The political leadership of the Kurdish movement condemned Iran’s aggressive response to people in Iran’s Kurdistan region (Rojhilat) who demand their rights and freedom.
The Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), an umbrella organisation of several Kurdish movements, said in a statement on Friday that the Iranian government should acknowledge the Kurdish issue, instead of keeping Kurds and some foreign enemies responsible of the recent protests that has been sweeping the country.
“Iranian government’s violent response to popular protests that are led by women and reflect the Iranian society’s, and particularly women’s, demands for democracy and freedom and the fact that lots of people have lost their lives because of its attacks is unacceptable,” the KCK said, referring to demonstrations that have spread to the country’s 31 provinces that followed the death of Mahsa Amini (Jîna Emini).
The Iranian government has particularly targeted the Rojhilat, as popular rising has become stronger in the country’s Kurdish populated areas, after Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish girl, lost her life following her arrest by the country’s morality police. Tehran also attacked neighbouring Kurdish populated territories in northern Iraq in an effort to prevent an ethnic uprising. Northern Iraq is home to several Iranian Kurdish opposition groups whose members live in exile.
Human rights watchdog Amnesty International said on Friday that at least 52 people have died and hundreds had been left injured in clashes between the protestors and the security forces.
The Iranian Intelligence Ministry announced on Friday that it had detained nine unidentified Europeans “during the riots or while plotting in the background”, while the government has also been blocking out the internet and restricts social media sites to curb the popular unrest.
Iran has been attacking Kurdish populated areas because it keeps “Kurds responsible of ongoing protests,” said the KCK, adding that Iranian government should instead hear the demands for freedom and democracy, particularly voiced by women from all parts of the country.
“The demands expressed by Kurdish and Iranian women are democratic, legitimate and universal demands. The demands of women cannot be ignored and repressing them by violence is unacceptable,” said the Kurdish political organisation.
KCK warned that holding the Kurds responsible for the actions that surrounded the country and attacking bases of Iranian-Kurdish opposition groups, causing several casualties will only lead the problems in Iran to deepen, and said, “There can be no legitimacy for any power that shuts itself down on democracy and freedoms, nor can it survive.”
Calling Iran to take steps towards democratisation regarding the problems and demands expressed by the society, the KCK underlined that dialogue, negotiation and reconciliation methods should be taken as a basis for the solution of the problems.
Stating that Iran’s constant assertion that the Kurds are the tools of foreign powers in order to justify that its attacks against the Kurds is not a reality, the KCK pointed to taking steps that meet the demands of society for freedom and democracy as the most correct and effective way to prevent the interventions of foreign powers.
Stating that the Kurdish issue is one of the most fundamental issues not only for Iran but also for the Middle East, the KCK warned that ignoring this reality and continuing the attacks against the Kurdish people and forces would only harm the Iranian state.
“The Iranian state should see this reality, abandon ignoring approaches, and stop its attacks on the Kurdish people, women and organisations as soon as possible,” the statement said.
