Message from Mr. Anwar Soltani the renowend Kurdish scholar

Mr. Anwar Soltani the renowned Kurdish scholar in a letter to concerned authorities in Denmark considers threats against ROJ TV as an anxiety in Kurdish cultural front

Your Excellency The Prime Minister, The Minister of Foreign Affairs, The Minister of Justice, The Minister of Culture of Denmark

My name is Anwar Soltani. I am a researcher and historian. Being a British national I am originally from Iranian Kurdistan. I have published more than twenty volumes of books on the Kurdish history and Kurdish related manuscripts in the libraries of The United Kingdom. I had been running book review program for several Kurdish periodicals and websites as well as Voice of America-Kurdish program. I have no connection with any political parties inside or outside Kurdistan.

I have recently heard about the threat of closure over Roj TV station and would like to express my anxiety and negative feelings about it.

Roj TV is the most successful Kurdish TV station watched by millions of our people on daily basis. Any attempt for closure of the station by a European democracy is far from my expectation and belief. It reminds me of similar acts by the countries of the Middle East, where our nation live. There, our peaceful activities are denied by Turkish, Iranian and Syrian authorities; it was the same with the old Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein in the past. I do not want to see Denmark side by side with those notorious dictatorships of the world.

Please let Roj TV to continue its legal and peaceful activities without any fear of closure by Denmark. Please let our nation have its voice without interferes of outsiders. Please let our stateless people not to be oppressed by the democratic societies of Europe. Please do not bow to the policies non-democratic government of Turkey towards Kurds. Please let Roj TV continue its broadcasting.

Kind regards

Anwar Soltani (Mr)

11.12.2005