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In Washington, Protesters Demand Kobane Intervention

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  • In Washington, Protesters Demand Kobane Intervention

    Rudaw, Iraqi Kurdistan
    Oct 12 2014

    In Washington, Protesters Demand Kobane Intervention

    By Yerevan Saeed


    WASHINGTON--Kurdish Americans led demonstrations in front of the White
    House and the State Department this week, demanding the US act to stop
    an Islamic State (IS/ISIS) takeover of the besieged Kurdish city of
    Kobane.

    During the three days of demonstrations, protesters called on the US
    not only to increase strikes on IS, which is closing in on Kobane, but
    also to press its allies such as Turkey to intervene on behalf of
    Kurdish fighters.

    "People are here because they are trying to ask for help from the
    United States and its allies to break the siege on Kobane and get it
    out of the hands of IS," said Parvez Barraghi, a 36-year-old Kurd from
    Harrisonburg, Virginia.

    "The US has been slow, but they have been moving; however its ally in
    the region which is Turkey is watching while women and children being
    killed and not doing anything (to help) them," he added.

    Powered by advanced US armory seized in Iraq and weapons seized in
    Syria, IS last month launched a major assault on Kobane. The United
    Nations' refugee agency (UNHCR) reports that 170,000 people have fled
    to nearby Turkey from the border city of Kobane, which is being
    defended by People's Protection Units (YPG).

    The Syrian Kurdish militia is outgunned by IS but not receiving
    weapons from Turkey or the west largely because it is tied to the
    Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which is deemed a terrorist organization
    by the European Union, the US and Turkey.

    The demonstrators delivered a letter to State Department officials,
    asking for US military assistance for the Kurdish fighters and
    increased US airstrikes to halt the IS advance.

    Demonstrators chanted "Arm Kurdish fighters, Stop ISIS, Down with
    ISIS, Mr. Obama Save Kobane."

    Carrying Kurdish and American flags with signs for Kobane, the
    protesters marched toward the White House, where they caught the
    attention of passers-by.

    "We want the United States to be more assertive with its allies, "Barraghi said.

    He also urged Turkey, which has tanks a few kilometers away from
    Kobane on the Turkish side of the border but has not intervened, to
    act to prevent killing women and children. Turkey has said it would
    intervene if the Kurds commit to ousting Syrian leader Bashar
    al-Assad.

    "We want Turkey to do something because they are the biggest ally and
    the second biggest force of NATO. They should do something at least to
    protect the women and children. They should put the Kurdish problem
    and political problem away to protect humanity."

    "We are standing here in solidarity with the Kurds everywhere,
    especially in Kobane and its struggle because of possible genocide and
    massacre. We want to prevent that from happening," said Omer Pacal, a
    Washington-based Kurdish American.

    Pacal said that while US-led international coalition has played a role
    in helping Kobane, "Unfortunately the airstrikes were late. If the
    airstrikes would have started weeks ago, it would not have been at
    this stage."

    Pacal accused Turkey of dragging its feet in acting against IS, saying
    that Ankara "will be responsible" if a massacre occurs. He noted that
    at least 31 Kurdish civilians have been killed in several days of
    protests in Turkey, which is still debating how to deal with IS.

    The gathering included non-Kurds in solidarity with the people and
    Kurdish fighters of Kobane.

    Armenian National Committee of America Executive Director Aram
    Hamparian said he joined the protest because he believes the future of
    Kurds and Armenians, both persecuted minorities in Turkey, are tied.

    He claimed Turkey's reluctance to act on Kobane was driven by Ankara's
    "anti-Kurdish" stance.

    "Turkey has a very clear responsibility. They have an opportunity to
    help and they are not," he said. "Why? Because they have an
    anti-Kurdish agenda. All you need is to look at the history of the
    last 30 years to see how they have tried to destroy Kurdish
    nationalism and destroy Kurdish cultural identity."

    Gorran Rahim, another Kurd from northern Virginia, called on the US to
    step up military intervention against IS.

    "Thousands of people are trapped and we ask America to save them," Rahim said.

    http://rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/11102014

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