CHAK letter to Ban Ki-Moon

TO: Ban Ki-Moon
Secretary GeneralUnited Nations
Topic: The Syrian regime is threatening to massacre Kurds

Dear Ban,

During the decade After World War I the world map was redrawn.  In the Middle East Kurdistan was occupied and divided between four countries. The Baghdad railway,  a part the Orient Express , became the new border between the new  Turkish state and Syria.  The railway also became the border between the northern Kurdistan in Turkey, “Serxetê” in Kurdish,  and western Kurdistan in northern Syria, “Binxetê” in Kurdish. This separation resulted in a separation of thousands of Kurds in to two different countries. Consequently, some families got separated between the north and south making it impossible to visit their families and relatives. Read more

Sami Khiyami: ‘I think Syria-UK relations are improving’

International Support Kurds in Syria Association – SKS has continually urged that UK and EU take a robust approach to the human rights violations of Kurds in Syria before moving on to talk with the Syrian authorities about trade and international relations. Syria has been welcomed into the international community whilst the human rights situation for the Kurdish population in Syria has deteriorated.

Sami Khiyami, Syria Ambassador in UK  told the Guardian newspaper on 29 March 2011 that Syrian Kurds are causing current  strife in Syria.  He also told ‘Syria Today’ in March 2011 that the relationship between UK and Syria was improving under the Conservative-led coalition. This very recent statement by Sami Khiyami causes us great concern that Kurds will now will  be scapegoated, victimised and punished for the uprisings in other parts of Syria, in addition to the burdens they already suffer.

What action will UK and EU take to support the Kurds in Syria?

…

Read more

Urgent risk to Shirko Maarefi – petition

25 Mar 2011

Bahman (Shirko) Maarefi was arrested by agents of the Iranian Islamic Regime on November 1st, 2007. He was in danger of execution in Saghez in 2009, and has been declared an “enemy of God” or Mohareb. He has been subjected to severe torture during his detainment. He has received a formal sentence of execution by hanging during this year’s Nowruz holiday (last week) in the Saghez court. His family is requesting that you keep him in the public eye in an effort to dissuade the Iranian government from carrying out this execution. They are requesting international pressure. Do whatever you can. Let’s work together to save a life. Contact human rights organizations and get his name out there, let them know this is critical.

http://www.gopetition.com/petition/32085/sign.html

Previous reports:

http://supportkurds.org/reports/kurds-in-iran-under-sentence-of-death-may-2010

http://supportkurds.org/news/twelve-kurdish-prisoners-in-iran-face-death-for-political-reasons

http://supportkurds.org/news/844/

Kurds in Syria ‘waiting to take to the streets,’ academic says

(CNN) — The Kurdish people of Syria have not joined the current wave of unrest with any significant demonstrations against President Bashar al-Assad and his ruling Baath party. But that could change. Read more

Syrian man Mukhles Khalaf of Almondbury appeals for West to help uprising

by Sam Casey, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A SYRIAN man now living in Huddersfield has called for the West to support revolutionaries in his home country – and says he will go back if the present repressive regime is overthrown.

Protestors have been demonstrating against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, whose Baath party has dominated politics in the country for almost 50 years. Read more

SKS strongly condemns the actions of the Syrian regime in Daraa

International Support Kurds in Syria Association – SKS condemns in the stongest terms the killings, woundings and arrests that are taking place around Daraa at this time by the Syrian regime.  This is a crime against humanity.

Read more

SKS: Call for change in Syria

International Support Kurds in Syria Association – SKS sends its condolences to the relatives of those who have been killed, and a message of support to the people who have been injured and arrested by the Syrian authorities during these early days of a revolution for change in Syria.

We are aware that the Syrian Government will seek to divide and weaken the different strands of opposition by offering token deals and incentives, and so we urge people to work together for the common aims below:

• Stateless Kurds to be granted Citizenship;
• Release of political prisoners and human rights activists;
• Lifting of the State of Emergency and martial law;
• Removal of laws that criminalise membership and support of Political Parties who seek change by peaceful means;
• Abolish the Supreme State Security Court in Damascus;
• Independence of the judiciary.

We have particular concern about the situation for Kurds in Syria, but we recognise that this would be addressed when people active in human rights and politics work together to bring about the significant changes needed to benefit of all those living within the borders of Syria.

We call on the international community including the Governments of the EU, UK and USA to recognise that trade links and hopes of Syria playing positive role in the international community are not the priority now. It is time for the international community to support  the people of Syria in bringing about these changes.

Sheila Mosley and Khalaf Dahowd
Co-Chairs: International Support Kurds in Syria Association – SKS

24 March 2011

Call on the international community to put considerable pressure on the Syrian government to free detainees

To: United Nations’ High Commissioner of Human Rights (UNHCHR)
United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI)
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)
Human Rights Watch (HRW)
Amnesty International (AI)
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

Since 8 March, 2011 political prisoners detained in the Syrian prisons have announced a hunger strike. However, the Syrian government has not responded to their demands. These demands consist of:

1.      To let all the political detainees free and revoke the acts of detention for political reasons.

2.      To revoke the state of emergency decreed since 1962 adhering to the common principles of liberties in Syria. Read more

Call for the release of Kurds imprisoned in Syria and in Cyprus

Human Rights Organization in Syria – MAF has been informed that on 2 March 2011, the military judge in Aleppo in case no. 1 / 898 delivered disproportionate sentences in relation to ten Kurds who had sought asylum and were then deported from Cyprus on 15 December 2010.

The Court has convicted the men using the Syrian Penal Code: Read more

Kurds denied access to lawyers ahead of trial

Further information on UA: 26/10 Index: MDE 24/010/2011 Syria

Date: 11 March 2011
Three Kurdish prisoners of conscience, on trial before a Syrian special court since 6 June 2010, remain without access to their lawyers ahead of their next court hearing on 13 March 2011. The men’s lawyers have announced that they are now boycotting the trial in protest. Read more

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