Turkey
must stop the massive bombings of Kurds – urge
all parties to
return to ceasefire.
Dear
NATO SECRETARY GENERAL, Mr. Stoltenberg.
Thanks
for your hard work and service in NATO. I write to you with a heavy
heart and a sense of urgency. I kindly ask you and urge you to
immediately contact the Turkish government and demand in no uncertain
terms that the Turkish Air Force stop the massive air strickes
against perceived PKK targets. This has gone too far and escalated an
already dangerous situation.
I
am fully aware that NATO has issued a statement, saying "The
security of the Alliance is indivisible, and we stand in strong
solidarity with Turkey." I am also aware that
Brett
McGurk - American Ambassador, Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for
the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL – has posted a statement,
saying ”We
have strongly condemned the #PKK’s
terrorist attacks in #Turkey
and
we fully respect our ally Turkey’s right to self-defense.”
Mr.
SECRETARY
GENERAL, in the name of our common humanity, please listen for a
moment:
1:
According
to the logic of the US (and therefore also NATO?) Turkey has the
"right"
to do this. Who gave Turkey the right to begin massive bombardements
in Quandil (+ other large-scale military actions) after the murder of
2-4 Turkish police officers and military personnel? The Quandil
leadership, by the way, deny that they ordered these killings.
i
Turkey,
of course, has all the ”rights” to track down the killers and
bring them to justice. But this is not a rightful pursuit of justice,
it is excessive force carrying the risk of further escalation and
lots of bloodshed. But even if it is a ”right”, it isn't
necessarily right:
"To
have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in
doing it."
-- G. K. Chesterton
-- G. K. Chesterton
2:
I don't distinguish between NATO and The Turkish Air force (TAF) as
long as
A:
American F-15 fighter pilots train with their Turkish counterparts on
Turkish soil and impart to them of their (lethal) skills. – They
did so in june. I suppose you are aware of this. US Air Force pilots
indirectly helping Turkey killing Kurds – this must stop.
B:
As long as NATO indirectly gives it's blessing to the airstrickes. -
"The security of the Alliance is indivisible, and we stand in
strong solidarity with Turkey." No condemnation of TAF
airstrickes from NATO.
3:
”The Kurdish question” is a very complex and bloody decades-long
conflict with deep historical roots. Who carries the moral authority
to speak (any word at all) into such a difficult and bloody conflict?
Obviously Mr. McGurk think he does, but I appreciate the wording of
the NATO statement, which avoided the ”cursed” (so to say) word
”right”.
4:
Many Turkish and Syrian Kurds (women, children and men) have been
shot and some of them killed by the Turkish police and Army during
the last 10 months (Approx 100-200???).ii
Strangely though, all these killings never seem to attract much –
if any - attention of the world press. Likewise, all these killings
never seem to draw out any condemnation either from the EU, the US,
UN or any top political leaders from Europe. (At least as far as I
know) I can't provide comprehensive documentation here in this mail,
but let me just illustrate with a few pictures. First pic: some
Kurdish farmers from Rojava, who suddenly found themselves in a hail
of Turkish bullets:
And
this picture:
I
hate to say it, but this conflict and the behaviour of the cunning
Turkish Government (or some of the persons in it) reminds me too much
about a bloody genocide in the last century.
5:
The AKP government has kept Abdullah Ocelan in isolation for months
now, and the Turkish military has reportedly been increasingly
aggressive the last few months – even bombarding PKK bases from the
air, june 30. Hardly conducive for a peace process.
http://heine-stromdahl-blog.blogspot.dk/2015/07/factual-error-in-bbc-report-about.html
, https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4hjJTbOj_agblN0LVhYaGtTakk/view
, https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4hjJTbOj_agTExoU0Zyelh1SkU/view
Strangely
though, the activities of The Turkish Army never seem to attract much
– if any - attention of the world press. Likewise, whatever
happens, it never seems to draw out any condemnation either from the
EU, the US, UN or any top political leaders from Europe.
Total
Silence. All bow ”humbly” before Ankara? A comparison with
Israel/Palestine comes quickly to mind. Events there quickly evokes
strong responses and a massive media blitz. An appeasement
policy is the preferred approach for now? It did not work out well
then, and it won't work out well now. Ask Neville Chamberlain and the
50 million dead.
7:
I love Turks and harbours no grudges towards them. It is a wonderful
country and I prefer to think of Turks as our brothers, perhaps much
in the same way as David L Phillips: ”Turks
are hardworking and hospitable. They are a noble people.” i
Unpleasent reality, however, forces me to speak up for a minority,
that has been colonized and oppressed for decades in Turkey (and also
in Iraq, Syria, and Iran). Even today, the Kurdish people in Turkey
do not enjoy the same security and basic rights we westerners tend to
take for granted. Far from it – actually.
8:
This morning The Turkish Air force has rained down hell on a Kurdish
village in Iraqi Kurdistan. ii
My
heart goes out to the poor Kurdish villagers, who are caught in this
conflict.
”Hey
I am kurdish, 4 years of age. First thing this morning I packed my
future and left this world. My father died in the fight against ISIS
and his father died in the fight against Saddam Hussien. We are
destined to die for people who later stab us in the back.” i
”Again,
I observed all the oppression that takes place under the sun. I saw
the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them. The
oppressors have great power, and their victims are helpless.”
ii
What
a tragedy.
What
is going on? Take to the street and ask the ordinary citizen, and
most probably you will get an answer like this one, which is flowing
around on twitter: ”Oh
no, ordinary citizens in the West know exactly what is happening.
#Erdogan
uses
IS as cover to attack #Kurds.
We know.”
Mr.
SECRETARY GENERAL: I kindly but urgently ask you to contact NATO
countries and make every effort to stop this bloodshed. Demand the
Turkish AKP government stop the bombings and call upon all parties to
implement immediate ceasefire and return to the negotiating table.
And
also please demand the Turkish government open up immediately a
humanitarian corridor into Kobane. The Kobane citizens need it badly.
Sincerely
yours
Heine
Strømdahl
Math
teacher
Copenhagen.
"We
kurds have no friends but the mountains".
"Kurds
constitute the biggest stateless minority in the world, with a
population of roughly 30 million, divided mainly between Turkey,
Iran, Iraq and Syria. They have been bombed in Turkey, executed in
Iran, gassed in Iraq and besieged in Syria. Oh, and betrayed by the
west. Repeatedly." i
Quote: Mehdi Hasan.
God
have mercy on us.
30
beautiful youngsters, who joined PKK earlier this year. Unknown to
the West.
Unknown
heval. Picture by Joey Lawrence. i
ii
Some of the victims:
Müna
Derwiş, 35 years
Mihemed
Henîf Berazî , 42 years
Seydo
Reşat Dîko , 28 years
Narîma
Hesen Mistefa,
Saada
Darwish
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