PUK’s 36th anniversary party leaves many guests bemused

By Ashna Omar:

LONDON – The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) held a 36th anniversary event at Hammersmith town hall on 28 May. Patriots, loyalists and supporters were invited to celebrate the birthday of the PUK which once stood for ‘Democracy, Equality, Independence and Self-Determination’.

Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa founded the PUK on June 1, 1975. The latter has since launched a new political movement called ‘Change’, opposing the corruption which became rampant when the PUK came to power.

The event was far from what many guests expected,  with rumours circulating beforehand on social networking sites that it would be ‘one of a kind’, re-establishing the PUK’s  support-base and showing the opposition that it is stronger than ever. However, while the seats were filled, this was largely by people from outside London, mostly men who were invited by the PUK and came by coach.

Few families with strong political backgrounds attended and those who did were dismayed by the absence of so many families who were once ardent PUK supporters and patriots.  An increasing number of Kurdish politicians and academics have abandoned the PUK due to its support for the crackdown on protesters in southern Kurdistan, the lack of services provided by the KRG, the nepotism and the corrupt politicians gaining high positions with PUK backing.

The party was scheduled to start at 5.30 pm but guests waited until 6.30 for the stage to be set up. Films shown many times before were then shown once more and there was a flow of poets praising the PUK. As the poets came and went, the guests grew hungry.

Food was available for purchase. Approximately 50 kebab sandwiches quickly sold out, leaving children to pester their parents. It wasn’t long before guests left to buy sandwiches and drinks from nearby shops. There was no cake, and the long-awaited anniversary party was filled with guests in front of empty tables decorated with green tablecloths and plastic roses mixed with real plant leaves.

In a bid to entertain themselves, some of the young Kurds left the main hall and retired to couches in front of a big TV screen where they watched the match between Barcelona and Manchester United. They seemed more lively and enthusiastic than the crowd inside, listening to poets lamenting and praising.

If Kurds are known for anything, it is for our traditional dance at events. At this event, there was little space for doing Halparke and – when it was announced that the Kurdish traditional dance would take place – men jumped up and danced randomly in the over-crowded space. A few women joined in but many found themselves watching in disappointment.

Older men sat together, watching and talking about politics. Then speakers took the stage, talking about how ‘the Arabs would love to crush Kurds’ and how the opposition party is falling for this plot.

But the event was not all miserable. The entertainment included giving $200 to the best dancer, poetry reader and person with the best Kurdish dress. As this got underway, there was some contention about who had the best dress. People were told that ‘an independent body of Kurdish designers’ was overseeing the process to ensure it was fair and impartial. Yes, people argued over who wore the best dress for the reward of $200.

As the crowd grew larger for Halparke, the space got smaller. Tables were moved and, in the end, women danced at the back of the hall while men were at the front of the stage, dancing to Mikaeel, one of the event’s main singers.