The 1994 Rafto Prize was awarded to Leyla Zana, a Kurdish parliamentarian, for her peaceful struggle for the human rights of the Kurdish people in Turkey and the neighbouring countries. Leyla Zana symbolizes the struggle for a peaceful solution to the Kurdish conflict in Turkey, with the goal of achieving respect for the human rights of the long-time persecuted Kurdish people.
The Rafto Foundation, together with three other organisations, established the EU Turkey Civic Commision (EUTCC) in 2004. Leyla Zana is one of the persons in the Advisory Council, together with Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Desmond Tutu and Shirin Ebadi. The topic of the 5th EUTCC’s conference was: Time for change in Turkey!
Press release from the EUTCC:
Since 2004 the EUTCC has held an annual conference in the European Parliament. One of its most important tasks is to monitor Turkish compliance with the EU accession criteria. EUTCC wishes to contribute to the progress of Turkish membership of the EU by spreading accurate, objective information both in Turkey and Europe about the progress made by Turkey, but also about any shortcomings which may still persist.
By these conferences the EUTCC also wishes to contribute to a democratic, peaceful and lasting solution of the Kurdish problem. It believes that this can only be achieved through a dialogue between the parties concerned, in which also the EU must play its part. This will require not only further changes in legislation, but a change in the ideology and mentality at all levels of Turkish society. From a state seeing the expression of Kurdish culture and language as a threat to its own existence, Turkey must become a state that recognizes differences and sees cultural diversity and freedom as positive and necessary elements of a true democracy.
In these five years there have been only minor reform changes in Turkey regarding the situation of the Kurds. This year’s conference brings together internationally recognized speakers from various disciplines and fields who together with the EUTCC patrons; Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Dr. Shirin Ebadi, Bianca Jagger, Noam Chomsky, Yasar Kemal and Leyla Zana in different ways express their request for real changes in Turkey.
The 5th international conference is dedicated the late Nobel Laureate and Playwright Harold Pinter who has been patron of the previous conferences and a dear friend of the Kurds. The EUTCC honors Harold Pinter’s memory.
For more information contact:
Kariane Westrheim
Chair of the EUTCC
Menneskerettighetenes plass 1
5007 Bergen, Norway
Telephone: +47 976 42 088
www.eutcc.org
