Speech of Congressman Bob Filner on Monday, October 20, 1997 before The Kurdish Community at the U.S.  Capitol Building

I want to thank the American Kurdish Information Network for continuing the struggle for human dignity with this peace vigil and I also want to commend those beginning their fast today for setting such admirable examples of sheer human determination in the face of such oppression of the Kurdish people.  I am here for one simple reason:   to express my support for the Kurdish people's struggle for freedom, justice, and self-determination.  Of course, the symbol of that struggle is a fellow democratically-elected representative, the imprisoned Kurdish leader, Leyla Zana.

The Turkish government feared Leyla Zana was progressing too much in her endeavors for peace so now she shares a prison cell with a convicted murderer.  But they cannot imprison her picture, her words, her courage, and her inspiring story.  They live on, just as she does right now, here, in all of us.

As many of you know, an initiative has been ongoing in the U.S. House of Representatives to help hasten Leyla Zana's freedom.  I, and 143 of my colleagues in Congress, have signed a letter to President Clinton urging him to seek Leyla Zana's immediate and unconditional release from prison.  More Members of Congress are standing with Leyla Zana and the Kurdish people now than ever before.  Without a doubt, the U.S. Congress is becoming more aware of, and more sympathetic to the plight of the Kurdish people.  Because of your vocal activism, the entire world is becoming aware of the oppression Kurds face in Turkey and of the struggle for self-determination.  You are bringing us closer to the day when, once again, the sun will shine on the land everyone--everyone--will know as Kurdistan.