Barack Obama, President
United States of AmericaThe White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
March 25, 2014
Dear President Obama,
This systematic
suppression of the Kurds was created by the provisions of the Sykes-Picot
Treaty which created some of the most racist nation states in the Middle East.
The new nation states of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria were formed at the
expense of the identity of other nationalities such as the Kurds, who were native
to their own ancestral land. This colonial stratagem caused the peoples of the
Middle East to live in disharmony and conflict. Perhaps, the current
instability of the Middle East is the direct result of the unjust colonial
division of the region which now is suffering the most profound and
destabilizing transformation in the region’s long disputed history.
Mr. President, for
the Kurds, the transformation began in 1991 with the US invasion of Iraq, and the
establishment of the no-fly zone. In 1992, the Kurds, with the help of the US, England,
and France, were able to establish their own administration in some parts of Kurdistan-Iraqi.
The Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), as a new self-governing entity, has its
own shortcomings, certainly.
Nonetheless, the KRG has been a reliable friend of the US and its
interests in the Middle East. But, despite
the constant cooperation of the KRG, the Kurds have not received genuine US
support.
Further, at the
regional level, Turkey has problematic relations with the Kurds. Although, Turkey
has profited from its murky oil deal with the KRG, and while benefiting from
Kurdish oil, the Turkish government has not changed its political behavior
towards Kurdish national and democratic rights in Kurdistan-Iraq, and continues
to support some opposing factions to the Kurdistan Regional Government. Furthermore,
Turkey prevents the Kurdish people of Kurdistan-Syria to enjoy the status that
reflects their Kurdish identity.
Additionally, Turkey
refuses to recognize the constitutional rights of Kurdistan citizens in Turkey.
The only constitutional thing Turkey has implemented was in September 2013,
when Turkish government removed the 85 year old ban on three letters q, x and
w, that exist the in Kurdish alphabet. Nonetheless, what Turkey should do is
the constitutional recognition of the Kurds as one of the two main ethnicities
(Turks and Kurds) in Turkey. Kurds have their own national identity, language
and culture, and should be recognized constitutionally.
Mr. President, when
the instability reached Syria some three years ago, the Kurds in that part of
Kurdistan transformed themselves from an ethnicity with no citizenship and
identity in Syria into self-ruling cantons in Kurdistan-Syria. These three
cantons include all the other non-Kurds in the region such as Arabs and
Assyrians as equal partners in the newly established entity. The collective leadership
of this part of Kurdistan has created a model for the future Middle East – a
model in which various ethnicities could live together in harmony without one
being identified as majority and the other as minority. However, Turkey has
been vehemently opposing this transformation of Kurdistan-Syria.
Regardless of what
Turkey’s intention is, Mr. President, what the Kurdish people have created in
Kurdistan-Syria reflects their vision for the future and the way they want to
live in co-existence on the basis of equality with all who live there – Kurds
and non-Kurds alike. This means that the
Kurds don’t want to create a Kurdish nation state in which only the Kurds are
the landlords of the country.
Therefore, the United States government should support this
good model to create precedence for democracy and equality in the future Middle
East.
Moreover, although
Turkey has opened a channel of dialogue (not negotiation) with Abdulla Ocalan
allegedly to find a peaceful settlement for the Kurdish issue in Kurdistan-Turkey,
the Turkish government’s negotiation could more accurately be called a gambit,
because Turkey has yet to take a practical legal step that corresponds to
Abdulla Ocalan’s peaceful approach, move forward, and find a constitutional solution
to make possible Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood.
Mr. President, keeping
Abdullah Ocalan in prison and the PKK on the terrorist list will only harm the Kurdish-Turkish
peace process. Therefore, we ask of you, as a Nobel peace prize laureate and
the President of the United States, to press for the release of Abdullah Ocalan
who indeed, has given a new vision for the Middle East, where various
ethnicities could live together in peace. Mr. President, it would be against
American values to continue to support a nation with such a myopic constitution
that only recognizes the rights of Turks. In the past, you have had a positive
influence on the relationship between Turkey and Kurdistan-Iraq. We urge you to press Turkey to have similar
practical stance with the cantons of Kurdistan-Syria and the people of Kurdistan-Turkey.
We shall continue to pray for your success.
Sincerely yours,
Kirmanj Gundi, Ed.D.Professor
Tennessee State University
Well done Professor Gundi. You may consider the Kurdish conflict as a retired conflict, since it is not on the agenda of the US. Maybe the Kurds should keep on waiting. Maybe once president Obama is retired he will have time to review the position of Mandela (one of his idols) and African National Congress on the Kurdish cause. Maybe by then he will regret for having done nothing and his guilt forces him to make his followers make a meaningful difference in the life of the Kurds.
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous,
DeleteThank you for your comments. I think, we have to look at the whole picture - the entire Middle East is on the US agenda, and since Kurdistan is a part of that region, it cannot be excluded. However, sooner or later, America, will have to deal with the Kurdish issue. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts with me.
Very well written letter. Please make a petition of this great letter to be signed by thousands of supporters in http://www.avaaz.org/en/
ReplyDeleteDear Soraya Xanim,
DeleteThank you for your kind words and continuous support. I do like your idea. We'll talk about it soon. Regards,
6 April 2014
ReplyDeleteDear Dr Gundi,
Another master piece of writing from a distinguished and courageous professor. I agree with you that Mr Obama and the United States should draw the Middle East Plan with the Kurds in mind and needs not to ignore the Kurdish issue in the four parts of Kurdistan. I agree with you whole heartedly.
Dear Anonymous,
DeleteThank you for your feedback. I appreciate your kind words. I think an independent Kurdistan not only stabilizes the Middle East, but also serves mutual interests. The US will have to take the Kurdish issue more seriously. Kurds cannot continue to be scapegoats of the Western interests in the Middle East.
God bless,
Well said Mr. Gundi. Keep up this good work. I picture Kurdistan as a pray being surrounded by four vicious hungry predators (Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran). Each with ambitions for regional control and consuming the wealth of others around them. The UN, The Security Council, and The Superpowers have not really taken a positive stand on the Kurdish issue. It seems like helping the Kurds may not be financially, socially, or politically feasible for them. So proving limited aid and limited support is the best they can do or want to offer for now.
ReplyDeleteDear Kak Saman,
DeleteThank you for your kind words. You are absolutely right about the four occupiers! However, I think, the problem is the Kurdish political parties. They, through their disunity, feed the four "predators." They need to clean the Kurdish house and put the interest of the people of Kurdistan above their narrow political ambition. Perhaps, then the US and other world powers would be willing to help our national cause! Nonetheless, we must continue to ask for their assistance. Once again, thank you!.
Dear Dr. Kirmanj Gundi,
ReplyDeletevery well written letter. I hope that President Obama will read it and understand Kurds story from a Kurd. I really thank you for this writing which expresses all our feelings and desires.
Great job as usual.
Faraydon Karim
DeleteKirmanj GundiApril 28, 2014 at 10:37 AM
Dear Dr. Faraydon,
Thank you for your kind words. I pray that we can form a better and stronger lobby to promote our national cause!
Regards,
Kirmanj
Dr,Gundi
ReplyDeleteI read your letter to President, but there are many things you do not understand, only way to solve this problem is economic, and north Iraq is full of oil, and Turks and Kurds will work it and bring it to markets, your plea is problematic, and dividing without sharing is problematic. as you see with Turks help Kurds got Kerkut and Musul is promised to Turkey as it was Turkey forever until England divide it and gave it away to Iraq, now it is time to work together not against each other, billions are under your feet, Turkey is building Kurdistan in north Iraq as Turkish contractors second to China in the world, from schools to hospitals to roads ,Kurds need, and Turkey need energy, now to be smart, and one day borders will not matter like EU, only economy does, all they have to do stop figiting eachother as British divide and rule doctorine will be rendered useless, or you can go down to that path and have more figting as they watch you kill each other, it is economy stupid, remember Clinton said that once, many times, IT IS ECONOMY STUPID,
You want Kurds to live in prosperity and Turks be strong to protect the Kurds? than share and make peace and love, that is all you need to do, money will come,as Turks open the way for the Kurd do just that,so give them some credit, stop the hate,
take care,