: In Focus :

• Tariq Aziz: "Britain and the US killed Iraq. I wish I was martyred"
• Soma Hotel; Un-extinguished Blaze
• The Iraqi stalemate; Failure or Betrayal
• Melodrama: 15 minutes of The Long Lasting Relationship
• On the anniversarry of Dr. Ghassemlou’s assasination
• Rojin - a film critique
• Kurdistan and Democracy in the Middle East
• The murder of the journalist Sardasht Osman in Iraqi Kurdistan
• Iran: Executed Dissidents ‘Tortured to Confess’
• The murder of young journalist Sardasht Osman shocks the world
• Kurdish Cinema is promising
• Choman Hardi’s poems on the UK GCSE syllabus
• Nawshairwan Mustafa: His impact on the contemporary Kurdish politics
• Sixth London Kurdish Film Festival
• The world through an architectural eye
• Last call to Justice for Banaz
• Support Committee for Free Elections in Kurdistan
• 6th London Kurdish Film Festival - Call for submissions
• An interview with Omer Said Ali, former member of politburo of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan-PUK
• Mam Jalal: ”I have decided to stay active in politics until I reach 65, afterward, even if the whole nation begs me, I will retire”

Protest letter to the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, on Newroz occasion

• KurdishMedia.com - By Ilhan Genc
• 12/03/2009 00:00:00

I write to express my utter disgrace for the insulting and degrading 2009 Newroz, Kurdish New Year, message sent by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.

Before I go into the insulting message I’d like to enlighten our ignorant Mayor and his ignorant advisers.

Newroz (literarily meaning New Day in Kurdish), unlike most festivals is non-religious, its origins can be traced back to 3 millennia’s. It is celebrated on the 21st of March by many different peoples of Mesopotamia, the Near East and Central Asia; like the Farsis, Azeris, Kurds, Turkomans, Afghans and Baluchis.

Newroz was first introduced to Londoners in the early 90’s with mass gatherings and celebrations held at Finsbury Park in North London by Kurdish asylum seekers and immigrants who had escaped from the Turkish states oppressive regime.

Newroz has two significant meanings; the first is the celebration of rebirth and rejuvenation of life through the coming of spring. The second meaning is freedom, and the struggle and resistance against oppression. The second meaning for the past century has been far more important for the Kurds, an oppressed and stateless nation of 40 million scattered across Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria and the Caucuses. The Kurds have a distinct, rich and ancient culture and language and can not be degradingly and simply clasified as Turkish speaking, Arabic speaking or Farsi speaking. There is an estimated Kurdish population of 300,000 in the UK, majority of the population lives in North London (Haringey, Enfield, Islington, Hackney, Walthamstow) and South London (Croydon, Lewisham). More than 80% of the people and businesses from mainland Turkey who now live and trade in London are Kurdish.

To this day in Turkey the state continues not to recognise Newroz. Up until a few years ago it was banned and those who participated where brutally beaten imprisoned and killed. Since the 1990’s hundreds of children, women and men who found the courage to take part in Newroz celebrations in mainly the Kurdish areas of Turkey (South East and Eastern Turkey) were massacred by the Turkish police and Soldiers.

The Turkish government continues to ban and penalise those who use the word NEWROZ instead of the distorted and meaningless word NEVRUZ. In Turkey many individuals and politicians up to this day have been fined or imprisoned because of this.

I was overwhelmed with joy when it was announced that this year’s Newroz celebrations will be held at Trafalgar square. I was proud to see the many different messages sent by politician’s right across the political spectrum including the Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

However as soon as I read the Mayor, Boris Johnsons’ message I was shocked and gobsmacked, my joy and pride quickly turned into disgust and anger.

My feelings and point of view may become clearer and better understood if I use the following scenario.

Imagine the mayor had German ancestry and was sending a festive message at Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, to the London Jewish Community who fled Germany during the Holocaust, and the message read as follows…

“I’m proud so many people of GERMAN backgrounds, like my paternal grandfather, have made London their home and have brought the rich history, culture, cuisine and trades of GERMANY and GERMAN speaking countries to the capital.

HANUKKAH is a fantastic opportunity for all Londoners to enjoy a festival that traditionally welcomes the Spring and is very important to communities of GERMAN, JEWISH, Middle Easter and Central Asian backgrounds.

There are an abundance of HANUKKAH activities planned across the city, and I have the pleasure to announce that a HANUKKAH Festival will take place for the first time on London’s iconic Trafalgar Square on Saturday 14 March. The event will no doubt attract crowds in great numbers, and I encourage everyone to attend what promises to be a truly special occasion.

I am proud to be the Mayor of Londoners from every community and I’m extremely proud of my GERMAN ancestry. HANUKKAH is a wonderful opportunity for strengthening the links that exist between City Hall and everyone marking HANUKKAH.

Happy HANUKKAH! May the New Year bless you with joy and rejuvenation.

Boris Johnson

Mayor of London”

The above message is what Boris Johnson sent to the London Kurdish Community, the words Turkish and Turkey have been substituted with German and Germany, and the words Kurdish and Newroz substituted with Jewish and Hanukkah. I bring your attention to the first and last paragraphs.

I hope I have made my feelings clear, and look forward for an apology from the Mayor.

An extremely angered and insulted Kurdish Londoner

Regards

Ilhan Genc

• KurdishMedia.com - By Ilhan Genc
• 12/03/2009 00:00:00