Climate activist Greta Thunberg has visited northern Kurdistan (South-East Turkey) and met with co-mayor Serra Bucak of the DEM Party in Amed (Diyarbakir), among other things. In a post on X, she described her impressions of her trip as follows:

“Recently I have been travelling through northern Kurdistan, and have met with Kurdish people from all different kinds of backgrounds. They told countless stories of the current systematic oppression and repression they face – especially from the Turkish state –, as well as a history full of massacres.

Destruction and exploitation of the nature – such as unlawful forest cutdowns, sacrificing zones for mining companies and fires – is one of the many tools used as part of the continuous attacks against the Kurds. This often leads to devastation of local communities and biodiversity as well as forced displacement. Erasure of culture and identity, state violence, political prisoners, forced displacement, ecocides and disappearances are just some examples of the discrimination people face on an everyday basis, as well as being denied the right to self-determination and freedom.

To build genuine bridges of solidarity in Turkey, autonomy and self-governance for Kurdish regions are essential. The Kurdish people deserve the right to shape their own lives, culture, and communities.

Turkey must clarify its stance on the Kurds and other minority groups by enshrining their rights in the constitution. The government continues to use “terrorism” as a pretext to silence its political opponents. Tens of thousands of politically active individuals remain imprisoned without fair trials. International organizations such as the ECHR, UN, and Amnesty have condemned this and call for their release.

For a sustainable peace and a just future, the Kurds’ right to freedom and autonomy must be respected and the violent attacks against Kurdistan must end. No one is free until everyone is free. Bijî Kurdistan!”