Beseechment for the Kurds

[aldopacific at gn.apc.org]

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                   Beseechment for the Kurds


We beseech Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey and the USSR to accede the right of
self-determination for the Kurds.  Such a supreme gesture towards world peace
would offer new hope and courageous direction in this specific situation,
which is only part of a much wider global problem facing humankind.  

We respectfully ask Moslem nations in particular to respond to the present
plight of the Kurds in the light of their undertaking contained in the Charter
of the Islamic Conference, Article II, Paragraph 6: "To strengthen the
struggle of all Moslem peoples with a view to safeguarding their dignity,
independence and national rights."

We plead with the nations of the world to support and provide resources for
the establishment of Kurdish autonomy.  

The United Kingdom and other western nations played a major role in drawing up
the current political map of the Middle East. This has had considerable
bearing on present suffering. It is therefore appropriate for this statement
to originate mainly from British citizens. However, we hope it might be taken
up and signed as a petition by peoples elsewhere in the world and sent to
national United Nations representatives.


                      Signatories in Alphabetical Order
       
Rev Kathy Galloway, Convenor, Scottish Churches Action for World Development.

Bishop Michael Hare Duke, Bishop of St. Andrews, Scottish Episcopal Church.

Rev John Harvey, Leader, The Iona Community, Iona Abbey.

The Rt Rev Richard Holloway, Bishop of Edinburgh, Scottish Episcopal Church.

Dr Kabir R Khan, Head of the Department of Public International Law,
University of Edinburgh. 

Dr Ulrich E Loening, Director of the Centre for Human Ecology, University of
Edinburgh.

Professor Aubrey Manning, Division of Biological Sciences, University of
Edinburgh.

Duncan MacLaren, Director, Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund.

Archbishop Keith O'Brien, Roman Catholic Archbishop of St Andrews and
Edinburgh.

Jonathon Porritt, Special Advisor to Friends of the Earth.

Dr Reza Sabri-Tabrizi, Department of Islamic and Middle East Studies,
University of Edinburgh.

Sir David Smith, Principal, University of Edinburgh.

Maryanne Ure, National Secretary, Catholic Justice and Peace Commission for
Scotland.

Rev Robert Waters, General Secretary, Congregational Union of Scotland.

Canon Kenyon E Wright, Director of the KAIROS Ecumenical Agency for Society
and Environment.


                          NEWS RELEASE


                   Beseechment for the Kurds



Fifteen senior academics and church leaders, mainly from Scotland, have

beseeched countries where there are significant Kurdish populations to permit

self-determination as "a supreme gesture towards world peace".


The signatories, include the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, the

Principal of Edinburgh University, Jonathon Porritt erstwhile of Friends of

the Earth and Moslem international lawyer, Kabir Khan. 


They call for international provision of resources to help establish Kurdish

autonomy.


The statement was inspired by discussion at Edinburgh University's Centre for

Human Ecology and coordinated by Alastair McIntosh, its development director,

who for five days over the past week walked besuited but barefoot in witness

with fleeing Kurdish refugees. 


One of the signatories, Dr Reza Sabri-Tabrizi, arrived back from Azarbaijan

just 36 hours ago and is willing to respond to media enquiries about the

plight of the Kurds and what he saw in refugee areas. Dr Sabri-Tabrizi is an

expert at Edinburgh University's Department of Islamic and Middle East

Studies.


Contact: Alastair McIntosh, 031 445 5010 or 031 650 3469
         Dr Sabri-Tabrizi,  031 650 4180 or 031 229 4363 (home)



(Statement Attached)                            19th April 1991.
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