Merlene pledges help to Kurdish diaspora community (Merlene Emerson

Merlene Emerson - Your First Choice for London <info@merlene.org.uk>

Merlene pledges help to Kurdish diaspora community

April 19, 2009 5:00 PM

Merlene Emerson and Dr Jawad Mella at Kurdish Museum

Merlene and Dr Jawad Mella at Kurdish Museum, Palingswick House

The 6th Kurdish National Congress was held on 18 April at the Irish Centre, Hammersmith. It is believed that there are over 40 million Kurds currently living in Syria, Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Azerbaijan and guest speakers and participants came from all over the world to attend the one-day event in solidarity for the Kurdish plight.

Merlene was invited as one of the guest speakers by Dr Jawad Mella, Chair of the Congress and she welcomed everyone to Hammersmith. She also shared her own experience as an immigrant from Singapore and as a member of the Chinese diaspora and pledged her support for the Kurdish diaspora community.

The Kurdish refugee group in West London is currently housed in Palingswick House, 241 King Street which is also where the first museum of its kind for Kurdish culture has been set up by the Western Kurdistan Association. The future of all tenants is however currently in the balance due to the Council's decision to increase rental of the premises and to redevelop the site.

"The Council's drive to cut costs and services is not only short sighted but plainly misguided. They have ignored the huge social capital that can be invested in charities and voluntary groups. The goodwill and work of volunteer groups are a vital resource that can go on to benefit hundreds and thousands more people at no extra cost to the Council and the State." said Merlene.

"Many authorities may think that refugee groups do not have a voice and do not vote but that is where they are wrong. I would like to encourage all Kurds wherever you may be living to be empowered, register to vote, and even stand for public office."

Merlene then introduced Jonathan Fryer, Lib Dem candidate for the European Parliament to share what the expansion of the European Union could do to help Kurds living in Europe. The next elections in the UK will be the Euro elections on June the 4th.