10/23/2017
Don’t let Iraqi Kurdistan down!
Kurds in Germany and all over the world are protesting against attacks by the Iraqi army and Shia militias: an urgent call for help! (Press Release)
Vigil of STP for Iraqi Kurdistan and Kurds, August 2017. The Kurds feel left alone by the United States, but also by the other western governments. They are in desperate need of help and assistance in order to stop the Iraqi army and their allied Shiite militias from taking hold of their cities and villages. Photo: GfbV
In Germany, Europe, USA, Canada, and Australia, many Kurds are taking to the streets to protest against the attacks of the Iraqi army and radical Shiite militias in northern Iraq. On Tuesday, October 24, 2017, there will be vigils in front of the US Embassies in London, Paris, Rome, and Berlin – as well as in front of the US Consulates in Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, and Hamburg – among other places.
“The Kurds feel left alone by the United States, but also by the other western governments. They are in desperate need of help and assistance in order to stop the Iraqi army and their allied Shiite militias from taking hold of their cities and villages,” stated Kamal Sido, the STP’s Middle East consultant, in Göttingen on Monday. “Many Kurds are also criticizing the policy of the Kurdish parties in Iraq, demanding an end to the disputes, which are carried out on the backs of the Kurdish civilian population. It is high time to form a government of national unity that is recognized by the entire population – including the ethnic and religious minorities – to ensure that the Iraqi Kurds can negotiate with the government in Baghdad on a sound basis, in order to resolve the disputes,” said the human rights activist.
In the meantime, Kurdish media reported that about 84,000 Kurds have fled from the city and the province of Kirkuk to Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan – and, due to attacks by the Iraqi militia, 5,000 Kurdish families are said to have fled from Tuz Churmatu (to the east of Kirkuk). The STP has received many pictures showing the extent of the looting, the destruction, and the arson. Both the northern Iraqi town of Tuz Churmatu and the city of Kirkuk (which is rich in oil) were captured by the Iraqi army on October 16.
On October 20, 2017, the STP’s Kurdistan/Iraq section sent an appeal to the United Nations, the United States, Russia, the EU, and all democratic governments all over the world, asking them to do everything possible to stop the advance of the Iraqi troops and the Shiite militias. These militias are a major threat to the existence of the ethnic and religious minorities in the region. The STP-section also demands a peaceful solution to the conflict regarding the disputed regions between Baghdad and Erbil according to Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution.
