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By Raber Y. Aziz: @RaberYAziz I was a junior undergrad student in 2007 when a journalist from a Dutch radio station who worked on a report about Kurds and Kurdistan asked me as a Kurd what I thought about an independent Kurdish state. My answer was as follows: having a Kurdish state without the blessings…
By Kamal Chomani: Twitter: @KamalChomani The recent developments in energy cooperation between the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Turkey are seen by many as a route to Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Independence, a long-deferred dream of Kurds. However, putting all the eggs into Turkey’s basket ultimately creates KRG Dependence on Turkey or, as many put…
Interview with Goran Sabah (Novelist and PhD Student): Interviewed By Aras Ahmed Mhamad AAM: What is the most notable change in Kurdish society in recent years? GS: It depends on how you define the word “recent” here. Do we mean the last five, eight or ten years? I’d go for the last five years. I…
By Yasin Aziz: When we leave our homes and use our visual sense, we use our ability to see to avoid tripping over or bumping into objects; but often our visual mind is somewhere else, maybe preoccupied with anxiety about how to overcome a challenge or accomplish a plan. We might be going to work…
By Solin Hacador: Due to my own experiences and considering European statistics on crime victims, I believe that Southern Kurdistan is safer than European countries. Kurdistan might not attract many foreign visitors and the reason is a fear for safety. When in Europe we speak about Kurdistan and ask people’s opinions, the first response is…
By Mufid Abdulla: The Gorran movement ran its first big campaign in 2009 on the basis of fighting corruption and restoring the Kurdish nationalist movement to its original ideals. Due to the failings of the ruling Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) – which Gorran had split away from – the new movement won 25 seats…
SOAS Kurdish Society with Peace in Kurdistan Campaign: Opportunities for genuine dialogue between Ankara and the Kurds Seminar on Saturday, 16 November 4-6pm SOAS, University of London, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H OXG, Room L67, Main Building Speakers: Judge Essa Moosa, International Peace and Reconciliation Initiative, South Africa Akif Wan, Kurdistan National Congress…
By LKFF: Hosting three internationally renowned Kurdish filmmakers and a range of awarded films, the London Kurdish Film Festival is delighted to announce its 8th Festival from 15th to 24th November 2013. This year’s opening gala is crowned with the UK premiere of ‘Before Snowfall’, a thought-provoking and poignant film about honour killing, by the…
By Michael Rubin: The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) began an insurgency and terrorist campaign against Turkey in 1984, and the United States designated the group to be a terrorist entity 13 years later largely out of deference to Turkey. Turks may insist that the PKK remains a terrorist group, and Kurdish supporters may say it…
Book Review by Ava Homa: Review of Mary Jo Leddy’s ‘Our Friendly Local Terrorist’ Suleyman Govan is a Kurd from Dersim who arrives in Canada in 1991. Dersim is the region of Seyit Riza, the Kurdish leader who in 1937 took the noose from his executioners and placed it on his own neck, denying the…
By Ramyar Hassani: Just a few weeks before the inauguration of the new president, on August 3, 2013, a new wave of discussion, argument and contention was heating up. A few candidates were busy with nightly debates on the national TV channel – one of whom was to become the new president of Iran, Mr….
By Raber Younis Aziz: I watched a short video footage of Ahmet Kaya, the great Kurdish artist who was honored in 1999 for his art by the Magazine Journalists Association in Turkey. In the footage, Kaya appears on stage as he receives the award and says, “I am receiving this award on behalf of everyone…
By Beyan Farshi: I never had the intention to be involved in politics. As far back as I remember, all kinds of negativities seemed to be hidden within politics: things like treason, inequality, captivity, imprisonment, war, killing, slavery, confinement, restraints and many more. However, as a Kurd you can’t escape from politics. Thanks to our…
