The meeting held in Cologne of 50 Kurdish artists stressed the importance of Kurdish unity and called for a united struggle, saying, “Tomorrow may be too late.”

Singers Seyîdxan, Hozan Diyar, Şivan Perwer, Beser Şahin, Emekçi, Canê, Denîz Deman, Murat Yapıştıran, Cevad Merwanî, Comerd, Ganî Nar, Kawa ve Peywan Arjîn ; musicians Memo Gul, Ali Ikizer and Dilêr; director Ersin Celik, painter Mîrê Hekan and Alî Zulfîkar, poet-composer Hekîm Sefkan, playwright Mîrza, actor Kêjan, comedian Şîrîn and the director of the Kurdish German Cultural Institute, musician Hakan Akay, attended the meeting, MA reports.

The main speakers of the meeting, which was moderated by the translator Jemal Hacî, were the singers Şivan Perwer, Diyar and Beser Şahin who had traveled to Iraqi Kurdistan just recently.

Hozan Diyar spoke first at the meeting.

“The people of Kurdistan have suffered a lot in history. Now the future will be bright for us, the people of Kurdistan demand their status be accepted, and are fighting for it.” he said.

He spoke about the ongoing tension between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in the Qandil Mountains and criticised the KDP for supporting Turkey’s military operations.

“Kurds living in South Kurdistan do not demand national unity any less than Kurds living in Rojava or Northern Kurdistan. Women, men, no one wants a war against the Kurdish guerilla. They do not want anyone betraying and attacking the guerilla on their behalf. People are very sure of that.”

He said that Turkey has established 70 military bases in Iraqi Kurdistan and added that Iraqi Kurdistan should not stay silent about this fact.

“The status of Southern Kurdistan is under threat, if there will be a civil war, we would lose a hundred years”

Another famous Kurdish artist Şivan Perwer also spoke at the meeting. He started his speech by underlining the importance of art within the political struggle

“As artists, we talk, we argue. For the past two years, we have been coming together to participate in regards political developments in Kurdistan. But we also need to make our voices heard through art. Art also guides politics.” he said.

“What would happen if there was no struggle in Turkey or Kurdistan? Turkey will do whatever it wants to the Kurds. There is the PKK and also other resisting units, they all serve. The guerilla have been faced with various difficulties on the mountains but has transfered those difficulties it faced into a power.”

Perwer underlined that nobody should attack the Kurdish fighters.

“They face all kind of difficulties and sacrifice their lives. Nobody should attack them or even say bad things about them”