Armenia President congratulates Kurdish community on Nowruz

March 21, 2016 By administrator

newroz from armenia YEREVAN. – President Serzh Sargsyan issued a message of congratulations to the Kurdish community of Armenia, on the occasion of Nowruz (New Year).

“I wish that this bright spring holiday, which symbolizes the awakening of life and nature, becomes a new beginning on the road to making all dreams come true, and brings new successes and achievements for our Kurdish brothers of Armenia,” President Sargsyan’s message reads, in particular. “Rest assured that the authorities of Armenia and our entire people are with you and will be with you in moments of both joy and ordeal.”

Kurds celebrate Newroz amidst bloody war against Islamic State and Turkey

March 20, 2016 By administrator

AKRE – The Kurds in Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey celebrate the coming of spring every year [Newroz] on the 21st of March and they lit fires and torches all throughout Kurdistan despite the war against the Islamic State (ISIS) and an economic crisis in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Near 1,500 Kurdish Peshmerga forces have been killed since the Islamic State attacked the Kurdistan region of Iraq in August 2014, and thousands of Yezidis have been killed, raped, and enslaved by ISIS when they took over Shingal (Sinjar) region in northern Iraq.

In addition, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq has been suffering from an economic crisis due to the low oil prices and Kurdish dependence on oil exports, while the Kurdish government promised to tackle corruption and cut expenditures.

“It is true that Newroz [New Year] this year is celebrated differently because a lot of people wanted to celebrate Newroz but didn’t have money to celebrate it, and we have Daesh [ISIS],” said Adil Muqdad from the city of Kelek. “But the Kurdish people try to be above all of these problems and celebrate it as much as they can,” he added.

Adil’s brother agreed. “This is something Kurdish and this has been going on for a long time. If we don’t celebrate Newroz, Daesh and other enemies of the Kurds will be happy and say they prevented Newroz,” said Shkar Muqdad. “The celebration of Newroz will hopefully continue forever because this is a national Kurdish celebration.”

“In terms of the economic situation it has gotten worse, “ said Bilend Akre, 34. “Of course there is corruption but there is corruption everywhere, it’s natural and it can be tackled,” he added.

“Newroz is a national Kurdish celebration, we have to do it every year,” said Bestun Jamal, 33. “The sacred Kurdish martyrs are celebrated this year and we pay tribute to the martyrs,” he added.

“Newroz will continue because Newroz is a symbol for Kurds and it’s about freedom and a national occasion. Kurds should unite to overcome the current challenges,” said Dilgesh Yousef, 30, a Kurd from Syria.

For many Kurds it is a part of their national struggle against rival states. “The Peshmerga forces are defending Kurdistanm from Shingal until Kirkuk’s disputed territories, “ said Heval Akre, 27. “80 countries are fighting against Daesh [ISIS] and supporting the Peshmerga forces,” he said. “Israel is also approving the idea of Kurdish statehood.”

Moreover many Kurds are optimistic that the Syrian Kurds will also achieve a form of self-rule in northern Syria after the announcement of federalism for Rojava [Kurdish areas of Syria].

“It is the same in Rojava. What the Kurdish forces achieved in Rojava is a historical accomplishment for all Kurds, said Yousef. “Maybe in the future the Kurdistan territories in Iraq and Syria would be connected to each other.”

Reporting by: Wladimir van Wilgenburg

Turkish police deploy tear gas, water cannon to disperse Kurds celebrating Newroz “VIDEO”

March 20, 2016 By administrator

56edffa9c36188fa2c8b4585 RT At least 10 people have been arrested after Turkish police broke up the Kurdish Newroz festivities in the town of Silopi. Officers deployed water cannon to disperse the crowd which gathered in defiance of Ankara’s ban on mass gatherings amid a crackdown on Kurdish militants.

Several hundreds of people flocked to the streets of Silopi in southeastern Sirnak province for the Newroz (the Persian New Year also celebrated by the Kurds) festivities, organized by the pro-Kurdish People’s Democracy Party despite a ban on public gatherings, local media reported.

Up to 500 people were seen on the streets when the police arrived and demanded that the crowd disperse. According to reports, police have also made a second attempt trying to convince the crowd to leave the vicinity of the municipality building.

Besides refusing to leave, a small portion of Kurds allegedly started scuffles with the officers and began throwing stones at police lines. Several dozen activists proceeded with barricading the road and burning tires, according to reports.

Police responded with tear gas and water cannon to eventually disperse the celebrating crowd, with many women and children among them. At least one policemen was injured in the standoff, while authorities managed to detain at least 10 people.

The conflict between the Turkish government and Kurdish population, who demand greater autonomy, has been continuing for decades. With several failed ceasefires between the sides, Ankara has been blamed by a number of human rights groups for jeopardizing civilian lives in Turkey’s mainly Kurdish southeast.

In summer 2015, Ankara launched a military operation against the Kurdish militants linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The violence ended a two-year truce and is still ongoing, having already resulted in hundreds of civilian casualties according to human rights NGOs.

#JusticeForKurds: RT calls on UN to probe Turkey’s alleged killing of Kurdish civilians

On March 17, RT launched a petition calling for a UNHRC-led investigation into latest claims of alleged massacre of Kurds by the Turkish military during Ankara’s crackdown in the country’s southeast. It is based on materials that an RT crew recorded as it visited Cizre in Turkey’s Sirnak province following reports of a brutal military crackdown on the civilian population in the area.

https://youtu.be/6zRdtYPVLzc