Statement 28/29.05.2011 – The Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) presents the conclusions following the successful completion of its annual Congress on 28th-29th May 2011. Common agreement was reached to distribute the conclusions in Kurdistan, the Middle East and rest of the world and these are listed as:
1.The geographical name of the region where Kurds live is Kurdistan. The KNK refuses any other name that has been used by occupiers in alternative to Kurdistan. Also, it calls on the Kurdish nation to use the name Kurdistan.
2.The Kurdish nation has right to find a solution to their own homeland and territory. In addition, Kurds have the right to rule their own land as a necessity.
3.Turkish, Iranian, Syrian and the previous Baath regime of Iraq, changed the name of many Kurdish areas to Turkish, Persian and Arabic names. Particularly in the North, East and Southwest as well as in some parts of South Kurdistan that separated from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The aim of those changes was to assimilate the Kurds. Therefore, the KNK calls on Kurds to repudiate these foreign names and change all the Kurdish towns and villages to their original Kurdish names and use Kurdish names at all times.
4.The Kurdish nation will not accept any retreat or shrinking of the Kurdish territory in South Kurdistan. Kirkuk as well as all the separated Kurdish areas from the KRG will be supported and protected.
5.The Kurds have the right to call their children in Kurdish names in Turkey, Iran and Syria. In addition, they have the right to change their Turkish, Persian and Arabic surnames to Kurdish surnames.
6.Kurds need to use the Kurdish language in their daily life. Also they need to ask for more training and education in their mother tongue (Kurdish) and ask for a guarantee for use of the Kurdish language in every government publication and media.
7.Kurds have the right to use the national Kurdish flag and national Kurdish symbols and the wearing of Kurdish clothes when they are required to attend national occasions.
8.Kurdish businesspersons as well as trades people need to do all the transactions and business in the Kurdish language. Also buyers need to communicate in Kurdish regarding business deals.
9.Kurdish people discuss their religious affiliations and beliefs locally. Also their religious affiliations should be from own religious perspective and they should refuse any other religion and belief that comes form government rule such as Turkey, Iran, Syria in their own interest.
10.Kurds should distinguish their cultural differences within government rules and policies such as Turkey, Iran, and Syria. Also, they should present themselves in any Kurdish event in line with their own cultural, traditional and national Kurdish customs.
11.Kurds from all parts of Kurdistan as well as Kurds in the diaspora must increase their national solidarity and support against any plans from the governments of Turkey, Iran and Syria that will not be in the interest of the Kurdish nation. Kurds should with greater unity support each other in the national interest.
12.Kurds will work closer with national and international communities especially within democratic and progressive nations to win more support and also to cooperate.
13.Kurds do more to accept and struggle and support the freedom of Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan and support other political prisoners from the colonial regime in the world.
14.Kurds will give more support more the Kurdish political and military (created to support and protect the Kurdish nation as part of the Kurdish movement). Also young Kurdish men will refuse to join the drafted army in Turkey, Iran and Syria.
15.Kurds will abolish the unequal law where the man dominates against the woman. Also they recognize and support the feminist cause and women’s rights. Women’s right should be held in high esteem.
11th General Meeting of the Kurdistan National Congress