Webinar: Washington Between a Turkish State Problem and a Kurdish Solution
On behalf of the membership of the Kurdistan National Congress, I welcome you and thank you all for attending this event. I would also like to thank the Washington Kurdish Institute for their support in organizing this conference. The founder of this institute, the late Dr. Najmaldin Karim, was a dear friend of ours, a founding member of the Kurdistan National Congress, and a great patriot, and today, with his institute, we will discuss an important matter of national concern.
For years, the Turkish state has targeted the Kurdish people in three parts of Kurdistan and occupied Kurdistan through military operations. The attacks and occupation strategy of the Turkish state are now a national concern for all Kurds and all parts of Kurdistan.
The Turkish state openly stands against the existence of Kurds and Kurdistan and does not hide its intentions, which are demonstrated through its cultural, political, and military policies. Through its attacks and military operations, the Turkish state aims to forcibly change Kurdistan’s demographics and destroy its environment.
In northern Kurdistan, the state’s political genocide operations continue, with hundreds of Kurdish politicians imprisoned. To this day, the Turkish state has consistently taken an aggressive stance against the cantons of Rojava, West Kurdistan, and the autonomous authorities in Rojava and North and East Syria and is expanding its occupation of Afrin and other areas in Rojava. In South Kurdistan, they have established tens of military and intelligence bases and outposts to be used against the interests of our people.
On April 24th, 2021, the Turkish state launched an extensive operation in South Kurdistan in the regions of Metina, Zap, and Avashin. These large-scale attacks target the achievements of the Kurds and, in particular, are aimed at occupying South Kurdistan. The Turkish state’s choice of this date, April 24th, for the initiation of operations is no coincidence, as it is the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. This is a clear message, an open threat of genocide.
Through international diplomacy as well, the Turkish state has mobilized all of its resources to obtain permission for the annihilation of the Kurds. While this war is in violation of international law, no stance has been taken against these attacks at the international level. For that reason, this conference is very meaningful and timely. Once again, we would like to express our appreciation and gratitude for your efforts to address the Turkish state’s policies against the Kurdish people.