Fury over UK PM May’s remarks on Kurds

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Reactions to PM May’s remarks on Kurds

The Kurdish People’s Assembly held a press conference in response to the remarks by British Prime Minister Theresa May on “Kurdish Terrorism”.

The conference was held at Committee Room in the British Parliament.

On the 15th of May 2018, Theresa May, following an official meeting, attended a press conference with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who was ending his official 3-days visit to the UK.

At the press conference the British Prime Minister confirmed her country’s support to the Turkish State while at the same time announcing a new arms-trade deal.

What prompted the Kurdish People’s Assembly press conference though, were the remarks PM May when reiterating her support for Turkey.

“It is important - she said - that in defence of democracy, which has been facing extraordinary pressures from the failed coup, instability across the border from Syria and from Kurdish terrorism, Turkey does not lose sight of the values it is seeking to defend”.

Turkey’s constant denial of Kurds

At the press conference representatives of the Kurdish People’s Assembly as well as of Peace in Kurdistan Campaign and other organisations expressed their “unequivocal condemnation of the remarks by Theresa May”.

Elif Sarican from the Kurdish People’s Democratic Assembly said: “On behalf of the Kurdish community across this nation, I express our deep hurt and worry about the recent comment of the prime minister. Theresa May has once again demonstrated the racist attitude of the government by demonising the hundreds of thousands of Kurds in Britain and labelling us terrorists”.

Mark Campbell from the Kurdish Solidarity Campaign said: “Give us one example of how the Kurdish freedom movement are terrorists. We have so much evidence of state terrorism against the Kurds”.

Kurdish Community in the UK fears the racist remark of PM May will further encourage and give ground to racist attacks by extremist Turkish groups in the UK.

May’s comment is an unfortunate extension of Turkish President Erdogan’s rhetoric he uses to justify his massacres of thousands of Kurdish civilians in Turkey and beyond. It was this exact language he used to legitimise his invasion of the peaceful city of Afrin which has resulted in the murder of hundreds of civilians and forced hundreds-of-thousands to flee.

Kurds are fighting ISIS

Kurdish forces have been the most important and effective allies of the international coalition in the fight against and defeat of ISIS in Syria and Iraq. The YPG-led Syrian Democratic Forces heroically defeated ISIS in their capital, Raqqa just 7 months ago and continue to defend humanity in their fight in Deir ez-Zor, while trying to defend the people of Afrin and assisting the people of Syria build a pluralist, democratic, ecological and gender-equal governance system.

Melanie Gingell from Peace in Kurdistan Campaign spoke about the human rights violations committed between July 2015 and December 2016 in the majority-Kurdish regions of Southeast Turkey.

Peace in Kurdistan Campaign also recalled that “the Kurdish community have been a crucial part of the vibrant migrant communities across the United Kingdom and with our local business, community centres and important cultural activities, have not just made important contributions to the richness of this country but are also a key contributor to the strength of our national economy”.

The activists also underlined that “many Kurdish people are proud to serve the people of this country as doctors, nurses, lawyers, engineers, teachers, activists, politicians, community leaders and academics”.

Detention during protest against Erdogan

At the demonstration outside Downing Street on the 15th of May, 11 Kurdish people were arrested for simply protesting Erdogan’s visit.

These arrests were as a result of deliberate provocations by fascist (they were continuously doing the fascist grey-wolf sign) Turkish demonstrators who were facilitated by the police on duty by being paraded past the Kurdish and Turkish demonstrators who were there to protest in the name of peace, freedom and democracy.

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Joan Ryan MP writes to PM May over remarks against the Kurds

Joan Ryan MP has criticised the UK Government for failing to robustly challenge President Erdogan on the deteriorating human rights and political situation in Turkey, in a strongly worded letter to the Prime Minister.

Ryan expressed her disappointment that Prime Minister Theresa May and her Government Ministers welcomed President Erdogan “with open arms” to the UK last week, despite the fact that Turkey’s forthcoming elections, on 24 June, will be held under a State of Emergency – “severely curtailing the freedoms of expression, assembly and association”.

Ryan also called on the Prime Minister to amend the statement she made during her joint press conference with President Erdogan, on 15 May, when the only reference Mrs May made to the Kurdish people related to the “extraordinary pressures” Turkey was facing from “Kurdish terrorism.”

Insulted Kurdish constituents have contacted Ryan about this inflammatory remark to say it could be interpreted that the Prime Minister is of the view that all Kurds are terrorists. “There is a vital distinction to be made between the actions of proscribed organisations and the peaceful, law-abiding Kurdish community”, Ryan said to the Prime Minister.

Joan Ryan has secured a major debate in the main chamber of the House of Commons, on Thursday 7 June, to scrutinise the situation in Turkey before the elections. The debate will allow MPs the opportunity to reaffirm their strong support for democracy, the rule of law and human rights in Turkey and to question the UK Government on how they will seek to promote these values in their relationship with the Turkish authorities.

Joan Ryan MP said:

“I am very concerned about the current situation in Turkey.

The UK Government must vigorously defend human rights and democracy and should be prepared to hold President Erdogan and his government to account for their actions.

The Prime Minister must urgently address the issues I have raised in my letter and I look forward to debating these urgent matters in Parliament, during my debate on Turkey next month.”