America-Kurdistan Friendship League –AKFL

Written by Administrator

Sunday, 09 September 2007

BACKGROUND For over 100 years, 50 million Kurds in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria have been denied self-determination, independence, cultural autonomy, and even most basic human rights.  Kurds fell victims to Saddam Hussein's sadistic bloodletting, to fanatical Iranian mullahs and before that the Shah; various Turkish governments, and Assad's ethnic cleansing in Syria.Kurdish cultural heritage extends over a 4000-year history, to the ancient Medes that ruled Persia.  Until recently, the Kurdish language, religion, history and way of life has been suppressed in Iraq.  The demise of Saddam's dictatorship, and the regional autonomy of Iraqi Kurdistan, has created a Kurdish cultural Renaissance in Iraqi Kurdistan. In Syria, Iran, and Turkey however, the condition of Kurdish minorities is still deplorable, and most basic human rights, not to speak of cultural autonomy, are being denied and the respective governments or regimes have supported policies of oppression against Kurds. MISSION AKFL will seek to acquaint Americans of all aspects of Kurdish life including Kurdish Islam, the role women play in Kurdish society, Kurdish history, its expressive arts, and current politics. AKFL will organize symposiums and conferences that would bring Kurdish and American leaders together in US and Kurdistan. AKFL will seek to promote peace and democracy in the Middle East, as well as religious tolerance and friendship between Arabs, (Israeli) Jews, Kurds, Persians, and Turks. The AKFL will initiate trade, commerce, investment, and educational exchanges between America and Kurdistan. AKFL would organize student exchanges as well as missions of American businesspersons in search of investment and trade with Iraqi Kurdistan (expanded to Syria and Iran once peace and democracy prevail in these countries). OUTCOME The principle goal of the AKFL is to provide Americans with a deeper understanding of Kurdish life, and living.  To develop personal relationships and long-term cultural cross-fertilization between the two societies, with the hope of providing Kurds with best of American values, and enhance democratic, and civil institutions that would bring Kurdistan in closer partnership with the West.

 

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