. . . And Political Oppression 

Sunday, July 15, 2001

Kani Xulam 
is director of the American
Kurdish Information Network.

Today marks the 133rd day of our vigil at Sheridan Circle in Northwest Washington. Our
group of mostly Kurds along with some Americans has kept an around-the-clock watch to
protest the imprisonment of four Kurdish parliamentarians. Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle, Orhan
Dogan and Selirn Sadak were elected to the Turkish parliament in 1991. Three years later,
they were arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Amnesty International has declared
them prisoners of conscience. 

For 133 days, members of our group have taken turns sitting in a replica of a Turkish prison
cell across from the Turkish ambassador's residence. We hope our presence will pressure
Turkey into releasing these nonviolent Kurdish parliamentarians. 

The Kurds have been denied their most basic human rights as an indifferent world has stood
by. Unless we make a clamor, nothing will be done to help our compatriots. At issue is not
just the freedom of four parliamentarians but the right of an entire people to hold onto their
past and future without persecution. Eleven-thousand Kurds are behind Turkish bars for
political reasons, and Turkey, which controls more than half of the world's 30 million Kurds,
holds the key to their freedom.

Nations always have sought help in critical hours to preserve themselves or improve their
lots. France aided America in its struggle for independence. Russia helped Greece win its
freedom. Britain, the one-time foe of the United States, withstood the Nazis in World War II
with the aid of the Americans. 

But the Kurds have had no friends but their mountains. Although human rights activists have
given their time and skills to help us, our collective effort so far has not moved America to
our side. 

Zana and her friends have been in prison for seven years and 133 days now. Our vigil to free
them will continue for as long as our love of freedom sustains us. We endured the cold of
March and are prepared for summer's heat. Our demonstration for freedom has been an
incredible experience. We just hope our adopted country never will need to do the same.

 Kani Xulam 
is director of the American
Kurdish Information Network.
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