What we should be talking about?
There seems to be alot going on there that this particular blog has been silent about, particularly the bird flu and predictions for the new year. I know that these are odd things to lump together in one blog but I am going to do it anyway.
First, predictions for the New Year: last week the Daily Kos wrote about a recent KnightRidder column that stated the Iraq army had 10,000 Kurdish soldiers that were loyal to the peshmerga leaders...duh...nothing really new. However, it seemed with this news that the rest of the world realized that there is a definite possibility that an independent Kurdistan could arise if there was (God forbid) civil war in Iraq. Of course, as soon as the Daily Kos covered it, it seems that half of the political blogs in the US began to speculate as to an independent Kurdistan. The only Kurdish blogger (that I saw--I might be wrong and please let me know if I am) that covered even part of that news was Vladimir. The lack of response from the Kurdish bloggers makes me wonder if we really missed an opportunity to bring the issue of an independent Kurdistan to a wider global audience? Or is it just more of the same?
Next item up, the bird flu deaths in Turkey, specifically in the Van region in Northern Kurdistan. While the deaths have been in rural areas and also in Kurdish areas there has been speculation that the bird flu thing is another extension of the Kurdish question. Some of our Kurdish bloggers have written excellent posts supporting that position including Mizgin from Rasti and Vladimir in From Holland to Kurdistan. Ok folks, it is the bird flu, a pandemic that is affecting the whole world, it should not be used as an aid to point out the Turkish Government's treatment of the Kurds, rather it should be used to discuss poverty on a global scale. I know that there will be plenty of people who are mad at me for this point of view (and I have a feeling that some of the comments will be harsh but I will take them), I am just of the opinion that there are some things that it would be wise of us to exploit to further knowledge of the plight of the Kurds, and some things -like this- that are no help to us at all.
First, predictions for the New Year: last week the Daily Kos wrote about a recent KnightRidder column that stated the Iraq army had 10,000 Kurdish soldiers that were loyal to the peshmerga leaders...duh...nothing really new. However, it seemed with this news that the rest of the world realized that there is a definite possibility that an independent Kurdistan could arise if there was (God forbid) civil war in Iraq. Of course, as soon as the Daily Kos covered it, it seems that half of the political blogs in the US began to speculate as to an independent Kurdistan. The only Kurdish blogger (that I saw--I might be wrong and please let me know if I am) that covered even part of that news was Vladimir. The lack of response from the Kurdish bloggers makes me wonder if we really missed an opportunity to bring the issue of an independent Kurdistan to a wider global audience? Or is it just more of the same?
Next item up, the bird flu deaths in Turkey, specifically in the Van region in Northern Kurdistan. While the deaths have been in rural areas and also in Kurdish areas there has been speculation that the bird flu thing is another extension of the Kurdish question. Some of our Kurdish bloggers have written excellent posts supporting that position including Mizgin from Rasti and Vladimir in From Holland to Kurdistan. Ok folks, it is the bird flu, a pandemic that is affecting the whole world, it should not be used as an aid to point out the Turkish Government's treatment of the Kurds, rather it should be used to discuss poverty on a global scale. I know that there will be plenty of people who are mad at me for this point of view (and I have a feeling that some of the comments will be harsh but I will take them), I am just of the opinion that there are some things that it would be wise of us to exploit to further knowledge of the plight of the Kurds, and some things -like this- that are no help to us at all.
posted by Delal @ | Permalink 
I posted an entry on the BS from Tom Lasseter on 28 December here:
http://rastibini.blogspot.com/2005/12/propaganda-lesson-1-most-dangerous.html
and did a follow-up in the second half of this entry:
http://rastibini.blogspot.com/2006/01/bird-flu-in-north-kurdistan-people-may.html
I completely disagree that this is not an issue of the Turkish government and its ideology. The situation in Turkish-occupied Kurdistan is a direct result of Kemalist policies since the founding of the "Republic."
It is responsible for the extreme poverty, the total lack of education and the absolute failure of the people to have any confidence whatsoever in anything that is told to them by the government, even if the government were to be concerned about saving Kurdish lives.
Nowhere else in the world do you find the same set of circumstances that are present in Turkish-occupied Kurdistan.
Posted by
Mizgîn |
7:45 AM
Are you sure you are a Kurd Miriam?
I agree with Mizgin off course. Just read the news reports.. we posted on our blogs.
Posted by
Wladimir van Wilgenburg |
10:47 AM
well, I should be focusing on my exams but:
"Additionally, because the lack of basic education, agricultural education and healthcare awareness, this will continue to be a risk, not just for this region but for the world"
this is what we argue have NOT been provided to the Turkish occupied Kurdistan.
MOREOVER,
for the first time aljazeera reporeted from Dogu Beyazit through their reporter this important comment:
"the health ministry asks the people to abandon their very basic income which is their birds and flocks, the Turkish government has for years ignored these areas and it is easy for other parts of Turkey to listen to him but they do not consider the situation of the people in this area"
THATS waht we argue, I know I havent mentioned it on my blog but believe me I have no trust in those stories and it can be anything!
I am afraid Delal I have to disagree as you expected with your point, even Aljazeera used it that way! so please revise this:
"Some of our Kurdish bloggers have written excellent posts supporting that position including Mizgin from Rasti and Vladimir in From Holland to Kurdistan. Ok folks, it is the bird flu, a pandemic that is affecting the whole world, it should not be used as an aid to point out the Turkish Government's treatment of the Kurds, rather it should be used to discuss poverty on a global scale"
Posted by
hiwa |
3:23 PM
the report was broadcasted today around 3GMT live from Doug Beyazit, I looked up their website I couldnt find it!
Posted by
hiwa |
3:25 PM
I am not going to revise my comment, because it still remains my personal opinion and I am not trying to speak for anyone else. Please feel free to write a post disagreeing with me. What I really wanted was to see what other people had to say on the issue. I find it funny that there is no debate as to the civil war thing...so I guess that I got my answer on that one.
Posted by
Delal |
8:41 AM
I don't see the point of a debate on the civil war thing. This is what the US wants. It's a de facto desire even though the US never says it.
There have been proposals for a three-state solution, made by three people that I can think of off the top of my head: Peter Galbraith, Leslie Gelb and Shlomo Avineri.
I tend to go with Galbraith's version because I know that he is experienced and well qualified to deal with states that have imploded (former Yugoslavia) and with states that have broken away from larger, brutal states (East Timor).
Take a look at the unofficial referendum results from South Kurdistan last January. What do Kurds in the South want? A united Iraq?
Since the US refuses to see the writing on the wall, it does not spend its time and effort in facilitating a peaceful separation. Instead of engaging in all the really hard effort it would take to negotiate a Czech-Slovak-type divorce, it chooses the easy way, a rerun of the breakup of the former Yugoslavia.
As a result, Kurds should simply watch and wait, and then evacuate to defend the homeland. There is no point in making any sacrifice to defend US interests when those interests do not coincide with the will of the Kurdish people.
Posted by
Mizgîn |
5:28 PM
In my eyes, civil war IS underway in Iraq. Instead of grabbing the nearest pitchfork, musket or bayonet (like we might sub-consciously imagine), people are using C4 as the weapon of choice. A bomb exploding every day IS war. So-called "smaller wars" have had far fewer casualties than we've seen in Iraq.
Posted by
IMA |
6:55 PM
I disagree with you Delal...
Had North Kurdistan been developed as the rest of "Turkey" - there is the probability that LESS if ANY would have died in North Kurdistan...
Please consider your stance on that ground...
With a FAIR and DEMOCRATIC Turkey - KURDS would not have been in a weaker position than Turks...
Thank you...
Posted by
Dara Sor |
11:00 AM
hi people.
for your information;
1. there are 2.5 million mixed families in Turkey in which one of the spouses is Turkish and the other is Kurdish. I am for example, happily married to my Kurdish wife for 12 years and we have two kids. My sister is engaged to a Kurdish gentleman and we hope to have their wedding next summer when he graduates from his university studying computer engineering.
2. You can't find one single family in Turkey who is purely Turkish or Kurdish and does not have any relatives or ancestors from the other side.
3. Turks and Kurds have been living together peacefully in Anatolia for something like 1500 years uninterrupted. This peace has only been interrupted in the last 30 years.
4. Kurds and Turks basically share the same culture in all aspects of life, food, music, religon etc etc.
5. Kurds are not a minority in Turkey but equal and first class citizens and a part of the majority here. This country is theirs as much as ours and WE established this country together with them.
6. Turks and Kurds had always been loyal allies to each other all long history.
7. Only a minority, a small fraction of Kurds in Turkey support the seperatist movement.
Our army and soldiers (made of Turks and Kurds) is fighting against this seperatist movement.
8. the vote of Kurdish seperatist movement is below 2% all around the country.
9. There has never been a Kurdish state in modern history and Kurds living in Turkey never requested such a thing. (up until 30 years ago and these claims are supported only with a small fraction of Kurds)
10. Turks and Kurds are mixed in every city and town and village and there is no geographical location that numbers of Kurds exceed number of Turks. So who is making those maps of "Kurdistan" is quite unaware of this fact it seems. Kurds are dispersed all around Turkey and not concentrated in a single geographical location
Posted by
servet cevik |
3:04 PM
I could not help but respond to Miriam's comment about health situations worldwide in relation to education and especially on the need for holistic approaches to fight such problems. This is very true! I am a univeristy student who is researching disease and health in rural Southern Kurdistan. Miriam, your comment hit my approach to my research. You said that you are in contact with agriculture experts and health care personnel, I know this is very forward for a blog, but would it be possible for me to contact them for my research? I am presenting at a Sociology and Anthropology annual Conference and would love some more resources.
Disease is a problem worldwide that must be approach holistically if any real change is to be made. It seems to me that the tragedies in regard to the bird flu that are taking place in Turkey are certainly affected by Turkey's treatment of the Kurdish people as poor living conditions provide an optimal place for the spread of disease. Yet, at the same point, this is not just isolated to Kurds in Turkey, but is worldwide due to poor living conditions everywhere. It seems to be more of a world problem then an isolated problem that is solely caused by the Turkish government.
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4:36 AM
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Posted by
Unknown |
12:26 PM