A wave of racist attacks that began in Belgium has escalated in several centres in Europe, the European Kurdish Democratic Societies Congress (KCDK-E) said in a statement on Thursday.
The KCDK-E pointed the finger at the “anti-Kurdish rhetoric” of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the “provocative propaganda efforts” led by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Europe and the mobilisation of racist gangs allegedly through Turkish intelligence networks, consulates and mosques. According to KCDK-E, these actions are aimed at undermining the ongoing freedom struggle and the achievements of the Kurdish movement.
“The impact of the movement worldwide has disturbed the genocidal Turkish state with the massive march of hundreds of thousands in Cologne on 17 February and the Newroz resistance that reached hundreds of thousands in almost every centre of Europe,” the statement said.
The KCDK-E accused the Turkish government of trying to provoke the Kurdish community and youth in Europe into conflict and compared the situation to the incident known as the Madımak massacre, an act of mob arson that took place in 1993 in the province of Sivas at a hotel where Alevi intellectuals were staying. Thirty-five Alevis were killed. The Congress noted incidents of violence, including the recent attempt to burn down the house of a Kurdish family in Belgium, and claimed that the local authorities have remained passive.
The KCDK-E called on the Kurdish community in Europe to stand against provocations and to protect their achievements without resorting to violence, emphasising the legitimacy of their cause and urging a democratic response to these challenges. “Let us not allow anyone to criminalise our just and legitimate struggle,” said the KCDK-E.
The statement concluded with a strong message of resilience against fascist and racist attacks, reaffirming the right of the Kurdish people to continue to strive for freedom and justice.
