In open letter to Trump, Kurdish teenager urges support for Kurdistan referendum
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The United States should support the Kurdistan Region’s democratic referendum on independence, a 10th grader appealed in a letter to US President Donald Trump.
As the people of the Kurdistan Region prepare to go to the ballot boxes and cast their votes, many in the international community have voiced their opposition to the timing of the move, including the US.
On Saturday, the US State Department issued a statement openly rejecting the Kurdistan Region’s historic independence referendum scheduled for Sep. 25.
“Yesterday, your message was received: don’t do a referendum, democracy is bad,” 10th grader Waren Hawramy wrote in a letter published by local Kurdish newspaper Hawler.
Hawramy pointed to the US’ statement and emphasized it would not prevent the Kurds from pursuing their ambitions of independence.
“You told us that the one who asks for democracy and freedom would face extreme problems and difficulties,” she wrote.
“However, there isn’t a thing called [a] ‘problem’ to us anymore because we faced everything and we went through thick and thin to get here,” the 10th grader added, pointing to the sacrifices made by Kurds in the past.
Hawramy questioned the US’ support for Kurdistan’s democratic approach as they seek secession from Iraq.
“If you tell us that democracy is unsuitable today, then what is suitable and when is it suitable?” She asked. “Equality and democracy are rights that must be given at any time.”
“You tell us not to ask for democracy because you won’t be responsible for what we are going to go through after [the referendum],” Hawramy noted.
Despite objections from the US and other nations like the United Kingdom, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq, the Region’s leadership has reaffirmed there is no postponing the referendum.
During a rally in support of the referendum in Duhok on Saturday, Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani urged the people to cast their votes.
Editing by G.H. Renaud
