Showing posts with label Kurdish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kurdish. Show all posts
7/05/2012
Anfal Memorial
The following are pictures from the Anfal Memorial taken during my visit on July 5, 2012.
The memorial also includes a museum which is not yet complete and a large cemetery in which are/are being buried bodies recovered from mass graves.
3/21/2011
In Remembrance of Halabja - 2006
I wrote the following for Kurdishaspect.com.
Five years ago this month, protesters burned down the Monument of Halabja Martyrs. As an outsider, I have always found the symbolism of the burning memorial to be the height of poetry and a high point for Kurdish democracy. The message of the burning is simple: the past, present and future of Kurdistan belongs to the Kurdish people.
I was living in Sulemania at the time and I clearly remember being told, “the politicians come every year and make speeches, but they do nothing for Halabja.” After 18 years, some people had had enough. Halabja had become (and still is) a metaphor for the years under Saddam. Post-Saddam, the city and the 1988 tragedy became a symbol of victory seeming to say “Look how far we have come, Kurds. In spite of this tragedy, we have become victorious.”
The problem, of course, is that in 2006 Halabja still very much looked like the city it had been on March 17, 1988, the day after the attack. Halabja still lacked basic services and the people of Halabja felt as though they were being ignored by the Kurdish government in whom they had put their hopes for renewal. The politicians came every year to show their commitment to the people who had suffered so terribly, but the people only heard words without seeing any action.
Halabja had become caught up in the narrative of Kurdish nationalism and Kurdish nationalism is the tool that the Kurdish government uses to keep order.
There are two versions of Kurdish nationalism; one that’s based on institutions and personalities and one that’s based on culture and history. Often the lines between these two are blurred and the average person believes that the government or a politician are the as important to their culture as a song or an event, like Halabja. It happens here in the US, when we confuse party affiliation or devotion to the president with patriotism.
Governments tend to prefer this blurring even to one strictly built around themselves because it allows them to co-opt great events to further their aims. It’s a cynical view, yes, but one which certainly played out in Halabja leading up to 2006. In Halabja, politicians and leaders had co-opted the tragedy and the suffering of the city.
The Halabja tragedy was slowly taken away from the people who had suffered and was turned into a talking point. The anniversary was becoming a day for politicians to make grand speeches because the heart of every Kurd turns to Halabja on that day: people are listening on that day. A politician could say, “I am a good Kurd. I love Halabja. See me making this speech from Halabja – I really came to this poor place and I am among these poor people. I am a good Kurd.”
The shared tragedy became a political rally, no longer shared, but owned by the leadership. The memories of 1988 put in a museum and made the official artifacts for remembrance and a part of the political narrative of Kurdishness.
The only way to truly honor those that died in 1988 was to remove the spectacle of the anniversary and the only way to remove the spectacle was to burn down the memorial. The people took the memory of Halabja away from the politicians and brought it back to the people to whom it had always belonged
The lingering question, however is did it work? It should have worked. The symbolism was so clear. Politicians must have read the writing on the wall. The people must have stood up that day and continued to stand up. Right?
The unfortunate answer, though, is that it didn’t work; nothing changed.
So, who’s to blame?
Surprise, it’s not the government, or at least not the government alone. A government that had done so much in so few years in any other society would be applauded and the KRG are moving forward, albeit slowly. More importantly, the Kurdish government is democratically elected. So, corrupt or otherwise, the current government belongs to the voters.
That means that everyone is to blame and everyone forgot the message of March 16, 2006: the past, present and future of Kurdistan belongs to the Kurdish people.
One day the current protesting will end. It has to. Will the government and the people continue to work for change? That remains to be seen, but change must be made in Kurdistan, not in the burning of things this time, but by igniting the fire in the Kurdish people.
5/19/2010
New York Times' Coverage of Osman Killing
The New York Times publised a nice article on the killing of journalist Zerdesht Osman.
Ayman Oghanna for The New York Times
"Now his death is underscoring the limits of free expression and igniting angry debate about what issues could cost journalists their lives. Many question whether true democracy can take hold in this corner of Iraq that has been spared much of the violence and instability that has plagued the rest of the country over the past seven years, allowing it to be considered a haven for business and investments. "Full text here.
9/27/2009
The Jungle of Calais
"At dawn today, riot police moved into The Jungle and rounded up the migrants despite dozens of human rights activists who tried to block their way. They denounce the raid as a media stunt they would drive the migrants underground making them easier pray for traffickers. The Jungle of Calais might be closed, they say, but the steady flow of migrants to Northern France will continue and simply bubble up somewhere else. "-NPR News
On September 22, French police bulldozed a makeshift village in the port city of Calais that had been set up and inhabited by immigrants. I heard the story on NPR last week and it piqued my interest.
Although I haven't had a chance to confirm it yet, I believe that this is where Aram was living before he was arrested trying to get into the UK.
The AP story is here and you can listen to the full story from NPR here.
Although I haven't had a chance to confirm it yet, I believe that this is where Aram was living before he was arrested trying to get into the UK.
The AP story is here and you can listen to the full story from NPR here.
7/02/2009
The Kurdish Elections
With elections in Kurdistan on the horizon, I think this is an interesting note.
This article is from 2008, but still relevant.
This article is from 2008, but still relevant.
"Iraq has changed, but Iraqi Kurdistan has not. After Saddam's fall, many
Iraqi Kurds expected that their region would liberalize and democratize. Rather
than reform, however, regional politics have ossified. Barzani retains
dictatorial control over the Duhok and Erbil governorates, and Talabani likewise
dominates Sulaymaniyah. While it is inaccurate to describe the Kurdish
leadership—at least the PUK half—as tribal, both parties rely on family members
for control. Barzani appointed his nephew prime minister and assigned his
thirty-five-year-old son to run the local intelligence service. Other relatives
control the regional telephone company, newspapers, and media.
Talabani's wife, Hero Khan, likewise, runs the local satellite station.
One son manages the PUK's intelligence operation, while the other represents the
KRG in Washington. When it came time to divvy up ministerial portfolios in
Baghdad, both Kurdish leaders turned to their families: Barzani gave his uncle
the Foreign Ministry portfolio, while Talabani gave one brother-in-law the
Ministry of Water Resources and his wife's brother-in-law the ambassadorship to
China. To Talabani's credit, both men are professionally qualified."
6/18/2009
Iran vs. a Fly
Guess which one gets more coverage from the US media?
I've been following the post-election situation in Iran on Twitter and some other online sources and it's amazing how little is actually known about the situation on the ground.
According to ADN Kronos (an Italian news agency that focusses on the Middle East to which I've linked many times before), two prominent Iranian artists presented documentation purporting to prove that Ahmadinejad came in third in the elections.
According to the Guardian, the man who provided them with that document was killed in a suspicious car accident a couple of days ago. (scroll down to 11am update)
And then, there's this from someone called NiteOwl.
I don't know how true any of this is, but it certainly all seems well within the bounds of reason. I'm just passing it along.
Oh, and Jalal Talabani became only the second head of state to acknowledge Ahmadinejad's "victory" and to congradulate him. Very disappointing Mam Jalal, very disappointing.
I've been following the post-election situation in Iran on Twitter and some other online sources and it's amazing how little is actually known about the situation on the ground.
According to ADN Kronos (an Italian news agency that focusses on the Middle East to which I've linked many times before), two prominent Iranian artists presented documentation purporting to prove that Ahmadinejad came in third in the elections.
According to the Guardian, the man who provided them with that document was killed in a suspicious car accident a couple of days ago. (scroll down to 11am update)
And then, there's this from someone called NiteOwl.
15. Several eye-witnesses have seen non-Iranian Arabs waving
Hamas/Hezbollah flags around the protests. These reports have been fully
confirmed and are NOT a rumor spread by Israel.
(Read the whole thing here.)
I don't know how true any of this is, but it certainly all seems well within the bounds of reason. I'm just passing it along.
Oh, and Jalal Talabani became only the second head of state to acknowledge Ahmadinejad's "victory" and to congradulate him. Very disappointing Mam Jalal, very disappointing.
3/23/2009
2 Great New Sites
Angie and I have started a new blog.
I know, you're thinking something like "Why in the world would those two start another blog? Don't they have 15 already? I mean don't they have better things to do?"
Well, it was Angie's idea, it's only 12 or so, and no, no we don't.
Angie came up with the idea for Seven Simple Things about a week ago. I thought it was a pretty good idea; seven simple things, one each day. Click the link and have a look around.
Let us know what you think.
Kurdish lessons have their own site.
If you're a long-time reader, you know I've done some Kurdish lessons. They're pretty popular as far as Kurdish lessons go.
I don't have much competition on the internet, really.
The lessons are migrating over time. Check out the new site, I really like it.
The Kurdish Airforce
I know, you're thinking something like "Why in the world would those two start another blog? Don't they have 15 already? I mean don't they have better things to do?"
Well, it was Angie's idea, it's only 12 or so, and no, no we don't.
Angie came up with the idea for Seven Simple Things about a week ago. I thought it was a pretty good idea; seven simple things, one each day. Click the link and have a look around.
Let us know what you think.
Kurdish lessons have their own site.
If you're a long-time reader, you know I've done some Kurdish lessons. They're pretty popular as far as Kurdish lessons go.
I don't have much competition on the internet, really.
The lessons are migrating over time. Check out the new site, I really like it.
The Kurdish Airforce
3/16/2009
Remembering Halabja
The following article was originally posted here in August, 2008. Because March 16 is the anniversary of the attack on Halabja, I decided to post it again. It's an important event to remember as we reconsider Iraq.
On March 16, 1988, the Iraqi government attacked the kurdish city of Halabja with chemical weapons killing 5,000 people and injuring 10,000 others. As of today, it's the worst chemical attack on a civilian population in history.
This image of a man shielding a young child has become an icon in Kurdistan.
Background:
The grinding Iran-Iraq war was coming to a close in 1988 and the border city of Halabja was caught in the middle. Claiming that the Irani army was in the city, the Iraqi air force attacked.
The air force began bombing the city with conventional weapons driving the people of Halabja into their cellars. The gas used in the chemical weapons were heavier than the air, so the cellars where perhaps the worst places to hide. This is one reason why the death toll was so high.
This attack on the Kurds can be considered as part of Iraq's Anfal campaign. Anfal was the systematic genocide of the Kurdish population of northern Iraq. From 1986 to 1999 up to 200,000 Kurds were murdered by the Ba'ath regime. 4,000 villages were destroyed and 250 towns and villages were exposed to chemical weapons (see wikipedia article).
Recommended Reading:
Obviously what I've written is only a brief summary. The US Department of State published an article on their website which I highly recommend.
The Lessons of Halabja
In truth, it was probably written as propaganda during the build up to the invasion. However, that doesn't make it any less true.
Today:
Now that Saddam is gone and the Kurdish region of Iraq has autonomy, the Kurds of Halabja are still dealing with the aftermath of the gas attack. The city was made virually unlivable following the attack, but many of the survivors stayed.
In 2003, the Kurdish government erected a memorial for the attack and in 2006 an angry mob burned it down.
This to me is one of the most interesting parts of the story. 18 years after the attack the city of Halabja still had yet to receive any significant government assistance - and since 1991, that means Kurdish government assistance. On the anniversary of the attack each year, Kurdish politicians would make the trip to Halabja and make promises to the people and use the events of 1988 as a rallying cry for unity behind the government in power.
In 2006, fed up with empty promises, the people of Halabja staged a protest on the anniversary and torched the monument reclaiming their tragedy from the hands of their ineffective leaders.
Ok, that's all I have. Be sure to read the article I referenced above.
On March 16, 1988, the Iraqi government attacked the kurdish city of Halabja with chemical weapons killing 5,000 people and injuring 10,000 others. As of today, it's the worst chemical attack on a civilian population in history.
This image of a man shielding a young child has become an icon in Kurdistan.The grinding Iran-Iraq war was coming to a close in 1988 and the border city of Halabja was caught in the middle. Claiming that the Irani army was in the city, the Iraqi air force attacked.
The air force began bombing the city with conventional weapons driving the people of Halabja into their cellars. The gas used in the chemical weapons were heavier than the air, so the cellars where perhaps the worst places to hide. This is one reason why the death toll was so high.
This attack on the Kurds can be considered as part of Iraq's Anfal campaign. Anfal was the systematic genocide of the Kurdish population of northern Iraq. From 1986 to 1999 up to 200,000 Kurds were murdered by the Ba'ath regime. 4,000 villages were destroyed and 250 towns and villages were exposed to chemical weapons (see wikipedia article).
Recommended Reading:
Obviously what I've written is only a brief summary. The US Department of State published an article on their website which I highly recommend.
The Lessons of Halabja
In truth, it was probably written as propaganda during the build up to the invasion. However, that doesn't make it any less true.
Today:
Now that Saddam is gone and the Kurdish region of Iraq has autonomy, the Kurds of Halabja are still dealing with the aftermath of the gas attack. The city was made virually unlivable following the attack, but many of the survivors stayed.
In 2003, the Kurdish government erected a memorial for the attack and in 2006 an angry mob burned it down.
This to me is one of the most interesting parts of the story. 18 years after the attack the city of Halabja still had yet to receive any significant government assistance - and since 1991, that means Kurdish government assistance. On the anniversary of the attack each year, Kurdish politicians would make the trip to Halabja and make promises to the people and use the events of 1988 as a rallying cry for unity behind the government in power.
In 2006, fed up with empty promises, the people of Halabja staged a protest on the anniversary and torched the monument reclaiming their tragedy from the hands of their ineffective leaders.
Ok, that's all I have. Be sure to read the article I referenced above.
1/03/2009
Shop Here!
Introducing the 13Months Store!
I added a link to the header, too.
Right now I'm selling Glade products and items related to Kurdistan. I plan to expand my offerings, but it's 1:25 am and I am WAY past my bedtime.
I added a link to the header, too.
Right now I'm selling Glade products and items related to Kurdistan. I plan to expand my offerings, but it's 1:25 am and I am WAY past my bedtime.
10/13/2008
Kurdish Lesson 09 - Food
Kurdish food can vary by region and even by family, so what I present below is a snapshot of the foods I enjoyed first in San Diego and later in Iraq. The families with whom we lived in California were from the Sulemania and Halabja areas which is also where I lived in Iraq. I don’t know much about Hewleri or Dohuki food let alone Kurdish food in Turkey or Iran.
Kurdish food is a blend of regional dishes with local ingredients. The dishes are often similar to what one might find in a Turkish, Lebanese or even Indian restaurant, but in Kurdistan, the dishes have their own unique flavors.
I, for one, have never had falafel better than the falafel I had in Sulemania. The same goes for Briyani.
Below, I will spell the names of the dishes and foods with latini. Remember to click here for a refresher on pronunciation.
Breakfast: A typical Kurdish breakfast is fairly light.
An everyday breakfast would just be nan u mast, but the others mix in as well. Of course, no breakfast is complete without Ça.
My favorite breakfast was to mix my mast with date syrup. It was great, but I have no idea what the Kurdish word for date syrup is. Sorry.
Lunch and Dinner: Lunch and dinner foods are usually the same. We often ate lunch at the office where we had a cook. She made some really great things! (Although, some of my co-workers complained about the excessive amounts of oil!)
Miscellaneous Food Names: There are many other words you’ll need to cook and eat in Kurdistan. I have tried to include those below. I have also included separate tables for fruits and vegetables.
Fruits and Vegetables: The secret to Kurdish culture is this: when you are invited to dinner or visit someone, they will eventually serve you fruit. The fruit is your sign that it’s time to go.
I don’t like vegetables all that much, so my vocabulary is slim. Sorry.
This certainly isn’t an exhaustive list, but it’s a good start.
If you have recipes for any of these foods, please post them in the comments. I can only make rice and şile.
A view of our neighborhood store. The lady on the right makes the world's best Kube and Şufte.
A small store like this is called a dukan.
Kurdish food is a blend of regional dishes with local ingredients. The dishes are often similar to what one might find in a Turkish, Lebanese or even Indian restaurant, but in Kurdistan, the dishes have their own unique flavors.
I, for one, have never had falafel better than the falafel I had in Sulemania. The same goes for Briyani.
Below, I will spell the names of the dishes and foods with latini. Remember to click here for a refresher on pronunciation.
Breakfast: A typical Kurdish breakfast is fairly light.
| Kurdish | English |
|---|---|
| Mast | Yoghurt |
| Hangwîn | Honey |
| Nan | Bread |
| Moz | Bananas |
| Ḧelke Ron | Fried Egg |
| Ça | Tea |
| Penîr | Cheese |
An everyday breakfast would just be nan u mast, but the others mix in as well. Of course, no breakfast is complete without Ça.
My favorite breakfast was to mix my mast with date syrup. It was great, but I have no idea what the Kurdish word for date syrup is. Sorry.
Lunch and Dinner: Lunch and dinner foods are usually the same. We often ate lunch at the office where we had a cook. She made some really great things! (Although, some of my co-workers complained about the excessive amounts of oil!)
| Kurdish | English |
|---|---|
| Birinc | Rice |
| Zalate | Salad |
| Fasulîe | Beans |
| Kube | Ground meat wrapped in rice |
| Brîanî | Spiced rice with anything and everything in it |
| Kufte | Ground meat wrapped in wheat served in a tomato soup |
| Tepsî | Eggplant, zucchini, onions and potato fried with spices |
| Yapraẍ/ Dolme | Ground meat wrapped in grape leaves or stuffed in various vegetables |
| Şile | Tomato-based stew with one of many vegetables |
| Şufte | Little spiced-meat patties (My personal favorite!) |
Miscellaneous Food Names: There are many other words you’ll need to cook and eat in Kurdistan. I have tried to include those below. I have also included separate tables for fruits and vegetables.
| Kurdish | English |
|---|---|
| Goşt | Meat |
| Qȋme | Ground meat |
| Mirişik | Chicken |
| Qal | Turkey |
| Masȋ | Fish |
| Samun | Bread loaves or buns |
| Ron | Oil |
| Şekir | Sugar |
| Ard | Flour |
| Mast Aw | Yogurt and water drink |
| Do | Like Mast Aw, but when made traditionally, it’s semi-fermented in an animal stomach |
| Gȋpe | Meat cooked in a cow's stomach |
| Sȇr u Pȇ | Head and feet. Sheep’s brains and feet |
| Kabab | Meat patty on a skewer |
| Tike | Meat chunks on a skewer |
| Gwȇs | Nuts |
| Xwȇ | Salt |
Fruits and Vegetables: The secret to Kurdish culture is this: when you are invited to dinner or visit someone, they will eventually serve you fruit. The fruit is your sign that it’s time to go.
| Kurdish | English |
|---|---|
| Sȇw | Apple |
| Pirtikal | Orange |
| Hunir | Pomegranate |
| Tirȇ | Grape |
| Moz | Banana |
| Kişmiş | Raisin |
| Qeȋsȋ | Apricot |
I don’t like vegetables all that much, so my vocabulary is slim. Sorry.
| Kurdish | English |
|---|---|
| Pȋaz | Onion |
| Tomate | Tomato |
| Potate | Potato |
| Baȋinjan | Eggplant |
| Zȇtun | Olives |
| Bamȇ | Okra |
This certainly isn’t an exhaustive list, but it’s a good start.
If you have recipes for any of these foods, please post them in the comments. I can only make rice and şile.
A view of our neighborhood store. The lady on the right makes the world's best Kube and Şufte.
A small store like this is called a dukan.
9/25/2008
Kurdish Lesson 08 - Full Sorani Pronunciation
I debated for a while whether or not to go too much into Kurdish pronunciation and especially into latini. I've discussed here on the blog the reasons for it, but I'll recap:
Latini isn't widely used
Where Latini is used, it's not always consistent
The Kurdish alphabet it better
I think you'll find it boring
Well, I've decided that it's not a big deal if you think it's boring, you don't have to read it and the other reasons aren't good enough not to do it.
Plus, it'll make any other language discussions/lessons easier because I'll have this page as a reference.
Below you'll find the Latini alphabet as it applies to Sorani. I have tried to keep the explanations simple, but a few of the letters will require more explanation. Those letters are shown in red and discussed further below the list. Also, all of my references are for American English, so keep that in mind.
a.. always "ah" as the o in Bob
ḧ.. Click here to hear it. This is an h sound made well back in the throat. It's a sound borrowed from Arabic.
ll.. Click here to hear it. This is like the ll sound in well versus the l in like.
Latini isn't widely used
Where Latini is used, it's not always consistent
The Kurdish alphabet it better
I think you'll find it boring
Well, I've decided that it's not a big deal if you think it's boring, you don't have to read it and the other reasons aren't good enough not to do it.
Plus, it'll make any other language discussions/lessons easier because I'll have this page as a reference.
Below you'll find the Latini alphabet as it applies to Sorani. I have tried to keep the explanations simple, but a few of the letters will require more explanation. Those letters are shown in red and discussed further below the list. Also, all of my references are for American English, so keep that in mind.
a.. always "ah" as the o in Bob
b.. just like the b in english
c.. in Latini this represents the the j in judge. Always j, never c
ç.. this special character is for the ch sound like in chair
d.. like the d in dog
e.. always "uh" as the u in bub
ȇ.. long a like the a in baby
f.. like the f in fire
g.. like the g in gravy
h.. like the h in heavy
ḧ.. *see below
i.. short i sound like the i in big
ȋ.. long e sound like the y in baby
j.. this is not like the j in judge it's like the s in fusion (or the zh in zhane for anyone who remembers them)
k.. this is like the k in kite
l.. like the l in lamp
ll.. *see below
m.. m in man
n.. n in man
o.. full o like the os in oboe
p.. p in panic
q.. *see below
r.. not the American r! *see below
rr.. rolled or trilled r as in Spanish
s.. s like sassy
ş.. sh. like shabby
t.. t like tea
u.. *see below
û.. *see below
v.. v is for victory
w.. w as in water
x.. *see below
ẍ.. *see below
y.. y as in you
z.. z in zebra
'.. *see below
There are some sounds which you won't find in Kurdish. The short a in apple or the th of this and think for example.
ḧ.. Click here to hear it. This is an h sound made well back in the throat. It's a sound borrowed from Arabic.
ll.. Click here to hear it. This is like the ll sound in well versus the l in like.
q.. Click here to hear it. This is a swallowed k. Make the k sound with the back of your tongue. It's the last sound in the word Iraq. This is another sound borrowed from Arabic.
x.. Click here to hear it. This is like the ch in Bach. We don't have it in English, but you'll recognize the sound.
ẍ.. Click here to hear it. This is the letter that we replace with gh in Baghdad. This one's also borrowed from Arabic.
'.. Click here to hear it. This one's also borrowed from Arabic.
One last note, there is no letter for the i (eye) sound like the i in, well, like. But it's a relatively common sound in Sorani. It's made with a vowel combo of either eȋ or aȋ.
So that's all of the sounds. I made a special note of the Arabic sounds because, once you recognize the sounds, you'll easily be able to pick out the Arabic loan words. These are the words which are being replaced with Kurdish words. If your language helper teaches you one of these words, it's a good idea to ask for the Kurdish word - just so you'll know it.
A great way to practice the sounds is to write with Latini, but in your language.
ȇ grȇt wȇ tu praktis saunds iz tu raȋt Latȋnȋ, bet in yur on languac.
8/17/2008
Kurdish Lesson 07 - Kirkuk
I traveled to Kirkuk once in 2006. Long-time readers may remember my tale from that trip and, most certainly, this picture which caused such a stir at home.
When the A-Team (see above) decided to visit the American family in Kirkuk, we we picked up by the family's drivers, taken to a point just outside of Kirkuk, transferred to two bullet-proof vehicles and taken into the city.
I was in a separate car from the ladies. They were given bullet-proof vests, but I wasn't. I was advised not to get too close to the window and not to draw attention to myself.
I don't know anything about the layout of Kirkuk. I don't know what neighborhood the family lived in and I don't know what roads we took once we were inside Kirkuk. I peeked out the window from the safety of my seat rather than pressing my face up against the glass as I would have prefered.
The city looked just like the other cities I'd been to in Kurdistan, but it seemed sadder and poorer. I remember dirty banners hung across the road which reminded me of some long abandoned party.
At one point, our host pointed out his window, "That's where they say the prophet Daniel is buried."
I couldn't see much from my side of the car, but I wondered how dangerous it would actually be to stop and see it. I mean, it's Daniel of lion den fame. If he could make it out of the lion's den safely, why couldn't I make it out of Kirkuk safely?
We spent our weekend inside the family's home and we left the same way we came. Except, on the way out, I wore a bullet-proof vest, too.
Kirkuk is important today, not as the burial place of Daniel, but as the newest stumbling block for the Iraqi constitution.
The historically Kurdish city was not included in the no-fly zone following the first Gulf War. In fact, the Iraqi government removed their recognition of both Kirkuk and it's oil fields as part of the Kurdish region in 1974. This came following promises in 1970 to honor historical precedent.
Throughout the 1980s the Ba'ath regime of Saddam Hussein pursued a policy of arabization in much of Kurdistan, but certainly in Kirkuk. The government moved Arabs in and forced Kurds out. The city and surrounding province remained predominantly Kurdish, nonetheless.
Following the US invasion and the fall of the Ba'ath regime, Kurds who had been resettled began to return to Kirkuk. Since that time, Kirkuk has been a hotbed of in-fighting and insurgency.
The fighting is between three main Iraqi parties; Sunni, Shia and Kurd, plus a relatively small population of Turkmen. Each side wants control of the city and its vast oil reserves. At the very least, no one wants one of the other groups to gain control.
In the Kurds favor is Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution. It allows for a referendum on the status of Kirkuk. The article allows for the iof Kirkuk to decide their own future; to become part of the Kurdish region or not. There is little doubt that the majority Kurdish population will choose inclusion with the rest of the Kurdish region.
This vote was to take place in November 2007. As of August 2008, that has yet to happen.
The problem is that each ethnic group, with the exception of the Kurds, has strong regional backing. The Shia have the support of Iran, The Sunni of Saudi Arabia and the Turkomen of Turky. Each nation has pressed the Iraqi government to postpone the vote in the hopes of weakening the Kurdish region.
Although, in the case of Saudi Arabia it may have much more to do with keeping it for the Sunnis rather than weakening the Kurds. The Saudis would much prefer a strong Sunni Iraq to a strong Shia state in its place.
Up to this point, the Kurdish government has supported the Iraqi constitution. In the past month, the Kurdish bloc has walked out of parliament sessions over election laws related to the Kirkuk question. The Kurdish region is beyond a doubt the strongest and most stable region of Iraq. If the Iraqi government loses the support of the Kurds, the government collapses.
The question becomes, how long will the Kurds wait on Kirkuk? The peshmerga could take control of the city and region and hold it . This is one of the reasons that both Turkey and Iran continue to shell Northern Iraq. Claims of PKK or PJAK support is a pretext to keep armed forces on the border and, should the Kurds claim what it rightfully theirs, one can be sure that Turkey and Iran will use the same pretext to attack.
Like Halabja, there is much more to this story than I can provide. Below are some good websites to check out if you want to know more.
Kirkuk on Wikipedia
Kirkuk on GlobalSecurity
Council on Foreign Relations
When the A-Team (see above) decided to visit the American family in Kirkuk, we we picked up by the family's drivers, taken to a point just outside of Kirkuk, transferred to two bullet-proof vehicles and taken into the city.
I was in a separate car from the ladies. They were given bullet-proof vests, but I wasn't. I was advised not to get too close to the window and not to draw attention to myself.
I don't know anything about the layout of Kirkuk. I don't know what neighborhood the family lived in and I don't know what roads we took once we were inside Kirkuk. I peeked out the window from the safety of my seat rather than pressing my face up against the glass as I would have prefered.
The city looked just like the other cities I'd been to in Kurdistan, but it seemed sadder and poorer. I remember dirty banners hung across the road which reminded me of some long abandoned party.
At one point, our host pointed out his window, "That's where they say the prophet Daniel is buried."
I couldn't see much from my side of the car, but I wondered how dangerous it would actually be to stop and see it. I mean, it's Daniel of lion den fame. If he could make it out of the lion's den safely, why couldn't I make it out of Kirkuk safely?
We spent our weekend inside the family's home and we left the same way we came. Except, on the way out, I wore a bullet-proof vest, too.
Kirkuk is important today, not as the burial place of Daniel, but as the newest stumbling block for the Iraqi constitution.
The historically Kurdish city was not included in the no-fly zone following the first Gulf War. In fact, the Iraqi government removed their recognition of both Kirkuk and it's oil fields as part of the Kurdish region in 1974. This came following promises in 1970 to honor historical precedent.
Throughout the 1980s the Ba'ath regime of Saddam Hussein pursued a policy of arabization in much of Kurdistan, but certainly in Kirkuk. The government moved Arabs in and forced Kurds out. The city and surrounding province remained predominantly Kurdish, nonetheless.
Following the US invasion and the fall of the Ba'ath regime, Kurds who had been resettled began to return to Kirkuk. Since that time, Kirkuk has been a hotbed of in-fighting and insurgency.
The fighting is between three main Iraqi parties; Sunni, Shia and Kurd, plus a relatively small population of Turkmen. Each side wants control of the city and its vast oil reserves. At the very least, no one wants one of the other groups to gain control.
In the Kurds favor is Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution. It allows for a referendum on the status of Kirkuk. The article allows for the iof Kirkuk to decide their own future; to become part of the Kurdish region or not. There is little doubt that the majority Kurdish population will choose inclusion with the rest of the Kurdish region.
This vote was to take place in November 2007. As of August 2008, that has yet to happen.
The problem is that each ethnic group, with the exception of the Kurds, has strong regional backing. The Shia have the support of Iran, The Sunni of Saudi Arabia and the Turkomen of Turky. Each nation has pressed the Iraqi government to postpone the vote in the hopes of weakening the Kurdish region.
Although, in the case of Saudi Arabia it may have much more to do with keeping it for the Sunnis rather than weakening the Kurds. The Saudis would much prefer a strong Sunni Iraq to a strong Shia state in its place.
Up to this point, the Kurdish government has supported the Iraqi constitution. In the past month, the Kurdish bloc has walked out of parliament sessions over election laws related to the Kirkuk question. The Kurdish region is beyond a doubt the strongest and most stable region of Iraq. If the Iraqi government loses the support of the Kurds, the government collapses.
The question becomes, how long will the Kurds wait on Kirkuk? The peshmerga could take control of the city and region and hold it . This is one of the reasons that both Turkey and Iran continue to shell Northern Iraq. Claims of PKK or PJAK support is a pretext to keep armed forces on the border and, should the Kurds claim what it rightfully theirs, one can be sure that Turkey and Iran will use the same pretext to attack.
Like Halabja, there is much more to this story than I can provide. Below are some good websites to check out if you want to know more.
Kirkuk on Wikipedia
Kirkuk on GlobalSecurity
Council on Foreign Relations
8/03/2008
Kurdish Lesson 06 - Halabja
Lesson 05 was a written about 6 weeks ago and, at the end of it, I promised that the next lesson would cover Halabja.
Today, Kirkuk is arguably the most important Kurdish city to which we should be paying attention. In fact, just this week the Kurdish members of the Iraqi parliament walked out over it. Kirkuk will probably be lesson 07.
Kirkuk's prominence in Kurdish news today is directly tied to the events which led up to the tragedy of Halabja; Saddam Hussein's genocidal campaign against the Kurds.
Basics:
On March 16, 1988, the Iraqi government attacked the kurdish city of Halabja with chemical weapons killing 5,000 people and injuring 10,000 others. As of today, it's the worst chemical attack on a civilian population in history.
This image of a man shielding a young child has become an icon in Kurdistan.
Background:
The grinding Iran-Iraq war was coming to a close in 1988 and the border city of Halabja was caught in the middle. Claiming that the Irani army was in the city, the Iraqi air force attacked.
The air force began bombing the city with conventional weapons driving the people of Halabja into their cellars. The gas used in the chemical weapons were heavier than the air, so the cellars where perhaps the worst places to hide. This is one reason why the death toll was so high.
This attack on the Kurds can be considered as part of Iraq's Anfal campaign. Anfal was the systematic genocide of the Kurdish population of northern Iraq. From 1986 to 1999 up to 200,000 Kurds were murdered by the Ba'ath regime. 4,000 villages were destroyed and 250 towns and villages were exposed to chemical weapons (see wikipedia article).
Recommended Reading:
Obviously what I've written is only a brief summary. The US Department of State published an article on their website which I highly recommend.
The Lessons of Halabja
In truth, it was probably written as propaganda during the build up to the invasion. However, that doesn't make it any less true.
Today:
Now that Saddam is gone and the Kurdish region of Iraq has autonomy, the Kurds of Halabja are still dealing with the aftermath of the gas attack. The city was made virually unlivable following the attack, but many of the survivors stayed.
In 2003, the Kurdish government erected a memorial for the attack and in 2006 an angry mob burned it down.
This to me is one of the most interesting parts of the story. 18 years after the attack the city of Halabja still had yet to receive any significant government assistance - and since 1991, that means Kurdish government assistance. On the anniversary of the attack each year, Kurdish politicians would make the trip to Halabja and make promises to the people and use the events of 1988 as a rallying cry for unity behind the government in power.
In 2006, fed up with empty promises, the people of Halabja staged a protest on the anniversary and torched the monument reclaiming their tragedy from the hands of their ineffective leaders.
Ok, that's all I have. Be sure to read the article I referenced above.
Today, Kirkuk is arguably the most important Kurdish city to which we should be paying attention. In fact, just this week the Kurdish members of the Iraqi parliament walked out over it. Kirkuk will probably be lesson 07.
Kirkuk's prominence in Kurdish news today is directly tied to the events which led up to the tragedy of Halabja; Saddam Hussein's genocidal campaign against the Kurds.
Basics:
On March 16, 1988, the Iraqi government attacked the kurdish city of Halabja with chemical weapons killing 5,000 people and injuring 10,000 others. As of today, it's the worst chemical attack on a civilian population in history.
This image of a man shielding a young child has become an icon in Kurdistan.The grinding Iran-Iraq war was coming to a close in 1988 and the border city of Halabja was caught in the middle. Claiming that the Irani army was in the city, the Iraqi air force attacked.
The air force began bombing the city with conventional weapons driving the people of Halabja into their cellars. The gas used in the chemical weapons were heavier than the air, so the cellars where perhaps the worst places to hide. This is one reason why the death toll was so high.
This attack on the Kurds can be considered as part of Iraq's Anfal campaign. Anfal was the systematic genocide of the Kurdish population of northern Iraq. From 1986 to 1999 up to 200,000 Kurds were murdered by the Ba'ath regime. 4,000 villages were destroyed and 250 towns and villages were exposed to chemical weapons (see wikipedia article).
Recommended Reading:
Obviously what I've written is only a brief summary. The US Department of State published an article on their website which I highly recommend.
The Lessons of Halabja
In truth, it was probably written as propaganda during the build up to the invasion. However, that doesn't make it any less true.
Today:
Now that Saddam is gone and the Kurdish region of Iraq has autonomy, the Kurds of Halabja are still dealing with the aftermath of the gas attack. The city was made virually unlivable following the attack, but many of the survivors stayed.
In 2003, the Kurdish government erected a memorial for the attack and in 2006 an angry mob burned it down.
This to me is one of the most interesting parts of the story. 18 years after the attack the city of Halabja still had yet to receive any significant government assistance - and since 1991, that means Kurdish government assistance. On the anniversary of the attack each year, Kurdish politicians would make the trip to Halabja and make promises to the people and use the events of 1988 as a rallying cry for unity behind the government in power.
In 2006, fed up with empty promises, the people of Halabja staged a protest on the anniversary and torched the monument reclaiming their tragedy from the hands of their ineffective leaders.
Ok, that's all I have. Be sure to read the article I referenced above.
7/20/2008
Iraq War Over?
6/18/2008
Kurdish Lesson 05 - Notes on Pronunciation
This post is for Mo.
First, I should apologize for deleting your comment on this. It was just too long. Sorry.
But let that be a lesson for the rest of you!
Just kidding...
Ok. Her comment was a plea for clarification on the pronunciation of the Kurdish words I've listed here with these Kurdish lessons. This is one of the reasons I was somewhat hesitant to try to teach anything to do with language.
As you may know, Kurdish is not written with a latinate alphabet. They use an Arabic script. It should be noted, however, that it is not the same script used to write Arabic; there are many differences between the two. In Kurdish each letter makes one consistent sound.
English is not written with an Arabic alphabet. We use the Latin alphabet, or at least we use parts of it.
I am sure you've noticed, though, that the English alphabet is not consistent when it comes to sound. Most of the consonants are fairly consistent, but the vowels are all over the place.
Kurdish can be written with the latin alphabet.
There is an alphabet called Latini which is used uncommonly for written Sorani Kurdish. In Latini each Kurdish letter equals one latin letter; each letter equals one and only one sound. There are letters in this alphabet that don't appear in English. For instance the ' represents a sound. There are also different letters for the short and long "a" sounds as another example.
That presents me with two problems. 1) I can't use the Latini alphabet because some of the letters don't appear on my keyboard and 2) I would have to teach a new alphabet to everyone and I don't think anyone wants that.
You can see more on the alphabets here. Pay special attention to Latin 1 (that's closest to English) and Latin 2 (that's the Latini used in Kurdistan).
Kurdish script in action! Plus Angie in fancy sunglasses!
Having said all of that, I will try to help with the words I've already listed:
I, me = min (like the English word men)
you = to (pronounced like toe)
he/him/she/her/it = ew (Similar to the ou in ouch, but short)
we, us = ayme (long a + the mu in mug)
you plural = aywe (long a + what - t)
they, them = ewan (uh like you're thinking + Juan)
hello/ how are you: chony? bashy? (chony means how are you, but is used as hello. bashy literally means "are you good?" The two are usually used together.) (chony rhymes with phony and bashy sounds like gnosh + long e)
I'm good. Thanks: Bashim. Supas (pronounced closer to spas) (the a is pronounced like ah)
And how are you: To chony?
Good bye: Xwa hafis (The sound of X does not appear in English. It's like the German "ch" in Bach. Hafis is like ha+fee+ the s sound in hiss)
See you later: Dwai etbeenimewe (dw+ the word eye, then et + bean + um + uh + wuh)
Halabja (all the a's are like "ah" and everything else sounds like you expect.)
I hope that helps!
First, I should apologize for deleting your comment on this. It was just too long. Sorry.
But let that be a lesson for the rest of you!
Just kidding...
Ok. Her comment was a plea for clarification on the pronunciation of the Kurdish words I've listed here with these Kurdish lessons. This is one of the reasons I was somewhat hesitant to try to teach anything to do with language.
As you may know, Kurdish is not written with a latinate alphabet. They use an Arabic script. It should be noted, however, that it is not the same script used to write Arabic; there are many differences between the two. In Kurdish each letter makes one consistent sound.
English is not written with an Arabic alphabet. We use the Latin alphabet, or at least we use parts of it.
I am sure you've noticed, though, that the English alphabet is not consistent when it comes to sound. Most of the consonants are fairly consistent, but the vowels are all over the place.
Kurdish can be written with the latin alphabet.
There is an alphabet called Latini which is used uncommonly for written Sorani Kurdish. In Latini each Kurdish letter equals one latin letter; each letter equals one and only one sound. There are letters in this alphabet that don't appear in English. For instance the ' represents a sound. There are also different letters for the short and long "a" sounds as another example.
That presents me with two problems. 1) I can't use the Latini alphabet because some of the letters don't appear on my keyboard and 2) I would have to teach a new alphabet to everyone and I don't think anyone wants that.
You can see more on the alphabets here. Pay special attention to Latin 1 (that's closest to English) and Latin 2 (that's the Latini used in Kurdistan).
Kurdish script in action! Plus Angie in fancy sunglasses!Having said all of that, I will try to help with the words I've already listed:
I, me = min (like the English word men)
you = to (pronounced like toe)
he/him/she/her/it = ew (Similar to the ou in ouch, but short)
we, us = ayme (long a + the mu in mug)
you plural = aywe (long a + what - t)
they, them = ewan (uh like you're thinking + Juan)
hello/ how are you: chony? bashy? (chony means how are you, but is used as hello. bashy literally means "are you good?" The two are usually used together.) (chony rhymes with phony and bashy sounds like gnosh + long e)
I'm good. Thanks: Bashim. Supas (pronounced closer to spas) (the a is pronounced like ah)
And how are you: To chony?
Good bye: Xwa hafis (The sound of X does not appear in English. It's like the German "ch" in Bach. Hafis is like ha+fee+ the s sound in hiss)
See you later: Dwai etbeenimewe (dw+ the word eye, then et + bean + um + uh + wuh)
Halabja (all the a's are like "ah" and everything else sounds like you expect.)
I hope that helps!
6/13/2008
Kurdish Lesson 04 - Pronouns*
With these lessons, I want to teach language along with culture. This lesson is back to language again.
Let's start with the pronouns.
I, me = min
you = to (pronounced like toe)
he/him/she/her/it = ew
we, us = ayme
you plural = aywe
they, them = ewan
You'll notice that there is only one word for he, she and it. It makes things easier and more complicated at the same time. It's similar to English only having one word for you and you plural. We have to use context to define what we mean.
Sorani does have a plural you. When I was learning, I would use the German plural you as a place holder. Learning German was my first experience with the plural you. Before this I had no idea it was missing in English!
Also making things easier, is the fact that the pronouns are the same as subject and object. For example, in English we would say I ate the chicken or the chicken at me. In Kurdish it's min mirishikim xward and mirishikeke mini xward. Same word in both positions.
I don't actually know the Kurdish word for owl, but this bird is huge! And could probably eat me.
I know grammar is boring for most people, so I'll leave off there. I think the next time we get a language lesson, I'll teach you how to use the verb have - it's easy to use.
But, before I stop I'll give you a few useful phrases.
hello/ how are you: chony? bashy? (chony means how are you, but is used as hello. bashy literally means "are you good?" The two are usually used together.
I'm good. Thanks: Bashim. Supas (pronounced closer to spas)
And how are you: To chony?
Good bye: Xwa hafis
See you later: Dwai etbeenimewe
I think next time we'll learn about Halabja.
* all language lessons are Sorani Kurdish as spoken in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq (Southern Kurdistan). All spellings are an attempt to simplify pronunciation.
Let's start with the pronouns.
I, me = min
you = to (pronounced like toe)
he/him/she/her/it = ew
we, us = ayme
you plural = aywe
they, them = ewan
You'll notice that there is only one word for he, she and it. It makes things easier and more complicated at the same time. It's similar to English only having one word for you and you plural. We have to use context to define what we mean.
Sorani does have a plural you. When I was learning, I would use the German plural you as a place holder. Learning German was my first experience with the plural you. Before this I had no idea it was missing in English!
Also making things easier, is the fact that the pronouns are the same as subject and object. For example, in English we would say I ate the chicken or the chicken at me. In Kurdish it's min mirishikim xward and mirishikeke mini xward. Same word in both positions.
I don't actually know the Kurdish word for owl, but this bird is huge! And could probably eat me.I know grammar is boring for most people, so I'll leave off there. I think the next time we get a language lesson, I'll teach you how to use the verb have - it's easy to use.
But, before I stop I'll give you a few useful phrases.
hello/ how are you: chony? bashy? (chony means how are you, but is used as hello. bashy literally means "are you good?" The two are usually used together.
I'm good. Thanks: Bashim. Supas (pronounced closer to spas)
And how are you: To chony?
Good bye: Xwa hafis
See you later: Dwai etbeenimewe
I think next time we'll learn about Halabja.
* all language lessons are Sorani Kurdish as spoken in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq (Southern Kurdistan). All spellings are an attempt to simplify pronunciation.
6/08/2008
Kurdish Lesson 03 - What's What
I like these Kurdish lessons I have to admit. I didn't think I'd be able to keep it up, and, while I'm sure it'll get progressively harder to find something to teach, I'm excited for now.
Today, I'll go back to basics. I'll discuss who the Kurds are and where they live, but, first some Kurdish music.
Who are the Kurds:
The easiest way to answer this question is, of course, is to read the wikipedia article and I recommend that you do.
But, I'll also summarize and add my own info.
The Kurds are a people group living in modern Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Due to various events in Kurdish history, there is also a sizable diaspora spread throughout Asia and Europe. There are also smaller communities in the US, Canada and Australia. If you read this blog regularly, you know there's a community in San Diego.
Their history is a complex mix of (mostly) Indo-European people groups moving into the area and adding their cultural, religious and language (and DNA, of course) to the mix. By 400 BC, the Kurds were known as Carduchi by the Greeks whose armies they attacked and they came under Roman rule in 66 BC.
In the seventh century AD, the Arabs showed up to conquer the Kurds. They, of course, were successful and most Kurds were converted from local religions to Islam.
The Kurds eventually became part of the Ottoman Empire and, after WWI, they found themselves inhabiting four new countries (and the Soviet Union) none of which had a Kurdish majority.
The Kurds have a distinct language from their neighbors, though years of minority status have influenced the language quite a bit. Arabic words can be found in the language of the Kurds in Iraq, Syria and even Turkish. Farsi words are common in Iranian Kurdish and Turkish has all but displaced Kurdish in Turkey.
In Iraqi Kurdistan there is an effort to rid the language of Arabic loan words and replace them with the Kurdish. The problem, in my experience, is that with some words, no one knows the Kurdish word. I remember my language helper calling his wife on multiple occasions and then listening as the struggled to come up with a non-Arabic word!
But, given the history of Arab oppression under Saddam Hussein, I can't judge their drive to purge Arabic from their language.
Where do they live:
Kurds live everywhere!
Just kidding, but, as I mentioned above, there is a large diaspora.
Kurds in Kurdistan are spread between Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Armenia.
In Iraq, there are three provinces - Dohuk, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah - which are recognized as Kurdistan. There is also a a majority Kurdish population in the oil-rich city of Kirkuk and the surrounding province. Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution promises a referendum on the inclusion of Kirkuk in the autonomous Kurdish region. This vote was scheduled for November 2007, but has yet to take place.
I have mentioned the mistreatment of Kurds in Iran, Turkey and Syria, so I won't go into it again now, but I will highlight a tidbit from the wikipedia piece on Article 140: Saudi Arabia reportedly offered the Iraqi Kurdish leaders $2 billion in exchange for delaying the process for ten years.
I mention that to highlight the fact that Kurdistan lays with hostile countries amid a hostile region. The Kurds have an oft-quoted proverb: "The Kurds have no friends but the mountains." In their history they have often been forced high into the mountains to escape persecution. Even today, it would seem that their neighbors work hard to destroy them.
Today, I'll go back to basics. I'll discuss who the Kurds are and where they live, but, first some Kurdish music.
 | Ziyad Asaad - Pey Belen - www.Kurd.us |  |
 | ||
 | Found at bee mp3 search engine |  |
Don't give up. It gets good at the 1 minute mark.
Who are the Kurds:
The easiest way to answer this question is, of course, is to read the wikipedia article and I recommend that you do.
But, I'll also summarize and add my own info.
The Kurds are a people group living in modern Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Due to various events in Kurdish history, there is also a sizable diaspora spread throughout Asia and Europe. There are also smaller communities in the US, Canada and Australia. If you read this blog regularly, you know there's a community in San Diego.
Their history is a complex mix of (mostly) Indo-European people groups moving into the area and adding their cultural, religious and language (and DNA, of course) to the mix. By 400 BC, the Kurds were known as Carduchi by the Greeks whose armies they attacked and they came under Roman rule in 66 BC.
In the seventh century AD, the Arabs showed up to conquer the Kurds. They, of course, were successful and most Kurds were converted from local religions to Islam.
The Kurds eventually became part of the Ottoman Empire and, after WWI, they found themselves inhabiting four new countries (and the Soviet Union) none of which had a Kurdish majority.
The Kurds have a distinct language from their neighbors, though years of minority status have influenced the language quite a bit. Arabic words can be found in the language of the Kurds in Iraq, Syria and even Turkish. Farsi words are common in Iranian Kurdish and Turkish has all but displaced Kurdish in Turkey.
In Iraqi Kurdistan there is an effort to rid the language of Arabic loan words and replace them with the Kurdish. The problem, in my experience, is that with some words, no one knows the Kurdish word. I remember my language helper calling his wife on multiple occasions and then listening as the struggled to come up with a non-Arabic word!
But, given the history of Arab oppression under Saddam Hussein, I can't judge their drive to purge Arabic from their language.
Where do they live:
Kurds live everywhere!
Just kidding, but, as I mentioned above, there is a large diaspora.
Kurds in Kurdistan are spread between Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Armenia.
In Iraq, there are three provinces - Dohuk, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah - which are recognized as Kurdistan. There is also a a majority Kurdish population in the oil-rich city of Kirkuk and the surrounding province. Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution promises a referendum on the inclusion of Kirkuk in the autonomous Kurdish region. This vote was scheduled for November 2007, but has yet to take place.
I have mentioned the mistreatment of Kurds in Iran, Turkey and Syria, so I won't go into it again now, but I will highlight a tidbit from the wikipedia piece on Article 140: Saudi Arabia reportedly offered the Iraqi Kurdish leaders $2 billion in exchange for delaying the process for ten years.
I mention that to highlight the fact that Kurdistan lays with hostile countries amid a hostile region. The Kurds have an oft-quoted proverb: "The Kurds have no friends but the mountains." In their history they have often been forced high into the mountains to escape persecution. Even today, it would seem that their neighbors work hard to destroy them.
6/03/2008
Kurdish Lesson 02 - The Kurdish Air Force
A graveyard in Halabja for those who died in March 1988 when Saddam Hussein dropped chemical weapons on the city. It is the worst chemical weapons attack against a civilian population There is no Kurdish air force. Therefore, my two posts on this rate fairly high on google. The real question, though, is why people are searching for information on something that doesn't exist.
I have two theories to explain it.
- People wish the Kurds did have an air force
- People are afraid that the Kurds have an air force.
The Kurdish army is better known as the Peshmerga. This means "those who face death." One definition I've heard indicates that it means more than just face death, but more like those who rush forward to face death.
Even though they've never been able to secure a homeland for the Kurds, the Peshmerga are one of the most successful militias in history. Since 1996, they've kept the north of Iraq peaceful and held the Arab insurgence at bay. In fact, the US Army relies on them in such volatile cities as Kirkuk and Mosul.
So, people who see this success and applaud it want the Kurds to have an air force. With an air force the Peshmerga could even better secure Kurdish interests in Iraq.
Those who see the success and fear it do not want the Kurds to have an air force. The only country in which the Kurds have any sort of power is Iraq, of course. Turkey, Iran and Syria actively persecute their own Kurdish populations.
These would be the countries with the most to lose from an active Kurdish air force.
The PKK with airplanes would be a disaster viewed through Turkish eyes as it would undoubtedly lead to a sovereign Kurdish state in what is now eastern Turkey. Turkey has a long and brutal history of oppressing the Kurds.
Perhaps surprisingly, the Kurds have found better treatment in Iran. As this article points out, "unlike Turkey where Kurds are called 'the mountainous Turks', no one in Iran has dared to make such insulting remarks concerning the Kurds in Iran."
Today, Kurds are oppressed and censured along the same lines as the rest of the Iranian minority populations, but with perhaps greater frequency. Kurdish journalists are increasingly being targeted. These links (1 and 2) are two recent examples.
The Kurdish population is Syria numbers 1.5 million and, like Turkey, Syria denies their ethnic identity. Syria's government is ba'athist, like the former Hussein government in Iraq. The Kurds there are openly repressed even unable to use Kurdish names for their children. This article from the Kurdish Human Rights Watch (KHRW) has more information.
So, while Angie and I often talk about all of the amazing progress in Sulaymaniyah (and it's very true) I hope we can all remember that there is a very real struggle for the freedom of the Kurds and the survival of their culture. In this fight Iraqi Kurdistan is a very real beacon of hope. Among all the debate about the war and the American presence there - a political topic that I won't get into here - we should remember that the Kurds are benefiting and their neighbors are working hard to ensure their failure.
All three countries - Iran, Turkey and Syria - have people on the ground in Iraq and Kurdistan with the goal of bringing down the Iraqi government and to ensure that Kurdish freedom does no spread and ultimately is turned back. There can be no doubt about this.
So, I hope we all learned something.
5/30/2008
Kurdish Lesson 01*
So, you know how I love to teach people things, right?
Anyone who knows me, though, knows that I hate to teach things. I think you should be able to pick up most things on your own and, let's face it, your inability to do so just makes me angry.
Haha. Just kidding...
No. Not kidding. Totally true. I mean, get with it.
I have noticed that I get a large number of hits on my blog from people searching for Kurdish stuff; Kurdish food, Kurdish recipes, Kurdish air force and, most recently, Kurdish months.
So, I have decided to add a new feature! I will start teaching Kurdish stuff. I know that when one searched for Kurdish things on the internet, one finds about... oh, nothing of use. At least nothing in English. But, that's about to change.
That's where I come in! Now searches will be rewarded. I have everything necessary to change lives:
- A Computer
- A Blog
- English fluency
- Knowledge of Kurdish things
Lesson 01 is below. Enjoy.
Sulaymaniyah. Mangi paynj.
Sulaymaniyah. Mangi paynj.The Kurdish Months:
First things first, I must tell you that there are two sets of names for the Kurdish months. There's one that people use and then one that they don't.
Set #1:
Mangi yek
Mangi du
Mangi say
Mangi chwar
Mangi paynj
Mangi shush
Mangi hewt
Mangi husht
Mangi no
Mangi duh
Mangi yanze
Mangi dwanze
From this list we learn two things: the kurdish word for month (mang) and the numbers 1-12. It's simple and easy. January is month 1, February is month 2 and so on.
Set #2:
This is the set that your Kurdish teacher will teach you. You'll spend days memorizing it and practicing it.
Then you'll go to Kurdistan and try to use it. Everyone will be all "Huh? What...yeah. No."
This is not the set for the conversational speaker. This is the set for... Well, I honestly don't know. I never heard anyone use it.
You know what? I'm not going to teach it to you. You don't need Kanuni duem and friends.
That's it. That's the end of lesson 1. Did you learn something? I hope so.
I plan to try to teach a different lesson regularly so that 13Months give back to the community rather than just take, take, take.
Let me know if there's anything you'd like to know about the Kurds or Kurdistan or even Iraq. I'll try to teach what you want.
* all language lessons are Sorani Kurdish as spoken in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq (Southern Kurdistan). All spellings are an attempt to simplify pronunciation.
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