Kurds in Sweden meet new leader of Swedish Left Party

Kurdish Democratic Society Center-Sweden (Navenda Civaka Demokratîk a Kurd li Swêd- NCDK) co-chair Rıdvan Altun had an online meeting with Nooshi Dadgostar, who was elected as the leader of the Swedish Left Party on 31 October last year.

MP and Left Party Foreign Policy Spokesperson Håkan Svenneling and the Board Member of the International Left Forum Yekbun Alp also attended the meeting.

The new President of the Left Party, Nooshi Dadgostar, who came together with Kurdistan organizations for the first time after being elected, asked Altun and Alp for information about Kurdish associations working in Sweden.

Altun said that Kurdish organizations have been active in Sweden since the 1980s and that Sweden-NCDK has member associations in 25 settlements. He made statements about the political, cultural and social work of the association in Sweden. He pointed out that the association, which is based on gender equality, has male and female co-chairs.

Altun said that they are in close contact with the Left Party in at least 8 settlements and they organize events together from time to time. He stated that they are in solidarity with the Kurds in four parts of Kurdistan and they support the Kurdish struggle for independence and democracy.

Swedish police increased pressure on the NCDK

Altun pointed out that in the last few years the Swedish Security Police (Säpo) has increased its pressure over the NCDK and its members. Stating that the asylum requests of the Kurds have been rejected on irrelevant grounds and those who wish to obtain Swedish citizenship have been given negative response, Altun said, “They do not give jobs to some Kurds by citing security reasons. This situation worries us deeply”.

He said that because of the police's attitude, some of the Kurds did not dare to join associations.

PKK presence in terrorist organisation list used by Turkey to increase war on Kurds

Yekbun Alp, member of the Executive Board of the International Left Forum, said that they appreciated the Left Party's support for the Kurds. “When the new president of the Left Party was elected, some Kurdish people were concerned about the cooperation. We replied to them, we changed the chair, not the party. The Left Party has been supporting the struggle of the Kurds since the 1970s and will continue to support it from now on ”, Alp said.

The Kurdish people living in Europe, Turkey and the Middle East are unhappy that the PKK still remains in the list of "terrorist organizations and the Turkish government uses it to justify its war against the Kurds", Alp added.

"Arbitrary arrests continue in Kurdistan and Turkey. The Turkish state says that they are fighting against terrorism and continue to arrest teror-linked people. The Turkish state arrested top HDP members by alledging that they support terrorism. It attacks Rojava, arguing that it is fighting against terrorism. "

Turkish state may attack Kurds in Europe

Alp said that a former Turkish state official revealed on a tv broadcast a few days ago that Turkey was involved in the murder of 3 Kurdish female revolutionaries in Paris in 2013 and that the same massacres should be continued in Europe.

Saying that he is happy that the Left Party frequently brings the massacres and attacks of the Turkish state to the agenda of the parliament, Alp said, “I hope these efforts will continue. It is important to raise the Kurdish issue and demand that the PKK be removed from the list of terrorist organizations. The deportation attempts of the Kurds must be opposed."

"Turkey is a country famous for its human rights violations. It is unacceptable that the Swedish Security Police treats the Kurds based on information from Turkey. Left Party Legal Policy Spokesperson Linda Snecker Westerlund brought this issue to the agenda of the parliament", Alp said.

Nooshi Dadgostar, the leader of the Left Party, said that they took part in the protests, campaigns and activities organized with Svenneling to support the Kurdish people 20 years ago and that they will continue this attitude.

Reminding that all Left Party members are in solidarity with the Kurds, Dadgoster stated that the change of leader in the party will not lead to a change in the Left Party's approach towards Kurds.

 

Stripping HDP deputies of their immunities not acceptable

Party's MP and Foreign Policy Spokesperson Håkan Svenneling pointed out that the Turkish state has increased attacks against Kurds and HDP in recent years. He said that the MPs would react harshly against the attempts to lift political immunity of the HDP MPs.

Svenneling emphasized that they will develop solidarity with the Kurds against the Swedish Security Police's attempts to blacklist and deport Kurds.

Answering the questions of the ANF after the meeting, the Foreign Policy Spokesperson said, “We will react violently if HDP MPs are arrested. Sweden and the European Union must react strongly against the attempts to criminalize the HDP. "

Svenneling said he spoke on the phone with HDP lawmakers on Monday and expressed their feelings of support.

He emphasized that they will further strengthen solidarity with HDP MPs and their members and will make maximum effort to mobilize left and progressive parties in European Union member countries.