Since the Gulf War, the plight of the Kurds has become a major issue in matters of politics and human rights in the Middle East. The United States tried to create peace between the warring Kurdish factions to unite them in their struggle against Iraq. The United Nations also created a safe haven for them in the Zakho region. International disputes have arisen due to nations supporting the Kurdish factions that aid in their own interests. The Kurdish question most certainly adds to the strain of many nations' disputes in the area.
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The Gulf War Era
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The capture of Kurdish guerrilla leader Abdullah Ocalan sparked a wave of violent protest by his supporters in over 20 cities across Europe Tuesday. Following is a city-by-city tally of European demonstrations: THE HAGUE - Around 150 Kurds stormed the Greek ambassador's residence, taking hostage the ambassador's wife, his eight-year-old son and a Filipina servant. Riot police charged into a crowd of sympathizers outside who were trying to push through to join the protest, arresting many of them. Reporters said women and children were among the protesters inside the residence. The Greek embassy was not affected. ZURICH - Demonstrators forced their way into the Greek consulate, taking hostage the building's owner and a policeman who tried to negotiate with them. PARIS - French police ejected protesters who had occupied the Kenyan embassy and a Greek consulate. STRASBOURG - French police fired teargas into the occupied Greek consulate and stormed the building, detaining some of the 30 Kurdish demonstrators. MARSEILLE - Police forced several dozen demonstrators out of the Greek consulate, where they had threatened to set themselves on fire. BONN - Protesters occupying the Greek embassy were believed to be holding one embassy worker hostage. In the Kenyan embassy, in nearby Bad Godesberg, two staff members were being held by protesters, the Interior Ministry said. LEIPZIG - Three travel agency workers were held by protesters in the building which houses the Greek consulate. They were freed unharmed when police stormed in. STUTTGART - Police stormed the Greek embassy, arresting 27 protesters. Nobody was hurt. Outside the city, a 17-year-old Kurdish woman was taken to hospital with serious burns after dousing herself in petrol and setting herself ablaze. FRANKFURT - Demonstrators overturned cars in a protest which turned violent, prompting police to deploy water cannon and batons. Around 50 protesters occupied the consulate in the early hours of the morning. HAMBURG - Police also deployed water cannon against protesters in front of the Greek and British consulates. BERLIN - Around 150 protesters, including children, broke into the Greek consulate. They hung photos of Ocalan and the Kurdish flag in the windows, and chanted calls for Ocalan's release. COLOGNE - Some 32 people were arrested after trying to occupy the Greek consulate. Injuries were reported among the demonstrators and police. DUESSELDORF - Demonstrators occupying the Greek consulate smashed the building's windows. Around 30 were arrested near the regional parliament. HANOVER - Around 15 protesters occupied the Greek consulate and threw stones and other missiles at police. MOSCOW - Kurdish protesters left the Greek embassy around mid-day and gave themselves up to police. LONDON - A woman set herself alight as about 100 Kurdish demonstrators occupying the Greek embassy in London said they were prepared to burn themselves to death. BRUSSELS - Some 50 Kurdish protesters occupied the Greek embassy in Brussels, doused themselves with petrol and threatened to set fire to themselves if they were removed. They later left voluntarily. VIENNA - Activists stormed the Greek and Kenyan embassies. GENEVA - Over 20 demonstrators got into the main United Nations building in Geneva by slipping through the gates as a truck entered. BERNE - Demonstrators forced their way into the Greek embassy. COPENHAGEN - A Turkish woman set herself on fire at the Greek embassy and was fighting for her life in hospital. Forty-eight Kurdish protesters were arrested in the early hours of Tuesday when they stormed the embassy in central Copenhagen. STOCKHOLM - Police arrested 50 pro-Kurdish demonstrators after scuffles in front of the Greek embassy. MILAN - About 20 Kurds forced their way into the Greek consulate and held the consul hostage for four hours before leaving the building. YEREVAN - Kurdish protesters briefly occupied the United Nations office in the Armenian capital but left after police reinforcements arrived. -- REUTERS |
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Abdullah Ocalan
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The New York Times
The New
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