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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Kurdish cleric dies of torture in Syria: party officials |
| 2005-06-01 |
| BEIRUT - A Kurdish Sunni Muslim cleric in Syria who was reported missing last month has died after being tortured, Kurdish party officials said on Wednesday. Sheikh Mohammed Maashuq al-Khaznawi had not been heard from since May 10 and was believed to have been detained by Syrian police. The cleric "was killed at the hands of Syrian authorities," a spokesman for the Kurdish Yakiti party said a statement received by AFP in Beirut. An official from the Kurdish Democratic Party in Syria, Nazir Mustapha, told AFP that doctors in Damascus reported "traces of torture" on Khaznawi's body. The sheikh was widely popular in Syria, and was known for teaching that Islam and democracy are compatible. News of his disappearance led to massive demonstrations in northern Syria last month. Syria is home to some 1.5 million Kurds, around nine percent of the population. They are fighting to have their language, culture and political rights recognised. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #4 Iraqi Kurds identify very well with Syrian Kurds, as they do with Turkish Kurds and Iranian Kurds. There are a number of Syrian Kurds in Iraqi Kurdistan, especially young, unmarried Syrian male Kurds who have come to Iraqi Kurdistan for education. |
| Posted by: me 2005-06-01 21:55 |
| #3 this will make the Syrian Kurds made as hell, I suspect. Not sure how strongly Iraqi Kurds identify with Syrian Kurds. Iraqi Kurds may feel need to keep silent, since being interested in Kurds in a neighboring country will offend the Turks. Big question is can Syrian Kurds reach out to other vaguely reformist elements in Syria. Thats how Romania started, with an ethnic minority. OTOH in Iran that hasnt worked. Hopefully this will shame the Euros into distancing from Syria. But I wouldnt count on it. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2005-06-01 13:40 |
| #2 And amnesty international continues to claim that the US has the new gulag of the 21st century. Asswipes.... |
| Posted by: mmurray821 2005-06-01 13:21 |
| #1 OOOH. Will the same people in Iraq who were mad at the arrest of a Sunni Cleric (just an arrest) be upset now with Syria. Probally not. |
| Posted by: plainslow 2005-06-01 13:19 |