I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter. As the inhabitants of a small State with a colonial past, it is inevitable that we tend to empathise with people in other parts of the world whose culture, religion and ethnic identity comes under threat. There are more solidarity associations in Ireland per square mile than one finds in other countries of the same type. This is positive given that Ireland is a confident European country which is open to new ideas and exploring ways of helping the broader mass of humanity. In that context, as a member of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs I met six weeks ago with a representative group from the Kurdish party Kongra-gel. I also received a very angry letter from Carla Kennedy, the secretary of Kurdistan Solidarity Ireland which is based in Cork. She wrote with grave concern to express her dismay at the EU decision to place Kurdish organisation Kongra-gel on its list of proscribed terrorist groups.
As Irish citizens, the members of Kurdistan Solidarity Ireland are disappointed at their Government's involvement in this decision. Ms Kennedy noted that as the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs had held a meeting with Kongra-gel representatives, I was in a unique position to speak up on the issue. She said that having heard during that meeting about the aims, structure, methods and ideology of Kongra-gel directly from its foreign affairs spokesman and from my wider knowledge of the Kurdish issue, I could make up my own mind as to whether the body fitted the definition of terrorist organisation which was attributed to it. She goes on to say that Kongra-gel operates in an entirely peaceful and democratic way and has done so since it was established last October.
Kongra-gel is the successor to the PKK which was a much more militant Kurdish organisation which employed very violent methods towards the established Turkish Government over an extended period. From even a cursory knowledge of Kurdish politics, Members will know that Kurdistan exists across several states. Kurdish people are part of the ethnic mix of Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria. In Iraq, they have established themselves to a large degree and achieved semi-autonomous status. Hopefully, the Kurdish minority will be treated equitably in any new configuration of the Iraqi unitary state.
Kongra-gel, the leader of which is currently incarcerated in a Turkish prison on foot of convictions on terrorist charges, made it clear to me and many of my committee colleagues that it was not engaged in violent actions and was exclusively peaceful. I drew a parallel between Kongra-gel and Sinn Féin. While the party has a violent past and previously formed the political wing of a militant organisation, it feels it is being increasingly respected as it is drawn into the political process and the democratic manner of doing things. We, in Ireland, have encouraged Sinn Féin in much the same way.
By raising this matter on the Adjournment, I am attempting to establish the EU's justification for placing Kongra-gel on a list of proscribed terrorist groups. On behalf of the members of Kurdistan Solidarity Ireland, Ms Kennedy has expressed great anger. She says the listing of Kongra-gel with Islamicist groups and other murderers who threaten our citizens and way of life as a grave insult to its Kurdish and European supporters. She wishes the Minister for Foreign Affairs to clarify the Government's policy on the anti-Kurd bias of the EU. She hopes the matter can be raised as to support Kongra-gel and its efforts is to support democratic and peaceful change within the Kurdish community and among its neighbours in Turkey, Iraq, Syria and Iran. Perhaps the Minister of State has a view and can clarify the EU decision.
