Interview with Mehmet Bayrak: Mehmet Bayrak, the veteran Alevi Kurdish writer and publisher, has been prosecuted many times by the Turkish authorities. He was interviewed last year in New York by Ahmet Abidin Ozbek. AO: As we know you are very sensitive about ethnic and religious identities. Why are our identities so essential? MB: Each person has multiple identities. As mentioned…
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Category Archives: Interviews
‘West should accept a cooperative, nuclear Iran’
Part 4 of KT Interview with Mustafa Shamamy, Republican Movement of Kurdistan (RMK): KT: What is your attitude towards the threat of US and/or Israeli military action against the Iran regime? MS: America is conducting a policy of militarising the Middle East – aimed at abolishing the dictatorial systems and, alongside this, it also conducts a policy…
‘Resolving the Kurdish issue requires diplomacy within the borders of Iran, rather than outside’
Part 3 of KT Interview with Mustafa Shamamy, Republican Movement of Kurdistan (RMK): KT: Does your movement have any international support? MS: We believe, if organised, internal support can be far more important, effective and resourceful, whether it’s financial, logistical or any other kind, hence we are focusing on that. An organised and active internal support can…
‘Iran is a multi-nation country and must give Kurds and others the right to self-governance’
Part 2 of KT Interview with Mustafa Shamamy, Republican Movement of Kurdistan (RMK): KT: What is your relation with other political parties? MS: Our relation with other political parties, as stated in the Republican Movement of Kurdistan’s (RMK) constitution, is neutral. We are not against them, nor do we consider ourselves to be an alternative to other…
‘We work for a united front to achieve political independence for Eastern Kurds’
Part 1 of KT Interview with Mustafa Shamamy, Republican Movement of Kurdistan (RMK): Mustafa Shamamy (also known as Dyako) was born in the city of Sardasht in East Kurdistan. During the beginning of the Iranian revolution, he was a mathematics teacher and he later joined the democrats. In 1983, at the suggestion of Dr Qassimlo, he emigrated…
‘KRG Department of Foreign Relations will continue open door policy’: Karwan Jamal
KT Interview with Karwan Jamal: Karwan Jamal is Deputy Head of the Department of Foreign Relations (Deputy Minister) within the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). KT: The Turkish Foreign Minister’s recent visit to Kirkuk was sharply criticized by Iraq, saying it was not conducted through official and diplomatic channels. Did your department organize his visit? KJ: I…
IC role in massacre of Tamils a shame for an entire century: Kurdish activist
By Tamilnet.com: The international players knew what was going to happen in May 2009 to the Tamils but they did nothing to prevent it, and that was a shame right at the beginning of the 21st century, and a shame for the entire century, stated Mirham Yigit, Head of the Kurdish Institute in Germany, in…
The unstoppable fight for justice: Interview with Serdasht’s brother, Bakir Osman
KT Interview with Bakir Osman: Bakir Osman is the elder brother of Serdasht Osman, who was a journalist and final-year student at the University of Selahedin. Serdasht was abducted on 4 May 2010 in front of his university. Two days later, his body was found in neighbouring Mosul city with a bullet shot to his mouth….
‘Halabja Project should help galvanise world leaders to eradicate weapons of mass murder’
Hamish de Bretton-Gordon OBE is Chief Operating Officer of SecureBio, which is developing the Halabja Project with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). He spoke to The Kurdistan Tribune on the eve of the 24th anniversary of Saddam Hussein’s fiendish chemical attack on Halabja and surrounding areas. KT: When did you last go to Halabja and what did…
Egypt’s new foreign policy will ‘waste resources trying to destroy Israel’ – Barry Rubin
By Koshan Ali Khidhir: The Arab Spring is a controversial issue, and most controversial is the impact of this change on relations between Egypt and Israel. In this interview we discuss some crucial issues with Professor Barry Rubin, Director, Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) Center. Professor Rubin is a featured columnist at PJM, Editor,…
The big success of women entrepreneurs is a Kurdish princess
By Solin Hacador: Ferda Cemiloğlu (54) is a Kurdish entrepreneur who comes from the capital city of Kurdistan, Amed (Diyarbakir). She is from one of the noble families of Amed. Her grandfather governed Yemen for about 16 years. She is referred as a Kurdish princess. She owns a construction company in Erbil, Kurdistan. In a male-dominated…
The moment of truth for the Kurds is fast arriving: In conversation with Jonathan Randal
By Ava Homa: Special to Bas ‘After Such Knowledge, What Forgiveness?’ is the title of a book by Jonathan Randal that I came across last year. The book’s daring and honest criticism of both world powers and Kurds in shaping the Kurds’ unfortunate destiny both intrigued me and blew me away. The book is a…
‘KRG’s investment law is amongst the most investor friendly laws in the wider region’ – Minister Falah Mustafa Bakir
Minister Falah Mustafa Bakir, Head of Foreign Relations for the KRG (Kurdistan Regional Government), was interviewed by The Kurdistan Tribune. KT: There is wide criticism that KRG offices abroad have failed to attract Kurdish intellectuals in the diaspora. What is your response to this? FMB: I do not think that this is a valid accusation. The…
“We need agreement from the mass of people” on a democratic constitution – Shaho Saeed
Dr Shaho Saeed – Gorran’s spokesman and a former MP – was interviewed by The Kurdistan Tribune. This is part one. KT: What prompted you to forward your resignation from the Kurdistan Parliament and what is your response to those people who voted for you. Do you have any plans to go back to your previous…
The women of the Peshmarga: Fighting for a Kurdish homeland
By Ava Homa, rabble.ca: The Peshmarga (those who face death) is a large group of Kurdish guerrillas who live in the mountains of Kurdistan, fighting the occupiers. Kurds, the largest ethnic group in the world without a homeland, are mainly divided between four countries of Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Syria and have faced genocide. In…
