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Statement by Kurdish political Parties and
Organisations
The people of Iranian Kurdistan have been engaged in mass protests for
more
than one moth now. The protests began in the city of Mahabad, and
similar
protests have taken place in several other cities: Sanandaj, Prinshar,
Mariwan, Bana, and Saqiz.
The supreme religious leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, has ordered Iran's
security forces and the military to crush the mass protests, which to
the
present date has resulted in the death of fifty Kurds. In addition, a
large
number of Kurds have been arrested, including prominent Kurdish human
rights
defenders, women's rights activists, journalists and writers. Many of
those
who have been injured are afraid of going to the hospitals for medical
care.
They fear arrest and further reprisals from the security forces. Some
Kurds
have also fled Iranian Kurdistan. A flow of refugees is to be expected
if
the cycle of violence escalates.
The Iranian state has implemented de-facto martial law in many parts
of
Iranian Kurdistan. Furthermore, the state has extended its military
presence
in Kurdistan since the protests started, and has reportedly deployed
over
100,000 troops and helicopter gunship to the region. In one incident,
on 3
August 2005, in the city of Saqiz, a military helicopter gunned down
civilians. The number of deaths and injured is rising, among whom
there are
children and women.
In a statement, dated 5 August 2005, Amnesty International expressed
"alarm
at the cycle of violence" in Iranian Kurdistan and called for an
investigation into the killing of demonstrators, and that officials
suspected of responsibility for human rights violations such as
unlawful
killings/extrajudicial executions should be brought to justice in
accordance
with fair trial procedures. However, thus far the International
Community
has not reacted to the crisis in Iranian Kurdistan.
We the signatories, consisting of Kurdish political parties and
organisations, call upon the UN and EU to send a team of observers to
ascertain the nature of the crisis in Iranian Kurdistan.
More specifically, we demand that the International Community puts
pressure
on the Iranian government to:
. end its violent campaign against the Kurdish people;
. ensure that protesters that have been arrested shall be released;
. investigate the reported killings of protesters and ensure that
those who
have ordered and taken part in the killing of innocent civilians, be
identified and put on trial;
. that the Iranian state end its campaign of human rights violations
in
Iranian Kurdistan.
The signatories:
Congress of Federal Iranian Nationalities
Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan
Komala Party
Federation of Kurdish associations in Sweden
Kurdish Platform
The Kurdish Platform in Europe
Democratic Youth Union of Iranian Kurdistan
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