Hasn't the time come for a get-to-gether, dear Kurdish students from all over the world? Shouldn't we hold a meeting every year with students from those countries in the diaspora where relatively large Kurdish communities live? How 'bout an 'Edî Bes e' to us neglecting eachother? Let's get busy!
Edî Bes e!*
Let's get to know eachother, let us share our love for our nation, for Kurdistan, for freedom, human rights, equality. Let's share experiences concerning integration and participation in the various countries we live in. Let us strengthen eachother, support eachother and boost our abilities with debates, different point of views, shared experiences, analyses, presentations, readings, forums.
Yes indeed, the time has come that Kurdish student associations all over the world start a new project, form a new alliance.
How bout lobbying our way through Germany, the States, the UK, Holland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, France and Xweda** knows which other countries a Kurd has ever been to and organising teleconferences in order to come to a concensus on an annual 3-day Kurdistan Students International conference?
Who is ready to cross borders? Who's ready to carry a stone for our wall of unity? Without a doubt, if we have enough rocks we will succede.
Has anyone thought of this idea before?
Does anyone want to unite?
Am I just a voice shouting in the wilderness of countless ideas?
Can anybody hear me?? Hello?!?
Sidar Bengin Epozdemir
sidaro4@hotmail.com
http://www.cakbini.com/
* 'Enough is Enough', which is a slogan that is being used frequently by Kurds nowadays to express dissatisfaction regarding to the settlement of their issues.
** 'God'.
Sidar Bengin Epozdemir is a 20 year old Kurdish journalist and writer from the Netherlands. He runs a weblog by the name of Çakbînî (optimism in Kurdish) and writes and has written in Dutch, English and Kurdish for various journals and online-newspapers such as Netkurd.com, Avestakurd.net, Rizgari.com, KurdishMedia.com, Azady.nl and Cakbini.com.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Hasn't the time come for a get-to-gether?
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Turkey, Kurds and a World of Silence
They say that silence can be deafening. This week the atrocities continued against the Kurds in Turkey and despite the footage to prove it, hardly anyone flinched. The international community remained largely silent, the media didn’t bother doing anything with the pictures or videos, and the headlines continued reporting everything else happening in this world from California to Tibet…
Earlier in the week, I had reported about the Turkish forces’ brutality against Kurds who were trying to celebrate the old New year or Newroz holiday. Kurds took to the streets to celebrate the holiday and Turkish officials seized the opportunity to flex their ideological as well as their military muscle as one writer at the Jamestown Foundation put it. (And with all so little being reported, I recommend reading the entire article.)
Unconfirmed numbers were killed, hundreds were injured and hundreds more imprisoned. But like so many other familiar events for Kurds in Turkey, the media, the institutions, the world continues looking the other way. The brutality is most certainly nothing new but justice simply lacks a voice in this part of the world.
I’ll leave you with a video that can be seen at the following link. I must warn some that it may be heartbreaking to say the least…
Newroz Tragedy 2008 - Click here for Video
Friday, March 28, 2008
Iran Resumes Bombing Kurdish Villages
On Thursday evening, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards resumed bombarding the Kurdish border villages of Rizgah, Shinawa, Spigle, Maraud and Arke in Pishder district, and Sulaimani province as reported to PUKmedia correspondents from the scene. The shells are aimed at bases of the Kurdish rebel group PJAK (Party of Free Life of Kurdistan) which is a breakaway faction of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) which aspires to establish a semi-autonomous Kurdish regional entity in Iran, similar to the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq. PJAK is accused by Tehran of launching deadly attacks on security forces in northwestern Iran.
6 villages were de-populated in the shelling, 4 houses were demolished, and dozens of families were relocated to areas far from the border, fortunately, no casualties were reported according to private sources. A Japanese organization, the UNHCR, and the IRC opened a refugee camp to the displaced people of the areas, PUKmedia correspondents said as well.
Meanwhile, reports from Foundation for Democracy in Iran (FDI) sources inside Iran and from northern Iraq confirmed that the Revolutionary Guards aircraft have been conducting surveillance flights inside northern Iraq this since the begging of March in areas controlled by PJAK guerillas. September was the first time that the Iranian government's aircraft were known to have violated Iraqi airspace in recent years, saying the local authorities had heeded its warnings.
The shelling, in August, sent hundreds of Iraqi Kurds fleeing remote mountain villages near Iraq’s eastern frontier. Earlier this month, Iraq and Turkey pledged to take measures against PKK and PJAK rebels in northern Iraq during talks to soothe tensions following a Turkish cross-border offensive against the militants. Turkey claims that more than 2,000 PKK militants use northern Iraq as a base for their separatist campaign against Ankara and accuses Iraqi Kurds of tolerating the rebels.
The Kurdistan Regional Government Coordinator of the United Nations, Dr. Dindar Zebari expressed his displeasure of Iranian artillery shelling and called on the Iraqi government to exert more efforts to stop the bombing as soon as possible. Zebari called on the United Nations agencies, humanitarian and charities organizations to support and assist civilians affected by the bombing.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Kurds Imprisoned by the Islamic Republic for Protesting
On Tuesday, March 25th, 2008, the Islamic Republic’s revolutionary court sentenced 7 Kurdish detainees to 3 years imprisonment in the city of Baneh, located in the Iranian Kurdistan region, for their participation in general demonstrations throughout Iranian Kurdistan in 2005 as reported to KurdishMedia.com by the communiqué, which is issued by the Kurdistan Democratic Party –Iran or KDPI.
Mr. Sadiq Amin Nejad, Saman Rasoulian, Abdollah Ranjbari, Kaveh Hassani, Mohammad Bahrami, Rastgar Mesgari and Mohamad Amin Ghaderi were sentenced to various imprisonment terms for participating in demonstrations against the Islamic Republic, the communiqué stated.
According to Amnesty International, hundreds more were arrested throughout Iranian Kurdistan in the cities of Mahabad, Sanandaj, Kermanshah, Orumieh, Baneh, Shino and Maku just to name a few for simply participating in peaceful protests against the government. Security forces reportedly used light and heavy weaponry in response to the demonstrations. Up to 20 people were reportedly killed and hundreds more injured. The report also mentions that hundreds of Iranian forces were sent into the cities to attack the crowds and helicopter gunships fired at the crowds causing dozens of deaths.
"They acted against National Security, disturbed general order and participated in covert meeting," according to their verdict. The communiqué reports that the victims are condemned to one year communion jail and two years unconditional jail. They have been held under captivity since their detainment following the demonstration in April of 2005.
The protests started after Iranian Security Forces killed Sayed Kamal Astam (aka Shivan Qaderi), who was the leader of a Kurdish youth organization that organized a celebration/demonstration when Kurdish leader, Jalal Talabani, was elected President of Iraq. The purpose of the celebration was to ask the Iranian government to allow Kurds to participate in high-ranking positions in Iran and to give them federal autonomy inside Iran, similar to that of the Kurds in Northern Iraq, as the government restricts cultural and political activities that stress the Kurdish language and identity. The Iranian Forces arrested Shivan and tied him to a truck and dragged his body around the streets of Mahabad for several hours until he died as a warning to the other Kurdish rights activists. After this event, photos of Shivan's body began circulating the internet and people began pouring into the streets of Iranian Kurdistan demanding more rights for Kurds as well as justice for Shivan's family. Amnesty International reports that recently, family and friends of Shivan have been beaten for simply attempting to visit his gravesite.
Iranian security responded by arresting hundreds and killing dozens. To this day, many are still being held without even having gone to trial. The Iranian government has tortured many journalists and editors of Kurdish newspapers on the grounds that their coverage of events in Iraqi Kurdistan was aimed at instigating separatist ambitions among Iranian Kurds. One of which is the torture of Dr. Roya Toloyee, a Kurdish women's rights activist and head of the Rasan ("Rising") newspaper in Sine who was tortured and raped for 66 days for alleged involvement in the organization of peaceful protests throughout Kurdistan province before being released on bail and eventually escaped Iran. Likewise, according to a report by the Human Rights Watch, just last month a Kurdish teacher by the name of Kamangar was sentenced to death for “endangering national security.” The prosecution claimed that Kamangar is a member of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). According to Kamangar’s lawyer, this trial violated the Iranian legal requirements that such cases must be tried publicly and in the presence of a jury. He also told Human Rights Watch that court officials ridiculed his requests that they follow mandated legal procedures.
In Iran, membership of any non-governmental political party could be punishable by persecution, imprisonment and even death. Unfortunately, the oppression faced by Kurds in Iranian Kurdistan today is not a new phenomenon. The Islamic Republic has very little patience for Kurdish demands and much too often opts for crushing unrest through military means. On August 17th 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini declared holy war against the Kurds, entire villages and towns were destroyed to force Kurds into submission. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps fought to reestablish government control in the Kurdish regions, as a result more than 10,000 Kurds were killed. The Kurds are among Iran's largest ethnic minority groups, and number around 10% of the population. They mainly live in the province of Kordistan and neighboring provinces bordering Turkey and Iraq.
Kawa was in Atlanta for Newroz!
As a tradition that started in 2003. Kurdish Youth Club each year dedicates its Newroz to a cause. This year's Newroz was dedicated to learning about Newroz itself. How do Kurds celebrate it, what do Afghans and Iranians do at their Newroz. These were different presentations available at the party. Kurdish Youth Club also made a picture story of Kawai Asingar for the Kids. The story told the epic journey of Kawa and his people as they struggled under the suppression of the tyrant Zuhak. KYC promises to have the story available for public so that all Kurdish children can benefit from it. The story will be published on youtube in English, and in both Kurdish dialects of Sorani and Kirmanci.
Kurdish Children sitting on the dance floor as Ara Alan tells them the story of Kawai Ahsinger (Kawa the Black Smith)
The night was full of dancing and the guests continuously complemented the joy filled and successful Newroz. Two wonderful singers from California were brought to Atlanta, Mr. Alan Karkuki and Mr. Majid Taha. Makwan Jabar provided continuous music for both singers. Which, they sang in both Kirmanci and Sorani dialects. It was an evening full of dance and party where the guests continuously danced until 1 am.
Maçid Kestey one of the evening singers also a Saz player. Makwan Jabar performing on the Keyboard
The evening program was also composed of Bret Duvall speaker of Middle East Socio-political Association, and Tahereh Aghdasifar speaker of Iranian Student Association both organizations were from Georgia State University. Omarzaman Sayedi from Emory University explained the Newroz in Afganistan. Ara Alan explained Kurdish Youth Club's past year activity and their future plans. Importance of Kurdish community participation in Kurdish cultural and demonstrations were one of the highlights of his speech. Another point of pride was the successful opening of Kurdish Youth Club branch in Arizona and the high level of activity put out by the new group of KYC in that state. KYC Van Aran was recognized as KYC member of the year. Followed by Kocher Arslan, who explained the plight of a group of Kurdish Youth in Turkey who are sentenced six years in jail after celebrating Newroz 2006 at their University in Ankara.
Kurdish Children stood with signs representing the 14 Youth arrested for celebrating Newroz last year!
As a surprise to the audience KYC provided a raffle. This was based on a number that was given to all guests entering the program. The winners of the raffle took home, Toshiba DVD player and two $25.00 gift certificates to Mediterranean grill. Visit www.KurdishYouthClub.com for more pictures and upcoming KYC events. Please sign in yourself and your friends to be on the email list so that we can notify you of upcoming activities.
Some of the Happy people at Newroz. This picture was taken after hours of dancing at 1:10 Am
KYC activity for Newroz in other states includes:
Arizona Kurdish society held a Newroz party in Phoenix, Arizona on Sunday March 23, 2008 at the Cedars. They were joined by Kurds from Tucson. Although the party was organized by Arizona Kurdish Society, The Kurdish Youth Club participated by creating an informative PowerPoint. This PowerPoint included pictures from past Newrozes, and the history of Newroz for the children at the party. Everyone in the audience thoroughly enjoyed the presentation, and it even convinced 4 Kurds from Tucson to join the youth club.
On Sunday March 23, Kurdistan Cultural Institute, in association with Kurdish Youth Club, held a Newroz Party in Nashville, Tennessee. The celebration began at 6:00 PM with the Kurdish National Anthem, followed by opening remarks by Mihamad Ibrahim, president of Kurdistan Cultural Institute. Following the speech, singers Diyar Bakir and Alan Karkuki, along with musician Makwan Jabar, performed for the crowd. The party was concluded at 12:00AM.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Syrian and Turkish Forces attack Kurds celebrating Newroz holiday
In the largest Kurdish city, Diyarbakir (or Amed, in Kurdish), reports say that over 1 million people gathered to listen to the music, dance, and hear speeches from the local Kurdish politicians. Pictures from the event showed Turkish jets and helicopters flying low but there were no encounters with this extremely large crowd of celebrators.
However, while the festival in the Diyarbakir remained peaceful with no Turkish forces to intervene (perhaps because of the size of the festival there), other areas of celebration did not.
In particular, across the border in Syria in the Kurdish city of Qamishli, three Kurds were shot dead by Syrian "security" forces. The reports say that the Syrian forces opened gunfire into the crowd after celebrators lit torches as part of the festivities. Fire (and torches) is a big part of the Newroz celebrations all over the world, and it seems rather that the Syrian forces were simply more interested in looking for an excuse to open gunfire on the crowd in order to disperse them than they were concerned for a few torches.
Kurdish celebrators were also met with violence elsewhere. In several Kurdish cities throughout Turkey, Newroz celebrations were simply forbidden just as they have been in the past. The people in the Kurdish cities of Van, Hakkari, Urfa, and Siirt were denied permits to carry out their festivities.
Nevertheless, you cannot stop the people from celebrating an ancient holiday. Music was played loud and clear, and the celebrators set up fires to jump over; jumping over fire is an old tradition practiced all over the world by the various groups that celebrate Newroz. Unfortunately, in these cities, Turkish forces responded to peaceful celebrators with violence using batons, tear gas and water cannons. Many were injured and hundreds are said to have been arrested.
The following video was captured by the Turkish daily newspaper, Hürriyet, and speaks for itself. Local sources (verified by more video footage) say the festival started peaceful until Turkish police rushed the celebrators at times even beating the women with their batons as can be seen.
Update: Two more deaths in Turkey after victims suffered severe injuries reported the Agence France-Presse. People again poured into the streets to protest and more clashes with Turkish police left several more protesters injured.
Newroz in Southeast USA!
Newroz is the start of New Day, New Spring, and New Year in the Kurdish calendar. It is the most loyal happy occasion in the Kurdish history. Revisiting every year and bringing back joy and happiness to Kurds all over the world. Newroz is the greatest gift to Kurds for their struggle to survive against the harsh winters and oppressing occupiers. Newroz revives patriotism and nationalism in the hearts and minds of every Kurd; it strengthens Kurdish souls to stand united and strong for the following year.
Kurds on the other hand have sacrificed many heroes and heroines each year to reach this day. They have kept this day alive by prevailing against oppressors and dictators and carrying on the flames of freedom from generation to generation. For many years, Kurds in Kurdistan have celebrated this day by singing, dancing and wearing traditional Kurdish customs to pass down the heroic stories of Kurdish men and women who sacrificed their lives to achieve victory for their sons and daughters. For Kurds living abroad, there are many obstacles in celebrating this day, especially for those living in the United States. Distance, time and daily routines have defeated the importance of this occasion especially for the younger Kurdish generations; who are born outside of Kurdistan and know little about the true meaning of Newroz and its importance for the survival of Kurds in Kurdistan. This is apparent among the younger generation who know very little about the most known mythical story of Kawa which is a story of a Kurdish Ironsmith who defeated Dahak the oppressor and brought victory to the Med nation almost 3000 years ago. On March 22, 2008, I had the privilege to experience a different Newroz celebration in Atlanta, Georgia, which I hadn't experienced for many years in celebrating Newroz in the United States. A group of dedicated members of Kurdish Youth Club (KYC), http://www.kurdishyouthclub.com/, organized an effective celebration that truly delivered the meaning of Newroz to the attendees. The well planned program included activities that met everyone's needs. The celebration included non-Kurds who came to learn about the meaning of Newroz; Kurdish parents who spent a night full of Kurdish dancing and socializing; finally, it included second and third generation Kurds in America, who sat down in the front listening to the Story of Kawa being told while gazing in maze at the detailed graphics of the thousand year old story that was prepared and delivered by KYC. Participants of this event included Kurds from all of Southeast region. We like to congratulate KYC for their hard work and we hope to see these activities in every Newroz celebration across United States. Happy New Year. "Newroz Piroz Be"
Saturday, March 22, 2008
An Interview with Kurdish Student About Kurdish Human Rights
A few weeks ago, Mideast Youth , interviewed a Kurdish student living in California about her views in regards to the recent conflict in Southern Kurdistan between the PKK guerillas and the Turkish forces as well as her thoughts on Kurdish human rights in general with respect to the Kurdistan's neighbors and the international community.
To listen to the podcast, please click here.
To learn more about the plight of the Kurds and how you can campaign for Kurdish rights, please read this post by the same student that is interviewed here and help us spread the word about Kurdish rights. MidEast Youth is an active promoter of Kurdish rights, it is an independent, non-profit, student based organization dedicated to eliminating extremist ideologies and ignorance from the Middle East.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Newroz Pîroz Bê
Happy New Year to all Kurdish Review writers and readers. I hope the New Year brings you and your loved ones nothing but good fortune and success.
In Kurdistan, Newroz has become a symbol of the struggle for liberation and a day to celebrate the freedoms one has and the freedoms one deserves and longs to achieve. In our old traditions, songs and folktales, it is believed that Newroz has been practiced in this respect for centuries with the liberations of various ancient kingdoms from Mitanni and Medya to the modern region as we know it today. Let's remember and celebrate Newroz for these very special meanings that go beyond that of a simple holiday.
Newroz Pîroz Bê... May your New Day be blessed until your old days...
Campaign to Revamp A Kurdish Rights Website
Dear friends and supporters of peace,
For as long as anyone can remember, the Kurdish people have been abused and denied basic human rights by oppressive governments who seek to eradicate the Kurdish identity from the Middle East. Just yesterday the Syrian police shot and killed three young Kurds and wounded several others for merely celebrating Newroz, the Kurdish new year.
MidEastYouth.com as well as a number of Kurdish students and activists have started campaigning for Kurdish Human Rights and spreading awareness about the human rights violations of the Kurds in Kurdistan and in the diaspora as a result of decades of oppression they have faced and continue to face everyday while the international community turns the other way.
MidEast Youth is seeking to expand the project and make KurdishRights.Org a collaborative project where we Middle Easterns can all join forces against coercion, intimidation, hatred, and racism in order to shed some light upon the often forgotten brutality that the Kurds face on a daily basis by oppressive regimes.
As a Kurd myself, I believe that this site has huge potential and we expect it to be the home of Kurdish human rights advocacy, not just by Kurds but everyone who supports Kurdish rights is welcome to join us and contribute as an author.
In order to meet that goal, we need to raise at least $600 to make this website as accessible and as professional as possible, which is impossible to do without any source of funding.
We need this site to be secure, as the site has survived several attacks in the past.
The Kurdish minorities all over the Middle East have suffered greatly for many decades with rarely any international or local support. This has to change, and this site will definitely contribute to this change. Please help us by raising this amount. If each of you donate just $10, we can reach our target sooner than expected and start working on the much-needed campaign immediately.
To learn more about the campaign or to donate please click here.
Thank you.
MidEast Youth is an independent, activist, and non-profit organization dedicated to eliminate extremist ideologies and ignorance from the Middle East. They will need your support to carry out it's many great projects that aim to contribute to a brighter future for the Middle East.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Political And Ideological Fallout
For months now, we have all seen the constant debate over the situation between turkey and its desire to in one fashion or another increase its influence in the only free part of Kurdistan, (KRG Administered N. Iraq) in whatever fashion it can. The obvious course of action is military intervention, and the less obvious courses are its steps in the political arena; namely federal structure of Southern (Iraqi) Kurdistan, Kirkuk, involvement of Kurdish politicians based in Baghdad and domestic politics within Northern (E. Turkey) Kurdistan population. It has also pushed for Kurds to tone down there aspirations, along with cornering Kurds into leaving their security and national interests solely dependent on Turkey.
It's other and usually the most far-reaching is its ideological push, to change Kurdish mentality; fracturing it once again and then extending its own ideology (namely the hypocritical style of Fethullah Gulen and isolating DTP) across Kurdistan’s territories.
First: Military
Military steps taken have its usual course and its miserable failure for both sides as we have seen in history. The cost in property, economics and the highest price of course is the loss of human life and the stalling of forward progression. Usually this affects more the country that is being invaded in terms of economic loss, yet it is the country that is being invaded that almost always wins militarily as history has shown. In terms of Kurds, we have seen our share bloodshed, and truly believe that we, because of all that bloodshed, are now peaceful seeking people, but at the same time insist Universal Human Rights and Right to Self-Determination Charters be implemented as these are already adopted by the countries which Kurds currently reside in. The unfortunate part is that whenever there is a war in Kurdistan, whatever military gains are made by Kurds, are lost soon after, when the "opposite" side leaves and we always turn to civil war, as we saw in 90's in Southern (N. Iraq) Kurdistan. The recent incursion by Turkish Military Forces into Southern (Iraqi) Kurdistan, seemed to target KRG (Kurdistan Regional Government) infrastructure, with the Iraqi Red Crescent Society reporting four civilian bridges being destroyed (link) , not known to be used by PKK forces. A harsh mountainous winter along with PKK forces heavily dug in terrain led to a quick and pre-mature withdrawal by Turkish forces.
Second:
National and Political Interests Fallouts
It is interesting that none of us even see today, how Kurds are putting so much of their national interests, particularly economic and political dependence on Turkey? How do you gain national sovereignty and independence? Almost entirely on economical and international legitimacy. When KRG was awarded the 4 billion dollars soon after the outset of the war, Kurds were begging them to make sure to award as many contracts as they could to western companies so they could have a vested interest in Kurdistan, so when this situation does arise, we are not lobbying by ourselves but have western companies at the same time lobbying on our behalf, as the rest of the world does. Of course as usual, this advice was not heeded, or at least not nearly enough. Now with another 6.4 billion settled for the KRG by the central Iraqi government, that chance has again come into play. It would be wise for the KRG to increase their vested interest abroad thrice fold. The Baker-Hamilton report backed by Turkey and Saudi Arabia is now being pushed and implemented after an initial rebuke by Kurdish leaders. With all these threats by Turkey, they have in essence through this conflict been successful in delaying the Kirkuk referendum, and even toning down the stance by Kurds on federalism. What is the future of Kurdistan without out these two firmly in the hands of Kurds? Instead of moving on in the "expansion and forward" policy which Kurds have tried to embark on these past 4 years, they have once again pushed them back into the old mentality of "control, stability and hunker down" policy which has been carried out for the past 20 years by Southern Kurdistan. It is almost reminiscent of 1975 in which negotiations with Saddam collapsed because of Kirkuk, have the Kurds been pushed back once again? Let us hope not. It is also interesting to note, after the recent military debacle, (with criticism of the of the military by the usual pro-military MHP and CHP Turkish parties) Turkey has decided to bypass the KRG, and target Kurdish-based Baghdad officials, namely that of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, keeping its long-failed policy of bypassing or out rightly ignoring the real factor of/in Kurdish politics, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) headed by President of KRG Massoud Barzani.
Third: Ideological Push
History has taught us that what pushes any country forward and in terms of long term success/failure is its ideology and the strength and consistence with this. Before this recent conflict, many Kurds believed in sheltering, if not at the very least, ignoring pkk in southern Kurdistan. After all, KDP/PUK used this same strategy throughout the 70's and 80's in Iran at a much more extensive way and higher expense of the Kurds in Iran. It seems thou now, and even among the Diaspora that Kurds now think of the Northern struggle as an "annoyance" or even detriment against the "south" or Kurdistan. Has this been Turkey's biggest success in the long term? The hard work by many Kurds in both Northern (Turkey) Kurdistan and Southern (Iraqi) Kurdistan to mend fences between the two and finally bring them together as there faiths, believe it or not, for all the ignorant, are much intertwined. It is evident in this recent conflict, that without the success or at least peaceful resolution of the Kurdish situation in Northern Kurdistan, Southern Kurdistan will never or very hard pressed, ever be truly successful or even worth mentioning with strength on the international or regional stage. The future seems to be that Turkey, (with recent reports of mass funding to Islamic tied groups, and a reported 80 million to try to take a municipality , Diyarbakir,) will push Southern (Iraqi) Kurdistan weakness, with politicized Islam (don’t take that as an anti-Islam statement, it is not, it is just what they will try). Gulen's movement, which I know many people here are unaware of, has basically taken over turkey. So the push by Kurds and its ideology of a distinct group, whatever aspiration it will hold, will independently clash with political Islam particularly that of Fethullah Gulen.
So the question I ask you all, who won this round?
Educate yourself; it is our only and last tool.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Where's OUR Dr. Phil?
Just the other day I was zapping my way through the Dutch TV channels.
It's not an unusual thing really: In The Netherlands too, American television shows are shown widely. In fact, one actually can learn of some of these shows. Ofcourse there are also some useless productions.
But seeing Uncle Sam's country only as the place to be for 'extralarge things' (Menues? Large! Cars? Large! American tummies? Big!), hamburgers, Hollywood, the KKK (not the PKK's former alias but the white supremacists) and a president who from time to time gives the impression of being the world's most powerful and influent stand-up comedian, would be a little unjust...
Indeed, The States actually distribute some useful products too, which are worth applauding for. Especially, one of US's creations, an eligible doctor, deserves attention here. His name?
Dr. Phil.
In the States as well as outside the US, Dr. Phil McGraw is known for his expertise in psychology. Dr. Phil became famous through talkshow-host Oprah Winfrey's show and now has an own show where he heals the diseases in societies all over the world...
In between preparing for class, working around the house, writing and being sentenced to the loud hardcore music of my deaf neighbour (I don't know if he's really deaf, but I'm guessing here, keeping the loudness of the truely hart warming music in mind), I told myself to turn on the television.
At first I couldn't find it due to the covering dust, but eventually I turned it on with the intention to learn something...
I was glad that I actually went to all of the trouble!
I saw Dr. Phil.
A special edition of his show was on by the name of 'House of Hatred', in which Dr. Phil had invited six of his patients to stay for a couple of days in the Dr. Phil House. The patients were convicted to eachother and were obliged to live together for a short period of time.
Ofcourse the interesting fact of all of this was that these patients weren't the world's most friendly and loving characters towards eachother. In fact, Dr. Phil brought six people who totally differed from eachother together when he obliged a lesbian woman and a straight person, who just couldn't stand eachother's sexualities; a black and a white rasist and a 600 pounds weighing mister and a rather small person, both hating respectively obese and thin people, to stay in the same rooms.
Some tests were to be taken in the House of Hatred.
Dr. Phil made the six patients confront eachother with their thoughts, sit together, communicate, get to know eachother and eventually get hatred out of their systems, respect other lifestyles and beliefs, and live in peace with all human beings as well as themselves...
Although there were many confrontations along the way, Dr. Phil succeded...
“Dr. Phil changed my life”
“I have no problems with homosexsuals anymore”
“Before I wouldn't greet anyone except for white people, now, I live in peace with everyone”
“Before, I thought that obese people where just lazy, now, I've learned the truth”
Yes indeed, a succes for Dr. Phil; he showed how results where to achieved by confronting persons who hated eachother's guts, and by this giving the oppurtunity to learn more about the other side, and eventually accept and respect it.
The only ingredients needed are getting to know eachother and understanding, with the goal to eventually live in peace together.
To be honest, Dr. Phil's project reminded me of another community.
Does anyone know the community I'm speaking of here?
Sidar Bengin Epozdemir
sidaro4@hotmail.com
www.cakbini.com
Sidar Bengin Epozdemir is a 20 year old Kurdish journalist and writer from the Netherlands. He runs a weblog by the name of Çakbînî (optimism in Kurdish) and writes and has written in Dutch, English and Kurdish for various journals and online-newspapers such as Netkurd.com, Avestakurd.net, Rizgari.com, KurdishMedia.com, Azady.nl and Cakbini.com.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Halabja, March 14 1988
What took place in Halabja just two days before the gassing............. When the peshmerges started to fight again after claps of 1974; they had to start from scratch. They cleared one hill top after the next. Soon in a 10 year period they controlled many villages, and regions of Kurdistan. They created a section of Iraqi Kurdistan and they called it "Nawche Azad Krawekan", The Free Territories. I remember I was a kid and we went to visit my uncle that I have never seen. He became a peshmerge shortly after I was born. At this point he was in charge of Karubari Komelayeti Sharbajir. It was a big span of territory in the 80s free from Saddam. The people of these villages were happy and free. Peshmargas set up a revolutionary command and government system: Courts, judges, people's relation, radio…etc of course they were all peshmargas. The masuls, the judges and my uncle too they all went to battles and they kept all Iraqi Advances at bay. By March 14 1988 the Peshmarges were stronger than ever and the Iraqis were weakened and more disparate. It is their continuous war with Iran and the Kurds which is exhausting them. It seems today the peshmarges are making a daring mission……..they dared to come: not to free just another village or some farmlands but a city! They have moved in onto Halabja. They say that they want to free Halabja. The people of Halabja are also getting ready to explode into a demonstration. People are happy that they will be free from Iraqi IFA and Jeeps. Happy that they will be free from Black and red braid of Iraqi solders, they would be free from being harassed in Arabic while conducting their daily business. They were happy! They were happy to be free! School kids were still going to their classes, but the teacher knew. They knew that in a few days they will write the word Kurdistan on the black board. They knew this Newroz of 1988 in Halabja they will celebrate like no other Newroz. It will be a Newroz of Joy a free Newroz: Newrozi Azadi! Some shopkeepers were happy that maybe they can raise the price a dinar or two! If peshmerges come then they can use this opportunity to gain some extra money! "Hey it is a war and no one knows what is going to happen", thought a shopkeeper that he would explain to his clients if they complained. They were also thinking of the possibility that Irani good "shti qachax" will flood the market. Lack of Iraqi presence will make it easier to access Iran and their cheep goods. March 14 1988 in Halabja was a happy day. Halabja and its people were about to be free. March 14 was a promising day; it was an early spring day. It was a day where you could smell the blooming of Nergis (flower of Newroz) coming down from the mountains. If you stood and looked to the east you could see the rainbow coming out behind the blue and steep mountain where it must have rained a heavy spring rain. March 14 was a day full of laughter, life and promise in Halabja…….
People are talking and getting ready to demonstrate against Saddam. The signs and activities of Peshmarge are becoming more visible in the city. By this point the "Free Territories" had increased and peshmergekani Kurdistan were much stronger. They are even getting ready to clear out a city from Iraqi regime!
Tragedy of Halabja: March 16, 1988
On March 16th, 1988, the city of Halabja in Iraqi Kurdistan became the site of the largest scale chemical attack on a civilian population in history. That morning, Iraqi warplanes flew over the city and dropped chemical bombs on the thousands of unsuspecting people living there. At least 5,000 people died immediately (75% of them women and children) as a result of the chemical attack and it has been estimated that a further 7,000 people were injured or suffered long-term illnesses. Still today, victims of the chemical weapons used in the region during that time continue to die decades after their exposure.
The city was unprepared for such an attack that morning as was evident by the many children who were busy in the streets playing their usual games. Little did they suspect that Iraqi fighter jets would soon swoop low over Halabja dropping chemical weapons and would continue to bomb the city twenty times for almost one hour. When the bombs struck the city, many died instantly while others tried to escape not knowing that the stench of rotten apples they smelled was the poison gas that was heavier than the air they breathed.
As one Kurdish intellect, Kendal Nezan, described Halabja:"The scene that greeted them in the morning defied description. The streets were strewn with corpses. People had been killed instantaneously by chemicals in the midst of the ordinary acts of everyday life. Babies still sucked their mothers’ breasts. Children held their parents’ hands, frozen to the spot like a still from a motion picture. In the space of a few hours 5,000 people had died. The 3,200 who no longer had families were buried in a mass grave."
The attack on Halabja took place during Saddam's infamous Anfal Campaign; a genocidal campaign designed to annihilate the Kurdish population in Iraq with details that are relatively unknown to the world. Halabja was not the first Kurdish settlement to be attacked with chemical weapons but was the site of the largest attack. Throughout 1987, Saddam Hussein and his Ba'athist Regime were said to have attacked at least 40 different villages or towns with chemical weapons. Very sadly, the world remained silent as Saddam Hussein carried out his atrocities against the Kurds. In fact, even with prior knowledge of Saddam's usage of chemical weapons, the United States continued to provide Iraq with the technology. Saddam's allies at the time refrained from condemning any of the attacks because of Iraq's war with Iran.
The words of Hassan Ali al-Majid or 'Chemical Ali', a cousin of Saddam Hussein who was appointed head of the Northern Iraqi Bureau to carry out the campaign, were almost symbolic in describing the silence of the international community when he responded to a question about the massacres he ordered:"I will kill them [the Kurds] all with chemical weapons. Who is going to say anything? The international community? To hell with them all!"
The Anfal Campaign resulted in the killings of nearly a quarter of a million Kurds in Iraq and the Tragedy of Halabja became a symbol of the worst repression against the Kurds. The single incident left thousands dead, and 20 years later, the memories of the attacks remain fresh in the minds of those who survived it.
Today, activists continue to seek international attention for the atrocities that continue to be committed against Kurdish populations throughout the Middle East. Unfortunately, in many cases, such atrocities continue to remain ignored and much of the world continues to remains silent.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Newroz Celebrations in Southern California
Çend sal e gula hîvya mebest bû heta par Her xûna lawan bû gula ava nû bihar Wî rengê sore bû ke asoyê bilindî kurd Mizgîna beyanê bo gele dûr û nêzîk bîr Ewroz bû agrekî weha xiste nav cergewe Lawan bi eşq diçûn pêşber pir mergewe Wa roj hilat ji bedena berza welatewe Xûna şehîd e rengê şefeq şewq vedatewe Heta niha li tarîxa milet da rû nede Qelxana gulê sîngê keçikan be hilnede Bo şehîdê weten naxwaze şîwen û girîn Ew namirin wa li dilê miletan de dijîn. 
The Kurdish American Youth Organization (KAYO) of Southern California as well as the Kurdish-American Community of San Diego will be co-hosting three days of Newroz festivities in San Diego, California as they welcome the Kurdish New Year. Everyone is welcomed and encouraged to join the Kurdish community of Southern California in celebrating this ancient and legendary holiday which is the single most important holiday celebrated by Kurds everywhere. The festivities will include Kurdish music, dance, poetry, and all the yummy Kurdish food you can eat for free!
1st Day: Newroz Bonfire
Where: La Jolla Shores, CA (8200 Camino Del Oro, La Jolla, 92037)
When: Friday, March 21 from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Contact: (619)447-9933
2nd Day: Newroz Picnic/Potluck for Youth
Where: La Jolla Shores, CA (8200 Camino Del Oro, La Jolla, 92037)
When: Saturday, March 22 from 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Contact: (619)447-9933
3rd Day: Newroz Community Picnic
Where: Flinn Springs Park ( 14701 Old Highway 80, El Cajon, CA 92021)
When: Sunday, March 23 from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Contact: (619)447-9933Eva roja sala taze ye Newroz hatiye Cejna kevnê kurd e bi xweşî hatiye
-Pîremêrd
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