LONDON,— The leader of the British opposition reaffirmed his continuing support for Kurds in the Middle East, saying he would support Kurds even if he became the premier of the U.K.
Labour and opposition party leader Jeremy Corbyn, among Kurdish supporters at a campaign rally in northern London on Thursday told NRT he would work to recognize Kurdish rights including self determination.
The meeting organised by British Kurdish People’s Assembly was attended by many people from Kurdistan and Turkey, and moderated by Kate Osamor, Labour & Coop MP for Edmonton, Northern London.
“What I want to do is how to bring about peace and justice for the Kurdish people and that means challenging the human rights abuses … it is about recognizing their rights, their self-expression and self-determination,” Corbyn said during the rally.
“My support for the rights of people all over the world, for human rights and self-determination, those who I stood by all my life, it hasn’t changed,” Corbyn continued. “I will do all I can in opposition.”
The meeting organised by British Kurdish People’s Assembly was attended by many people from Kurdistan and Turkey, and moderated by Kate Osamor, Labour & Coop MP for Edmonton, Northern London.
On the Turkish issue, Corbyn stated that Turkey’s jailed Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan must be free for the achievement of peace.
“I have always said, if there will be a peace process and solution, Ocalan must be free and at the table. We will maintain our works in this regard.” he said.
The Trade Union Congress, the umbrella structure of all unions in the UK, has made a very important decision. A huge campaign is being run for the freedom of the Kurdish people and Öcalan. This is a significant development.”
Speaking on the conflict in Syria, Corbyn said issues there would only be solved through a politician agreement which includes the rights of all ethnic components of the country, adding Kurds need to implement self-determination in Syria.
There are an estimated 40 million Kurds spread across territories in northern Iraq, western Iran, northern Syria and southeastern Turkey – referred to by Kurds as Bashur, Rojhelat, Rojava and Bakur respectively. These areas make up the four parts of a Greater Kurdistan and the KRG is located in Bashur.
Neighboring countries have been concerned about the domestic implications of a sovereign Kurdish state, as the areas included in the plan are currently portions of Iran, Syria, and Turkey.
Turkey has fought a four-decade campaign against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), founded using violent uprisings in southeastern Turkey to push for independence.
The PKK took up arms in 1984 against the Turkish state, which still denies the constitutional existence of Kurds, to push for greater autonomy for the Kurdish minority who make up around 22.5 million of the country’s 78-million population. A large Kurdish community in Turkey and worldwide openly sympathise with PKK rebels.
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