Who are terrorists? Who are genociders? Who are occupiers?

Afrasiab Shekofteh / 24/11/09

Is that the Kurds (occupied Kurdish homeland)? Is that the UK? Is that the USA?

None of them.

Is that German Nazi? Is that kemalist militant Turkey? Is that ... ?

According to well documented resources, such as speeches and statements through the course of history so far, the Kurds have not shown to be lustful towards violence or the use of weapons. This fact is quite often misconstrued and manipulated especially by the Kurdistan occupier regimes, all the while being masters of brutality themselves, claim that some Kurdish groups are "terrorists" simply because of the fact that they believe in an armed resistance against the occupier regimes.

The Kurds are categorically opposed to and condemn any type of violence.

Mentioning a few historical occurrences fittingly places the Kurds as revolutionary bodies wishing to bring freedom to their occupied homeland, and democracy to their oppressed and downtrodden people.

Historically, the use of an armed struggle to free a subjugated population is recognized as a legitimate form of resistance. Namely, the American Revolution's success (1775-1883) was based in an armed struggle with the British Empire who had imposed excessive control over newly established American colonies. Patrick Henry's famous words "…give me liberty or give me death!" was instrumental in America's armed strategy during the revolution and paved the way for its independence.

On another note, in the book Partisans: Europeans such as Britain, France and others in the armed resistance to fascism and German occupation (1936–1945), against Adolf Hitler's fascism as they "planted bombs" and "shouldered guns" to fight against tyranny and occupiers. The official accounts are lacking in these historical occurrences, declaring their own armed struggle to free their homeland. These armed people actively played an invaluable role in the fight against German occupation. The Kurds do not consider any of their actions as terrorism. Would anybody call those who participated by way of an armed struggle in the American Revolution and resistance to Hitler's fascism "terrorists?" The Kurds are no more "terrorists" than the brave American revolutionaries and courageous Europeans and British armed people. 

With consideration of the grave national and human rights abuses occurring in occupied Kurdish homeland, it is naturally expected for those freedoms loving entities to actively encourage those democratic leaders across the globe to abolish dictatorial and abusive occupier regimes.

The Kurds belief was an armed resistance, simply a desire to free their homeland and basic human values overcome existing oppressive political forces. It is an interesting comparative to note that during the American Revolution, a flag carried by Bedford Massachusetts minuteman Nathaniel Page at the Battle of Concord depicts a fist with a sword in hand supporting a banner that reads "Vince Aut Morite" in Latin meaning "Victory or Death." Theirs was an imminent victory, and so too shall be for Kurdish people and their resistance movement.

Turkish War of Independence (along with Kurdish strong participation) on 9 Sept. 1923, RPP announced the establishment of the Turkish Republic (denying Kurdish share in the states’ national sovereignty in practice), 1923.

Physical genocide (Dersim & Agri, Halabcha, Sardasht, …) and cultural and lingual genocide of Kurdish nation (especially in Turkey) and also Kurdish tireless struggle against occupiers should come to an end, such as all those Eastern Europe states which freed from the occupation of Ottoman and Nazi.

It is the time for those democratic states to overcome their previous mistakes (helping heartless occupiers), by establishing a roadmap for the Kurds to join NATO in the near future from one hand and from the other hand also help the Kurds to revive its Kurdish culture and language from kindergartens and primary schools (Kurdish national curriculum in Northern Kurdistan /Turkey) as a compensation to a peaceful Kurdish nation. The membership of Turkey in NATO as an occupier and human rights abusers should be reassessed, because Turkey has taken this (as a save haven) as an excuse to genocide its internal nations, which is a shame for NATO democratic members and leaders.

Turkish government has implemented a systematic and organized policy of integration of the Kurds, and assimilation of Kurdish language, culture and identity which is a widespread, entrenched and institutionalized discrimination. NATO members and international community should call on Turkish government to respond with policies that to address effectively the above mentioned, and compensate the Kurds. The reviving of Kurdish language should be a first priority.

Turkish language is hugely dominated upon Kurdish and all other minorities’ languages as the central government has got an organized and systematic policy by spending large amount on it. It is needless to say that Turkish ultra centralised government uses the Kurdish revenue and their natural resources income against them. All these revenues and incomes should be used in establishing Kurdish primary schools. All cultural and civil activities across the state and in the Kurdish region must be in Turkish; this discrimination is marginalising minorities’ talents and squandering minorities’ cultures, languages, identities and traditions.

A multinational Turkey should draw a roadmap to decentralize the power to all the regions of its nationalities dwellers, especially the Kurdish region (about 18 provinces), as a complete change from rigid centralized management. A multinational Turkey will only achieve socio-economic development and democracy trough decentralization and self-determination of the Kurds.

Incirlik Air Base is an air base in NATO's Southern Region, is located inside Kurdish homeland, 35 mile from the Mediterranean Sea. The goal of NATO for the future should be drawn into the Middle East "to keep the Turkey down and the Kurds in”.

The Kurds are fighting for the freedom of their homeland and by that to get Kurdish national sovereignty in peace. When speaking of democratic change, it may be as ridiculous as if we were talking of democratic change when Nazis had occupied France and other European countries!

The question is how to liberate Kurdistan from the occupational forces. The foreign governments who do not wish to see a free & liberated Kurdistan in order to pillaging their natural sources are supporting the occupiers.

To liberate the Kurdish homeland, as the French did during WWII, needs active resistance and encountering brute force by equal force in suitable ways. The occupiers’ rules were not and are not and will never be a Kurdish ruling and they must be kicked out of the Kurdish homeland. French did not liberate their motherland by peaceful demonstrations, non-violence, or civil disobedience; the French Resistance used every possible means to defeat the Nazis and the World had no choice but to come to their support.

As long as the Kurdish people remain timid in the face of enemy, the enemy will remain in power and World will be delighted to deal with them. The time is for democratic change; the time is to fight for liberation of Kurdish homeland, Kurdistan.

All democratic leaders in the Wolrd should help the Kurds and let them to join international community, the Kurdish flag to be flown in front of UN in NY, with Kurdish diplomatic official hand shakes in the EU, USA and …

United States of Kurdistan (Bakur + Bashur + Rojhelat + Rojava).

Afrasiab Shekofteh (Dr.)

website: www.kurmanj.org

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