GERMANY/KURDS (S ONLY) BY DAGMAR BREITENBACH/BONN
DATE=8/1/95
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-182883
TITLE= GERMANY/KURDS (S ONLY)
BYLINE= DAGMAR BREITENBACH
DATELINE= BONN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: KURDS ALL OVER EUROPE ARE STAGING HUNGER STRIKES TO
PEACEFULLY PROTEST THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT'S TREATMENT OF ITS
KURDISH MINORITY. AS V-O-A'S DAGMAR BREITENBACH REPORTS FROM
BONN, THOUSANDS OF KURDS GATHERED TUESDAY IN BERLIN TO MOURN A
KURDISH WOMAN WHO DIED THERE LAST WEEK DURING HER HUNGER STRIKE.
TEXT: FLANKED BY POLICE, SEVERAL THOUSAND KURDS FROM ACROSS
GERMANY FOLLOWED THE COFFIN OF 41-YEAR-OLD GUELNAZ BAGHISTANI,
WHO DIED IN BERLIN LAST WEEK -- EIGHT-DAYS AFTER SHE HAD BEGUN
THE HUNGER STRIKE.
OBSERVERS SAY THE MOTHER OF FIVE CHILDREN HAS BECOME A MARTYR FOR
THE KURDS' PROTEST AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT IN ANKARA. MRS.
BAGHISTANI WAS ONE OF MANY KURDS IN BERLIN REPORTED TO BE ON
HUNGER STRIKES IN A SHOW OF SOLIDARITY WITH IMPRISONED MEMBERS OF
THE BANNED KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY WHO HAVE BEEN ON HUNGER
STRIKES SINCE MID-JULY.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED SINCE 1984 IN THE KURDS'
FIGHT FOR AN INDEPENDENT HOMELAND IN SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY. THE
KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY HAS ALSO TAKEN ITS FIGHT FOR AUTONOMY TO
GERMANY, WHICH HAS A LARGE TURKISH POPULATION.
IN RELATED INCIDENTS, TURKISH HOMES AND BUSINESSES IN GERMANY
HAVE FOR DAYS BEEN THE TARGET OF FIREBOMBINGS. NO ONE HAS
CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY, BUT POLICE SUSPECT MILITANT KURDS ARE
BEHIND THE ARSON ATTACKS. (SIGNED)
NEB/DB/MH/RAE
01-Aug-95 8:32 AM EDT (1232 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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