London: Priest addresses rally calling for end to Turkey's war on Kurds

Fr Joe Ryan, Chair of the Westminster Justice and Peace Commission gave the following address at protest held outside BBC Broadcasting House in Portland Place, London yesterday (29th December) calling for an end to Turkey's war against the Kurds.

Fr Joe said: "For a good number of years I have been aware of the Turkish - Kurdish conflict. As a Catholic priest from Ireland, I can see many similarities to what is called 'The Troubles' in Northern Ireland. The simple truth is that a whole nation is being suppressed: Their rights are denied; their identity is denied; their history and culture is denied. In Turkey this has been the case for many decades.

At present, peace negotiations have been suspended by Mr Erdogan's so-called democratic government. Instead, there is persecution of the Kurdish people.

The present atrocities go on as I speak; the curfews, the arrest, the killings of men, women and children, all add up to a total disaster and de-humanisation of the Kurdish people. (Other speakers will elaborate on this reality).

The world is looking on in silence. This cannot be right. When human rights are denied; when there is death of civilians, men, women, and children ... we need to speak out. This is why I am here today.

As we stand outside the BBC headquarters, I appeal to this great media body to speak out - to tell the story as it is, not as many would perceive it to be.

Turkey is hell bent on continuing to eliminate; to humiliate, to eradicate or any other 'ate' you can think of ... the Kurdish people - all 20 million in turkey and a similar number outside Turkey.

This act of supreme violence to a nation is justified under the guise of security. The resistance group, the PKK are on the Terrorist List - even for years of non-violence, no international move was made to undo the stigma.

It is over two years ago that I was one of the four signatories in Brussels to the Freedom of Abdullah Öcalan campaign; 18 months later I was part of the delegates in Strasbourg , handing in 10.3million signatures asking the Council of Europe to negotiate his freedom. He is now forced to be even more silent from his prison cell in the Sea of Marmara, Istanbul.

I can tell you about the trials I attended in Diyarbakir - politicians, human rights workers, mayors, journalists etc. all in jail on fabricated so-called evidence of being members of the PKK!

I am here today in solidarity with you, the Kurdish people. Your cause is my cause. I will continue to do all I can to tell your story! Thank You."