November 30, 2003
The Problem with the Kurds
My first experience with a "real" Kurd (not the cousin of someone's wife that used to live in Kermanshah once, or the new bride of so and so that is 1/8th Kurd, etc.) was a few short months after the fall of Shah's regime. One of our neighbors had been amongst the thousands of people who took part in looting of Shah's army bases. This was not an act of larceny or senseless vandalism. The two days that ended the reign of Monarchy in Tehran were filled with street battles as certain bases and officers were disobeying their superior's orders and were defending their barracks with every bullet they had available. As the other bases fell to people's incursion, many were arming themselves to either join battles in other parts of the city or to stash them away, expecting a retaliation of sort to follow any possible change of government. Perhaps remembering what had happened 3 decades ago and the first time they got rid of their monarch under the leadership of Dr. Mossadegh.
This neighbor of ours had kept what he had taken, despite the calls by the new government to turn the weapons in within days of announcing a new government. One day while we were just being kids, playing outdoors, raising some havoc of one kind or another, his son bragged that tonight "the Kurds" are coming to take their guns. I could not prevent my nosey self to stay clear of that and on that night, I used all the trick a 12 year old can think of to get an invitation to their house and be present at this historic exchange.
Shortly after a late supper that evening, the father allowed an old light-colored Paykan into their covered garage and out walked this guy in a full traditional Kurdish outfit. He was a towering man of about 40, with a sun darkened skin, a big moustache and looked as if he could take on 5 wrestlers at once. Kak Abdullah was the first Kurd I had met.
Within a few short minutes and after swiftly downing the mandatory tea served to every guest entering an Iranian household, some money exchanged hands and Kak Abdullah picked up the small arsenal hidden under a bed in my friend's room, opened the trunk of his car and put the G3, M1 and MP5, plus an army sleeping bag full of ammunition and grenades besides other weapons already in there and pulled the car out. As he drove away, I followed him through the rooftops, climbing from one to another and watched when he stopped at the main intersection and picked up a passenger, a younger man dressed in what can be described as a peasant's outfit and then they both drove off. The passenger had obviously acted as the lookout, while this entire transaction was taking place.
Fast forward to earlier this year. A few days before the invasion of Iraq I reconnected with an old Kurd friend. We had always had a close understanding of one another, the type you don't need to explain yourself to for mutual understanding. We had attended many events together before and organized even more. We linked and bonded through his party; the PDKI, my party; the NDP, and together through Socialist International.
He was cautious yet cheerful and very light-hearted. I wanted to warn him of the road ahead, of the way they will be abandoned and used again, the destination this path was leading to, where nothing resembled where they wanted to go. But it was too late. He said I was not being sensible to think differently; Zalmay Khalilzad himself had invited them to a meeting in Turkey to reinforce their commitments and to ensure that the Kurds will not be used again. This time was going to be different. The Kurds will be running the show, they were told. Their demands will be front and center.
A few days later, the bombs started to drop.
Fast forward to last Thursday evening. My mobile phone rings, it's him. I can't talk, being in the middle of something else. I ask if I can call him back, he says not yet but he only needs 30 seconds. I listen as his voice is crumbling. He says you were right. I take no joy in hearing that. He says he has had enough. He had doubted things when Turkish troops were invited to guard their land but when "they" had asked Talabani to go meet Ayatollah Sistani and negotiate his approval, he knew this was not their show anymore. They are instruments of the occupiers now, officially. He just wanted to say I was right and he'll call as soon as he reaches Europe.
If there's such a thing as reincarnation, I must've been a Kurd in my past life. How could you not respect and admire the people who have survived some of the most vicious attacks by enemies from near and far for a big part of modern history, yet have managed to maintain their dignity, their unique sense of culture and arts, their wonderful customs and language, and their distinctive outlook on life? A smile is never that far from the lips of a Kurd when meeting a stranger, and neither is a song when happy or a scream when facing injustice. Kurds personify what every human being strives to be; strong, sensitive, responsible and sincere. This also is the main problem with the Kurds.
From my experience, Kurds cant fathom that others are not like Kurds. They are sincere to a fault, candid to an end, trusting to their own ruin. They believed Ambassador Zalmay as they believed many before him. They don't know how not to.
There's more I like to say on this, perhaps for another time though. Maybe after he's in Europe. Maybe.
For now, all I can say is; Freedom for Iran, Autonomy for Kurdistan.
Posted by Pedram at November 30, 2003 01:34 AMGreat post Pedram
Posted by: Nema at November 30, 2003 01:42 AMDitto! ... great post!
Posted by: emma at November 30, 2003 07:25 AMExcellent observation...Kurds like Afghans and others in our region must overcome tribal tendencies and evolve quickly time is runing out!!! Meanwhile I second autonomy for Kurds.
Posted by: Ali at November 30, 2003 12:02 PMAnd their music is to die for! It breaks my heart to hear how they are used and manipulated. All peace and happiness to them!
Posted by: kat at November 30, 2003 12:31 PMPedram portrayed the image of Kurds and their struggles perfectly, I really enjoyed it. BUT, with all the respect that I feel for Kurds and also Pedram's weblog, I think with his analogy not only Kurds but also Azeri, Baluchi and etc. are entitled to announce independence almost immediately. I believe establishing one state or country based on religious or ethnic grouping is mistaken. I have no doubt these fellow Iranians, I repeat IRANIANS, have suffered a lot through decades and centuries of conflict and repression, but just like any separatist group Kurds are over-consumed by this "autonomous" idea. What is their source of income if they don't get paid by the government? Sincerity or heart-breaking music will not bring food to their homes. Otherwise, if someday Khuzestan once turns independent then Tehran should turn to Vegas because oil barrels are what really count in that country. I always support this scheme that to survive in today's huge open marketplace, all the citizens from any mores should work together and under one flag. Last but not least, please take a look at how EU is breaking the traditional borders to defeat old dollar!
Don't take it personally my friends, it's just business...
Posted by: SK at November 30, 2003 02:02 PMSK, I don't think you understand the difference between autonomy and independence.
Posted by: visitor at November 30, 2003 03:57 PMYes, I agree with the "visitor." I don't think SK sees the difference between autonomy and independence. Iran can be a federal government under one flag, using one currency, and still respect its different ethnic minorities and religions and their right to govern themselves at local levels.
I can't believe Swahili and Ordu languages are taught in Azad University, but there is no place for teaching Gilaki, Kurdi, or Azeri in Iran. They are not even taught in the schools in the areas that they are spoken as the first language. These languages and cultures are parts of our Iranian cultural heritage, and they are treated like if they do not even exist.
Whenever the ethnic minorities ask for their basic rights from the central government they are treated like foreign enemies. As Persians we should be ashamed of ourselves for treating our fellow-citizens like these. No wonder many of them want to separate. If we do not consider them Iranian how can we expect them to consider themselves Iranian?
I hope to see a federal Iran one day, before I die. A place where different ethnicities with different languages and religions can co-exist, respect each other and be proud of the great tradition and culture that is made by all of them. The great tradition and culture that is called Iran.
Posted by: The Other at December 1, 2003 12:22 AMwell Pedram presented one side of the kurdish view, it's not what all kurds want. Kurdestan and Kermanshah lost a lot of people to the war and afterwards got little reward for it. In the last few years there has been a lot of construction in Sanandaj but most people feel it's more for show than anything else.
Although many kurds have a map of kurdistan as an indepndent country in their home the ones that I know in Iran were not looking to setup their own seperate country, maybe it's because things are better there than in Turkey/Iraq which is not that hard to imagine.
After 25 years of this hell we have gone through, the result of you people's handy work, you still brag about 'socialist international' ?
And Bush lied?! go ask the women in Afghanistan!
What did your kind ever do for the real people in need? huh?
The nerve of you people!
How much do you wanna bet this idiot doesn't know Tony Blair and his Labor Party are members of Socialist International. Nerve of those people!
Posted by: visitor at December 2, 2003 12:10 PMAnd your POINT, jigar?
Does Tony Blair use 90% of his time blaming Bush all the time, closing his eye on the fact that the people of Afghanistan and Iraq are finally liberated?
There are many different versions of socialist international. But it is its Iranian part that rallied behind a retarded mullah and drove an entire country to devastation and still seems proud of it.
Sleep well!
Socialist International (SI) in the name of a global organization of sister parties dedicated to social democracy (www.socialistinternational.org/). There are no other "versions". SI has no Iranian party members (although PDKI has "observer" status).
Where do you get your information from? Or better yet, why do you feel obliged to offer an opinion on something you don't know much about?
Where does "Iranian part that rallied behind a retarded mullah and drove an entire country to devastation" fit with SI???
Posted by: Jerry in Jersey at December 4, 2003 01:50 AMYou are right, I don't know much and I always concede to my mistakes, but I DO feel obliged to convey my opinion about something I KNOW to be wrong. So let me rephrase my statement: Socialism or the left has left different records in different countries, although all ofg it shared the same basic fallacies, sometimes, like during the Nazi occupation say, they did have some commendable deeds in their records in Europe. No such thing in Iran. There was no way these mullahs could have come to power wqithout the backing of the leftists in Iran, and when 25 years after that I see the same attitude , the same kind of shallow analysis, the same kind of 'everybody good as long as they're against American Imperialism CRAP, I do feel obliged to express my disgust, for the life of my generation was and is wasted because of he same kind of stupidity and same kind of wordings back then. Better an ignoramus like me than a participant in that 'progressive, later highjacked(!) revolution in 1979.
Posted by: AIS at December 4, 2003 03:08 AM"Go ask the women in Afghanistan"!
Ask what? They are in the same condition they were before.
You just don't hear about them in the media beacause it does not present a good image for the US.
AIS, you are an idiot. Idiot enough to beleive whatever CNN and FoxNews feeds you with.
Thanks for article.
Posted by: at December 9, 2003 11:07 PM