On 26 January, while Australia Day is officially celebrated, the First Nations peoples mark it as Invasion Day, commemorating the onset of British colonisation in 1788. This date, rather than being a celebration, is a reminder of the massacres, dispossession and the continued racism and discrimination faced by the First Nations, now a three percent minority in their own land. In response, large Invasion Day marches are held nationwide, with significant participation from various communities, including the Kurdish in Sydney.
In Sydney, on Gadigal Land, members of the Kurdish community expressed their reasons for supporting the Invasion Day march. Ismet, Rabia and Baran, Kurdish residents, shared a deep sense of empathy and solidarity with the First Nations peoples. “We, as Kurds, understand the pain of facing occupation, dispossession and racism,” explained Rabia. “It’s essential for all colonised peoples to unite in our struggles for liberation,” Baran added. Their statements reflect a profound connection between the Kurdish experience and that of the First Nations peoples.
Reported by Peter Boyle
