On 6 May the body of Sardasht Osman, a journalist and English language student at Salahaddin University in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, was brought back to Erbil. Sardasht was kidnapped by a group of gunmen on 4 May, from in front of his college, while the guards patrolling it looked on! The kidnappers bundled him into a car; two days later his body was found in Mosul.

Sardasht’s only crime was his exposure of the crimes and corruption of the Kurdish authorities. The Kurdish Democratic Party is responsible for his murder. It is determined to prove that freedom of speech will not be tolerated; it is prepared to use kidnapping and killing to silence critical voices, while pretending to be democratic.

The KDP and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, which represent the bourgeois and nationalist forces dominating Kurdistan, have ruled for 19 years – years full of such crimes. The assassination of Sardasht Osman is only the latest in a long line people aiming to frighten who is not accepting their rules. 

This crime was committed while reactionary Islamic groups are trying to silence free-thinkers and have declared holy war using the mosques and supported by the Kurdish authorities.

The power to stop such actions lies with the communists, workers, youth, women and intellectuals of Kurdistan. We need mass mobilisation and struggle to bring the criminals to justice, end such crimes and protect the rights and freedoms of the people. The recent history of the ruling militia's parties has proved that neither their parliament nor their “democracy” and even their oppositions can bring security and safety to people – in fact they are working to bolster the rule of fear.

The Worker-communist Party of Kurdistan denounces the KDP as responsible for the murder of Sardasht Osman.  KDP should admit to their crime and bring the criminals to justice. That is the only way to satisfy the angry voices of people.

We send our condolences to Sardasht’s friends and family, and we will do our best to expose the criminals behind this terrorist action. Only the overthrow of the nationalist militias and a new government based on people’s committees, based on the power of the masses themselves, can end terrorism and bring safety, freedom and equality for all.

Worker-communist Party of Kurdistan

6 May 2010

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