[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 158 (Monday, November 10, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2310-E2311]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            FREE LEYLA ZANA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BOB FILNER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Sunday, November 9, 1997

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, as I speak here tonight, members of the 
Kurdish community are conducting a vigil for peace and a hunger strike 
to spotlight the continuing oppression of the Kurdish people. I rise 
tonight for one simple reason: to express my solidarity with the hunger 
strikers and my support for the Kurdish people's struggle for freedom, 
justice--and self-determination. The symbol of that struggle is a 
fellow democratically elected representative, the imprisoned Kurdish 
leader, Leyla Zana.
  In Turkey today, Mr. Speaker, innocent Kurdish civilians are being 
massacred, entire Kurdish villages are being destroyed, and millions of 
Kurds are forced from their homes, forced to the cities where 
unemployment and inflation are extremely high. The entire region of 
southeastern Turkey has been ravaged--it has become an economic and 
humanitarian disaster area. This is simply unacceptable. This is a 
cause for alarm for a country that uses American arms to commit such 
crimes. United States-made weapons should never again be used against 
the Kurds or against anybody else, as they were at the ancient Kurdish 
city of Halabia, where over 5,000 Kurdish civilians, mostly women and 
children, were gassed to death. Never again.
  Leyla Zana has committed her life's work to pursuing a peaceful and 
just resolution to the enduring Kurdish question. I hope my colleagues 
will learn her story--an incredible story of self-education, political 
growth, heroism and courage.
  The Turkish Government feared Leyla Zana was progressing too far in 
her endeavors for peace and now she shares a prison cell with a 
convicted murderer. But they cannot imprison her picture, her words, 
her courage, and her inspiring story.
  An initiative has been undertaken in the U.S. House of 
Representatives in pursuit of Leyla Zana's freedom. I, and 143 of my 
colleagues in Congress have signed a letter to President Clinton urging 
him to seek Leyla Zana's immediate and unconditional release from 
prison. More Members of Congress are standing with Leyla Zana and the 
Kurdish people now than ever before. Without a doubt, the U.S. Congress 
is becoming more aware of, and more sympathetic to, the plight of the 
Kurdish people.
  Kurds in Iran, Iraq, Syria, as well as Turkey live as second class 
citizens, denied the basic human rights of life, liberty, and the 
pursuit of happiness. Because of the inspiring work of Leyla Zana and 
thousands of others, the oppression of the Kurdish minority will 
someday

[[Page E2311]]

come to an end. To achieve this result, it is far better to use 
peaceful measures and end the longstanding violence. Thus, we must 
embrace Leyla Zana for risking her life for the Kurdish people, not 
through violence, but through peaceful and democratic activism.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I salute those who are fasting today in support of 
the freedom of Leyla Zana. And I say to the Government of Turkey: in 
the name of humanity, free Leyla Zana.

                          ____________________