Kurdish American Education Society

The malevolent policy of the Turkish government toward the Kurds in general, is now pointed at forcing the closure of ROJ, Kurdish satellite TV which broadcasts in Kurdish to the Kurds throughout Europe and to Kurdistan. Turkey wants to treat the Kurds who live in the relative safety and freedom of Europe, and the Western world, with the same measure they have treated their Kurdish population in Kurdistan for the last century. Now that the government of Turkey has been given the privilege of negotiations to join the Democratic European Union, one of their priority demand is for European countries to deny Kurds any form of organized cultural activities, economic rights and the rights to self-expression. They are now demanding that the country of Denmark revoke the operating license of ROJ TV, which operates in that country legally and peacefully in support of the basic rights for the Kurds in Turkey.

Invoking Turkish tactics of the past, particularly against the Kurds, Turkey now demands that Europeans must comply with the Turkish version of democracy, rather than Turkey complying with world’s demand that Turkey upholds respect for human rights and freedom of expression for the Kurds. In the view of the Turkish government, the West must succumb to the old-old Europe way of living under the fearful hooves of the Ottoman Turks through religious radicalism, pan-Turkism, and ultimately being “The Bridge” where one crosses to conquer and destroy, rather than learn, improve and allow a new culture to evolve and flourish.

The Kurdish American Education Society, urges all the peaceful and democratic governments of the world and institutions engaged in promoting social justice, to reject the deeply deceptive policies of the Turkish government in its pursuit to close ROJ TV. ROJ (pronounced Roozh) in Kurdish is the word for light. It also stands for a Ray Of Joy. It reminds me of the words of a Kurdish poet,

Bah-Bah, chu khandan hati tue
Sa-masto shadan hati tue

Wa ghamin dell-e-tareman
jour roj wa zendan hati tue

Translation,

How lovely and nice, is your radiant smile,
Happy is your face and delightful your thoughts,

To the lonely hearts living in darkness,
Like a Ray Of Joy, you entered our imprisoned world!

Let the Ray Of Joy in to your life! Join me in a letter writing campaign, to prevent the closure of ROJ TV through Turkish Government efforts currently underway in Europe. Please visit the following site and write your comments in support of saving ROJ TV from closure. http://rojtv.blogspot.com

In Freedom and Peace,
Ardishir Rashidi-Kalhur
For
Kurdish American Education Society
Kurdish American Education Society