A Constant Vermin Revival, the Kurdish Hex

Erbil city, Iraqi Kurdistan — Photo: Iso Ahmad/FB

Omar Sindi, Washington | Exclusive to iKurd.net

The Kurdish people are sick and tired of a self- destructive train wreck; since the early 19th century and to date, these political polarizations, being one of the primary factors of the Kurdish struggle of liberation movements have not achieved the aspired goal; the Kurdish people are the largest nation in the world with no state of their own. At the same time, when the political suitability presents itself, to seize the opportunity such as ongoing upheavals in Iraq and Syria – the Kurdish liberation movement doesn’t get apprised, not because it had started uncommon coalitions, but because it doesn’t convey uncertainty of these coalitions seriously into consideration; it attempts to aspire and to secure its own military and “political autonomy”.

Its vulnerability starts from the atavistic struggle of the liberation movement itself; even though it’s real intention is a struggle for national liberation; yet it has been unable to prioritize its institution to be a guideline fathom form. The old style of the belated tribal behavior prevalence still affects various military leaders; still this inertia continually plays off the traditional relations, the lack of front line leadership hindering a decisive role.

There are empirical evidences that the foreign forces have for centuries assisted our neighbors to subdue the ambitious Kurdish nations; there can also be no doubt that we (Kurds) have missed many historical opportunities to seize the momentum, for our deserving nation (Kurdistan); there also can be no doubt the myopic vision of the disunity among political leaders were (are) the root cause of the many failed opportunities as well! Let’s take look at a few momentums in the past and in the present, that many historians, academicians, and many political thinkers think that the prime factors of the disunity among the Kurdish leaders were (and still are) the root cause of the many achievable aspirations, and missed opportunities:

1) In the early 19th century, the rift between Mir Mohammed and Bedir Khan Bey; If these two leaders had cooperated, with a united front, perhaps the war against the Ottoman Empire for the Kurdish struggle could‘ve had a different outcome!

2) In the mid-19th century, Bedir Khan Bey, who struggled for Kurdish liberation movement, was betrayed by his nephew, Yezdan Sher; again many historians believe that the split between the uncle and nephew prevented a positive outcome.

3) The collapse of the Kurdish Republic of Mahabad: Many Kurdish observers view; if all of the tribesmen had supported President Qazi Mohammad and General Mustafa Barzani in the defense of the Mahabad republic, the outcome of the war could’ve been different, because due to the precarious status of Iranian army at that time, and the dearth of political experience of 28 year old Mohammad Reza Shah’s reign.

And now the ongoing imbroglio political polarizations among political leaders in autonomous regions in the governing body in Iraqi Kurdistan: These leaders have been advised and encouraged to make some kind of political compromise and consensus between themselves by many countries around the world, including The United States, United Kingdom, Germany, The United Nations, and many other countries as well; it appears that these advices and encouragements are falling on the deaf ears. As a Kurd, I take it with a grain of salt when Dr. Denise Natali writes an article on the Kurdish issues; she views Kurdish political parties within the KRG, as if they are inexperienced, and don’t know how to resolve the ongoing political issues.

What kind of government is the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) going to be in the 21st century, whether they’re going to be a role model for Kurdish people as they expect, and for the region as well, or will the KRG retrogress back to the last 20 years? As the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy once said: “Change is the law of life. And those look to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” The internationally recognized autonomous region of Southern Kurdistan is a light at the end of the tunnel, and if this trampy political polarization continues and a consensus is not found, it will erode the international support for Kurdish aspirations, and it will also be hard to continue to fight on against the false neo-chauvinistic war undercover of the nihilistic ISIS/ISIL –“Daesh”.

In the democratic process no one can win 100%, there has to be some kind of political compromises among the warring factions; but it is often contrary in most, if not all, among the third world political parties. I do not know which political party, or its ignoble leader(s) would dare to, for a narrow political interest would historically allow himself be a stagnant root cause of current- ongoing political quagmire in Southern Kurdistan; at the same, when a political party of governing apparatus becomes a political survivor, it provides many social stigmas, including, but not limited to, social promotions become selective, intelligentsia community becomes apathetic to the system, while social progress and instability are mostly sidelined, etc. This standstill morass epoch reminds me of a sad event, which happened in 1978, in a Kirkuk prison: A Kurdish man, who was a political prisoner, Ahmad Jasim, was a member of the KDP. Just before his execution at the hand of the Ba’athist abettors, he told his comrades, (A paraphrase) “I, know my fade, but the Kurdish people are freedom thirsty, any time they drink water, they are unlucky they drink polluted water; with a polluted water, one cannot break a thirst!”

It appears that any time the opportunity is within grasp for the Kurds, malediction would occur – a vermin would revive itself, takes over the reign.

Omar Sindi, a senior writer, analyst and columnist for iKurd.net, Washington, United States.