Writing in the New Statesman of 21 June, Mark Thomas supported the call issued by the Kurdish community in the UK and Europe for friends of the Kurds to express support for KONGRA-GEL, the People's Congress of Kurdistan, which was recently proscribed by the European Union as a terrorist organisation.

This decision is not only wrong in law, unfair and oppressive, it attacks fundamental rights of freedom of expression and association in respect of the Kurdish people who have been the subject of widespread state-induced discrimination.

A campaign has been launched to get the ban lifted with prominent people coming forward to declare their willingness to join KONGRA-GEL as associate members. Others are acting as applicants in a legal challenge for an appeal that will go before the European Court of Justice.

So far in the UK, Mark Thomas has been joined by Lord Rea, barrister and chair of the Green Party Hugo Charlton and the international human rights lawyer Roger Tompkins.

Tony Benn, Harold Pinter, the Scottish novelist James Kelman and the writer Jonathan Bloch are lending their support to the appeal. Meanwhile, political activist/commentator Boris Kagarlitsky from Russia has declared his support.

It is important that the widest public opposition is expressed to this ban. Were hundreds or indeed thousands of people to come forward in support of KONGRA-GEL then the ban would become unworkable.

The momentum for this initiative has gathered pace following action by a group of French activists including anti-globalisation campaigner Jose Bove.

Background

In March, the European Union decided to add KONGRA-GEL to its list of proscribed terrorist groups, after a similar move by the US in January and a decision "to freeze assets" of the organisation that the UK took earlier in March. This dismaying news deeply shocked Kurdish community associations across Europe as well as human rights activists working with them who are all aware that it is clear from its programme, aspirations, activities and constitution, that KONGRA-GEL is far removed from what is normally termed a "terrorist organisation". The ban is especially surprising given that it is a new force in Kurdish politics with no history of violence and that it is seeking to campaign by legal means through the political process for the rights of the Kurdish people.

As Leyla Zana, the well-known Kurdish politician who was awarded the Sakharov Peace Prize, stated: "KONGRA-GEL is a democratic, peaceful, people's organisation which defends the democratic rights of Kurds, who live first of all in Turkey, but also in Iran, Syria and Iraq." She went on to point out that its political aims respect the territorial integrity of states and that it seeks to play a constructive political role in the democratic process inside Turkey and declared that it is a "human duty to remove KONGRA-GEL from the list of terrorist organisations" to enable it to contribute towards peace in Turkey, the region and the world.

In response to the EU ban, some respected public figures and radical activists in France formally declared themselves members of KONGRA-GEL including Jose Bove, anti-globalisation campaigner and founder of the Peasants' Federation, Bernard Granjon, Honorary President of the World Physicians' Association and Jean Paul Nunez, from the human rights organisation Cimade.


1. I want to become an associate member of KONGRA-GEL

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2. I support the appeal and I am willing to join KONGRA-GEL were it not designated a "terrorist" organisation

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3. I associate myself as a supporter with the application to the European Court of Justice to annul the Commission's decision to characterise KONGRA-GEL as a "terrorist" organisation.

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NAME

PROFESSION

ORGANISATION (If any)

ADDRESS

............................................................................................

TEL/FAX

E-MAIL


Date


I would like to receive more material on KONGRA-GEL

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Please choose one of the above options 1.2.3. with YES or NO and return together with your other details to the following e-mail addresses:
 justice.for.kongragel@no-log.org
and
 estella24@tiscali.co.uk

or post to
Peace in Kurdistan Campaign
44 Ainger Road
London
NW3 3AT
tel 020 7586 5892


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Extract from New Statesman, 21 June, 2004

Mark Thomas

In 1994 Layla Zana the democratically elected MP for the pro-Kurdish DEP, was charged for the crime of wearing a headband of the Kurdish colours (red, yellow and green) and taking part of her oath of allegiance in Parliament in Kurdish. For this, she was sentenced to 15 years in prison. An offence and punishment that not even the illegitimate offspring of Blunkett and Saddam could dream.

In 1995, after years of allowing arms sales to the regime, Europe awarded Layla Zana the Sakharov Peace Prize, given to people imprisoned in the cause of peace. It is an odd sort of honour because, to win it, you really do have to be totally up shit creek.

In 2001, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Layla had not received a fair trial and recommended he release.

On 9 June 2004 , Turkey decided to free her and then had the audacity to suggest that this was a milestone in Turkey's reform process.

The repression of the Kurds continues and once again, it is happening with Britain and America's help.

Kongra-Gel (The Kurdistan People's Congress) was formed in 2002, to work democratically and non-violently for the rights of all Kurdish people. On 24 March 2004 Gordon Brown, in a press statement primarily relating to Hamas, announced that the UK would freeze Kongra-Gel's assets, as it was a terrorist organisation. When Brown made his decision, had Kongra-Gel committed any terrorist acts? No. Was Kongra-Gel consistently calling for democratic reforms? Yes.

Labour decided to label this organisation as terrorist for two simple reasons. First, the Bush administration has done it. Second, Turkey, which is next door to the destabilised and insurgent Iraq, and has vital oil interests, is a friend - and Turkey wanted it. With Britain and now the EU declaring Kongra-Gel to be a terrorist organisation, Turkey can happily continue persecuting the Kurds under the guise of fighting terror.

However, there is something that you, dear reader, can do to help the Kurds. While a case appealing against the EU ban on the organisation is being prepared for the European Court of Justice, Kongra-Gel is asking people to join it if they want to work for peace and justice.

"If you want to work for peace and justice join Kongra-Gel. By merely joining up, at no personal loss or your membership back guaranteed, you can help. How can they enforce a ban when Kongra-Gel could have more members than the Tories have? So go on, join a "terrorist" group today.

If thousands do this, it will be extremely hard to enforce the ban, when Kongra-Gel might well have a higher membership than the Tory party. Unlike Labour, you won't get a membership card when you join, but at least Kongra-Gel will never invade Iraq.

Source for this message:
KNK