Kurdish Review - United Kurdish Writers' Blog

Naomî, my inspiration and a CALL!*

noreply@blogger.com (Sîdar Bengîn Epozdemir) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 14:06:00 +0000

"Therefore I call upon everyone to print and hang to their wall the ‘language contract’ we have made and of which the download links for the Zazakî, Kurmancî and Soranî version are given beneath. This contract functions as a contract between the person signing and his or her conscious. In general, after signing the contract and hanging it to your wall, you promise to do anything in your power to ensure the existence of our language and to protect it."

Naomî, my inspiration and a CALL!* - By Sidar Bengin Epozdemir

In a time where it’s impossible not to use the Kurdish expression ‘I can’t scratch my head’, I lifted my foot of the brakes of live and found myself able to head for a country which is an extremely dangerous place to go to, when you’re not able to do all your travelling on the left side (yes, including walking through hallways in hotels): England.

Come to think of it, ‘being able’ implies that I actually had a free will. This would actually cover the rather undemocratic and Saddamistic approach my diary puts on me. No, no, let’s be honest, I didn’t have the time at all! My trip to tealand, gentlemenland and the-hell-with-you-I’m-proud-of-being-a-guard-and-I-won’t-move-a-muscle-until-you’ve-touched-me-land was in fact because of Kurdish traditions, but more important because of my love for my cousin Welat and the to that amount of love matching amount of excitement for his wedding.

Now us Kurds we often have a tendency to consider ourselves as either of the side of the groom, or the side the bride. But this wedding wasn’t like that. Both my brother Welat, as my sister Naomî I admire a great deal. Welat inspires me through his academic achievements, whereas Naomî gives me loads of joy every time she shows off with her sweet Kurdish tongue.

I still remember the day I met Naomî: she opened the door on me and greeted me with ‘Tu gelek bi xêr hatî’…

Four years and a handful of worn books later, Naomî speaks Kurdish at a very decent level and my heart was filled with joy when I heard my dear sister welcome everyone to the wedding in both English as in Kurdish…

I know it’s weird to say for us Kurds, but I even felt very proud of her…

Maybe also because there’s no doubt in my mind that Naomî and Welat’s children will learn both English and Kurdish and will along with these abilities live their live in a bicultural way. And even if their parents don’t succeed in teaching them Kurdish, I’m sure they will give them the strength to learn it on their own!

Everyone that reads this is my witness: I’m willing to bet on all of my student support for this.

Now why is Naomî’s story, a story of an English girl who’s learnt Kurdish all by herself so important to us?

First of all, because we are to be proud and honoured by the fact that our language, the 31st language of the world according to Le français dans le Monde, is interesting enough to be considered worth learning by someone who doesn’t have a Kurdish background.

But we should also be sad for the fact that Kurdistan’s enemies have affected the status and with that the amount of speakers of our sweet language in such a great way, that it’s now is indeed in an endangered position.

So what can we do? We can do a lot, obviously. The battle still hasn’t been lost and it doesn’t have to be either. TZP-Kurdî’s recent manifestation in Gever, which was attended by thousands of Kurdish loving people is therefore not worth underestimating. I hereby thank them for their efforts and hope they will carry on with making efforts to secure the existence of our language and consequently the existence of our identity…

A Call!

We can also do something. It doesn’t have to be, organising a great manifestation or shaking Ban-Ki-Moon’s hand on the Kurdish language. Let’s start by simply making a promise.

Therefore I call upon everyone to print and hang to their wall the ‘language contract’ we have made and of which the download links for the Zazakî, Kurmancî and Soranî version are given beneath. This contract functions as a contract between the person signing and his or her conscious. In general, after signing the contract and hanging it to your wall, you promise to do anything in your power to ensure the existence of our language and to protect it.

It’s the 21st century and the states that have left us in their shade have succesfully made us ‘the world’s greatest nation without an own state’.

Let’s not let them succeed in making us first ‘the world’s greatest nation that doesn’t speak their own language’ and then ‘the world’s greatest nation that has been vanished’.

WE (!) can do something about this. Naomî has shown us.

Her bijî zimanê kurdî…Long live the Kurdish language…

Sidar Bengin Epozdemir
sidaro4@hotmail.com
http://www.cakbini.com/

----------------------------------

DOWNLOAD THE LANGUAGE CONTRACT:

Kurmancî: www.rojnamenus.eu/kurmanci.pdf
Soranî: www.rojnamenus.eu/sorani.pdf
Zazakî: www.rojnamenus.eu/zazaki.pdf
(Note: in order to download the contract it may very well be that it will not suffice that you simply click on it. Click on the right button of your mouse and select ‘Save Target As’/’Doel Opslaan Als’/’Farkli Kaydet’ and there shouldn’t be a problem.)

For more information on this project visit www.cakbini.com or the special English page that has been set up there at: http://cakbini.blogspot.com/2008/06/selfcontract-kurdish-language.html

Because of the importance of the project I send the different versions of this article, Kurmancî-Kurdish, Soranî-Kurdish, English, Turkish and Dutch to various Kurdish websites. It’s contrary to what my principles are, but for this time I will have to share the idea with all of the Kurdish media in order to it a chance to show their support to this idea. In addition, everyone is free to use the material (the contracts) and actively execute this project. I myself have already printed the contract and have hung it on my wall) With many thanks to Roşan Lezgîn and Hemen Abdullah for their help with the Zazakî and Soranî-versions of the contract.

Sidar Bengin Epozdemir is a young Kurdish journalist and writer from the Netherlands. He runs a weblog for young Kurdish writers 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.

This article has also been published on websites like AvestaKurd in Kurdish and it will be published in various languages on other websites.

Kirkuk out of content and character! “ No referendum, but a solution!”

noreply@blogger.com (Ara Alan) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:57:00 +0000

By: Ara Alan
According to Reuters news agency Tuesday June 3^rd 2008 KRG’s prime minster announced in Dubai that "in Kirkuk, as Kurds, we are ready for power-sharing,". He also further explained that "We are pushing for a solution, not especially a referendum. We have asked the UN to be technically involved because the situation is complicated,"

Kirkuk out of content and character! “ No referendum, but a solution!”

by: Ara Alan

According to Reuters news agency Tuesday June 3^rd 2008 KRG’s prime minster announced in Dubai that "in Kirkuk, as Kurds, we are ready for power-sharing,". He also further explained that "We are pushing for a solution, not especially a referendum. We have asked the UN to be technically involved because the situation is complicated,"

One can wonder when was this authority given to a prime minister to denounce article 140? Such a statement undermines Kurdistan’s national assembly, the Kurdish voters whom voted for 730, also to all Iraqi citizens that voted and ratified an Iraqi constitution.

It is not the first time this has happened. We already seen this back in January 08, when in a similar move, the government not the people decided to delay article 140. The delaying of the article was suddenly announced to Kurdistan National assembly and people of Kurdistan. Without time to negotiate, this move was formally accepted by the assembly.

Completely denouncing 140 or exchanging it for some new deal; will not be accepted nor tolerated by people of Kurdistan. No one has the right to exchange article 140, Iraqi government does not have that right, United States does not have that right, United Nations does not have that right, neither does the Kurdish government nor our prime ministers. Article 140 was ratified as part of Iraqi constitution, which stands above the lawmakers and the elected officials.

Without Article 140, Kurds would never have accepted and voted for Iraqi constitution. At that time, the constitution already lacked the vote and support of the Sunnis in Iraq. Without support of those Kurdish voters, the Iraqi constitution would have never been ratified. Even today that constitution is invalid without the backing of the Kurds!

Kurdish government at all times must represent its people and not to cave into pressure from outside. They must serve as messengers of the people of Kurdistan because it is to them who they have to answer. Kurdish people wish for implementation of article 140.

We have already made many compromises with federal Iraq. At times we delayed or completely a banded some of our national goals. All this in name and for hope of a new Iraq, where Kurds and Arabs have equal right and opportunity. An Iraq where Kurdish aspiration is not viewed with suspicion.

Most recent highlight of our forfeits with federal Iraq is the acceptance of an Iraqi national flag that lacks any Kurdish representation followed by a so-called compromise to delay article 140. It is time that we ask federal Iraq to show their good faith and hope for a new Iraq by implementing article 140.

As we grow to be a nation, it is vital that we maintain the proper role of government and its duties, the role of national assembly and its duties and the role of us as their constituents and also our duties. Executive branch, must execute orders or deals made by the National assembly and not the other way around. Kurdish government must maintain its role as representative of Kurdistan people and without their approval, no one should be allowed to change article 140.

Let the world recognize Anfal as a genocide

noreply@blogger.com (Ara Alan) — Tue, 06 May 2008 04:36:00 +0000

For more pictures please visit KYC

In remembrance of the Anfal campaign Kurdish Youth Club held two seminars on this subject. The seminars were held at two Prominent Atlanta universities: Georgia State University on April 24 2008 and Emory University on April 25 2008. Both seminars were attended largely by students and faculty of the schools. The audience ranged from, undergraduate students, graduate students, professors, journalist, war veterans, lawyers and other citizens.

The seminar at Georgia State University

At both events the seminars started with a video from National Geographic that showed an over view of life under Saddam. At Gorgia State the event was hosted by Brett Duval and at Emory University it was hosted by Goran Sabir. Professor Benjamin from Kennesaw University started the seminar by giving an over view of who the Kurds are. Ara Alan then presented a power point based on Human Rights watch publication. In the presentation he explain why Anfal is considered as Genocide by international standards. The seminar also emphasized that Anfal thus must be recognized by the world countries as an act of Genocide.

Anfal Survivor Yunis Haji left, Ara Alan Right
Mr. Yunis Haji an eye wittiness in Saddam Hussein's Anfal trial and a survivor of a massgrave execution by the Baath government Shared his story of the Genocide. Yunis had testified against Saddam for the torture and summary execution that he faced. Captured while injured during the Anfal campaign and after questioning Yunis and his cell mates were taken to a remote land outside of Kirkuk to be executed. The prisoners with Yunis were not shot but they were all hit on their head to loose conscious to be buried alive. Yunis woke up in the massgrave as they were being covered by dirt. Story of Yunis is a story of Resistance, and resilience of man when all odds are against him. The seminars were sponsored by Kurdish Youth Club, Amnesty International, at Emory and Georgia State, and MEPSA.

Yunis Haji Sharing his story
Kurdish Youth Club, is making a pledge to work for recognition of Anfal as a genocide in USA. We would also like to extend an invitation to all other Kurdish Organizations or capable individuals in USA to be involved in this historical event. Let us get organized and busy so that we can put our efforts to honor the Anfal victims. Let us Honor them through recognition of Anfal as a major crime of twentieth century and as an act of Genocide against the Kurdish people.

Other Media Coverage
www.Emorywheel.com
Survivor Shares Genocide Tale
By Nina Dutton Posted: 04/28/2008

Yunis Haji Haji, a survivor of the late 1980s Anfal genocide in Iraq who testified at Saddam Hussein’s trial, told his story of brutal treatment and a narrow escape on Friday evening.

The event, held at the Rollins School of Public Health and sponsored by Human Rights Action at Emory and the Kurdish Youth Club of Atlanta, began with an introduction to the Anfal campaign against the Kurds.

Jesse Benjamin, a sociology professor at Kennesaw State University, introduced the Kurdish people as “a nation without a nation.” An estimated 40 million Kurds live in the Middle East, mainly in Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Syria, while 30 million more have dispersed around the world, he said. After World War I, the Ottoman Empire was divided along ethnically arbitrary lines, splitting the Kurdish population into minorities in different countries, though Woodrow Wilson had promised the Kurds their own state, Benjamin said.

Ara Alan, a co-founder of many Kurdish Youth organizations, said that in 1970, the ruling Ba’ath party allowed the Kurds an autonomous region without lucrative oil fields. The Ba’ath party pushed Kurds out of oil-producing areas by luring poor Arabs there with cheap housing. The peshmerga — fighters for Kurdish independence — made an alliance with Tehran and in the early 1980s, the Ba’ath party started to move against the Kurds. The Anfal campaign took shape in the mid-1980s, peaking in 1988.

The American government ignored the genocide as it took place, Benjamin said.
“It is very rare that the world likes to acknowledge that a genocide is a genocide, even after the fact,” Benjamin said. This lack of recognition of the Anfal campaign as genocide was a common theme throughout the event.

An eight-stage Iraqi military operation against the peshmerga and Kurdish civilians, the Anfal campaign was characterized by the government’s widespread use of chemical warfare against its own people, the systematic destruction of about 2,000 Kurdish villages, the arbitrary arrests and forced displacement, executions and disappearances of tens of thousands of civilians of all ages, Alan said. In some phases, men were specifically targeted, killing all men found aged 15 to 70.

Alan passed photographs around the room, showing mass graves and the skeletons of Anfal’s victims. Some bones still bore clothing, a shoe or a wristwatch.
Haji then relayed his story, with Alan as interpreter, to the crowd of 80 listeners.

“I don’t remember the Kurds ever disturbing the peace of our neighbors or other countries of the world,” Haji said. The Iraqi government responded to attempted negotiations with “displacement of the Kurds, annihilation of the Kurds, killing of the Kurds.”

“They did not care if you were a pershmerga or not. They took everybody,” he said.

In 1988, Haji was a 19-year-old peshmerga. His arm was injured in fighting, so he was told to take refuge in the mountains. The other injured peshmergas with him went their own ways to find protection, so Haji contacted his family and found a place to hide. Haji found his way to the home of someone in the Iraqi regime, who betrayed Haji and sent him to jail.

“I did not come here to serve the Iraqi army,” Haji said he told the authorities.

At this refusal, Haji was tortured there and at a jail in Kirkuk. One day he and some fellow prisoners were blindfolded, hands tied, and loaded into a truck. They were told they were being taken to Baghdad’s Iraqi Revolutionary Court.

But when Haji felt a dirt road beneath the truck rather than the paved road to Baghdad, he realized they were “actually heading to death.”

Haji untied his hands and loosened the blindfold, offering to do the same for the other prisoners so they could attack the guard at the next chance. The other prisoners refused the help, believing they were on the way to Baghdad.

“They would not let me open their hands,” Haji said. He thought it better to take that chance than not at all, positing that “even if we would die, we would die a better death.”

When the truck stopped and a guard checked on the prisoners, the guard yanked on Haji’s arm. Discovering Haji’s hands loose, the guard forced Haji to his knees at the edge of a ditch like a long, narrow grave. The guard struck Haji in the head and Haji fell into the ditch, realizing that he was about to be buried alive when he awoke. The dust cloud from his fall provided Haji with enough cover to escape, he said.

“Thirst was really breaking me down,” Haji said, describing his walk across desert and farmland to find a highway and cars to take him to a city.

Haji stopped the second car he saw, which contained a man in an Iraqi Populist Uniform and a mullah. The mullah’s presence, as a religious figure, put Haji somewhat at ease, he said, and as he couldn’t run away, Haji told all. The uniformed man turned out to be a Kurd too, and sympathized with Haji. Haji spent the night at the man’s home, and the next day the man gave him a pair of shoes, directing Haji to a bus to flee.

To cross the next checkpoint, Haji rode in a car, which was not inspected at all, to Haji’s great relief, he said.

“I felt like the pedal and the clutch under the driver’s feet were under my feet,” Haji said, noting the freedom he felt as it seemed like he was the one accelerating the car away from the checkpoint.

His family tried to find someone to hide him again, but Haji told them he did not trust anyone and wanted to leave the country. He returned to the Iran border, continuing to fight as a peshmerga until an uprising in Iraq in 1991.

Haji eventually told his story to an American human rights organization. He accepted their offer to help him leave Iraq.

In the question-and-answer session, Haji was asked if he approves of the current war in Iraq and he said he wished the invasion happened in 1991 instead. The speech also prompted an Armenian, an Iraqi and a Kurd from Turkey in the audience to discuss the necessity, or lack thereof, of recognizing genocide as such.

Kurdish Youth stand trial in Turkey for singing a song

noreply@blogger.com (KurdishReview) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 18:39:00 +0000

As the world turns, injustice continues. And as injustice continues, the Kurds continue to be without a voice...

Last year, a group by the name of The Children’s Voices of Diyarbakir that consists of Kurdish youth aged 8 to 16 years of age, many who are orphaned, received a rare opportunity to participate in a World Music Festival in California. The kids put on a wonderful performance that could - and perhaps did - even put tears of joy to the eyes of non-Kurdish attendees as much as they did for Kurdish attendees.

This Kurdish youth group is composed of mostly orphans and was put together through a program initiated by Kurds in Turkey to help get the youth off the streets by engaging them in positive activities. At the festival in California, the kids sang a wide range of traditional Kurdish folk songs, played instruments, and even danced for the audience.

Now, back in Turkey, a few of them are facing charges by Turkish prosecutors for singing these songs in California...

3 Kurdish teenagers could stand trial for singing rebel song in US

The Associated Press

ANKARA, Turkey: A lawyer says three Kurdish teenagers could stand trial for allegedly singing a Kurdish rebel song under rebel flags during a music festival in the United States in October.

Defense lawyer Baran Pamuk says the teenagers were part of a 15-member chorus that allegedly sang a song called “Enemy” during a tour of San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco. He says an indictment demands their prosecution on charges of spreading the separatist propaganda of the rebel Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which is fighting the Turkish state.

Pamuk said Tuesday a court will decide whether to hear the case. The three are aged between 16 and 17.

Well, the song that was actually sung by these children is entitled, “Ey Reqîb”, which is translated to “Hey Guard”. The song comes from a poem written by a late Kurdish political prisoner from Iraqi Kurdistan named Dildar (1917-1948) who wrote the poem in prison, hence the name.

Nowadays, people tend to translate the title of the song to “Hey Enemy”, as the prosecution did. The song is familiar to Kurds all over the world and has become known as the Kurdish national anthem.

Apparently singing this old piece from 1938 is considered a crime in Turkey, as are the so-called rebel flags that these kids were singing in front of. (The “rebel flags” were actually the Kurdish flag, and not exactly the flag of any particular rebel group or party.) The flag has become the official flag of the Kurdistan region in Iraq, as has the anthem.

News of these children appeared in the Turkish media first in order to rile up the Turkish public by claiming the children were spreading “separatist propaganda” like the AP article states above. Now the Turkish prosecution is working hard to put these children in prison… sadly, we all know what happens to Kurdish children in the custody of officers. (See the video of the Turkish officer breaking a 15-year-old’s arm in front of the camera here.)

By the way, in case you are wondering what happened to the 15-year-old in that video, Progressive Historians summed up a sequence of events on their site about his situation... he is in jail. For a few days, his father had been worried sick about his whereabouts until he saw the video of his son’s arm being broken on Kurdish TV. It was then his father, who can hardly afford it, set out to hire lawyers to defend his son from charges that Turkish prosecutors are planning on pressing against him. (Shouldn’t the officers torturing him be the ones on trial?)

According to the Hakkari Bar Association in Turkey, his arm was indeed broken (despite denials by the Turkish police) and lawyers who were able to visit the boy said his arm is wrapped in bandages.

There is no news as to whether he will be released.

The Ramblings of Mr.Viglen

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Viglen) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 23:51:00 +0000

Hello all, I am Mr.Viglen

I am quite glad that I was invited to join this blog...I am slightly surprised considering I never thought of myself as a writer. I always imagined being a "Writer" would involve a big typewriter and funky glasses. I do find myself occasionaly tapping the keyboard to the right to recreate that feel of a typewriter.

All silliness aside, I am Mr.Viglen and these are my ramblings.

Although I much rather preferred to start my first post with my own thoughts...But I did recently come across an article that has indeed captured my attention and I am currently trying my best to spread this brilliant writing by a brilliant man.

The article in question comes from Dr.Rashid Karadaghi (You will recognize the name of the man , he wrote the very well written Azadi English-Kurdish dictionary) and is titled "Are we angry enough" published in kurdmedia

The amount of awesomness written so coherently and beautifully in a single article exceeds the imagination...Obviously the whole article together makes this an awesomtastic endaveour by Dr.Rashid, however these are my favourite quotes and through my multiple read throughs have begun to memorize these lines :

It is time that we Kurds stopped living, thinking, acting, reacting, and speaking in a way that perpetuates the tyrannical rule of the occupier and demeans us as a people. It is high time that we freed ourselves from the ridiculous notion, which some of the defeatists among us have brain-washed us with, that we were dealt an unfair hand by history and fate and there is no escaping it. We must stop behaving like victims and, instead, become masters of our destiny. We must free ourselves from the mindset created by the occupiers that is plaguing us and preventing us from thinking and behaving like a free people. We must take down the prison walls in our mind before we can take them down in the world without."

As the world has become aware of the injustice Kurds have gone through, have us Kurds done anything to correct this? We know that the occupiers seperated us, but have we fought them psychologically as much as we have physically? By this I mean rejecting the notion that we are meant to be relegated to a second ethnicity in a country dominated by an alien ethnicity? Is our victory simply a country recognizing our language? This right can be easily taken away, but a defined border can not.

Through my time debating with people who belong to the colonial nations where Kurdistan resides, the term "blood borders" has been thrown about many a time to legitimize the current sitation. And I do find myslef agreeing with them, to their surprise I do believe that they are indeed blood borders it is because of these borders that we have lost our culture, it is because of these man made borders that we have lost our unity, it is because of these borders that we have become the oppressed.

It is high time we lose the mentality of the defeated who can not arise victorious, we must become the masters of our own destiny as Dr.Rashid calls upon us to do. We are no different and no less human than the nations who occupy us, if anything we have shown that we are a compassionate people despite the massive injustices. However compassion should not become naiivety.

I shall conclude my first post with the words of Ibrahim Ahmed in his well known anthem "Har Kurd Ebin"

Dawaya Wilatee Kas Nakam
Pinja Komafee Kas Nabam
Bo Mafee Gel u Xakam
Hata Mawim...Xabatakam !

I am not asking for anyone's Land
I am not trespassing on Anyone's territory
For the Rights of My Land and its People
Until I am Alive....I will fight"

Har Bijit Kak Karadaghi and Har Bijit Geli Kurd.

Cheers for listening to my ramblings,

Mr.Viglen

40th anniversary of Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

noreply@blogger.com (Ara Alan) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 05:27:00 +0000

I went to the 40^th anniversary of Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK). I went to pay respect to this great man. As a non-violent peace advocator, he strived and gave his life for the betterment of his people. Through out the history of

United States

the non-white minorities have been ignored, neglected and persecuted. Blacks, as one of these minorities, were used to fuel the economy of this nation as it emerged from a British colony to a world superpower.

Blacks were freed from slavery based on the

constitution in 1863. It has taken them a continuous struggle to have the freedom and the rights that they have today. During World War II many black solders fought at the battlefronts of Europe.

They fought for freedom as the war propaganda and their generals advertised it. At the end of the war, they came back as Heroes who has put their lives at risk to grant the French freedom! Once back in US they faced prosecution and racism. An awakening movement started during this era. As the highlight of the movement, MLK in the sixties preached a struggle of non-violence from Atlanta

Georgia

.

MLK's resting place and remembrance service

Remembrance of his assassination 40 years later in Atlanta was held at his final resting place at the MLK center. Many Atlanta dignitaries were present including King’s family. They spoke of the importance of civil rights of all men. Rights and freedom is for all Humans not just one race, nation or religion. I as a Kurd can identify with this cause. Growing up in Kurdistan and especially living abroad, I learned to see the double standard treatment of Kurds by not only our oppressors but by many “democratic” nations of the world. To notice the injustice, a Kurd must first learn how to feel equal to its surrounding people and nations. This is a task much more complicated than the single sentence that has described it. We have been persecuted for so long that we tend to mistake an end to a war or torture for equality! Equality means equal to others. Equality is to be treated and given opportunity like other people or nations. Kurds don’t have equal rights any where in the world. As a nation without a country, we are a people without backing. We must rely on our own for the advancement of our people. In Kurdistan where majority of Kurds live Kurds are persecuted and treated with a double standard. All of our neighbors impose their national and religious believes on us. When we ask and say, I want to be Kurdish they label us as separatist, racist, terrorist…etc. This is true not only in Turkey but in Iran, Syria and Iraq. We have a Kurdish government in Iraq known as KRG. It is our only hope and joy. Kurds from all parts of Kurdistan and all cities of exile turn to that government. As the only official government of Kurds, we expect them to do everything for us. With their shortcomings, we get angry and frustrated because just like blacks we have been waiting for our rights for the passed 100 years. We expect our government to deliver it to us now and fast!

Joe and my friend Ariel Santiago

The most important lesson from visiting MLK’s gravesite, hearing the 40^th remembrance ceremony and talking to different people wasn’t from the dignitaries nor the keynote speakers. The lesson I got was from a nice and elderly man. This man in name of Joe was either homeless or close to be homeless. Clearly, he was a man forgotten by the system and society.

Joe has lived on the same street as we met him two blocks down from MLK center for the past 60 years. MLK’s church, house, and barbershop are all on the same street. Joe told us about the difficult days in the 60s. Those days that they could not go to Peachtree Street, just to blocks up, because it wasn’t for Niggas. The University that I attended, down the road, was also white only. Joe never got an education because for a poor black man at those days it was too difficult. There was only a hand full of schools for the colored people and the cost of living was too high for most young blacks of that era to attend. Joe told us during the civil rights movement when MLK used to walk up and down these streets. Joe used to have a job where he earned one dollar a day! He has marched with MLK and Joe still shares his story of those rough days.

In middle of his talk, Joe was complaining about today’s attitude. Joe said, “Young Niggas today just wanna jump on top of the table and get all they want! They don’t realize that they have to start with cleaning the bottom first then work their way up to the top”! Joe made the comment based on his own experience and a group of people and a struggle that he is a part of. His comment actually is universal. It is for all people who were oppressed and now have some rights. What Joe said; applies to Kurds 100%.

Same pattern can be seen in our community and among our own young. With southern Kurdistan (Iraqi-Kurdistan) being partially free we expect everything to happen in matter of months. Kurdistan has been a war zone for the passed 100 years; we were oppressed and held back by our enemies. It takes a lot of work many resources and a lot of time to bring Kurdistan to modern standards. Kurdistan has progressed since 2003 in an exponential rate, so has the Kurdish people that live under those territories. Some progressed more than others did but nonetheless as a nation, we are developing and progressing.

To bring Kurdistan to a modern standard it takes work not just from KRG, and their employees or leaders. It is a struggle that we must all be involved with. We must all work together each from our side to help deliver our nation out of the injustice and the double standard treatment to a nation in equality. True sense of equality comes from with in. We must all be leaders and initiators in this struggle for perseverance. On this remembrance, please take a moment to reflect on yourself. Reflect on the treatment that you allow others to give you. True equality is non-hostile and non-violent; true equality comes with a high degree of self-respect and self-recognition as an individual and as a Kurd!

Reaction to EU's PKK Ruling

noreply@blogger.com (Niroj) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:45:00 +0000

Just as the Turkish forces have yet again resumed bombing Southern Kurdistan (N. Iraq) to allegedly root out PKK rebel cells, the European Union has annulled its ruling to have PKK on its list of terrorist organizations. According to the BBC, the Court of First Instance (CFI), EU's second-highest court, said that decisions made by EU governments in 2002 and 2004 to blacklist the PKK and freeze its assets was illegal under EU law, ruling that the decision to place the PKK or their aliases on the proscribed E.U. list was "lacking an adequate statement of reason."

The EU court affirmed that the autonomy-seeking PKK, or Kurdistan Workers Party, and its political wing, known as KONGRA-GEL, were not in positions "to understand, clearly and unequivocally, the reasoning" what led EU governments to add them to the terror list.

The PKK was added to the list in 2002, after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States. Its political wing, KONGRA-GEL, was added in 2004. The United States and Turkey also list the PKK as a terrorist organization. The register was drawn up to respect a U.N. Security Council resolution adopted in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks which demanded that countries crack down on "terror" financing.

But an EU official said a new list of terrorist organizations had been drawn up in December 2007, including the PKK again, which took into account the views of the court in similar cases in the past. The PKK won an appeal last year giving it a right to a hearing and a new case to get it removed from the EU list. According to the Associated Press, Europe's human rights watchdog, the Council of Europe, has said the EU's anti-terror rules violated democratic principles. EU states decided in April 2007 to inform groups and individuals when they are placed on the EU terror list. Those listed will now be able to ask why they were put on the list and why their assets are frozen. But there are still no procedures for an independent review and for compensation for possible human rights breaches. The Turkish government blames the PKK for allegedly being responsible for 37,000 deaths since the group launched an armed struggle for a Kurdish homeland in the Kurdish populated southeast Turkey in 1984. However, most would argue that the disparity and repression against Kurds led to the formation of the armed separatist movement in 1984.

Kurds, PKK, and Turkey

The Kurdish issue with respect to Turkey is a very deep and complex matter. While the majority of Turkey's Kurds do not openly support separatism from the Turkish state, many do support the PKK, as the only force fighting for broader Kurdish cultural, economic and political rights. For many years, the Turkish government had denied the existence of a Kurdish identity. For decades, the Kurds have experienced both linguistic and cultural persecution. Due to the large number of Kurds in Turkey, successive governments have viewed the expression of a Kurdish identity as a potential threat to Turkish unity as well as its national security. Turkey operates as a democratic country when one considers its representation process in terms of voting, it does not however share the same moral values as other democracies in the world. It has taken advantage of the U.S. and EU's "war on terror" to severely increase Turkish military activity on the Kurdish people, claiming to be wiping out terrorism.

The European Union defines terrorism as:

"Certain criminal offenses set out in a list comprised largely of serious offenses against persons and property which as given their nature or context, may seriously damage a country or an international organization where committed with the aim of: seriously intimidating a population; or unduly compelling a Government or international organization to perform or abstain from performing any act; or seriously destabilizing or destroying the fundamental political, constitutional, economic or social structures of a country or an international organization."

Although there is no unanimous definition for terrorism, what the EU fails to mention is the fact that it has only applied terrorism to organizations (and not states). If we were to follow the ICC model of universal rights and added rough states to such an equations as well, we would find that Turkey's military activity against the Kurds in Southeast Turkey and Northern Iraq can be viewed as state sponsored terrorism.

Turkey's violation of human rights stem from the its rather archaic political system which believes that democracy could not survive in the face of “ethnic divisions”. The government should be built on the idea that everyone should be treated the same, hence, denying the Kurds minority status or rights in Turkey. The Turkish Constitution bans the formation of political parties on an ethnic basis. Several Kurdish political parties have been shut down by the Turkish Constitutional Court for links to the PKK, and some party members were imprisoned. Despite Turkey’s unwillingness to a peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue, the PKK has declared a ceasefire for disarmament numerous times and in 2006, the PKK signed the "Geneva Call Deed of Commitment" stating their willingness to commit a total ban on antipersonnel mines. PKK's call for a unilateral ceasefire in the past was on the following basis: the acknowledgment of the Kurdish identity, language, culture, politics organization, freedom of thought and expression, social development, removal of Turkish forces in the Kurdistan region, as well as the gradual disarmament and legal participation into the democratic social life.

Considering PKK demands, one should note that their demands are in line with a rather just resolution of the Kurdish question through democratic means. To note further, most of their demands are in agreement with the requirements of Turkey for EU membership. However, for critics, Turkey's reluctance to consider these demands shows they have much more a desire to continue their conflict with the PKK than to resolve it and achieve peace.

Turkish Reaction

The Turkish officials' reaction to the EU court ruling is not surprising. In Turkey, skepticism and anger are fueling among the Turkish public concerning EU’s stance on the PKK. Turkey claims that the European court undermines anti-terror efforts. Likewise, Turkey’s Prime Minister, Recep Erdoğan harshly criticized the member states for assuming what he termed a non-principled and insincere approach towards the issue of terrorism, accusing certain EU members of overlooking terrorists' activities in their countries by using the independence of the judiciary as an excuse.Nonetheless, it should be mentioned again that according to EarthTimes.org, the EU Council in Brussels stressed the listing would continue and PKK assets would remain frozen despite the European Court of First Instance ruling in Luxembourg earlier in the day. On the other hand, perhaps EU's ruling will re-examine Turkey's human rights violations and thus put an end to all forms of terrorism and intimidation where the international community can put pressure on Turkey as well as the PKK to rely on diplomacy and dialog vis-a-vis military forces.

Anfal campaign: a genocidal policy

noreply@blogger.com (Chalank Yahya) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:16:00 +0000

With regard to the atrocities that have been committed against the Kurds in North-Iraq in the late 1980s, this paper will attempt to apply the theory of the well-known social-scientist, Herbert Kelman, to the Anfal campaign. The Anfal campaign has taken place against the Kurds in 1987-1989, through which more than 182 000 Kurds were the victims of this cruel campaign. In this respect, it is important to ask an important question, which is; under which conditions do the perpetrators go through in order to implement the process of Anfal against the Kurds?

In his article ‘Violence without Moral Restraint’ Herbert Kelman explains the psychological conditions, which the perpetrators are influenced through in order to commit gross human rights violations. For these psychological conditions, Kelman outlines three interrelated processes that are needed in order to restrain the moral obligations by the perpetrators during a genocidal policy. These processes are respectively Authorization, Routinization and Dehumanization. In this paper these processes are briefly explained and applied to the Anfal case in order to answer the above mentioned question.

Authorization
According to Kelman, the genocidal policies occur in the context of an authority situation. The instructions and orders are given from the highest authority organizations and through a process of bureaucracy these orders will be accomplished. The perpetrators of a genocidal policy view these orders as obligations and they appeal to higher authority when the genocidal crimes have taken place.
During the Anfal campaign this process of Authorization is recognizable in a way that in each steps of the Anfal campaign orders and instructions were given from the government (authority situation) and due to the very strict steps these orders were accomplished. First of all, from the highest formal authority in Iraq, the Revolutionary Command Council, this was headed by the former dictator Saddam Hussein, from this highest authority thus Ali Hassan al-Majid was authorized to become the Northern Bureau’s Secretary General between 1987-1989 and to operate the Anfal campaign. From a meeting with the members of the Northern Bureau in May 26, 1987, al-Majid declares his plans to conduct the Anfal campaign ‘This is my intention, and I want you to take serious note of it. As soon as we complete the deportations, we will start attacking them (he means by attacking probably also the Peshmerga forces) everywhere according to a systematic military plan’.
Secondly, each step during the Anfal campaign was conducted according to the commands that were given by the Northern Bureau of the Ba’athy regime, this in assistance with different ministries. For instance, from the Ministry of Defense, the Iraqi Army and Air Forces, the General Military Intelligence (Istikhbarat) and the General Security Directorate (Amn) were leading the special units in order to report day by day reports of the Anfal process. Also, the lower militant bodies such as; Jaysh Al-Sha’abi, Emergency Forces and Jash (pro-government Kurdish militant), they were included in the Anfal process. Thus, from these mentioned governmental agencies that were included in the process of Anfal, one may conclude that the aspect of Authorization was conducted with care during the Anfal campaign.

Routinization
During this process, the criminal actions are transformed into routine, mechanical and highly programmed operations. The individual perpetrators become more in the position of willing to continue with the atrocities in order to justify their actions and to avoid the sanctions for disobedience. For the psychological reasons this process of Routinization is needed to enforce the perpetrators to continue with a genocidal policy.
With regard to the Anfal campaign, if the different phases and steps during the Anfal campaign were not transformed into routines, it wasn’t possible for the Ba’athy regime to enforce the different governmental forces to carry out the orders of the higher authority. From the above mentioned authorization situation and included different government’s agencies during the implementation of Anfal, it can be argued that without routine, bureaucracy and normalization of the official orders, it wasn’t possible to finish the Anfal campaign.

Dehumanization
In a genocidal policy, next to the very strict orders and routinization process, it is also very crucial to view the victims as subjects that are deserved to be killed. This psychological instrument is very common phenomenon when it comes to the dehumanization of the enemy or the victim. Kelman argues that, since the genocidal policies are the most extreme crimes against humanity, in such crimes it is thus necessary to identify the target group as a separate category, which does not belong to the population; therefore, it is also justifiable to destroy this target group. Moreover, the dynamics of the genocide or massacre process itself further increase the perpetrator’s tendency to dehumanize their victims.
This process of dehumanization was also present during the Anfal campaign. From the different documented tapes of Ali Hassan al-Majid with his officers, it becomes clear how he and other officers looked at the Kurds and dehumanized the Kurdish civilians in the so called ‘prohibited’ areas, where the Anfal campaigns have taken place. For instance, in many different meetings, al-Majid called the Kurdish civilians of the ‘prohibited areas as ‘saboteurs’ that are deserved to be punished and to be killed. Also, these people were not deserved to live properly, so it appears from one meeting with the members of the Northern Bureau in April 15, 1988, where al-Majid said; ‘From now on I won’t give the villagers flour, sugar, kerosene, water or electricity as long as they continue living there. Let them come closer to me to hear me, so that I can tell them the things I believe and want in ideology, education and common sense…’. He also didn’t show any respect for the Kurds. From a meeting with unnamed officials in August 1, 1988, al-Majid said; ‘…every Kurd who lives there (in the prohibited areas thus), send them to the mountains to live like goats…’. From these documented tapes, it becomes clear how the Ba’athy officials, including al-Majid have viewed the Kurds and have targeted the Kurds to be their victims, who were defined as ‘saboteurs’ and deserved to be killed. This kind of Ba’athy policy can be labeled as Kelman’s concept of Dehumanization of the victims.

Thus, Kelman’s three processes and at least those of Authorization and Dehumanization were effectively used by the Ba’athy regime as psychological tools to eliminate individual perpetrators’ morals and to incite to commit crimes.
Application of this theory affirms that the Anfal campaign entailed a well-organized strategy and policy intended to destroy the ethnic or national minority of Kurds in Northern Iraq. In other words, the campaign involved the commission of the ‘crimes of crimes’: Genocide. To prevent the future commission of genocide, wherever in the world, it is of the utmost importance to study past genocides and to understand how those responsible for them thought, planned and acted.

This paper is a short part of the original paper ‘Understanding the Process of the Anfal Campaign’, which has been presented by Chalank Yahya during the International Conference on Genocide in Kurdistan in Hawler, January 2008

Reference:
Kelman, H.C. (1973). Violence without Moral Restraint: Reflections on the Dehumanization of Victims and Victimizers; Journal of Social Issues, vol. 29, no. 4, 25-61

Kelman, H.C. & Hamilton, V.L. (1989). Crimes of Obedience. New Haven: Yale University Press

Middle East Watch (1993). Genocide in Iraq; The Anfal Campaign Against the Kurds. New York/Washington/Los Angeles/London: Human Rights Watch

Salih, K. (1995). Anfal: The Kurdish Genocide in Iraq; Digest of Middle East Studies, vol. 4, no. 2, 24-39

Outrageous LA Times Interview with Turkey

noreply@blogger.com (H.E. Isoli) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:54:00 +0000

This morning, I recceived an e-mail from a friend telling me about an outrageous article published by the LA Times titled: "Genocide, diplomacy and terrorism", which appeared on its website on April 02 2008

The article is a transcript of what appeared to be an interview or a chat with members of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations or ATAA. The author at LA Times claim that the ATAA “stopped by” the journal-I wish I had this type of privileges with the Times, but that is another story- and talked about Genocide, diplomacy and terrorism.

I thought first that the author would ask about the Armenian genocide, the lack of Turkish diplomacy and finally the state terrorism in which Turkey is involved, both in Turkey and outside…boy was I wrong, it instead talked about the imaginary genocide committed by the Armenian on the Turks, and the claimed terrorism of a nation (the Kurdish nation) against Turkey, simply because the Kurds desire what is a God giving right, that is the right to self determination.

What is most shocking and concerning is that the Author seems to lead the interview, but in a direction in which the ATAA members are given opportunities after opportunities to lay down the rhetoric of the racist Turkish State. The Author starts by laying out the reason why the ATAA was invited, since the LA Times endorsed the recognition of the Armenian genocide, the Author wanted to hear ATAA’s position. The interview then goes through a series of questions during which the Author is a mere recorder/typer, and does not interact, reframe, question or ask further explanations to the Turkish delegation even after some horrific and offensive remarks made by them.

The surgical precision in choosing the questions gives an ample platform to the Turkish delegation to go over what seem to be a standard format that the nationalists have designed when talking about the Genocide:

Victimhood:
- Portrait the Turkish nation as a victim and here to defend itself
- Turkish death during the Armenian genocide
- European Union refusal to accept Turkey
Discrediting the Armenian communities:
- Turks want a dialogue, only rejected by Armenians.
- Dismiss Armenian analogy to the other Genocide (in this case the Jewish)
- Reinforce the idea that only fringe Armenian communities pursue the recognition
- Bring up Azerbaijan-Armenia issues
And finally the Kurds and erase Kurdistan from the maps (nothing to do with their attempts to discredit the genocide, but it seems that they always find a way to put the words "No" and "Kurdistan" in the same sentence).

The interview as it is claimed to be seems to be no more than the presentation of bulleted point from the ATAA website. A simple survey of the website should have tipped off the Author, but in this age of black-out in California, I want to give the benefit of the doubt to the Author and believe that he did not get the chance to do his homework.

I would like to recommend to the Author that next time he sits for a chat with the ATAA to ask them why it is so important for Turkey to deny the Genocide. Why would they oppose so fanatically the word Kurdistan while it existed and still exist on their own Ottoman era maps?

And finally I would like to remind the Author, that the Word "Genocide" was specifically created by Raphael Lemkin in the 30’s to describe the atrocities that happened to the Armenian. Before the Armenian Genocide, the word genocide didn’t exist.

Hasn't the time come for a get-to-gether?

noreply@blogger.com (Sîdar Bengîn Epozdemir) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:46:00 +0000

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.

Turkey, Kurds and a World of Silence

noreply@blogger.com (KurdishReview) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:24:00 +0000

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

Iran Resumes Bombing Kurdish Villages

noreply@blogger.com (Niroj) — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 05:41:00 +0000

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.

Kurds Imprisoned by the Islamic Republic for Protesting

noreply@blogger.com (Niroj) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:30:00 +0000

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!

noreply@blogger.com (Ara Alan) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:18:00 +0000

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.

Syrian and Turkish Forces attack Kurds celebrating Newroz holiday

noreply@blogger.com (KurdishReview) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 05:28:00 +0000

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!

noreply@blogger.com (Aryan Akrayi) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 04:47:00 +0000

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"

An Interview with Kurdish Student About Kurdish Human Rights

noreply@blogger.com (Niroj) — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 17:11:00 +0000

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.

Newroz Pîroz Bê

noreply@blogger.com (KurdishReview) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 06:46:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Niroj) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 03:13:00 +0000

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.

Political And Ideological Fallout

noreply@blogger.com (Bahoz Zel) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 02:47:00 +0000

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.

Where's OUR Dr. Phil?

noreply@blogger.com (Sîdar Bengîn Epozdemir) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:56:00 +0000

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.

Halabja, March 14 1988

noreply@blogger.com (Ara Alan) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 04:21:00 +0000

What took place in Halabja just two days before the gassing.............

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!

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…….

Tragedy of Halabja: March 16, 1988

noreply@blogger.com (KurdishReview) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 03:48:00 +0000

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.

Newroz Celebrations in Southern California

noreply@blogger.com (Niroj) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 06:23:00 +0000

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)447-9933

Eva roja sala taze ye Newroz hatiye Cejna kevnê kurd e bi xweşî hatiye
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.

-Pîremêrd

Kurdish Review - United Kurdish Writers' Blog (About Us)

noreply@blogger.com (KurdishReview) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 01:30:00 +0000

The Kurdish Review brings you the latest updates in news, reports, and reviews concerning the Kurds and Kurdistan and the Middle East. Kurdish Review is committed to promoting free speech and independent journalism, and the free expression of opinions and beliefs, the exchange of ideas and the access to independent information, which are important to the functioning and preservation of democracy in a globalizing world.

With regards to the Kurds and Kurdistan, the mainstream media has consistenly failed to cover the very complex and deeply-rooted issues that exist throughout the Middle East. Kurdish Review intends to provide readers with a better understanding of the various situations and events, and report on areas in which the media has failed to provide responsible and accurate coverage.

The free flow of information is needed in order to achieve the goals of peace and justice. We believe in providing just and balanced reviews of various events and situations and Promoting The Truth in order for liberty to exist and for peace to be achieved.