Refîq Xefûr, a member of the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) Board of Directors, offered an analysis of the shifting Middle Eastern landscape in an interview with Rojnews, highlighting the ongoing tensions and conflicts in the region.
“This war encompasses economic, political, military, and diplomatic dimensions,” he said. Given Kurdistan’s central position in these conflicts, the threats it faces are more severe. Meanwhile, the occupiers and adversaries will attempt to undermine the progress achieved so far through ‘internal betrayal’, he added.
Emphasising the Kurds’ potential to seize opportunities of space, Xefûr stated:
“In the event of another regional war, the Kurds can leverage the situation to establish another de facto government in a different part of Kurdistan. Unfortunately, the current trajectory reveals that both political parties and the public are inadequately prepared for this critical period.”
Xefûr elaborated on the Kurdistan community’s lack of readiness: “According to the KNK’s principles, we have never excluded the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) from conferences or gatherings. However, due to this party’s increasingly perilous relations with external aggressors, public trust in them has been significantly eroded. Their blatant collaboration with the occupiers is now unmistakable.”
Highlighting the KDP’s violation of the KNK’s red lines, he noted, “The KDP seeks to assert dominance by offering material incentives to smaller parties, but such manoeuvres will not alter the broader balance of power.”
Addressing Turkey’s ongoing occupation of the Kurdistan Region, Xefûr stated, “Turkey opposes Kurdish achievements on a global scale. It justifies its occupation under the pretence of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) presence, but in reality, it uses these excuses to pursue its imperialist ambitions. Even the Arab world has begun to recognise Turkey’s true intentions.
In response to a Rojnews question regarding the resumption of the peace process in Turkey, Xefûr clarified, “Despite media fabrication news, there has been no contact or dialogue between the parties involved.”
On the upcoming Kurdistan parliamentary elections, Xefûr added,
“The Kurdistan National Congress, in line with its policies, does not endorse any specific candidate or party. Nonetheless, it encourages all citizens of Kurdistan to participate in the elections and actively engage with the democratic process to bring about change. Moreover, the KNK has consistently advocated voting for patriotic candidates committed to uniting the Kurdish people.”
The Kurdistan National Congress has consistently called for national unity and cohesion through the convergence of Kurdish parties across all parts of Kurdistan. However, the political and economic entanglements of certain factions with the occupiers of Kurdistan have undermined efforts to foster true unity among the Kurdish people.
