This is an urgent action against the deprotation of 1200 Kurdish 
refugees
from Iran that since the middle of 2001 are tolerated in Turkey. 
لطفا اين نامه را که در مورد دپورت و وضعيت بسيار خطرناک پناهنده گان کرد ايراني در ترکيه است امضا کنيد و برای آدرسهای زير بفرستيد  
 
 
تکايه ئه م نامه که له باره ديپورت کردنه وه ی په نابه راني کورد له تورکيه دايه ئيمزا بکه ن و بو ئه م ئادره سانه ی خواره وه ی به ري بکه ن 
Turkish embasy in Germany
Embasador Mehmet Ali Irtem祬ik
Rungestr. 9
10179 Berlin
Deutschland 
Tel.: (49-30) 27 58 50
Fax : 49-30) 27 59 09 15
E-mail: turk.em.berlin@t-online.de
WWW : http://www.tuerkischebotschaft.de/de/index.htm
 
UNHCR Germany
 
Wallstr. 9-13
D-10179 Berlin
Tel. +49-(0)30-202 202 0
Fax +49-(0)30-202 202 20
E-mail: gfrbe@unhcr.ch
 
UNHCR Turkey
 
Sancak Mahallesi, 12. Cadde, 212. Sokak No:3, 
Sancak Mahallesi 06550, 
Ankara, T?
Tel: (+90 312) 441 16 96
Fax: (+90 312) 441 21 73
E-Mail: turanpi@unhcr.ch

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

full of worries about the 1200 Kurdish refugees, who are at the moment accommodated in several Turkish cities, like for example Isparta, Van, Yozgat, Afyon, Karaman and Eskişehir, I want to turn with this plea full of hope to you.

Like you probably know, the refugees from Kurdistan/Iran stayed until the middle of 2001 in a refugee camp in Kurdistan/Northern Iraq, which was run by the UNHCR. Due to the attacks on this camp by the Iranian army and secret police the responsible field office of the UNHCR as well as the camp itself were shut down. The refugees fled to Turkey, where they were acknowledged as political refugees by the UNHCR on the 04.12.2003 according to the Geneva Convention on refugees from 1951. Because Turkey has signed a treaty that grants refugees, recognized by the Geneva Convention, only a restricted time of shelter, it was agreed on that the UNHCR should take care of a permanent right to stay for the refugees in different EU countries within the next six months.

Until today this wasn’t realized, so that the refugees still are in Turkey and are furthermore even threatened now to be deported back to Iran. Besides this, the assistance of medical treatment, scholar education of their children and the help for their livelihood, granted by the Geneva Convention, were stopped several times by the UNHCR. Because of the protests and demonstrations of the refugees these assistances were again given to them. For an example, when these supports were again shit down in the middle of 2004 many refugees from the different Turkish cities went on hunger strike. In negotiations with the refugees the UNHCR confirmed not only that the medical treatment and the assistance for their living will be again guaranteed, but as well promised to them, that within the next six months they will finally end up with a solution regarding the distribution of the refugees to the EU states in combination with a permanent right to stay. Therefore the hunger strikers stopped their protests.

Right now, contrary to all promises, the refugees still have to stay in Turkey and their assistance was again denied. Due to oral statements by the UNHCR it was recommended to the refugees, that they should “voluntarily” travel back to Iran, because now a liberal government has been elected there. This is supposed to mean that it can’t be proceeded anymore with speaking of a live threatening situation on behalf of political activists in Iran. By saying this the UNHCR totally ignores the common opinion that the new president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is being seen as a conservative hardliner and that his election is regarded by the Iranian reformist movement as a shocking blow (see for details: country report on www.ecoi.net).

Considering the imminent deportation several refugees went again on hunger strike since 01.06.2005. Their demands consisted of the guarantee concerning the medical and financial assistance and a decision which should be found as soon as possible on behalf of the right to stay in EU countries – demands, which were promised to them at the end of 2003.

Because of new negotiations with representatives of amnesty international and the UNHCR the 47 protesters stopped their hunger strike on the 11.07.2005. Again they have been promised that a solution will be conducted as soon as possible.

I protest emphatically against these inhuman conditions and the fear, which the refugees are confronted with because of the uncertainty of their situation and the imminent deportation back to Iran! Therefore I ask you to commit yourself with high priority to the immediate continuation of the medical and financial assistance of the refugees as well as the realization of the promised right to stay in different EU countries! I would really appreciate it receiving an answer or statement from you.

Yours sincerely,