Members of the Kurdish community and supporters joined a global day of action against Turkey’s war on the Kurds on June 11.
Turkey invaded Southern Kurdistan (Northern Iraq) in April, using aerial bombardment, drone strikes and chemical weapons — despite a global ban.
The demonstration was organised by the Federation of Democratic Kurdish Society – Australia; Kurdish Democratic Community Centre of Victoria; Kurdish Women's League of Victoria; Australians for Kurdistan; and North and East Syria Solidarity (NESS). It was attended by 60 people.
Speakers included Victorian Greens Senator Janet Rice, trade union activist Mary Merkenich, Fionn Skiotis, co-chair of North and East Syria Solidarity and Sue Bolton for Socialist Alliance.
“It’s outrageous that Turkey can launch these blatant and unjustified attacks with virtually no scrutiny or criticism from the international community or the media,” Skiotis said. “If we can unite in condemning Russia for its invasion Ukraine, and take concerted action against [Vladimir] Putin and his henchmen, why can’t we do the same in the case of Turkey and the [Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan regime?”