Dutch Lawmaker Concerned About Kurdistan Bombing
WLADIMIR van WILGENBURG -
THE HAGUE, the Netherlands -- Dutch lawmaker Harry van Bommel has inquired about the Dutch government’s official position on Turkey’s recent attacks of Kurdish rebels in Iraq, claiming the assaults violated international law.
Turkey’s air assaults against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) since August 17 have killed at least seven civilians in Iraqi Kurdistan’s mountainous border region where the rebel group is based. Turkey has vowed to step up operations against the PKK, which killed eight Turkish soldiers earlier this month, after the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
“This matter [the bombings] received little attention in the media, and this was one of the reasons why I asked questions in Parliament about it. In my opinion these attacks are a violation of international law,” van Bommel, a pro-Kurdish socialist politician, wrote on his blog.
The MP asked the Foreign Ministry if the Dutch government considers the Turkish attacks a violation of international law, a danger for the integrity of Iraq, and it endangers the possibility of a solution for the Kurdish issue.
The Dutch parliament member wants the government to call on Turkey to end its military operations, release Kurdish politicians, broker a solution with the PKK and solve the Kurdish issue in a democratic way.
The opposition Socialist Party has 25 members in the Dutch House of Commons, 11 members in the Senate and two European Parliament members.
Turkey claimed its recent raids struck 132 targets and killed 100 PKK insurgents. The PKK denied the claim, claiming that just three PKK insurgents were killed.
Last week Kurds in the Dutch city The Hague held a demonstration against the military operations while Turkish organizations are planning to an anti-PKK demonstration on Sunday in Rotterdam.
