Translated from Gazete Karınca by Ercan Sezgin
The history of the Kurds is in a sense the history of resistance. Kurds have been resisting the state system for 5,000 years and the nation-state system for 500 years. They resisted but never won, were defeated but never finished. The only reason why the Kurds have survived is their resistance. However, the reason they always failed to win is down to the internal betrayal that the Kurds conceptualise as “Birakuji”.
“Birakujî” means fratricide in Kurdish. Kurdish history is the history of betrayal and “Birakuji” as well as the history of resistance. The Kurds have suffered a lot from “Birakujî”. It became the main subject in Kurdish literature, art, fairy tales, and stories as well. Therefore, the National Unity of Kurds has become the greatest wish, desire, and dream of the Kurds in history.
In our recent history, the centre of “Birakuji” has always been southern Kurdistan, which is officially called the “Iraqi Kurdistan Region”. Together with the US intervention in the Middle East, the overthrow of Saddam and the emerging Kurdish status have changed the balances in the region. There was a historical opportunity that came with Saddam’s overthrow. If there were no “Birakuji” and historical Kurdish betrayal, not only southern Kurdistan but also the developments in the northern Kurdistan would have been different.
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) – Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), PKK – Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), had all previously clashed and later agreed with each other to preserve their positions after the 2000s. Although there were some tensions from time to time, it did not turn into a civil war. Problems were generally resolved through dialogue and negotiation methods.
After 2011, the uprisings called the “Arab Spring” and the collapse of the old regimes in many places offered historical opportunities for the Kurds. The chaos in the Middle East was getting deeper. The Kurds would either come out from this chaos by getting stronger and providing their national unity or they would face genocide and massacres in the Middle East. PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan understood this and made a call to the Kurdish community in all regions and pointed out the importance of the National Unity of Kurds.
Some workshops, conferences, and meetings were held in Erbil (Hewler) about it. However, all these attempts failed. Some enemies of Kurds broke this initiative and prevented it from reaching an end.
When national unity could not be achieved, all parts of Kurdistan became the centre of the Third World War. First, The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) occupied many parts of North-East Syria and Iraqi Kurdistan. Many radical Islamist groups have turned Kurdistan into a war zone. It is now known by everyone who is behind them and by whom they are used.
Turkey also took part in this war. Cizre, Sur, Nusaybin, Yüksekova, Silvan, and Şırnak (Şırnex) were burned and destroyed. The cities of Kirkuk (Kerkük), Afrin (Efrîn), Tell Abiad (Gire Spi,) and Ras al-Ayn (Serekaniye)were occupied. These are all consequences of a lack of national unity.
After the KDP and Turkey grew closer in 2015, tensions increased between the KDP and the PKK. Turkish Armed Forces’ (TSK) operation in Hakurk, the movement of KDP forces in the Bradost (Biradost) region, which is under the control of the PKK, the assassination of a Turkish intelligence agency spy in Erbil, the embargo against Makhmur (Maxmur) have all increased the tension between the KDP and the PKK. The latest Haftanin operations and the Sinjar agreement made relations even worse.
“The Iraqi government, Iraqi Kurdistan Administration and Turkey work together and beat PKK” was the hidden message of the USA. This shows who is behind these deals, operations, events.
The deployment of KDP forces in the Gare area was considered a “cause of war” by the PKK, who declared that they do not want a war between the Kurds and asked KDP officials for an explanation. KDP Chairman Masoud Barzani should make the necessary explanation, said PKK chairs.
The expected statement from Masoud Barzani came the day before. Making a written statement on the issue, the KDP President said, “We are proud of the fact that we have made it haram [religiously banned] for us to engage in intra-Kurdish fighting because everyone, including Kurdistan’s people, has lost a lot in fighting and conflict. However, this position should not be misunderstood and exploited to challenge the legal authority of the Kurdistan Region and impose illegal, military intentions over the people of Kurdistan”.
Barzani’s statements seemed not to solve the problem and encourage negotiation and dialogue, but to increase the tension. However, PUK officials, which are as influential as the KDP in the south, warned that they do not want a war between Kurds and that this will historically cause the Kurdish people to lose.
However, the current situation shows that there might be a war in the coming days. Who does the KDP-PKK war serve? It will not serve the Kurds. It will end all Kurdish gains. Federated Kurdistan will become a battlefield. Of course, in this case, Turkey will be involved in the war. Turkey will take the side of the KDP. Turkey will take control of the Iraqi Kurdistan territories in the end.
Throughout history, whenever Turkey occupies a region, it does not retreat. Thus, the Misak-ı Milli (National Pact) borders, which contain the dreams of Kirkuk and Mosul, will be debated again. Also, Shiite and Sunni Arabs will take advantage of the chaos and settle in the disputed Kurdistan regions. Iran will want to increase its effectiveness in the Kurdistan region. Thus, there is no family, tribe, company, or Kurdish Federation. Therefore, the Kurdish enemies will be the winner of this war.
So, to invite war, to take a war position, to determine a common policy against the enemies of Kurds, will mean another historical betrayal and historical defeats.
This war is now beyond the definition of “Birakuji” and will be an invitation to the Kurdish genocide. Therefore, it will be “Kurdkujî” (Massacre of Kurds). The reason for this will be cursed like Enkidu, Harpagos, Major Kasim, and Rayber.
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