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By Mufid Abdulla: Exactly one year ago on 4th May 2010, Sardasht Osman, a young journalist and student, was kidnapped in broad daylight from outside his university in Hawler, the capital of Kurdistan. Two days later his body was found dumped 70 miles away in Mosul city. Sardasht Osman was studying English literature and writing for some independent Kurdish websites. His death shocked not only Kurdistan but the whole world. The only apparent possible motive for his death lies in the fact that he had criticised the Barzani family and then received a death threat just a few days before he was kidnapped. Sardasht Osman informed everyone about this but still no one could save him. It is a travesty that no one has been punished for his murder. This has revealed a grim truth about the KRG that nobody wanted to believe.
Respect for human rights is an essential part of any legal system. What happened to Sardasht Osman could happen to any of us – any day, any time. Law and order in Kurdistan is like the law of the jungle. We have laws but they are protecting the wrong people. However, since Sardasht Osman’s murder Kurdistan has changed forever. His death triggered the new wave of revolution that has broadly appealed to our young generation. It prompted a strong reaction by people from all walks of life. The murder of Sardasht Osman has not just damaged the nation’s standing but also the public’s respect for the law. For this reason it is vital for our social revolution to succeed and achieve a balance between a democratic government and an independent judiciary.
It is my belief that we will all face insecurity and the threat of death for every minute, hour and day that Sardasht’s Osman’s killers are allowed to evade justice. Where are the fathers of our nation when they see one of its sons left in a pool of blood? This is a cruel blow to every freedom lover in our country. It is obvious to us all that the love affair of the two ruling parties is cemented by violence and repression. We cannot be naïve about the brutal desire driving these parties to retain power. Only the Chinese communist party comes close to Talabani and Barzani in its understanding of power and its capacity to hold and keep it.
The social revolution that has spread across Kurdistan since 17th February tells us that our freedom is now closer. The popular revolutions give us a new sense of hope. This peaceful uprising is a continuation of Sardasht Osman’s work and courageous dignity. Consequently, Sulaymani has been under siege by Talabani’s forces since 19th April. But it won’t be long before there is a further uprising – from within his own forces.
On the anniversary of Sardasht Osman’s murder, I ask the authorities in Kurdistan to tell us the truth. Despite their claims of superiority, Kurdish leaders suffer from the same symptoms that plague Arab dictators: the failure to learn that they must change before it is too late.
