Berlin Hungerstrike Updates

[kurd-l at burn.ucsd.edu]

From: kcc at magi.com (Kurdistan Committee of Canada)

Berlin Hungerstrike Updates
August 6, 1995

On Hungerstrike Since 18 Days For The Rights Of The Kurdish
People 

     More than one hundred Kurdish women and men have been on
hungerstrike in Germany for more than 18 days now. This is to
show solidarity with the 10,000 Kurdish Prisoners of War who have
been on an unlimited Hungerstrike in Turkish prisons. There have
also been solidarity hungerstrikes in London, Paris, The Hague,
Athens, Moscow, and elsewhere.
     Many hungerstrikers here have been involved since the
beginning on July 20, and many others have since joined in. At
the moment there are 170 people on hungerstrike in Berlin. A few
hungerstrikers were taken to hospital, but they have since been
released and are still on hungerstrike. But they are still very
weak.
     After the violent police attack on the vigil at
Breitscheidplatz, which resulted in the death of Gulnaz
Baghistani, the police and authorities spread lies and tried to
create panic before her funeral procession in Berlin. The police
have threatened to confiscate musical instruments and letters
have been sent to the Kurdish Cultural Center calling on people
to denounce others.
     Many of the hungerstrikers are worried about a new police
attack. Because many of the hungerstrikers are very weak, any
police action could result in more victims. The hungerstrikers
have demanded that the police cease with their provocations and
attacks. 

Kurdistan Parliament In Exile Will Join Hungerstrike

     Ali H. Cilasun and Prof. Ismet Serif Vanli, both members of
the Parliament in Exile, visited the hungerstrike in Berlin. They
expressed their solidarity with the hungerstrike, and stated that
all 65 parliamentarians would join the hungerstrike. In Berlin,
Ali H. Cilasun, Felemez Basboga, Memo Acar, and M. Emin Pencewini
will take part.
     In a speech to the hungerstrikers, Ali H. Cilasun called on
the German government to work for a peaceful solution:

"We will expose the German attacks against the Kurdish people to
the world. This decision was a decision made by our people and it
will continue until we have reached our goals, because we gave
our word and we always stick to our word. The German government
must realize that banning us is the wrong approach. If they don't
cease with their bans and their attacks, there will be other
martyrs to join Gulnaz Baghistani. The German government will be
responsible for this if they don't finally start seeking a
peaceful solution in Turkey and recognize the Kurdish people."

     He denied claims that Kurds in Germany had lost their
popular sympathy. He himself has had contact with German
democrats who all expressed their understanding for the situation
of the Kurds and who rejected Germany's policies of bans against
Kurds and arms shipments to Turkey. He also called on all people
who support humanity to support the hungerstrike.

New Police Provocations

     Since the attack on the vigil at Breitscheidplatz, and the
spreading of lies before the funeral procession, the police are
trying once again to provoke the Kurdish hungerstrikers. Citing
alleged complaints by neighbors, police and federal agents are
again stationed outside of the Kurdish Cultural Center at
Zossener Strasse 41. Police are threatening to storm the house
and confiscate musical instruments if music is being played after
8:00 PM. This is an attempt to cause an escalation.
     For our part, we have tried to start a dialogue with the
neighbors and to win their understanding and to prevent any
problems. The police seem to forget that we did not want to carry
out the hungerstrike in Zossener Strasse, but that the police
forced us to move here. We do not want an escalation, rather we
wish to carry out our hungerstrike in peace. If we are given the
option, we would like to continue in a public space, something
which has been denied to us until now. The hungerstrikers have
called on the democratic public for their support.

Injured Kurd Kept In Prison

     Sinan Altun, a recognized political refugee, has been in
Moabit Prison for some time now. He was arrested in Berlin at a
demonstration against human rights violations in Turkey, against
the massacre of the Kurdish civilian population, and against the
destruction of Kurdish villages by the Turkish military.
     As his doctor, Dr. Tiedke of Hamburg's Medico Center, has
stated, Sinan Altun requires immediate brain surgery and must
receive medical attention. Despite Dr. Tiedke's testimony that
Sinan Altun is too sick to remain in prison, he is still in pre-
trial detention.
     Because of his health condition, Sinan Altun must be
immediately released from jail so that he can receive medical
treatment. If he remains in detention, his health could get worse
and he could suffer permanent damage.

Hungerstrike Committee Berlin

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Kurdistan Committee of Canada		Tel: (613) 733-9634
2487 Kaladar Ave. Suite 203		Fax: (613) 733-0090
Ottawa, Ontario, K1V 8B9		E-mail: kcc at magi.com
		http://infoweb.magi.com/~kcc
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