U-S / KURDS (S & L) BY MELISSA WINKLER/WASHINGTON
DATE=8/1/95
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-182910
TITLE= U-S / KURDS (S & L)
BYLINE=MELISSA WINKLER
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A GROUP OF KURDS IN WASHINGTON, D.C., IS STAGING A HUNGER
STRIKE -- ALONG WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER KURDISH ACTIVISTS IN OTHER
COUNTRIES AND IN TURKISH PRISONS -- TO PROTEST TURKEY'S TREATMENT
OF ITS KURDISH MINORITY. AS V-O-A'S MELISSA WINKLER REPORTS, THE
PROTESTS CONTINUE DESPITE THE DEATHS OF TWO KURDISH HUNGER
STRIKERS.
TEXT: FIVE KURDISH MEN CAMPED OUTSIDE OF THE U-S CAPITOL
BUILDING HAVE BEEN ON A HUNGER STRIKE SINCE JULY 20TH TO SHOW
SUPPORT FOR HUNGER-STRIKING KURDS IN TURKISH PRISONS.
THE GROUP SAYS IT JOINS KURDS WORLDWIDE IN MOURNING TWO FELLOW
HUNGER STRIKERS --A WOMAN WHO DIED IN BERLIN LAST WEEK AND A MAN
WHO DIED SEVERAL DAYS LATER IN A TURKISH JAIL. HE WAS REPORTEDLY
IMPRISONED FOR POSTING A FLIER ADVOCATING KURDISH RIGHTS.
GANI XULAM OF THE KURDISH AMERICAN INFORMATION NETWORK, SPOKE ON
BEHALF OF THE WASHINGTON HUNGER STRIKERS.
// XULAM ACT //
WE ARE GATHERED HERE TO HONOR TWO KURDS. THEY TOOK PART
IN THIS HUNGER STRIKE, MILES (KILOMETERS) AWAY FROM THIS
SITE. THEY HAD HOPES SIMILAR TO OURS. THEY WANTED TO
SEE AN END TO THE WAR IN KURDISTAN. ONE JOINED THE
STRIKE IN BERLIN. THE OTHER IN YOZGAT. ONE WAS FREE.
THE OTHER WAS NOT. BOTH DIED FOR A CAUSE THAT
TRANSCENDS US.
// END ACT //
MANY KURDISH PRISONERS IN TURKEY ARE SUSPECTED MEMBERS OF THE
BANNED KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY, WHICH SINCE 1984 HAS BEEN
FIGHTING ANKARA FOR AN INDEPENDENT HOMELAND IN SOUTH-EASTERN
TURKEY.
THE VIOLENCE HAS LEFT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DEAD.
/// REST OPT ///
DARA AZADI, ONE OF THE HUNGER STRIKERS IN WASHINGTON, SAYS IF THE
U-S GOVERNMENT WANTS TO SEE STABILITY AND PEACE IN SOUTH EASTERN
TURKEY, THEN U-S MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT
MUST BE HALTED.
// AZADI ACT //
OUR DEMAND IS TO URGE THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT TO PLAY
THE ROLE OF PEACEKEEPER ... TO BRING THE TURKISH SIDE
AND THE KURDISH SIDE TOGETHER TO NEGOTIATE A PEACE
PROCESS, TO STOP THE WAR IN TURKEY. AND ESPECIALLY WE
URGE THE U-S GOVERNMENT TO STOP THE MILITARY AID TO
TURKEY BECAUSE WITH THIS MILITARY AID, OUR PEOPLE ARE
BEING KILLED IN KURDISTAN.
// END ACT //
WASHINGTON HAS SUPPORTED TURKISH OFFENSIVES AGAINST THE KURDISTAN
WORKER'S PARTY. U-S AND TURKISH OFFICIALS CONSIDER THE PARTY BE
A TERRORIST GROUP THAT HAS KILLED THOUSANDS OF TURKISH PEOPLE.
AT THE SAME TIME, U-S OFFICIALS HAVE URGED TURKEY TO DO MORE TO
PROTECT THE LIVES AND PROPERTY OF INNOCENT KURDISH CIVILIANS.
(SIGNED)
NEB/MJW
01-Aug-95 2:10 PM EDT (1810 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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