On the occasion of Peace March solidarity visit to Sheridan Circle Washington, DC September 30, 2001 I want to welcome you all to our Cell of Atonement and wish to express the gratitude of not just the Kurds but all the peoples of the Middle East for your solidarity march to this site in these… Continue reading
Speeches
The Statement of Kani Xulam
Kurdish New Year Celebration In the United States Congress March 24, 2001 Washington, DC Xusku birayen delal, Ladies and gentlemen: Hun be xehr hatin. Newroz pirozbe! Her biji Kurd u Kurdistan. Ji bo xatire mevanen meye Ameriki, bi borin, eze axaftina xu bi zimani Ingilizi bikim. I want to start by acknowledging a few people… Continue reading
Congressman Bob Filner’s Acceptance Speech
At the Second Annual Ahmede Xani Award in the United States Congress March 24, 2001 Washington, DC Thank you Kani for your kind introduction. It is so wonderful to be with you here on Newroz. I hadn’t realized we had not celebrated it before in the capitol. We have celebrated Easter and we have celebrated… Continue reading
The Statement of Kani Xulam At the Kurdish Newroz Celebration
Clifton, New Jersey March 17, 2001 Dear Friends and Fellow Kurds, Please accept my apologies for not being with you tonight. As some of you know, I am taking part in an ongoing Vigil across from the Turkish Ambassador’s residence in Washington, DC. As I sit in this cold cell — we have named it,… Continue reading
The Statement of Congressman Bob Filner at the Closing Ceremony of the Cell of Atonement
In front of the Cell of Atonement at Sheridan Circle Washington, DC March 7, 2001 Seven years and two days ago, Leyla Zana was arrested at the door of the Turkish parliament building in Ankara, Turkey. Nine months and three days later, she was sentenced to fifteen years in prison. A duly and popularly elected… Continue reading
The Kurds, the Americans and the Demands of Liberty
The Statement of Kani Xulam At the Human Relations Day North Dakota State University (NDSU) Memorial Union Fargo, North Dakota Thursday, January 18, 2001 I want to start by thanking Megan O’Rourke and Kara Stack of North Dakota State University for their kind invitation to be with you tonight. I also want to acknowledge a… Continue reading
The Kurds and their Torturers
The Statement of Kani Xulam At the Symposium on the Human Rights Crisis in Turkey Sponsored by Amnesty International USA The Portland State University & Reed College Portland, Oregon Thursday, November 1 & 2, 2000 On October 18, 2000, Amnesty International launched its campaign against torture in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Members of Amnesty International wrapped… Continue reading
An Address at the 13th Annual KNC Conference
San Diego, California July 29, 2000 Rojbas! Xusku birayen delal: I want to start by thanking Kak Saman Shali, the organizer of the 13th Annual Kurdish National Congress (KNC) conference and Kak Fouad Darweesh, the President of KNC, for their kind invitation to address you on the plight of the Kurds. I am very sorry… Continue reading
The Statement of Kani Xulam at San Mateo Unitarian Church
Sponsored by: San Mateo County Peace Action San Mateo, California May 1, 2000 I want to start by thanking Jerry Fuchs, Ron Zucker and Hamdi Ugur for inviting me here tonight. I also want to thank the board of directors of the San Mateo County Peace Action for agreeing to hear an address on the… Continue reading
A Glimpse at Evil in America
The Statement of Kani Xulam At Lucie Stern Community Center Palo Alto, California April 20, 2002 Late last year, I got an e-mail from a person who said he had seen the documentary, “Good Kurds, Bad Kurds: No Friends, But the Mountains” on PBS and wanted to know if I was safe from the threat… Continue reading