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The Kurdish-Speaking Community in Australia Arrival and Settlement The first large Kurdish migrant group arrived in Australia from Turkey in the late 1960s. It was part of a long-term movement of Kurds away from their homeland, which had been partitioned under a treaty between the Allied powers and Turkey in the 1920s. Under the agreement, Kurdistan was divided between Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. The Kurds have never accepted the break-up and as a result there have been many violent uprisings in the Turkish, Iraqi, Iranian and Syrian parts of Kurdistan. Until the mid-1980s most of the Kurdish community members in Australia were from Turkey with smaller numbers from Syria and Lebanon. The first Kurdish community organization was formed in Sydney in 1979. Then in the 1980s, the numbers of Kurds from Iraq and Iran increased under Australia's special Humanitarian Migration Program. Many of them were students and refugees fleeing widespread violent political unrest in their homeland which had resulted in many deaths. The Iran-Iraq War, the use of chemical weapons against the Kurds and the Gulf War in 1991 also caused many to seek new homes in Australia. In the last few years Kurdish migrants also came from other sources including Armenia and Georgia. Most have settled in Sydney and Melbourne but there are now Kurdish communities in all major Australian cities. Community Contacts Organisations serving the Kurdish-speaking community in Australia: Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia PO Box 344 Curtin ACT 2605 Phone: 02 6282 5755 Fax: 02 6282 5734 The Australian Kurdish Association 3 East Garfield Rd Riverstone NSW 2765 Phone: 02 9627 4825 The Australian Kurdish Community Association PO BOX 972 FAIRFIELD NSW 1860 Phone: 02 97246618 Mobile: 0416084974 Email: auskca@hotmail.com The Kurdish Association of NSW PO Box 3247 Westfield NSW 2170 Phone: 02 9822 7675 The Australian Kurdish Community Association PO Box 200 Preston VIC 3072 Phone: 03 9462 2419 The Kurdish Association of Victoria 36 Fawkner Road Pascoe Vale VIC 3044 Phone: 03 9379 5679 Kurdish Resources Centre of Victoria PO Box 927 Reservoir Vic 3073 Phone: 03 9462 3060 Special Event Calendar SBS Radio's Kurdish Language Program presents special coverage of these and other community events throughout the year. January 26 Australia Day March 21 Newroz, Kurdish New Year and National Day Recommended Websites www.kurdishpoint.com www.avestakurd.net www.netkurd.com www.peyamner.com www.kurdmedia.com www.kerkuk-kurdistan.com www.amude.net www.tirej.com www.duhok.net www.azadiyawelat.com www.dengekan.com www.institutkurde.org www.saradistribution.com www.pen-kurd.org |
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