Friday, August 31, 2007

The Terrorist State Of Turkey Uses Chemical Weapons Against Kurdish Freedom Fighters



Source: Turkish Daily Hurriyet
Aug 31, 2007

A written statement issued by top level members of the DTP, a largely Kurdish-backed political party with representation in the Turkish Parliament (TBMM), has slammed the Turkish military for the use of what the DTP claims are "chemical weapons" in the fight against the PKK. DTP representatives, who were not invited by the Turkish military's General Staff headquarters to join in August 30 "Victory Celebration" ceremonies, issued a written statement on the occasion of September 1, World Peace Day, noting:

"All of the efforts that we have developed to pave the way towards peace are being destroyed by military operations. The most recent example of this is that the bodies of the dead killed in a military operation in the provinces of Sirnak were not given back to their families. This situation only strengthens allegations that chemical weapons were used during the operation. Following the operation, there were 2 horses and 8 sheep who died after eating grass in the area as they were being shepherded by the local villagers. Let us not forget that August 30 is a celebration that has come about through the joint struggles of Turks and Kurds, and we should be able to open a new page so that Kurds can celebrate this day with honor."

Reminded yesterday about the use of the term "divisive" by the Turkish military's General Staff headquarters, DTP leader Ahmet Turk warned "Let no one see themselves as the sole owner of this nation. We are working to try and bring about peace and democracy in this nation. These sorts of stances are anathema to democratic rules. For this sort of discrimination to be accorded to us is a hostile stance."

Some Reflections on a Turkish--oops, Kurdish--Parliamentarian


August 27, 2007

Kani Xulam


Her Name is Aysel Tuglu

Something strange happened in Turkey last May. A Kurdish woman sang the praises of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. She called him a "miracle". She said he was "deathless". She went on to say he was an "unrivalled" example of how to make--yes, make--a nation. She added other tidbits that could only be said of God. I was rattled to see this near deification of a mortal at the dawn of the 21st century. Nothing like it had ever crossed my path. It was akin to being blinded by something extraordinarily bright--but it wasn't light, it was prose, black on white. I was definitely at my wits' end ready to throw in the towel so to speak. Life, I murmured to myself, couldn't be so bleak. Literature, thank god, came to my aid. I remembered a passage from Ralph Ellison's beautiful book, Invisible Man. The grandfather of the protagonist, probably a newly freed slave, tells his son how to deal with the white folks. Give them a lot of "yeses" and "grins", adding, "agree'em to death and destruction."

And that is precisely what our Kurdish sister, Aysel Tugluk, did in Turkey and in Turkish--and in broad daylight! The Turks fell for it and sucked it all up and called her the "model" Kurd under the sun. Radikal, a Turkish newspaper, upstaged every other daily and printed, word for word, her statement. Turkey's talking heads then ran with the story the way their American counterparts are fixated with the exploits of Paris Hilton. A columnist for the Turkish daily Milliyet, Taha Akyol, usually a dour face when it comes to the words that have the root Kurd in it, went ballistic from joy, praising our very flesh and bones, for the first time in his life. A lover of good prose, I almost fainted when I saw so many superlative adjectives placed next to Aysel's name. I had a vision of her reading about herself in the Turkish media and pinching herself to be sure that what she was seeing was real! It was! I saw it in America! Aysel, you are our own miracle superior to Ataturk! full text

The Kurds: A Nation Without A State


Introduction

Of all the ethnic groups in the world, the Kurds are one of
the largest that has no state to call their own. According
to historian William Westermann, "The Kurds can present a
better claim to race purity...than any people which now
inhabits Europe." (Bonner, p. 63, 1992) Over the past
hundred years, the desire for an independent Kurdish state
has created conflicts mainly with the Turkish and Iraqi
populations in the areas where most of the Kurds live. This
conflict has important geographical implications as well.
The history of the Kurdish nation, the causes for these
conflicts, and an analysis of the situation will be
discussed in this paper. History of the Kurds

The Kurds are a Sunni Muslim people living primarily in
Turkey, Iraq, and Iran. The 25 million Kurds have a
distinct culture that is not at all like their Turkish,
Persian, and Arabic neighbors (Hitchens, p. 36, 1992). It
is this cultural difference between the groups that
automatically creates the potential for conflict. Of the 25
million Kurds, approximately 10 million live in Turkey,
four million in Iraq, five million in Iran, and a million
in Syria, with the rest scattered throughout the rest of
the world (Bonner, p. 46, 1992). The Kurds also have had a
long history of conflict with these other ethnic groups in
the Middle East, which we will now look at. full text

ISLAM, KURDS AND THE TURKISH NATION STATE

Islam, Kurds and the Turkish Nation State (New Technologies/New Cultures)

Movement, Exile and Place

By Christopher Houston published by Berg
ISBN 1 85973 472 3 price £42.99 hardback
ISBN 1 85973 477 4 price £14.99 paperback

Can Islam, as is often claimed, truly unite Muslim Turks and Kurds and supersede ethnicity? This is a volatile and exciting time for a country whose long history has been characterised by dramatic power play. Evolving out of two years of fieldwork in Istanbul, this book examines the fragmenting Islamist political movement in Turkey. As Turkey emerges from a repressive modernising project, various political identities are competing for influence. The Islamist movement celebrates the failure of western liberalism in Turkey and the return of politics based on Muslim ideals. However, this vision is threatened by Kurdish nationalism and the country’s chequered past.

Is Islamist multiculturalism even possible? The ethnic tensions surfacing in Turkey beg the question can Muslim Turks and Kurds can find common ground in religion? The author argues that such unification depends fundamentally upon the flexibility of the rationale behind the Islamist movement’s struggle.


The Kurds in Iran : The Past, Present, and Future


Middle East, Books in Brief: The Kurds in Iran : The Past, Present and Future

By Fred Rhodes

August-September 2007


The Kurds, between 24m and 30m-strong, sharing a common culture and language, are the world's largest stateless nation.

This is one of the first comprehensive accounts of the situation of Kurds in Iran . The authors provide an overview of the issues facing Kurds within the country, and the way they have been affected by geo-political changes in Iran 's neighbouring states.

The book offers a historical overview of THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE Iran 's development since WWI through to the revolution of 1979, the war with Iraq , and the emergent state policy towards its Kurdish population. It provides a thorough critique of Iran 's human rights record, especially for minorities and women.

Yildiz and Taysi address Iran 's relationship with its neighbours and the West, the implications of Ahmadinejad's rise to power and the impact of the Islamic state on human rights.

They analyse Iran 's prospects for the future and how the resolution of the Kurdish issue in Iran affects the future of the region as a whole as well as Iran 's international policy and relations.

Listing at Amazon.com

Peace activists to gather for preservation of Anatolian mosaic

Turkish Daily News

August 31, 2007

Peace activists to gather for preservation of Anatolian mosaic

The Kurdish issue is a barrier to peace in Turkey, according to members of the “ Turkey Searching for its Peace” initiative. They also criticize the government’s policies on tackling the Kurdish problem, a problem that exists in Turkey for almost 30 years.

A cry for peace will be heard on Saturday, World Peace Day, with the first meeting of a Turkish civil initiative. Full Text

In vulnerable, remote north, Iraqis await a vote on future

Chicago Tribune

By Liz Sly

August 31, 2007

Image Preview

Fears are rising in this dust-bowl town, where the mercury routinely hits 120 degrees in summer, and hopes are just as high that Makhmur soon will become part of the relatively safe region of Kurdistan .

Makhmur currently lies in the mostly Sunni Arab province of Nineveh and is one of several areas that Kurds hope will vote, along with the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, on whether to join the adjacent autonomous Kurdistan region in a referendum due to be held by the end of this year. Full Text

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Half Moon' tracks the travails of Kurdish musicians

Boston Globe, Movie Review

By Ty Burr

August 29, 2007

'Half Moon' follows a troupe of Kurdish musicians who just want a place where they can perform.

The Kurds may not yet have a country, but as long as Bahman Ghobadi keeps making movies they have a national cinema. The Iranian-born director came to prominence with 2000's "A Time for Drunken Horses" and followed through with 2004's breathtaking "Turtles Can Fly," set in an Iraqi refugee camp on the eve of the US invasion. Full Text


Which Iraq War Do You Want To End?


Slate By Christopher Hitchens

August 27, 2007 “Taking these in reverse order, we can point to Kurdistan as the most outstanding success of the past four years, with its economically flourishing provinces run along broadly secular lines, and with the old Kurd-on-Kurd civil war now in real abeyance for almost a decade (which shows that people can and do come to their senses). The Kurds are also active in the center of the country; their ministers of foreign affairs and water are universally regarded as the most capable and intelligent, and they have also been secure enough to lend units of their own peshmerga forces to the coalition's efforts in Baghdad, Fallujah, and elsewhere.” When people say that they want to end the war in Iraq , I always want to ask them which war they mean. There are currently at least three wars, along with several subconflicts, being fought on Iraqi soil. The first, tragically, is the battle for mastery between Sunni and Shiite. The second is the campaign to isolate and defeat al-Qaida in Mesopotamia . The third is the struggle of Iraq 's Kurdish minority to defend and consolidate its regional government in the north. Full Text

Transfer of Kurdish identity to cyberspace

Thursday, 30 August 2007


Khalid Khayati
The Internet has enabled diasporic populations not only to "maintain links with their homelands of origin, but also to challenge the media conglomerates and the potentially homogenizing effects of Western media," says political commentator Khalid Khayati.
Cyberspace materializes as a new devise in nation-building
The contemporary process of globalization, which has been accelerating strongly after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the end of the bipolar international political system, has not diminished the importance of national struggle among marginalized ethno-national populations for achieving their national rights and political sovereignty. As part of the social, cultural, and political arrangements in a globalized world, the Kurds have become conscious about the significance of print media, satellite radios and televisions, and also the Internet. In this respect, the Kurdish Diaspora in the West plays a considerable role. full text

Kurdistan: Iran's testing ground

Thursday, 30 August 2007


ARCHIVES- Iranian Revolutionary Guards seen here in this file photo. The border areas between Iran and Iraqi Kurdistan Region have been shelled by Iran in over 2 weeks in what Tehran describes as a all encompassing assault on PJAK bases in the area.

For more than two weeks now, the Iranian army has been shelling Iraqi Kurdistan Region under the pretext of fighting Kurdistan Freedom Life Party (PJAK) guerrillas based in Kandil and other mountainous border regions between Iran and Iraq. PJAK is known to be a PKK wing in Iranian Kurdistan.
Iran's real motives, however, are more sinister and need to be analyzed within the framework of regional and international political conflicts that have taken place in and around the Middle East.
By attacking relatively peaceful and stable Kurdistan Region, one of Iran's main intentions is thwarting and slowing the Kurdish experiment and consolidation of Kurdish polity that is taking place. Like Turkey, Iran fears that political progress in Iraqi Kurdistan would present itself as a model for its own restive Kurds. full text

Tons of expired food seized and burned

Tuesday, 15 July 2008


After receiving dozens of complaints about expired food in Kurdish markets, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) initiated a campaign to seize and burn the expired goods, so far discarding tons. GLOBE PHOTO/Qasim Khidher

The KRG is confiscating expired food and cracking down on those who import the goods into Kurdistan's cities and markets.

After receiving dozens of complaints about expired food in Kurdistan markets, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) initiated a campaign to seize and burn the expired goods, so far discarding tons.

People in Kurdistan cities have complained to the government recently that Kurdistan markets are stocking expired food. Most consumers don't realize they've bought bad food until they get home and discover it's outdated. full text

Kurdistan and Austrian Airlines optimistic flights will resume

Tuesday, 28 August 2007



The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and and its airport authorities are in discussions with Austrian Airlines, and all are hopeful that the airline will resume flights between Vienna and Erbil.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) was informed by Austrian Airlines on 25 August that it has decided to temporarily suspend flights between Vienna and Erbil International Airport.

Austrian took the decision following an alleged incident at Sulaimaniyah Airport reported by the pilot of Nordic Airways, a Swedish charter airline, earlier this month.

After thorough investigation, the KRG has found no evidence of foul play at or near Sulaimaniyah Airport.

Austrian Airlines with four flights weekly to Kurdistan region (Iraq) has suspended all flights until further notice
The Erbil International Airport authority understands Austrian Airlines' concerns that led to its decision, even though the alleged incident took place at another airport and KRG investigations have found no evidence of foul play.

The cities of Erbil and Sulaimaniyah and their international airports are peaceful. Security in and around both airports is the KRG's highest priority and is maintained to the highest degree.

The KRG, Erbil International Airport and Sulaimaniyah International Airport are in discussion with Austrian, and all sides hope and expect Austrian Airlines to continue to operate its very successful and popular flights to Erbil.

Meanwhile flights from Dubai, Istanbul, Amman and other cities to Erbil and Sulaimaniyah have maintained their regular schedules.

Bush warns of 'holocaust' if Iran gets nukes

Wednesday, 29 August 2007


Iran's actions threaten the security of nations everywhere, and the United States is rallying friends and allies to isolate Iran's regime, to impose economic sanctions," he told the American Legion veterans group.

"We will confront this danger before it is too late," vowed Bush, who has pressed for tougher international sanctions and said he hopes for a diplomatic solution but has repeatedly refused to rule out the use of force.

Shortly before Bush spoke, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad scoffed at the notion of a US attack on his country dismissed a warning from his new French counterpart, Nicolas Sarkozy, as a symptom of inexperience.

"There is no ... possibility of such an attack by the United States," Ahmadinejad told a news conference marked by his characteristic defiance. full text

Kurdish villagers flee Iranian bombard

Thursday, 30 August 2007


By Ako Muhammed

Kurdish officials voice deep concern to Iran over escalating skirmishes between Kurdish guerrillas and Iranian forces in remote northeast border area.
The Kurdistan Parliament held a special session on Tuesday to discuss opinions on recent shelling of the border areas by neighboring countries.

Kurdistan Parliament Members are currently on summer vacation, which began in July and ends September 1.

The Parliament Speaker Adnan Mufti announced, in a press conference, after the session that members had concluded the session with "condemning those events." full text

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Lost without translation



For $12,000 a book, few works are translated into Arabic and Kurdish SULEIMANIYA, IRAQ - Hundreds of books lie on the sidewalk in Suleimaniya's central square, a city in Iraq's Kurdistan Region. As in many other Middle Eastern cities, sidewalks substitute for bookstores and the crowd is free to gaze at the colorful bindings and leaf through the text, unencumbered by swift interference from a peddler who rises to shove them aside. Most of the books are written in Kurdish - only a few are in Persian. "Novels do well," says the merchant, as he lifts several titles from the pile. "So do sex books. "Everything is translated. We still don't have authors for this sort of literature. Here's Homer's, 'Iliad,'" he said. "We have a book about Freud, too." Few shoppers examine the books during the relatively cool morning. Newsstands are more popular. They draw a young crowd anxious to learn what occurred in the Kurdistan Region and the rest of Iraq in the last day. "We lack books in university, as well. All that is left is remnants from Saddam's period," says the director of the culture center that adjoins Salah a-Din University, in Arbil, the region's capital city. Foreign language books are tough to find in Suleimaniya's large public library. A single copy of Yehezkel Kujman's "Hebrew-Arab Dictionary," published in 1970, rests on the shelf next to other dictionaries, but the librarian does not know if anyone is learning Hebrew or how long the dictionary has been in the library. "We study from lectures here. Only a few students bother to read reference books." Several students passed through the hall next to the library, reciting material from hand-written notes in preparation for final exams. A group of 20 students I met with said they would love to study abroad but lack the funds to travel. "They also lack the English to study abroad," added one professor. Their command of Arabic is limited also. Arabic has become a loathsome symbol of Saddam's regime. Moreover, without significant assistance from foreign institutions, it may take years before newly written books, in Kurdish, appear in libraries and universities in Kurdistan. The situation does not merely derive from a lack of funds but from a lack of professional personnel who can competently translate foreign literature or academic texts into the local tongue. But Kurdistan may take solace in the fact that circumstances are no better in other Arab nations. Only 1,000 books were translated in Egypt during the last 10 years, and, according to 2002 U.N. statistics. Only 330 books a year are translated in Arab nations, a fifth of the number translated in Greece alone. Four months ago, Dr. Jaber Asfour was appointed director of the National Center for Translation in Egypt - an institution which achieved independent status, thanks to the intervention of President Hosni Mubarak. In newspaper interviews, Dr. Asfour expressed his hopes to facilitate translation of 1,000 books each year in Egypt. That goal was quickly slashed in half due to funding, but the remaining sum is also unrealistic. The annual budget of the National Center for Translation is $5 million, a sum sufficient to maintain offices, pay workers and print limited editions, according to Asfour. Translation alone costs about $12,000 per book and Asfour requires at least $12 million to fund his goals. The problem is not limited to fiscal considerations - it also involves quality of translation. Syria is a nation lauded for superb translators, employed by many publishers not only because of their skill but because of the meager payment they exact: $400-600 per book. It is hard to find Egyptian translators who would agree to work for such sums. Publishers also claim they cannot pay translators more because of the minimal numbers of books that they sell. For example, an Arabic translation of "My Name is Red," by Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk sold only 2,000 copies in Syria, as opposed to 70,000 copies in South Korea. Translated plays and poetry books are rare because of the limited number of readers. It appears that in Arab nations, as in Kurdistan, pornography, software and self-help are the only genres that will continue to occupy translators.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Turks elect ex-Islamist president




Turkey's controversial Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul has been sworn in as the country's new president.

He is the first politician with an Islamist background to become head of state since the creation of the deeply secular Turkish Republic in 1923.

His swearing-in follows a third round of voting in parliament, which he won by a clear majority. full text

Iraq Warns Iran Over Shelling Of Kurdish Areas




BAGHDAD, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Iraq's government on Tuesday demanded Iran stop shelling Kurdish areas inside Iraq's northeastern border, warning that relations would be hurt, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said.

Iraqi Kurdish officials have complained about cross-border shelling from neighbouring Iran since the middle of the month.

Cross-border skirmishes occasionally occur as Iraq's neighbours Turkey and Iran combat Kurdish separatist rebels operating from bases in Iraq's mountainous northern region of Kurdistan.

Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Haj Hamoud summoned the Iranian ambassador on Tuesday to protest about the shelling, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"The deputy foreign minister demanded the Iranian side immediately cease these attacks," the statement said.

"The affair would affect negatively the good neighbourly relationship between the two countries."

The government in Iraq's largely autonomous Kurdistan region said on Tuesday that 450 families from 20 villages along the border had been evacuated because of shelling.

The Iraqi side of the border area is believed to be home to Kurdish PJAK militants seeking autonomy for Kurdish regions of Iran.

There has been no official comment from Tehran about the shelling.

Iran's Nuclear Ambitions 'Could Lead To holocaust'



Aug 28, 2007

The Times
Tim Reid in Washington

"Iran’s actions threaten the security of nations everywhere, and the United States is rallying friends and allies to isolate Iran’s regime to impose economic sanctions. We will confront this danger before it is too late," he told war veterans in Nevada.

Mr Bush has repeatedly said he wants to see the Iran nuclear standoff resolved diplomatically. But there is still a debate going on within his Administration over the possibility of launching President Bush warned tonight that Iran’s pursuit of the atomic bomb could lead to a nuclear holocaust in the Middle East, and promised to confront Tehran "before it is too late."

Mr Bush’s remarks, the starkest warning he has yet made about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, came just hours after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, said that a power vacuum is imminent in Iraq and that Tehran is ready to fill it.

Mr Bush also talked for the first time of "two strains" of Islamic radicalism causing chaos in Iraq and the region: not just Sunni jihadists, about whom he has often spoken, but "Shia extremism, supported and embodied by Iran’s government." Mr Bush’s comments displayed a new aggressiveness toward Tehran, and came a day after Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, raised the prospect of airstrikes on Iran if the crisis over its nuclear ambitions could not be solved through diplomatic channels.

Mr Bush said: "Iran’s pursuit of technology that could lead to nuclear weapons threatens to put a region already known for instability and violence under the shadow of a nuclear holocaust.

airstrikes should Iran continue to develop its nuclear capability unheeded.

Mr Ahmadinejad, in a news conference in Tehran, again denied that Tehran was pursuing nuclear weapons. He dismissed any possibility of US military action against Iran. "Even, if they were to decide to do so, they would be unable to carry it out," he said. But he increased his provocation of Mr Bush over Iraq, on a day when the US president accused Iran of arming insurgents with sophisticated roadside bombs that are killing US troops.

"The political power of the occupiers is collapsing rapidly," Mr Ahmadinejad said.

"Soon, we will see a huge power vacuum in the region. Of course, we are prepared to fill the gap." Although Mr Ahmadinejad revels in making provocative statements, his remarks will increase fears in Washington and among its moderate Sunni allies in the region that an Iranian dominated Iraq will trigger a regional war between Sunnis and Shias.

Mr Bush’s speech was his second address on Iraq in a week and was part of a major effort by the White House to prepare the ground for the progress report to Congress next month Congress by General David Petraeus, the US ground commander.

General Petraeus is widely expected to ask for more time for the surge and Mr Bush still has enough votes on Capitol Hill to give it to him. The likelihood is that the current US troop levels in Iraq - about 160,000 - will remain until April. General Petraeus has signalled that he will then start to end the surge. But US troop levels in Iraq are still likely to be about 130,000 next summer.

Last week Mr. Bush was accused of distorting history by comparing Iraq to Vietnam. He warned that a rapid pullout from Iraq would trigger worse bloodshed in the region than that in South-East Asia after America’s retreat from Saigon in 1975.

Mr. Bush told the American Legion Convention today that he believed the surge was working. Citing recent military gains he said it "is seizing the initiative from the enemy." He said an agreement reached on Sunday by Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish leaders in Baghdad to allow ex-Baathist to get government jobs was evidence that political reconciliation is underway.

In reality, the agreement appeared to have achieved little as Iraq’s major Sunni leader said it was too small an olive branch for he and his party to rejoin the government of Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi president. But Mr. Bush seized upon it to argue that the surge has to be given as much time as possible.


Iranian President Ahmadinejad : Iran Is Ready to Fill Any Vacuum in Iraq


Aug 28, 2007

Associated Press Writer
TEHRAN, Iran

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad boldly declared Tuesday that U.S. political influence in Iraq is "collapsing rapidly" and said his government is ready to help fill any power vacuum.

The hard-line leader also defended Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a fellow Shiite Muslim who has come under harsh criticism from American politicians for his unsuccessful efforts to reconcile Iraq's divided Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds.

"The political power of the occupiers is collapsing rapidly," Ahmadinejad...

...said at a news conference, referring to U.S. troops in Iraq. "Soon, we will see a huge power vacuum in the region. Of course, we are prepared to fill the gap, with the help of neighbors and regional friends like Saudi Arabia, and with the help of the Iraqi nation."

Ahmadinejad did not elaborate on what he had in mind, but his remarks reflected what may be the Iranian regime's eagerness to have an increasing influence on its neighbor's political scene.

The mention of a Saudi role may have been aimed at allaying regional fears that Ahmadinejad wants to dominate in Iraq. Even though Saudi Arabia and Iran have not cooperated in the past, it "doesn't mean it can't happen," Ahmadinejad said.

State Department spokesman Tom Casey said the United States wanted to see Iran play a more positive role in Iraq, but added that Ahmadinejad's remarks showed it isn't doing so.

"Unfortunately, what I think we're seeing here with President Ahmadinejad's comments is just more of the same Iranian rhetoric that claims to hold support and friendship for the people of Iraq, while actions, unfortunately, take them in the opposite direction," Casey said.

In defending al-Maliki, Ahmadinejad accusedthe United States of interfering in Iraq's internal affairs and said any U.S. effort to topple al-Maliki's government will fail.

Key Democratic politicians, including Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, have called for al-Maliki to be replaced because his Shiite-dominated government has been unable to forge national unity.

President Bush and the U.S. ambassador in Iraq also have given blunt assessments of the political stagnation in Baghdad, and Bush has said it is up to the Iraqi people to decide if their government deserved to be replaced.

"They rudely say (the Iraqi) prime minister and the constitution must change," Ahmadinejad said of U.S. critics. "Who are you? Who has given you the right" to ask for such a change, he added.

Al-Maliki has shrugged off the gloomy assessments, saying he would "pay no attention" to American critics and if necessary "find friends elsewhere."

Ousting al-Maliki, a longtime Shiite political activist, would require a majority vote in the 275-member Iraqi parliament. As long as the Kurdish parties and the main Shiite bloc back al-Maliki, his opponents lack the votes for that.

During al-Maliki's visit to Tehran earlier this month, Iranian leaders said that only a U.S. pullout would bring peace to Iraq.

"Occupation is the root of all problems in Iraq," Ahmadinejad said Tuesday. "It has become clear that occupiers are not able to resolve regional issues."

Even as Ahmadinejad spoke, fighting between rival Shiite factions in southern Iraq raised new fears a pullout by British troops and a drop in U.S. influence in the south could lead to chaos the region that Iran could exploit.

Ahmadinejad dismissed the possibility of any U.S. military action against Iran, saying Washington has no plan and is not in a position to take such action.

Washington has accused Tehran of being behind attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq _ a claim al-Maliki's government has only partially backed, saying Iran could have a role in the attacks. Iran has denied the charges.

On another issue of contention, the U.S. and its allies fear Tehran is using its civilian nuclear program as a cover to produce atomic weapons. Iran denies the charge, saying its program is solely geared toward generating electricity.

Ahmadinejad again rejected any possibility of Iran suspending its controversial uranium enrichment program, saying it was "out of the question."

"Today, Iran is a nuclear Iran," he said, adding that his government was committed to a "peaceful path" with its atomic program. Associated Press Writer
TEHRAN, Iran

Aug 28, 2007

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad boldly declared Tuesday that U.S. political influence in Iraq is "collapsing rapidly" and said his government is ready to help fill any power vacuum.

The hard-line leader also defended Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a fellow Shiite Muslim who has come under harsh criticism from American politicians for his unsuccessful efforts to reconcile Iraq's divided Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds.

"The political power of the occupiers is collapsing rapidly," Ahmadinejad...

...said at a news conference, referring to U.S. troops in Iraq. "Soon, we will see a huge power vacuum in the region. Of course, we are prepared to fill the gap, with the help of neighbors and regional friends like Saudi Arabia, and with the help of the Iraqi nation."

Ahmadinejad did not elaborate on what he had in mind, but his remarks reflected what may be the Iranian regime's eagerness to have an increasing influence on its neighbor's political scene.

The mention of a Saudi role may have been aimed at allaying regional fears that Ahmadinejad wants to dominate in Iraq. Even though Saudi Arabia and Iran have not cooperated in the past, it "doesn't mean it can't happen," Ahmadinejad said.

State Department spokesman Tom Casey said the United States wanted to see Iran play a more positive role in Iraq, but added that Ahmadinejad's remarks showed it isn't doing so.

"Unfortunately, what I think we're seeing here with President Ahmadinejad's comments is just more of the same Iranian rhetoric that claims to hold support and friendship for the people of Iraq, while actions, unfortunately, take them in the opposite direction," Casey said.

In defending al-Maliki, Ahmadinejad accusedthe United States of interfering in Iraq's internal affairs and said any U.S. effort to topple al-Maliki's government will fail.

Key Democratic politicians, including Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, have called for al-Maliki to be replaced because his Shiite-dominated government has been unable to forge national unity.

President Bush and the U.S. ambassador in Iraq also have given blunt assessments of the political stagnation in Baghdad, and Bush has said it is up to the Iraqi people to decide if their government deserved to be replaced.

"They rudely say (the Iraqi) prime minister and the constitution must change," Ahmadinejad said of U.S. critics. "Who are you? Who has given you the right" to ask for such a change, he added.

Al-Maliki has shrugged off the gloomy assessments, saying he would "pay no attention" to American critics and if necessary "find friends elsewhere."

Ousting al-Maliki, a longtime Shiite political activist, would require a majority vote in the 275-member Iraqi parliament. As long as the Kurdish parties and the main Shiite bloc back al-Maliki, his opponents lack the votes for that.

During al-Maliki's visit to Tehran earlier this month, Iranian leaders said that only a U.S. pullout would bring peace to Iraq.

"Occupation is the root of all problems in Iraq," Ahmadinejad said Tuesday. "It has become clear that occupiers are not able to resolve regional issues."

Even as Ahmadinejad spoke, fighting between rival Shiite factions in southern Iraq raised new fears a pullout by British troops and a drop in U.S. influence in the south could lead to chaos the region that Iran could exploit.

Ahmadinejad dismissed the possibility of any U.S. military action against Iran, saying Washington has no plan and is not in a position to take such action.

Washington has accused Tehran of being behind attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq _ a claim al-Maliki's government has only partially backed, saying Iran could have a role in the attacks. Iran has denied the charges.

On another issue of contention, the U.S. and its allies fear Tehran is using its civilian nuclear program as a cover to produce atomic weapons. Iran denies the charge, saying its program is solely geared toward generating electricity.

Ahmadinejad again rejected any possibility of Iran suspending its controversial uranium enrichment program, saying it was "out of the question."

"Today, Iran is a nuclear Iran," he said, adding that his government was committed to a "peaceful path" with its atomic program.

Monday, August 27, 2007

Gul’s presidency may be good for the Kurds



New Anatolian, Opinion

By Ilnur Cevik

August 27, 2007

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is expected to be elected as president on Tuesday and will be sworn in immediately to replace Ahmet Necdet Serer.

Abdullah Gul has been dealing with the problems of Iraqi Kurdistan for nearly more than a decade. When he was state minister under Necmettin Erbakan he was looking into this issue and when he was opposition spokesman he was also dealing with the issue.

He was the first Turkish official to meet Dr. Barham Salih in Ankara when Dr. Barham was prime minister of the Kurdish administration in Sulaimania.

Gul is very attentive to Kurdish issues. He was the first to say Iraqi Kurds are our relatives and thus have a special place for us. Full Text

Iran's Guard builds a fiscal empire



Los Angeles Times

By Kim Murphy

August 26, 2007

LONDON -- Iran 's Revolutionary Guard has quietly become one of the most significant political and economic powers in the Islamic Republic, with ties to more than 100 companies, which by some estimates control more than $12 billion in business and construction, economists and Iranian political analysts say.

The Guard was created in 1979 as a military and intelligence force to protect the ideals of Iran 's Islamic Revolution. But the 125,000-strong force has used the massive military engineering capability it developed rebuilding the country after the 1980-88 war with Iraq to take over the strategic highlands of the Iranian economy
. Full Text

Kurdish mountains alive with weddings in southern Kurdistan

Sunday, 26 August 2007


Kurdish women and man dance at a wedding party in Iraqi kurdistan.

Gulf News
Unlike elsewhere in Iraq where couples find it hard to celebrate weddings, such ceremonies are being observed with gusto in picturesque Kurdistan - Erbil, Sulaimaniyah and Duhok - because of its stable security situation.

Couples planning to wed in Kurdistan, especially in Kurdistani capital of Erbil, choose to set the ceremonies on the mountain heights of Bekhal and Shaqlawa, and also in public gardens especially the modern, well-designed gardens of Sami Abdul Rahman
near the Kurdistan Parliament.

Mina Abdul Hameed, a bride, told Gulf News: "What distinguishes my wedding ceremony from others is simplicity and attachment to nature.

"I decided to set my wedding on the slopes of Bekhal mountains and it is a wonderful area ... we have a comfortable atmosphere and have great pleasure. For me this is the [best place to wed]."


Kurdish women dance at a wedding party in Sulaimaniyah, Kurdistan region.

Open air parties
In weddings in Erbil, women and men dance and sing Kurdish, Iraqi and other traditional Arabic songs, and distribute drinks, sweets and cakes.

The groom sits encircled by male guests while the bride sits on the ground in her white wedding dress surrounded by women guests.

The groom later joins the bride in a single circle of friends and the couple eventually leaves for their house or a hotel for honeymoon.

Mohammad Shaker, a groom, told Gulf News: "Choosing to wed in the foothills and slopes of the mountains or in public gardens like Sami Abdul Rahman's gardens has nothing to do with the economical aspects.

"Wedding ceremonies are set in public areas especially in summer and spring, unlike winter when wedding ceremonies take place indoors. This is how things go in Kurdistan."

He added: "I am a Kurd from Baghdad. I decided to flee to Erbil to live and work. I was engaged [when I fled] and set my wedding ceremony amid this magnificent landscape and scenes, which are very much similar to European landscapes."

I decided to set my wedding on the slopes of Bekhal mountains and it is a wonderful area ... we have a comfortable atmosphere and have great pleasure. For me this is the [best place to wed]."

Mina Abdul Hameed.
The government of Kurdistan is planning to develop the mountainous areas through tourism by entrusting the areas with private companies who in turn engage expatriate labourers to clean and spruce up the areas visited by people.

There are plans to attract Arab and foreign investors to establish tourism facilities in Dukan, Sarsank, Shaqlawa, Sulaf, Bekhal and Ali Gali Bek.

Some sources in Erbil estimate that Kurdistan needs $3 to 4 billion (about Dh11 to 14 billion) in the next five years to develop its tourism industry.

Since 1991, the Kurds of Iraq achieved self-rule in part of the country. Today's teenagers are the first generation to grow up under Kurdish rule. In the new Iraqi Constitution, it is referred to as Kurdistan region. Kurdistan region has all the trappings of an independent state -- its own constitution, its own parliament, its own flag, its own army, its own border, its own border patrol, its own national anthem, its own education system, its own International airports, even its own stamp inked into the passports of visitors.

Kurdish PUK party member killed, another wounded in Mosul

Monday, 27 August 2007


A member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani was killed while another was injured in a bomb explosion in Mosul on Saturday, a party source said.

A bomb exploded near a car carrying two PUK guards killing one of them and injuring the other. the source said.

Meanwhile, Three policemen were wounded in a bomb blast in northern Mosul, according to a police source in Mosul police force.

He said two bomb attacks took place in eastern Mosul injuring two civilians.



ETHNIC MINORITIES IN IRAN


ETHNIC MINORITIES

Information about human rights violations suffered by ethnic minorities in Iran is difficult to obtain and to verify. Unlike Iran's persecuted religious minorities, the situations of its ethnic minorities are not closely monitored by international support groups. It is difficult to gain access to many areas where the minorities reside, and the Iranian media does not report on issues of ethnic discrimination.

Article 5 of the U.N. International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which Iran ratified on August 28, 1968, requires states to uphold equality before the law. Article 6 of the same convention requires that states provide to everyone an effective remedy to "any acts of racial discrimination which violate human rights and fundamental freedoms contrary to this Convention." In December 1992, the U.N. General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious or Linguistic Minorities.55 This declaration set out to amplify the requirements of Article 27 of the ICCPR for states to protect the rights of minorities. The declaration contains non-binding guidelines for states. The declaration notes that the "promotion and protection of the rights of persons belonging to ... minorities ... contributes to the political and social stability of states in which they live."56 It then sets out obligations for states to protect and promote the identity of minorities.57 In addition to promoting respect for minority languages and cultures, the declaration requires that, "Persons belonging to minorities have the right to participate effectively in decisions on the national and, where appropriate, regional level concerning the minority to which they belong or the regions in which they live..."58 Thedeclaration emphasizes the requirements that states should not discriminate against minorities and that persons belonging to minorities shall have full equality before the law.59

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Sunday, August 26, 2007

Kurdish MP: Iraqis Frustrated With U.S. Policy In Iraq



Baghdad, Aug 25, (VOI)- A leading figure from The Kurdistan Alliance parliamentary bloc said on Saturday the U.S. is not the only party that felt disappointed over Iraq for the Iraqis are also frustrated with Washington's policy in the country, describing the National Intelligence Estimate as "a prologue to Crocker- Petraeus report" expected in September.

"If the U.S. administration was disappointed over the Iraqi leaders, Iraqis had been frustrated with the U.S. policy (in Iraq) over the last four years," Mahmoud Othman told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI) over the phone.

The Kurdish politician who criticized the content of the U.S. National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), a declassified summary of it released on Thursday, said "the NIE reported the Kurdish leaders as not compromising on essential issues but the truth is that the Kurdish leaders are playing key roles in solving most crises in the country."

Othman who is affiliated to the second largest bloc in the Iraqi parliament also added "it is true that the Kurds are interested in defending their autonomy within Kurdistan region, but they are also interested in the Iraqi issues and Presidents Jalal al-Talabani and Massoud Barzani play an important role in finding solutions to the lingering issues to push the political process forward."

On Thursday, a declassified file of NIE described the Kurdish leaders as protecting the autonomy of the Kurdish region and "reluctant to compromise on key issues."

"NIE is but a prologue to the Crocker and Petraeus report expected to be released in September," Othman told VOI.

The Kurdish politician expected for the report now prepared by the U.S. envy to Baghdad Ryan Crocker and the Top Military Commander in Iraq David Petraeus to duplicate the NIE's statements noting "the U.S. administration wants to inform the U.S. citizen that it had done all it could but it was the Iraqi government that failed to make progress."

"The NIE, statements by U.S. President George W. Bush and some senators are but an introduction to Crocer-Petraeus report which is expected to be announced on September 11," the Kurdish parliamentarian added.

Othman who admitted some failure on the part of the Iraqi government called upon the U.S. and Iraqi sides to share responsibility towards the mistakes committed noting "we can not say that the Iraqi government is a success for we know it suffers from difficulties but the responsibility behind these problems should equally shared by the U.S. and Iraqi sides."


Clashes between Iran and Kurdish Freedom Fighters (PIJAK)


PUKmedia Aug 26, 2007


Close sources from Qandeel told PUKmedia that the clashes between Pijak and Iran in the last 8 days resulted in killing and wounding nearly 60 of Iranian Revolutionary Guard(Pasdar), so far Pijak have not disclosed any counting about wounding and killing their militants.

According to the sources from Kurdistan of Turkey, during the last 3days in Shirnakh areas, Turkish forces launched an operation against PKK forces and resulted in killing and wounding many soldiers on both sides.


Kurdish Security Spokesman Says U.S. Air Attack Kills Four Policemen




The Associated Press
August 26, 2007

BAGHDAD: A U.S. helicopter attacked two Kurdish police outposts Sunday, killing four policemen and wounding eight others, a Kurdish security official said. The U.S. military said it was investigating the report.

Jabar Yawer, spokesman for the Kurdish Peshmerga militia, said the attack occurred about 10 a.m. on two small police outposts on a road linking Qara Tepe and Sadiya, about 110 kilometers (65 miles) northeast of Baghdad. He said two police vehicles also were destroyed and he believed the attack was mistaken friendly fire.

He said the two posts were established about 700 meters (yards) apart along the road after al-Qaeda fighters killed a group of university students traveling the stretch of highway in June 2006.

Karwan Ghafour, a 26-year-old policeman wounded in the attack, said he did not know what could have provoked the air strike.

Yawer said police from the posts that were hit had launched a joint operation two days ago with U.S. forces and had killed a militant fighter.

Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a U.S. military spokesman, said he had only partial information about an incident in that area.

"We have reports that there were two vehicles that were destroyed in the engagement by a helicopter strike," Garver said, adding that he was unable to be certain the two incidents were the same.

Austrian Airlines Halts Flights To Arbil, Citing Security Concerns



The Associated Press
August 26, 2007

VIENNA, Austria: Austrian Airlines said Sunday it has suspended service to the northern Iraqi city of Irbil because of security concerns.

The airline said the flight Friday evening was its last until further notice, following a security review in the Kurdish-controlled city about 350 kilometers (215 miles) north of Baghdad.

The decision was based partially on an incident earlier this month involving a Swedish jetliner that allegedly came under rocket fire as it left Sulaimaniyah, also in northern Iraq, the airline said.

Iraqi aviation officials denied that the Nordic Airways plane was targeted, but Sweden since has suspended commercial flights to the country.

Austrian Airlines had launched twice-weekly service between Vienna and Irbil in December.

"The security of passengers and colleagues is always a priority for us," airline CEO Alfred Oetsch said in a statement. He said a decision on whether to resume service would be made after a thorough evaluation.

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Iran dismisses reports of leaflets warning Iraq Kurds



TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran denied knowledge on Wednesday of any leaflets warning villagers in northeastern Iraq to evacuate ahead of an Iranian military offensive against Kurdish rebels there.

A government spokesman, asked about the situation in northeastern Iraq, said Iran was ready to deal with groups that threatened the security of people, but without hurting civilians. He did not elaborate.

Kurdish authorities in northeastern Iraq said on Tuesday they were investigating the authenticity of such leaflets after villagers said they had seen them thrown from helicopters the previous day.

Residents said there were no identifying marks on the leaflets, written in Kurdish, apart from the words "The Islamic Republic of Iran" across the top and bottom.

Hundreds of villagers have fled their homes in Iraq's mountainous northeast while others hid in caves after what local authorities earlier this week said was days of intermittent shelling by Iran across the border.

So far there has been no official comment from either Tehran or Baghdad about the shelling.

"These leaflets are aimed at creating concern among our neighbours, especially the Kurds living in northern Iraq, in the process of a propaganda and psychological warfare, if the leaflets even exist," Iranian government spokesman Gholamhossein Elham told reporters in Tehran.

Elham did not specify who he believed may be behind such "propaganda warfare" and did not make further specific comments about the situation in northeastern Iraq.

But he said: "Iran is ready to deal with groups that jeopardise the security of the people in the region without hurting civilians."

Cross-border skirmishes occasionally occur as Iraq's neighbours Turkey and Iran combat Kurdish separatist rebels operating from bases in Iraq's mountainous north and northeast.

Various Iranian Kurdish rebel groups have fought a low-level conflict against Tehran for many decades, complaining of neglect and discrimination by the central government.

Turkey blames the PKK for the deaths of more than 30,000 people since 1984, when it launched its struggle for an ethnic homeland in Turkey's southeast.


Kurds' struggle threatens Turkey's EU hopes


By Andrew Borowiec
The Washington Times

NICOSIA, Cyprus -- Their uprisings have been drowned in blood, but the cry "Freedom for Kurdistan" reverberates in the barren, wind-swept mountains where Turkey meets Syria, Iraq and Iran.

The unfulfilled quest of the Kurds for statehood is now emerging as a major barrier in Turkey's path to the European Union and in Ankara's relations with the United States.

It risks becoming the dominant issue of this year's Turkish parliamentary and presidential elections, and a considerable diplomatic irritant involving the United States, Europe and a large portion of the Middle East inhabited by Kurds -- an ethnic group deprived of self-rule for centuries.

Hardly a day goes by without Turkish threats to enter northern Iraq in pursuit of Kurdish rebels waging a 32-year-old guerrilla war that has claimed an estimated 37,000 lives. It is in that part of Iraq that the Kurds have succeeded in establishing a form of limited autonomy which, to the Turkish government, looms as the possible nucleus of a Kurdish state. full text

Kurds in Turkey - Still fighting for freedom


January 2007



By Eva Kuras


The Toronto Sun reported in June 2004, "Tens of thousands of Kurds wept and danced" when four parliamentarians were freed from prison in Turkey that month. The most well known of the parliamentarians, Leyla Zana, was the first Kurdish woman to be elected to the Turkish Parliament. At her swearing-in ceremony, she wore a headband with Kurdish colors while saying in Kurdish, "I shall struggle so that the Kurdish and Turkish peoples may live together in a democratic framework." That same week, limited use of the Kurdish language in state television broadcasts was permitted by the Turkish government.

In 2002 Turkey had formally lifted the 15-year state of emergency in the country's Southeast and lessened the power of the military, bringing it under greater civilian control. The military-dominated National Security Council had traditionally held great power in Turkey so its reform constituted "a quiet revolution," according to a Financial Times editorial. Likewise the abolishing of incommunicado detention, along with the implementation of the right to legal council from the first moment of detention, were the main reasons for a decline in torture in the post-civil war years (1984-1999). The reforms that have taken place are a result of strong pressure applied by the European Union (EU) regarding Turkey's bid to become a member. full text

Bob Simon's Notebook


Only On The Web: "60 Minutes" correspondent Bob Simon talks about southern Kurdistan and the problems it faces in seeking independence from the rest of the war-torn country. Watch the video

Friday, August 24, 2007

The Big Lie: "Kurds in Turkey are Citizens with Equal Rights"














As the laws discussed in this text clearly show, there is a de jure and de facto system in Turkey which denies the identity of the Kurdish people. This denial hasn't just been the policy of the last few years, rather it is part of an unbroken 70-year tradition. As a cursory look at the Turkish legal system will show, from the beginning all laws were drafted in such a way so as to prevent there being any loopholes which the Kurds could make use of, and special regulations were enacted to ensure that Kurds, people with a Kurdish identity, could not enjoy their fundamental rights and freedoms. One example, all but 22 of the 177 Articles of the Turkish Constitution insure that the Kurds are not allowed to possess their fundamental rights and freedoms. Of course, neither the Constitution nor the Criminal Code makes use of the word "Kurd", rather Kurdish nationality and Kurdish identity are covered by the notion of that which "violates the territorial and national integrity of the state". Turkey ignores international agreements and treaties. In addition to its refusal to recognize the existence of its Kurdish minority, the Turkish government is not even prepared to guarantee conditions for the Kurdish people which comply with the "Universal Declaration On Human Rights". This is clearly evident if one compares sections of international agreements to sections of Turkish law. Furthermore, a comparison between international and domestic Turkish law clearly shows that the Turkish government is practicing a racist form of assimilation politics with respect to the Kurds. This practice is unique in the world. Despite all of these realities, the Turkish government continues to insist to the world's public that the Kurds in Turkey are not oppressed, that they are not a minority population, and that they are citizens with equal rights. These lies are shamelessly told to the world's public. No one is allowed to reply and accuse the Turkish government: "What sort of equal rights is it that you practice?" The Turkish state exists and it has Turkish schools which teach the Turkish language, political parties, radio and TV stations, and national institutions. The Kurds, on the other hand, have nothing, not even their own identity. What kind of equal rights is that? How can such citizens be called equal? Where else in all the world is there a situation like this? These questions must be asked of the Turkish government. The fact is, the Turkish government can sum up its policies with respect to the Kurds in Turkey with the following sentence: "DESTROY THE MILITANT ELEMENTS, ASSIMILATE THE REST." In other words, destroy the Kurds and kill all those who resist, the rest can be dealt with through the process of assimilation. Those that remain will be Turkified and will no longer have a Kurdish identity. Then there will no longer be a Kurdish problem. That is the foundation of Turkey's policies against the Kurds. Up until now, there has been no end to these practices. Neither Ozal's statement that "there are 12 million Kurds in Turkey" nor Demirel's claim that "we have recognized the Kurdish reality" have resulted in any change of the policies mentioned above. This is because Kurdish policy in Turkey is not dictated by the President, the Prime Minister, or the Turkish Parliament, but rather by the Turkish army, the Turkish secret service (MIT), and the Special War Department. This has always been the case, and things are no different today.
In short, that is the status of the Kurds in Turkey.

Cigerxwin


Cigerxwin ("The bleeding heart"), is a pseudonym for Sheikmous Hasan. He came from north Kurdistan and was mainly known as a poet. He made a great impact on Kurdish poetry through his work. He produced books on Kurdish history, literary history , Kurdish grammar and also a dictionary. He was born in 1901 or 1903 in the Kurdish village of Hesar close to city the of Mardin within the then Ottoman Empire. In 1925 he fled to Syria, in 1958 to Iraq and in 1970s to Lebanon. In 1979 he again fled from oppression to Sweden aged 76. Here he was able to publish several collections of poetry that no publisher in the Middle East had wanted to publish, due to the infected Kurdish question. Cigerxwin has often been called the father of Kurdish literature. He died in Sweden in 1984.

Who Am I?

Who am I, you ask ?
The kurd of Kurdistan,
a lively volcano,
fire and dynamite
in the face of enemy.
When furious,
I shake the mountains,
the sparks of my anger
are death to my foes.
Who am I ?

I am in the east,
forts and castles
towns and hamlets,
rouks and boulders,
What itony, what a shameful day !
A slave I am now for blood suckers
Yet I saved the Middle East
from the Romans and the crusaders.
Who am I ?

Ask the Near East,
Ask the Middle East,
villages and towns,
plains and deserts.
They were once all mine
when by war and knowledge
I defeated rivals
to become crowned over an empire
stretching to the borders of India.
Who am I ?

I am the proud Kurd,
the enemies' enemy,
the friend of peace-loving ones.
I am of noble race,
not wild as they claim.
My mighty ancestors
were free people.
Like them is want to be free
and that is why I fight
for the enemy won't leave in peace
and I don't want to be forever oppressed.
Who am I ?

I shall free my land
from the tyrants;
from the crrupt Shah,
the Turkish juntas
so we may live free
like other nations,
so my gardens and meadows
are mine again;
So I can join the struggle
for the good of mankind.
Who am I ?

It was I who defeated
Richard the Lionheart
My own blood I shed
ti defend these regions.
A thorn I was in my enemies' side;
in my shadow lived the Turk and Persian;
many a king held my horse's head.
Yes I am the warrior,
I am Saladin,
the King of Egypt, Syria and Palestine.
Who am I ?

I am Ardashir,
I am Noshi Rawan.
In the acient days
rivals feared my caesars
regretted my animosity.
I knew no fright;
in love with adventure;
from India to Greece
they paid me tribute.
Who am I ?

Yes, I am the Kurd,
the Kurd of Kurdistan
who is poor and oppressed today.
My castles and forts
are now demolished;
my name and my fame'
swindled by my assailants,
those who set germs intomy body
to paralize my existence
making a nameless soul of me;
a nation with no friends.
Who am I?

I am the one who despite it all
remains the unyielding Kurd;
still formidable to the enemy.
The smell of dynamite is again in my nostrils
and in my heart the strong desire to erupt.
I am the fighting valiant of mountains
who is not in love with death
but for the sake of life and freedom
he sacrifices himself
so that the land of his ancestors,
the invincible Medes;
his beloved Kurdistan , may become unchained.
Who am I?

One of my ancestors was the Blacksmith Kawa
who slayed Dahak, the notorious tyrant
to break off chains from Kurdish shoulders
and save many heads from the sword and death.
The day his vicious reign ended
was called NEWROZ, the New Day.
When Newroz comes winter departs
taking with it the dark harsh times
to make place for light and warmth.
This is the time, as Zoroaster says,
the evil spirit Ahriman is defeated
at the hand of Ormazd, the god of wisdom and light.
Who am I?

I am the maker of Newroz;
again I shall become my own master,
the ruler of my land
so I may enjoy the fruits of my orchards,
relish the sacred wines of my vineyards
and put an end to a dark era
by seeking salvation in knowledge and science;
I shall make another new day
and breathe the pure air of the liberty.
Who am I?

I am Kordokh, the good old Khaldew;
I am Mitan; Nayri and Sobar;
the son of Lo Lo; Kardok and Kodi;
I am the Mede, the Gosh, Hori and Gudi;
I am the Kurmanc, Kelhor; Lor and Gor;
yes, I have always been and remain the Kurd.
Despite centuries of suppression
in a country by force divided.
Who am I?

I am the son of Lor, Kelhor and Kurmanc
who have lost crown and reign
to become powerless,
betrayed in the name of religion
to carry rosaries in their hands
duped by the rulers,
deprived of might and wealth,
fighting each other, divided and torn
while my oppressed Kurdistan,
my wretched Kurdistan
remains prossessed.
Who am I?

The son of the Kurdish nation
awaken from deep sleep,
marching forward,
proud as a lion
wanting the whole world to know;
I shall struggle and continue the path to freedom;
I shall learn from great men,
Like Marx and Lenin.
I make a vow to my ancestors,
to Salar, Shergo and Deysem,
that this of mine will remain vigorous, unyielding, stronger than death.
Let it be kown;
I announce with no fear;
Liberty is my goal;
I shall advance in this path.
Who am I ?

I am not blood thirsty;
no, I adore peace.
Noble were my ancestors;
sincere are my leaders,
We don't ask for war but demand equality
but our enemies are the ones who betray and lie.
Friendship I seek and offer my hands
to all friendy nations.
Long live Kurdistan;
death to the oppressor!!!

Translation: Chahin Baker