Kurdish musicians have put together a fundraising concert in order to raise money for the treatment and rehabilitation of a 13-year-old boy severely injured by an unexploded bomb in his hometown of Cizre in Turkey.
Prominent Iraqi Kurdish harpist and singer Tara Jaff as well as singer Suna Alan, will be appeared alongside a host of other Kurdish musicians who volunteered to play at the concert. It took place last weekend at the Arcola Theatre, Dalston, North London.
Citizens of the Kurdish majority town of Cizre, southeastern Turkey, were put under a week-long curfew as Turkish military moved against the PKK, deemed by Turkey to be a terrorist group. After the curfew was over, the 13-year-old boy in question – Yusuf Şık – went out to feed his chickens, but came into contact with an unexploded bomb, which caused him to lose his hand and leg; he has not the money nor the means of receiving treatment. Stories like this are tragically common in the area, where towns are bombed by the Turkish military seemingly with no regard for the safety, or the very lives, of civilians.
The concert was also being held in memory of filmmaker and human rights activist, Hacı Birlik. He was 24-years-old when he killed by security forces whilst at a pro-Kurdish protest, before his body was tied to a truck and dragged through the streets – also carried out by security forces. This is the same Turkey taking money from Angela Merkel to stem the flow of immigrants into Europe whilst also angling for a place in the EU.
The fundraising concert began at 7:30pm on Sunday, 25th October; Those who were unable to make the concert are still able to contribute and can make donations over at this Justgiving page– https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/i-oztas
