| Submit your comments on this article |
| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Syria Moves to Ban Kurdish Political Parties |
| 2004-06-02 |
| The Syrian authorities have told Kurdish activists their political parties are banned and should cease all activities, Kurdish politicians said yesterday. The officials from various Kurdish parties described the move as a major setback in relations between the authorities and the Kurdish minority and vowed not to give in to the decision. Fouad Alyco, politburo member of Yikiti Party, said he and officials from two other parties were summoned on Monday to intelligence service headquarters to meet a senior officer. âThey told us that there was a decision from the leadership banning political and party activity of the Kurdish parties,â Alyco told Reuters by telephone. He said the parties were not given a deadline but were told: âWe hope that you would have a (positive) reaction.âThere was no immediate comment from the Syrian authorities. âThis is a major backward move...,â Alyco said. Officials from other parties confirmed the order. âWe will carry on with our political activity and if they want to arrest us let them arrest us,â Alyco said. âWe did not set up political parties after a decision from the authorities and we will not disband them after a decision from the authorities.â Kurds make up about two million of Syriaâs mainly 17 million population. They have often demanded the right to teach their language and the right to Syrian citizenship for some 200,000 stateless Kurds. About 30 people were killed in unprecedented clashes between Syrian Kurds and police in northern Syria in March after a soccer match brawl. âWe hope that they would not push the Kurds toward opposing the regime,â Saleh Keddo, senior official of the Kurdish Progressive Democratic Party, said of the latest move. |
| Posted by:TS(vice girl) |
| #2 Wonder if we should give the Syrian Kurds any encouragement about joining up with their neighbors in Iraq. Wonder if we should encourage them to start thinking about being part of an autonomous "South Kurdistan" within a federated Iraq. Wonder just how many Middle Eastern leaders would blanch. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2004-06-02 11:10:46 PM |
| #1 Whoever ordered this ban must have money invested in stationery futures. The organization names will change, but the offices and people will remain the same. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-06-02 10:38:12 PM |