01 June 2012
Brussels - The Kurdish national flag has been raised for the first time abroad with an official ceremony attended by over 100 guests.
The flag has been lifted in front of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Mission to the EU in Brussels by Carlos Kurdi, Head of the KRG Mission.
Kurdish political representatives from different parts of Kurdistan, intellectuals and journalists attended the flag hoisting ceremony.
In a statement Head of KRG - EU Mission Carlos Kurdi said Kurds have been deprived from exercising their right to independence and freedom.
Kurdi said many small and colonised nations, even the clans got the right for their own states and flags 100 years ago. But the Kurds and all Kurdistani people with different ethnic and religious origin were divided by big powers after First World War and among Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Syria.
He continued today in 21st Century over 40 million Kurdistani people are without state and they even are not "authorized" to raise their flag. Despite that, Head of KRG Mission to the EU believes "it's never late" .
Kurdi said " Kurdish people have been fighting for hundreds of years for freedom, independence and national flag. Many hundred thousands of Kurds have been killed; millions have been tortured, imprisoned or sent to exile, because of their fight for freedom, independence and right for self determination.
"The world has always been injustice to more than 40 million Kurdistani people," KRG official said "today we finally have this historic opportunity to raise our flag over KRG Mission....This is another step of international recognition for Kurds.
"As every nation, Kurds have right for independence, but we still believe we can achieve it in a peaceful way".
Omar Zawitey, the Holland-based representative of Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) expressed his satisfaction for "this historic day for all Kurds".
He said "as our [Iraqi Kurdistan Region] President Massoud Barzani says, to be a state is our fundamental right and no one can deprive us from it.
Zawitey continued "the same is valid for the Kurdish flag. Like every nation, we have right for flag and independence.
"Today's raising of the Kurdish flag in Brussels is advancing us one step closer to our full right to exist as an independent nation....This is a dream for all the Kurds."
KDP official to Holland restated a common remark by Barzani "we've always wanted that every change will happen in peaceful way and no human life will be lost in wars or armed conflicts".
Wezirê Eşo, Kurdish writer and historian said "raising Kurdish flag over KRG EU Representation is a historical day and a happy occasion for Kurds from four parts of Kurdistan and the Diaspora".
The 77-year-old writer added felt happy to see "with my own eyes this flag waving over EU capital. This fundamental right was a dream for us".
Zana Hawramani, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Representative in Belgium /relations with the European Parliament said raising the Kurdish flag in the European capital is a great day and marks a happy day for Kurds from all parts of Kurdistan and all the Kurdistani people.
Hawramani said "we, Kurds, like every nation have right for our flag as well. No one can take this fundamental right from us".
Hunermend Rahimo Husein, Representative of Party Yeketi Kurd Syria and Member of Syrian National Council described the event as "a historic day"
He said the event is also "good news for all the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for Kurdistan and for their children. I hope that this will be a positive step towards independence.
"All Kurds from four parts of Kurdistan should find a common strategy for freedom for all of us, so that this land [Kurdistan] will again become a cradle of the world civilization, as it was thousands of years ago".
Earlier this year, Belgium, which is hosting EU institutions, NATO and several hundred of international organisations and NGO's, authorized Kurdish national flag to be raised over KRG Mission to EU in Brussels. Currently there are about 210 foreign embassies / Missions to the EU in Brussels.
Brussels - The Kurdish national flag has been raised for the first time abroad with an official ceremony attended by over 100 guests.
The flag has been lifted in front of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Mission to the EU in Brussels by Carlos Kurdi, Head of the KRG Mission.
Kurdish political representatives from different parts of Kurdistan, intellectuals and journalists attended the flag hoisting ceremony.
In a statement Head of KRG - EU Mission Carlos Kurdi said Kurds have been deprived from exercising their right to independence and freedom.
Kurdi said many small and colonised nations, even the clans got the right for their own states and flags 100 years ago. But the Kurds and all Kurdistani people with different ethnic and religious origin were divided by big powers after First World War and among Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Syria.
He continued today in 21st Century over 40 million Kurdistani people are without state and they even are not "authorized" to raise their flag. Despite that, Head of KRG Mission to the EU believes "it's never late" .
Kurdi said " Kurdish people have been fighting for hundreds of years for freedom, independence and national flag. Many hundred thousands of Kurds have been killed; millions have been tortured, imprisoned or sent to exile, because of their fight for freedom, independence and right for self determination.
"The world has always been injustice to more than 40 million Kurdistani people," KRG official said "today we finally have this historic opportunity to raise our flag over KRG Mission....This is another step of international recognition for Kurds.
"As every nation, Kurds have right for independence, but we still believe we can achieve it in a peaceful way".
Omar Zawitey, the Holland-based representative of Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) expressed his satisfaction for "this historic day for all Kurds".
He said "as our [Iraqi Kurdistan Region] President Massoud Barzani says, to be a state is our fundamental right and no one can deprive us from it.
Zawitey continued "the same is valid for the Kurdish flag. Like every nation, we have right for flag and independence.
"Today's raising of the Kurdish flag in Brussels is advancing us one step closer to our full right to exist as an independent nation....This is a dream for all the Kurds."
KDP official to Holland restated a common remark by Barzani "we've always wanted that every change will happen in peaceful way and no human life will be lost in wars or armed conflicts".
Wezirê Eşo, Kurdish writer and historian said "raising Kurdish flag over KRG EU Representation is a historical day and a happy occasion for Kurds from four parts of Kurdistan and the Diaspora".
The 77-year-old writer added felt happy to see "with my own eyes this flag waving over EU capital. This fundamental right was a dream for us".
Zana Hawramani, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Representative in Belgium /relations with the European Parliament said raising the Kurdish flag in the European capital is a great day and marks a happy day for Kurds from all parts of Kurdistan and all the Kurdistani people.
Hawramani said "we, Kurds, like every nation have right for our flag as well. No one can take this fundamental right from us".
Hunermend Rahimo Husein, Representative of Party Yeketi Kurd Syria and Member of Syrian National Council described the event as "a historic day"
He said the event is also "good news for all the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for Kurdistan and for their children. I hope that this will be a positive step towards independence.
"All Kurds from four parts of Kurdistan should find a common strategy for freedom for all of us, so that this land [Kurdistan] will again become a cradle of the world civilization, as it was thousands of years ago".
Earlier this year, Belgium, which is hosting EU institutions, NATO and several hundred of international organisations and NGO's, authorized Kurdish national flag to be raised over KRG Mission to EU in Brussels. Currently there are about 210 foreign embassies / Missions to the EU in Brussels.
© AK News 2012
