens' human, democratic, and cultural rights. Political prisoners, including Ms. Abdi and Ms. Safarzadeh must be released or given a fair trial according to the rule of law and not narrow religious interpretations. Iran must treat all ethnic groups equally and allow them to exercise their indigenous culture. At the external level, it must work diligently to regain its international reputation as a functioning member of the world community by stop supporting terrorists. It needs to respect the international norms and protect human rights. It needs to work genuinely to normalize its relationships with the world in order to be allowed to take its place back in the family of nations. Iran cannot have a healthy relationship with the world if it continues to adhere to its current policies. It can no longer justify its cruelty toward women and children by using its narrow religious interpretations. These policies would only guarantee its eventual downfall. Date published: Tuesday, July 01, 2008 http://pdki.org/articles1-1586-11.htm

Short report of Kurdish Women Righst committee, KNCNA

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am so pleased that I can be with you today. I also feel so honored that this year along with KNC’s anniversary, Women’s Rights Committee celebrates its second year of service. I am humbled to attend as the chair of the Women rights committee.

Today I will attempt to give you a short report of the Kurdish Women Rights Committee’s work and goals.

I would also like to take this opportunity to give you a briefing about the condition of Kurdish women.

Before I begin I must say that I am pleased we have our dear American women activists among us. It is also a pleasure to be able to have other respected activists from the International community in this committee.

(Due to shortage of time, if you would like to know more about the committee’s short and long term mission and vision please refer to the print-outs that will be distributed by Alan and Zaniar.

Today, the Kurdish women are entangled in a chaotic and conflicting situation. On one hand, there are endless laws and policies within the family and social arena that keep reminding women that they are second-class citizens. On the other hand, fast social transformations, especially in recent years, with the detonation of the youth population, have brought about fundamental changes that have caused new crises in the nations.

In some of these changes, women have played the visible role, and therefore have continued to suffer the harshest treatments, but they refuse to go back to their traditional roles.

Many young women, for various reasons, such as forced marriages, restriction on having a boyfriend, not following the traditional dress codes, and even their desire to educate themselves have either run away from their homes or committed or attempted to commit suicide through burning themselves.

The Women Rights Committee, KNCNA was organized as the result of the first International Conference on Kurdish Women for Peace and Equality in order to promote recognition of Kurdish women’s rights to eliminate all forms of discrimination against Women and to promote women’s human rights and rights within families.

WRC was founded on the belief that human rights of Kurdish women and girls—established through legal, political, and educational systems—are essential to the development of Kurdish people as a whole. That the governments and NGOs should be encouraged to understand and apply human rights principles to achieve equality.

I will mention some of KWRC’s activities:

1- Writing a letter to Amnesty International, North African Office regarding stolen Kurdish women during Anfal campaigns In Southern Kurdistan.

2- Public education against Honor Killing: Releasing Press against honor killings following the stoning of Kurdish Yazidi girl, Doa’ Khalil Aswad by her family in Bashiqa(Musl),

3-Press Release for the support of Kurdish Women activist in Eastern Kurdistan(Kurdistan of Iran) who have been detained for being active members of the Campaign for one Million signature change for equality in Iran.


4- Supporting Layla Zana by writing and blogging about Layla Zan's activities after her detention in Newruz 2008 in Turkey.

5-Press release in Support of Kurdish women activist in Syria who have been detained in Newruz activities.

6- Participating in venues, interviews, speeches regarding Kurdish Women status on different Radio stations and Newspapers, and other media.

7- Initiating a funding project to establish an organization for Kurdish women, by the name of “World Women for Life”. This will work on building a culture of Life. This organization will promote raising culture of life and fighting for a secular state. It is an important step for us.

The following are core objective of the WWFL organization:

• Establishing a center of the organization in Irbil or Sulaimanya to start with, then expanding to other cities in Iraq.

• Holding conferences, seminars, and workshops to advance women rights.

• Sponsoring demonstrations to stop the violence and grief the lost ones as a support to the widows and their children.

• Establishing a center to develop women’s skills to become economically independent. (75% of the women today depend on the man income.)

• Advertising the culture of life over the culture of death via, billboards, newspapers, TV, and Radio campaigns.

• Developing networks between local, national, and international levels to strengthen advocacy efforts for women rights by taking full advantage of the Internet, by creating email lists to communicate directly with women everywhere.

• Creating a resource center and library for women, to collect and document all the injustices committed against women for research in order to find solutions to advance their rights.

• Starting extensive research development to understand the cause of violence and inequality against women. This research will be a focal point to provide National and International NGO’s a comprehensive data to find a just solution facing women today.

• Getting support from Universities in Kurdistan and around the world to create and facilitate the advancement of women rights.

• Building shelters for women to protect them from the cruelties of society and integrate them back with new skills to survive the brutality they are facing alone in within the society.

• Educating women on their health and how they can protect themselves from all kind of diseases.

• Lobbying and advocacy at local, national, and international levels to promote policies and programs for women.

• Capacity building to increase economic, social, and political participation of women at all levels, local, national and international.

• Campaigns and direct intervention through programs on women’s housing, land, and resource rights, food sovereignty, and livelihood security.

• To become an umbrella organization for all existing NGO’s.

• Creating web site for the organization, to let the world know about our goal and objective.

8- Support and participating in all campaigns and petitions regarding Human rights and women’s human rights around the world.

9- Make a linkage and sisterhood culture between Kurdish women among KNC and other women organizations.

10- Follow up with the resolution of International Conference on Kurdish women for Peace and Equality that has been held in Irbil on March 2007.

11-Initiating a 2 years scholarship for training and receiving a M.A. Graduate degree in Marriage and Family therapy to Kurdish women lead by Dr. Sharon Linzy.

12- To prepare the proceedings for the first International conference of Kurdish women for Peace and equality.

The proceeding is a 200 page publication in Kurdish and English. It took 3 months to prepare.

The committee calls for the KNC treasury or any other Kurdish organization that can apply for grants to provide enough money for the publication of the proceedings in order to be sent to all the speakers and writers.

The committee calls upon KRG representative, Dr. Kamal Kirkuki, from Kurdish Parliament to support WWFL project to establish the first center.

13-Participated in United Nation Commission on Status of Women.

14-Press release for March 8th International Women's Day to congratulate all Kurdish women around the world.

I thank you again for staying with me and Dr. Linzy for being in the committee, Dr. Shali, for working on WWFL’s project, Mr. Moradian for all his financial and moral support, and all other supporters within and outside organization.

I have the committee’s profile with me and if you would like to know more about the committee I will remain after the session.

Thank you so much,

Soraya Fallah

M.A International Relations and Law

Chair of the Kurdish Women’s Rights Committee, KNCNA

The 19th International IWSF Conference

THE 19th INTERNATIONAL IWSF CONFERENCE
Contact Information www.iwsf.org Email: iwsf2008@yahoo.com Telephone: 1-408-317-2240 Fax: 1-650-386-5170 Mailing Address: IWSF P.O.Box 16102 Oakland, CA 94610 USA SPEAKERS Cherrie L. M SPEAKERS Cherrie L. Moraga ( Keynote Speaker) Partow Nooriala Donya Ziaee Nadje Al Ali Amal amireh Sharareh Shahrokhi Pardis Mahdavi Farzaneh Raji Soheila Vahdati Bana Roja Bandari Mahnaz Shirali Sanam Dolatshahi Afsaneh Kalantary Soraya Fallah Sakineh (Sorur) Sahebi oraga ( Keynote Speaker) Partow Nooriala Donya Ziaee Nadje Al Ali Amal amireh Sharareh Shahrokhi Pardis Mahdavi Farzaneh Raji Soheila Vahdati Bana Roja Bandari Mahnaz Shirali Sanam Dolatshahi Afsaneh Kalantary Soraya Fallah Sakineh (Sorur) Sahebi

Kurdish women rights committee

Formation of the Kurdish Women�s Rights Committee (KWRC)

Vision
To prepare today�s Kurdistani Women to succeed tomorrow.

Mission
To create a safe and caring environment where Kurdistani women know their rights and are able to reach their full potential as persons of integrity. To promote a culture of life and respect, opposing violence.

Introduction:
The KWRC is motivated by concerns for the Kurdistani women living in Kurdistan and around the world. Thus, it strives to bring the Kurdistani women together in groups and formal organizations to work together to protect their rights and improve their status in society. The KWRC endeavors to explore their delicate situation, and assist them to find their place in the political, social, culture, and economic spectrums.

In recent years, violation against innocent women in Kurdistan has elevated to a level where it can be interpreted as a societal illness. Thus, it is morally imperative that all stakeholders combine their efforts to promote gender equality in order to promote our common humanity.

Kurdistani women are equal citizens and should have equal access to education, health care and equal employment opportunity. Therefore, we must work to form a peaceful and prospects coexistence in Kurdish society.

KWRC goals and objectives:

• Conducting seminars and workshops for the advancement of equal rights and leadership for women in Kurdish society to stimulate their interest in self-advancement.
• Addressing the most current human rights violations, including honor killing and women trafficking, throughout the world.
• Providing education on food, nutrition, medications, vitamins and disease.
• Raising funds for and administrating educational programs for children in Kurdistan.
• Establishing pre-school centers for children of working women.
• Establishing a center to enable women to be economically independent.
• Work with legislatures in Kurdistan to protect women�s civil rights by law.

To fulfill its objective the KWRC seeks women & men within KNC to volunteer their time to reach these noble goals to elevate Kurdistani women to be essential partners in building a brighter and more productive future for Kurdistan.

Fro more info please contact the Chairwoman of the Committee via:

Soraya Fallah

sorayaf40@yahoo.com

Press Release from Women in black for Freedome of Leyla Zana

FREEDOM FOR LEYLA ZANA AND FOR THE KURDISH POPULATION IN TURKEY

More prison time is on the horizon for Leyla Zana, who was sentenced
to 2 years imprisonment for having spoken publicly of the leader of
the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan. The sentence,
which was handed down April 10, 2008 by the court in the city of
Diyarbakir,
convicted Zana of making "propaganda on behalf of a terrorist organization."

This was Turkey�s response to the recent decision by the European
Union�s second highest court, the Court of First Instance of
Luxemburg, to remove the PKK from the list of terrorist organizations.

And yet another attempt to silence the voice of Leyla Zana, one of the
most prominent individuals working for peace between the Kurdish and
Turkish peoples, who has already served 10 years in Turkish prisons,
from 1994 to 2004.

Leyla Zana has demonstrated to the world to be a woman of
extraordinary courage who has always been firmly convinced of the need
for dialog.

We will continue to support Leyla Zana, "peace prisoner," and her
right to freedom and we call upon the European Parliament, who awarded
Zana the Sakharov Prize for human rights in 1995, to stop the brutal
escalation by the more reactionary political forces in Turkey,
responsible for violence and repressive acts during the recent Newroz
celebrations as well as numerous legal proceedings against Kurdish
mayors and political exponents.

We call on Europe to use the negotiations with Ankara for entry into
the European Union as an opportunity to express strong condemnation
for an unjust sentence against Leyla Zana.

We call on Italy to give full priority to the respect of human rights
over interests of the market by supporting the request for a
moratorium on the sale of Italian weapons to Turkey.

Donne In Nero (Women in Black)

Italy, 12 aprile 2008

Layla Zana

Layla Zana

1995 Sakharov Freedom Award Acceptance Speech by Leyla Zana Leyla Zana 17/01/1996 From Ankara Prison, January 17, 1996 My Dear Parliamentarian Colleagues, Before all else, I would like to say it is an honor and a pleasure for me to have been found worthy of the Sakharov Freedom Award by the European Parliament. I am grateful and thankful for the close attention and friendship you have bestowed upon me and my friends throughout the sentencing procedures, which lasted two years. I would have liked to be with you to share my feelings from this pulpit. However, even if I am unable to be with you in person, I am among you with my mind and with my heart, which together have withstood their ground unyielding. I am with you. I salute you with my love, respect, and friendship. The late Andrei Sakharov, after whom this award was named, has an unforgettable and meaningful place within the tragic lives of the Kurds, and is still remembered with love and fondness. As you may remember, the "voice of the Kurds" was heard for the first time in 1975 through the oppression and massacres of the Iraqi Kurds at the hands of Saddam Hussein. Even in those times, Mr. Sakharov stretched his hand of friendship to the Kurds by demanding an arms embargo on Iraq and by striving to draw the attention and the interest of international institutions and organizations to the Kurdish issue. Due to his illness, Mr. Sakharov did not participate in the International Kurdish Conference in Paris. Instead, he sent his wife Elena Bonner. In his prepared message, he demonstrated his friendship to the Kurds once again. Taking the meaning and significance of this day into consideration, with your permission, I would like to quote a portion of his message which still stays with me: ...The tragic struggle of the Kurdish people, which has persisted for a long time, is due to the lack of the right of people for self-determination and, therefore, is a just struggle. We invite every government and international institution that has relations with countries where the Kurds live to pay attention to the policies that the administrators of the overlord countries pursue against the Kurdish people... It is because of this reason that the great defender of human rights and peace, the true friend of the Kurdish people, the great scientist and being, Mr. Sakharov, has a special place in the heart of the Kurds together with the former President of the United States Woodrow Wilson, who reiterated even in the 1920's that "the Kurds must be free," the Swedish President Mr. Olof Palme, and the late President of France, Mr. Francois Mitterand. We have never forgotten them and we will not forget them. I would like to point out that, for me, to be honored with an award previously deemed worthy of Mr. Nelson Mandela, Alexander Dubcek, Mrs. Teslime Nesrin, and Aung San Suu Kyi has a special meaning. Along the same lines, with your permission, I would like to extend my greetings and feelings of friendship to Sergei Kovalyev, who was also nominated for this year's award and who was indisputably as qualified as I. I perceive this award deemed worthy to me in person as a political message confirming the rightfulness of the democratic demands and desires of the Kurdish people and consider it as a gain of their struggle for freedom. This award not only has garnered the love and sympathy of the Kurdish people but also has bestowed courage to those who defend human rights and democracy, to artists, journalists, intellectuals, scientists, researchers, politicians, and to civilian non-governmental organizations, to pro-peace businessmen, to Kurdish friends, to the long-suffering and oppressed Kurdish women. It has condemned, in the international arena, those who have "condemned" us to prison. Above all else, I am a mother. And I consider every youth, irrespective of being a Turk or a Kurd, who has lost his/her life during this dirty war that has been waged for the last ten years in my country, as part of my flesh. I hope and wish this award gives courage also to Turkish mothers to bear the loss of their children in this war. Unfortunately, Turkey, which has been accepted into the Customs Union with Europe, has failed to establish a democratic opening. Instead of undertaking radical, constitutional reforms, it has confined itself to window dressing. But -- I am afraid -- it has failed even in this. Just yesterday, 39 people were put on trial by the State Security Court of Istanbul for violating the infamous article number 8 of the Anti-terror Law, which authorities claimed to have changed (in accordance with the requirements of the Customs Union). However, today, the same court preceded with the trial of the 40 people, business as usual. The balance of the ten-year war in Turkey is devastating: 30,000 people have lost their lives, more than 3,000 Kurdish villages have been burned, destroyed and wiped off the map. Three million inhabitants of these villages are forced to migrate elsewhere. Tens of journalists, 105 members of the HEP and DEP, including a parliamentarian, and three thousand others have been assassinated by "unknown" assailants. Thousands of hectares of forests have been burned and hundreds of Turkish and Kurdish youths have been maimed. Thousands of children are orphaned and the same amount of women have been widowed. During 1995 alone, six thousand people were put on trial for committing crimes of thought and expression. One hundred people were assassinated by "unknown" assailants and 200 people were tortured by security forces. Journalists, writers and publishers were punished with a total of 178 years of imprisonment. 1,500 people were prosecuted with the demand of a death sentence. 184 people disappeared while under custody. Very recently, Metin Goktepe, a journalist from the Turkish daily Evrensel, who was apprehended by the police, was tortured to death. Honorable Colleagues, From historical records we know that whenever Kurds talk about democratic rights and demands, they are silenced forcefully and violently. At no time have democratic channels been opened for them and every humane and natural demand of the Kurds has been branded as an "uprising" and slated to be squashed. A few years ago, President Suleyman Demirel revealed in one of his speeches the official state policy and the viewpoint of the administrators when he stated, "In recent history, the Kurds have revolted (against the Turkish state) 28 times and all of them were suppressed. This one is the 29th. And we will suppress it too..." Although, Kurdish people stood behind their Turkish brethren against every threat in each period of history and suffered equal hardships, at no time have they been accorded equal rights and status with the Turkish people. Herein lies the root of the problem. The official ideology of the state denies the (cultural and linguistic) differences and strives to "Turkify" everyone by force. Naturally, those Kurds who have accepted the fact of assimilation will not have a demand for Kurdish identity. Personally, I believe it is necessary and natural that we respect the choice of those who no longer consider themselves Kurds. However, the great majority of Kurds, who, according to official statistics, number between 15 and 20 million, do have a demand for Kurdish identity. As human beings, naturally, Kurds also demand to be trained and educated in their mother tongues. They want to publish and distribute their own newspapers, journals, and books. They want to use their language in radio and television broadcasting. They want to research their culture and history. And, they want to participate in the administrative and political life as Kurds. Taking into consideration the process whereby Europe is reinforcing its union via a single identity, a single passport, a single Parliament, and a single monetary system, and considering the globalization process whereby national borders are eroding, it is obvious that the Kurds cannot and shall not follow policies that would isolate them from the world. Even though Turkey has insisted on solving the Kurdish problem via non-peaceful methods for decades, and has neither taken a single ameliorative step nor given a hope to do so, it has received acceptance from the European Parliament. When the European Parliament "OK'd" Turkey's entry [into the European Customs Union], it was influenced by the one-way Turkish propaganda and, also, it hoped its acceptance would play a catalytic role in speeding up the process of democratization in Turkey. Even though we share the same hope and ideas, I must emphasize the fact that I am anxious because certain circles [in Turkey], who expect to reap the fruits of acceptance into the Union, will be emboldened to hamper the process of democratization, and will even increase the dosage of violence and tension. I would like to hope, during this fragile and critical transition period, the European Parliament does not consider only Turkey's geographic and strategic importance and its size as a potential market of 65 million people. I believe your Honorable Parliament and our friends [in the West] will not sacrifice democracy and human rights for economic interests. And, in the same vein, it will neither be a partner in the anti-democratic practices of Turkey, the new member of its Customs Union, nor will it legitimize them. Today, a historic opportunity has emerged for peace. A "Unilateral, Unlimited and Unconditional Cease-fire" has been in operation [by the PKK] since December 15, 1995. But, unfortunately, it has not been reciprocated and, as a result, tens of young men have lost their lives in ongoing operations. I say this ceasefire should be taken seriously. The ground for transition from war to reconciliation should be paved and conditions that suit this process should be created. Great duties await our European friends, in this respect, and I hope they will not shun them. Countries with similar problems (like that of the Kurds) solved them by opening up democratic channels. I believe it is not too late for Turkey also to solve their problem without any border changes and I hope that the problem is solved by peaceful means. Before all else, to make the cease-fire process permanent, -- "Political freedom," which includes the freedom to organize, should be recognized, -- The creation of an environment that nurtures the solution of the problem through dialogue and allows the utilization of democratic and political channels must occur, -- Domestic operations (against the Kurdish guerrillas) should be stopped immediately; cross border raids should not take place, -- Radical reforms and changes should be undertaken to provide Kurdish identity with constitutional and legal protection. Honorable Colleagues, Please do not think I have drawn a pessimistic picture or I have exaggerated what we have lived through or I have reflected events in a distorted form. I have tried to be as objective as possible. Naturally, another task that awaits you, my Parliamentarian colleagues, is not to limit yourselves solely to what the troubled partners tell you, but to come here, to the region, and conduct your own investigations and evaluations. I must reiterate that this award has a priceless moral value for me and I would be honored to carry out the responsibility it puts on my shoulders in the field of peace, democracy, human rights, and freedom of thought and expression. The most significant common denominator we share with you is our belief in democracy, human rights, and the idea of establishing a modern, democratic Turkey in its real sense. We need to save the portion of my country that has been turned into a lake of blood and an engulfing fire. We all have to do our share. Both the Kurdish people and the Turkish people have paid a high price and they are still paying it. I count March 2, 1994 and the period following it as the price we paid for democracy and freedom. The toils we went through have been an honor. In the spirit of friendship and solidarity, I greet all members of the European Parliament with my love and respect. =============================================================== Fourth international conference on EU, Turkey and the Kurds European Parliament, Brussels 3-4 December 2007 ================ Layla Zana's and Ahmet Türk's speech at EP (original text) 3 December 2007 Brussels Esteemed Friends, dear participants, ABHaber 03.12.2007 Brussels Firstly, I would like to thank everyone in the organising bodies for their contributions to this conference. As it is known, internal peace in Turkey is the greatest guarantee for peace in Europe, the Middle East and the world. I would like to reiterate that I find such events, where the Kurdish issue is analysed extensively, and in which all parties’ different components can participate with original views and proposals, valuable. My last visit to the European Parliament was on the occasion of the Sakharov Prize award ceremony. On that day, I had started my speech in the brother language Turkish and had continued in Kurdish where I wanted to once again underscore the brotherhood of peoples, languages and cultures. Today I want to speak to you in Kurdish only. This time, it is not because I do not want to emphasise brotherhood among peoples, but because I want to draw your attention once more to efforts of resurrecting the fear of mother tongue. In fact, I find it a matter of embarrassment for Turkey that people are still being tried in courts for speaking in their mother tongue. I believe that this emphasis I am making on the Kurdish language at a time when a democratic and civil constitution is under debate will be evaluated by you not as an important detail but as a primary request. During the intervening time period many conferences were held both within the European Parliament and also in Turkey on the issues of EU, Turkey and the Kurds. As these meetings on the themes of peace and solutions were held, various and original initiatives by the intellectuals were undertaken, signature campaigns were launched and press declarations were made, all these turned into a common agenda of all those whose hearts were beating for an honourable, just and lasting peace with the aim of putting an end to deaths. However, sufficient honesty and sincerity could not be demonstrated for ending deaths. The lock is there, the key is known but the door just won’t open. It is high time the door is opened. The important thing is to place the key in the lock properly. Everything hinges on an issue which I reminded you of just recently with insistence and emphasis but something that I have frankly got tired of reminding everyone...The key issue has to do with how the issue is defined, the approach and outlook to the issue. The issue does not stem from any problem of public order, security, hunger or socio-economic backwardness. Everything you try to strip of its identity is doomed to become more painful and complex as examples demonstrate in other countries. Unless we are able to debate the very name of the issue correctly, the multifaceted crisis of identity and social crisis will drown us all in an ocean of stalemates. If the Kurdish issue were solely an issue of poverty and security, wouldn’t the methods that have been tried for over half a century been not only decisive but would also have lead to results? Haven’t all methods including beatings, detentions, torture, executions, forced migrations, sending to forced exile, extra judicial killings, village evacuations, village guards, release based on confessions, pardon based on apology been tried? These are indeed only those methods that are known and explained in a loud and clear manner by the highest authorities. What about methods that not known or disclosed? I believe my memory which is writhing and reeling in pain will not allow me to remember and recount all of the ones that have been tried. Despite all these denials, this treatment with contempt, debasement and even being expelled from their land, Kurds did not get cross. They were heartbroken but believed it was a virtue not to complain about it. They were beaten but instead of taking revenge by beating back they insisted on a country where all existing differences would survive. They did not hold one blood more supreme than the other, one language superior to the other, one colour better than the other. They were not on the side of those who thrived on conflict and bloodshed between peoples. On the contrary, when the ringleaders were yelling and shouting to arouse, they maintained their modesty by remaining silent. They yearned and are still yearning for a policy of sensitivity and stability where common values are symbolised in an honourable, just and lasting solution. Destruction, denial must not be the only way. Then, it is not possible to change the issue by taking its causes and effects separately and independently from each other. Instead of dividing, pulling into pieces or scattering it, we should set off primarily by defining it correctly. We should reach an agreement that we cannot solve the problem through clichés, a policy of condemnation and damnation, by closing political parties, by increasing the number of investigations and arrests, by preventing civil politics, by raising the bar even higher on bans and prohibitions and more importantly, by regarding deaths of people as mere statistical data. Otherwise our losses will not decrease but will unfortunately increase. In fact, even the developments experienced in the specific context of Kurds in Turkey and legal politics are enough to demonstrate this. Along this direction, the number of our duties and responsibilities are on the increase. In addition to Kurds, the responsibility of the European Union and the Turkish Government cannot be underestimated. But the unison of discourse between the EU and the Turkish government spokespersons aggravate the issue rather than alleviating it. On the contrary, what is expected is to remind Turkey of its responsibilities concerning the Kurdish issue and ensuring that this should not remain at the level of a reminder alone. Undoubtedly, the solution to the Kurdish issue should be specific to Turkey. But during the process of finding a solution not everything should be expected of Turkey and the existing inner dynamics in Turkey. The aim should not be putting pressure but creating synergies by offering a contribution. Contribution to Turkey could not be through the unison created in discourse. It should be known that an “EU Member Turkey”, which will have solved the Kurdish issue in a manner that is in congruence with contemporary civilisations and the new world order will not only remain as a rising star but it will also be transformed into a facilitating force in the realisation of world peace. What are these responsibilities then? Despite all these adverse developments, I believe the historic opportunity that was seized in 1999 for a democratic and peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue is still there. The world should stop avoiding the recognition of political, social and cultural democratic rights of Kurds whose population is over 40 million. Instead of a definition of citizenship which defines everyone as Turkish, the existing phobia against placing under legal protection all natural rights emanating from peoples’ original characteristics. Instead of focusing on denigrating concepts such as “pardon based on apology”, amnesty, pardon or the like, we should be speaking about quality and comprehensive projects with content. Enabling political detainees, intellectuals, writers and politicians who have been relegated to forced or voluntary exile to participate in the political life should be regarded as a step to facilitate a solution. Radical reforms in Turkey’s political and administrative structure will accelerate and strengthen the process of democratisation. For ways to be developed in finding solutions to problems, enhancement of local administrations will ease the process. Values that Kurds as a people do not hesitate to emphasise out loud or even regard as untouchable even if the price they have to pay is heavy should never be ignored. This is because the primary duty of politicians and those who give direction to politics is not merely to listen to the values and requests of the people. Being able to be the tongue and voice of the people requires that the untouchable values of the people are expressed clearly and honestly. In this process which is evolving towards a solution, the Kurdish people find the role of Mr Öcalan extremely important and effective within the framework of social peace and the togetherness of peoples. In fact, this is not expressed by Kurds alone. Prominent writers in Turkey draw attention to the fact that “the first radical step in seeking a solution would be a comprehensive agreement with Öcalan”. It is time we started talking about our problems by doing away with our taboos. Regarding that the sensitivities of people are noteworthy makes a lasting peace possible. What is expected of the world is to respect this will and exclude it from bargaining issues in international relationships. Unless the issue is approached from a human perspective and from a perspective of conscience, it will continue to be a potential risk threatening regional and world peace. It is for this reason that the policy of “good Kurds-bad Kurds” that has been tried for some time has gone bankrupt. What befits a modern country is to hand over a tradition of tolerance that will strengthen diplomatic, cultural, economic and social relations to the future rather than escalating tensions across borders and countries. Dear friends, The ties of citizenship are not only established through laws. Those who are considered as ‘so called’ citizens, but who are in fact real citizens in essence, despite the fact that they are tied to their through their hearts, may really become ‘so called’ citizens tomorrow. In a world where borders have lost their meaning, real division and separation is that which happens in the hearts and minds. Bringing the heart and mind together necessitates patience, fortitude, stamina, experience and maturity. I believe we have gone over the threshold of endurance. Just as we cannot build tomorrow by nurturing the pains of yesterday, it is not possible to find a solution by multiplying the pains of today either. Just as Emin Maalouf has said, “My identity is what makes me unique and unlike any other. Killing a person’s identity is a murder that is graver than killing him.” Every identity that is killed is in fact a loss for humanity. We should therefore capture the pluralism that will nurture those differences. It should be known that every identity that is murdered is our own murder regardless of what our language, religion or identity might be. Believing that you will approach the problem with sensitivity I extend my love to you... Leyla Zana