STRASBOURG, Feb 21 (AFP)  Some 75 Turks and Kurds launched a hunger strike
 here Wednesday to demand the release of political prisoners in Turkey as the arrival of more
 than 900 Kurdish refugees focused attention on the plight of Kurds.

 "We were very moved by the arrival of the Kurds in the south of France and we share their fate
 which is linked to the drama which Kurdistan is going through," said Emre Bilgin, a spokesman
 for the Strasbourg strikers.

 France gave the Kurdish refugees, who were rescued Saturday from a leaking freighter off the
 French Riviera, permission to apply for political asylum Wednesday. The refugees claim to have
 been persecuted in Iraqi Kurdistan.

 But Bilgin said that simply to welcome the Kurds to France "was not a solution" and argued for
 closer attention to the question of Kurdistan, an area taking in part of Turkey, Syria, Iran and
 Iraq.

 Six tents have been set up the Strasbourg's main railway station to house what organisers hope
 will be a hundred strong group of hunger strikers protesting in sympathy with 2,000 political
 prisoners held in Turkey.

 They plan to consume nothing but water and tea until March 3.
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The Kurdistan Observer
www.kurdistanobserver.com