Progressive political forces in France have reacted strongly to recent police raids against Kurdish community centres and arrests of members of the Kurdish community in France.
The French Communist Party (PFC) issued a statement on the increasing pressure on Kurds in France.
“Does Macron try to normalize his relations with Erdoğan using the Kurds?” the PFC asked in a written statement.
“We strongly condemn the operations against Kurds in France. It is obvious that the negotiations between two countries lies on the criminalization of the democratic actions of Kurds in France,” said the PFC.
The PFC shared their demand that “all Kurdish activists in France, who came to France because they are threatened with death be released.”
Pointing out that the operations in France came right after the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan launched “the procedures to ban the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP)” the PFC said, ” France and EU gives more credibility to Erdoğan with such operations. To defend democracy means to stand up against the Erdoğan regime and stand by the Kurds.”
France “owes the Kurds a lot’ in the battle against ISIS
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the political party La France Insoumise (LFI) and a member of the French parliament, issued a written statement regarding the raids in Marseille and Paris.
Defining the raids as “Macron style methods of suppression”, Mélenchon said, “The criminalization of Kurdish activities in France complies with the policies of the Turkish dictator.”
He also reminded that Kurds have been an ally in Syria in the battle against ISIS. ” Kurds promote a democratic, social and feminist political model in the region. France owes them a lot. The pressure on Kurds in France must end,” the French MP said.