VIENNA, Austria – Kurds from the four parts of greater Kurdistan, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Syria, staged a rally in support of the independence referendum in the Austrian capital Vienna on Saturday. Their message was to encourage the people of the Kurdistan Region to vote 'Yes' on the historic referendum day.
"I hope all the people of Bashur [Kurdistan Region] head to the ballot boxes on September 25 for an independent and free Kurdistan," said an attendant from the Kurdistan Region at the rally.
"I have only one message to the people of the South [Kurdistan Region] including all the political parties – take a look at the European countries who have had their own states for hundreds of years. Whenever they hold new elections or new governments take office, there are differences among them, but they put them aside so as to protect their country. So my message, especially for those saying 'No' for independence, I understand them, but they have to set these things aside for the future and vote 'Yes' on the referendum day as it is an opportunity not to be missed," said an Iranian Kurd.
"I would love to say, this is your day. I have been living in the diaspora for three years Whoever sees me asks, 'Where are you from?' Even if I explain to them for three hours, they do not understand because there is no Kurdistan on the map. We gave martyrs. Halabja happened to us. Anfal happened to us. All these happened because we did not have a state. My message for the people of Bashur is to remind them of those days. Remind them of Mullah Musatafa, Qazi Mohammed, Sheikh Saeed Piran. I hope all say 'Yes, Yes, Yes,’" said a tearful Kurd from Rojava, Syrian Kurdistan.
A similar rally was held in Oslo, Norway.
