June 9, 2004

Dear Friends of AKIN,

A number of you have called us or sent us emails congratulating us for the release of the Kurdish parliamentarians, Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan, Selim Sadak and Leyla Zana. One of you wrote: “I do hope you're taking some credit for it, if for nothing else then for making her name known to so many of us here in the United States.”

The credit belongs to you for visiting us on the steps of the Capitol, the site of hunger strike that lasted forty days, with your Gatorade drinks; and the Sheridan Circle, the site of the vigil that lasted 221 days, with your flowers. One day the release of these Kurdish parliamentarians may be the old news, but your caring sacrifice, the essence of true strength, will live on, at least on these shores, for a much longer period.

It goes without saying that we join you in rejoicing these “happy” times for the Kurdish parliamentarians. We continue with the noble task of freedom in Kurdistan and abroad. With faith, diligence, self-denial and love, we aim for the liberation of Kurdistan and the emancipation of its children. As always, we begin with ourselves and note that, “we may have been born into slavery, but slavery was not born in us.”

Thank you for your continued and unwavering support for the Kurds and Kurdistan.

AKIN