Interview with Nicholas Braun:
"Without resolving the Kurdish question will be no democratic development, no lasting peace prospects for the Middle East." \u0026lt; The German historian, journalist and Kurdistan expert Dr. Nicholas Braun , together with the lawyer and author Brigitte Kiechle a comprehensive and substantive book, "PKK - perspectives of the Kurdish freedom struggle: between self-determination, EU and Islam "written.
A conversation with historian and author Nicholas Braun about the book and the current situation in Kurdistan. by Reshad Özkan *
you have written with women's rights activist and lawyer Brigitte Kiechle a thick and informative book on Kurdistan. writes in the introduction of the book to her: "Without resolving the Kurdish question, there will be no democratic development, no lasting peace prospects for the Middle East." Is peace in sight? Who will solve this knot?
Nicholas Braun: since the First World War, the Kurdish question by the great powers - from the UK, the U.S. and the EU - used to get influence in the Middle East. The great powers have no interest in a solution of this node. The Kurds as an oppressed nation must find a solution for an alliance with the oppressed the oppressor nations. So with the Persian, Arabic and Turkish workers, women and other minorities in the respective colonial powers. Ultimately, the Kurdish nodes themselves are resolved only by the people of the Middle East - without interference by the imperialist powers. The confidence in their own power and their own organization for the Kurds must be placed first, because of the great powers they were always - Lausanne 1923 Mahabad 1947 until the uprising after the Gulf War Südkurden 1991 as pawns in world politics first used and then abandoned. Also Ocalan was abducted with the help of NATO. Mullah Mustafa Barzani, said in 1975. "It was the biggest mistake of my life, the United States to have trust," I hope that his son not make that mistake again.
What do you think in your book with the "basic social democracy, on the basis of the utmost based participation and self-government structures, and equal opportunities?"
Brauns: It's about how the Middle East can be redesigned so that all people have equal access to the riches of the region to water, Oil and gas obtained. It's about how a democratic perspective can be created for the region, beyond nationalistic and Islamic police states but also beyond the submission under the Western powers. Freedom for the Kurds, there will be unless, in addition to the colonial oppression of feudal land ownership abolished as a bastion of backwardness and begun a path of development beyond catch-capitalist development. In South Kurdistan, we see that neo-liberal development within an autonomy or independence only a few come to good, while the country and its infrastructure are not developed.
What impact will the Kurdish autonomous region in southern Kurdistan in Kurdish liberation movement?
Brauns: After the fall of Saddam Hussein - was the region of Kurdistan for many Kurds in the other states a hope. But now appears that a small semi-autonomous Kurdish state is in reality a trap for the Kurdish freedom movement. In South Kurdistan today there is corrupt clique. Against opposition parties such as the list will Goran acted violently and election fraud. The Kurdistan region is completely dependent on the U.S. militarily and economically by Turkey and Iran, and the money from Baghdad. Therefore, the regional government is silent on the attacks and bombings in Turkey and Iran border in the territories. The continued collaboration between KDP and PUK out with the U.S. occupiers even be that a U.S. withdrawal, a new threat of genocide against the Kurds in Iraq. It is now therefore in the regional government seriously considered that bring Turkey after a U.S. withdrawal as the new protector of the country. This is, of course, to the detriment of the PKK.
struggling with what forms of resistance against the oppression of the Kurds and occupation of their country? Can you tell us the most important forces of resistance and symbol characters called?
Brauns: in Turkey are to Abdullah Ocalan oriented political currents remain the main opposition force. It is in Europe, unfortunately, hardly noticed that Ocalan, the PKK and the BDP actually represent the same program to solve the Kurdish question, which is focused around the recognition of Kurdish identity in a democratic constitution, and greater local autonomy to the Kurdish region. The guerrilla struggle was at the time of Ocalan's abduction, had failed as a strategy because the guerrillas had lost through the destruction of the village hinterland. But it was the army failed to crush the guerrillas. In this military stalemate could only the Kurdish civil organizations such as the HADEP and create their successor parties. So it was logical that the PKK is now admitted to the democratic struggle, including the Serhildans the decisive role. As Ahmet Turk, the former chairman of the banned DTP, was recently attacked by a Turkish fascist in Samsun, sparked the nationwide protests similar, as only the mistreatment of Ocalan.
Turkey had played in the Cold War for Western interests, an important geostrategic role against Russia. What role will they play in the region in the future?
Brauns: For EU, U.S. and NATO, the geopolitics of Turkey remains valuable. The Turkey is the bridge to the Middle East and the Caucasus region and provides for the EU economy as a huge market. For USA plays Turkey - just under the Islamic-conservative AKP government - a role as a Trojan horse in the Islamic world. President Obama has understood, unlike his predecessor, Bush that a war against Islam is not to win. Therefore, Obama is on the liberal - or rather neo-liberal - Islam as a strategic ally. The so-called neo-Ottoman policy of the ACP will meet here in full with the interests of EU and USA. Turkey and especially the Kurdish areas are also due to them by current or planned power lines as the Nabuccoo pipeline for Europe is of immense importance of energy policy.
Is Turkey ready for EU accession?
Brauns: The EU is an alliance of major European capital. Within the EU more democratic rights will be diminished and the Lisbon Treaty requires a permanent military buildup. At the same time as the EU country most repressive Spain against the Basque independence movement. Legal parties like Batasuna, were banned from the EU, as well as the PKK set to its terrorist list. One such EU could Turkey join at any time. However, I do not think that an EU accession in the interests of Turkey and the Kurdish nation. Rather, would lead an EU accession to further destruction of the Kurdish question and to an even greater militarization of Kurdistan as an EU external border. The EU, can arrest the Kurdish politicians in Europe and currently pursuing Kurdish organizations and media such as Roj TV and Turkey with highly upgraded weapons is part of the problem and not part of the solution.
As shown, the Kurdish problem in German and western media? How can their public adequately European media - information about the Kurdish conflict - without disinformation?
Brauns: Unfortunately, the Kurdish issue is not addressed fast. If anything, the uncritical view of the Turkish government is taken over. Turkey correspondents of the major daily newspapers are sitting mostly in Istanbul and visit the little Kurdish parts of the country.
In many German media, for instance, claims to this day, the PKK's fight for an independent state - although since 1993 no longer the goal. come here together ignorance, ignorance, prejudice and disinformation policy. But as long as the PKK is also pursued by the EU as terrorist, is neither desirable policy objective information still possible. A number of booksellers has stated to the butterfly publisher, they want to order my book, because the banned PKK terrorist. What actions succeed the Kurds, the attention of international media to mobilize public?
Brauns: Unfortunately, the Kurds are only in the major media when they carry out violent actions. For example, in the kidnapping of three German climbers on Mount Ararat in the summer of 2008. If, however peacefully in Amed a million Kurds celebrate Newroz and arrive Gelsenkirchen 40,000 to a festival, the media usually do not worth a single line. But when Turkish soldiers accidentally step on a mine laid by them himself, as recently in Cukurca, then all the newspapers report on the alleged terror of the PKK. But this is not the fault of the Kurds, but the tendency of capital and interests specific perspective of the dominant media.
Are you constantly as a journalist in Kurdistan on the road test and report for the newspaper "Junge Welt" about it. One can see in the media images of war again, circling warplanes on Kurdish cities, terror of the paramilitary forces against the civilian population, the floor lying bleeding children, censorship and bans on Kurdish media, organized attacks on Kurdish politicians, for example, in the city of Samsun. What is the current situation?
Brauns: Meanwhile, it has become abundantly clear that the AKP has its "democratic opening" no real solution to the Kurdish question in mind, but rather see it as a counterinsurgency strategy. The ACP is about cultural concessions to bind with minimal part of the Kurds to the Turkish state and destroyed simultaneously with mass arrests of democratic Kurdish self-organization, and the BDP women's movement. Just preparing for the Army on a cross-border offensive against southern Kurdistan after. And if the denial continues the government policy, there is a risk that some of the Kurdish youth goes unchecked by PKK attacks or to BDP. Already flying Molotov cocktails in Istanbul on civilian buses. At the same take-fascist attacks on Kurds in western Turkey. The perspective would be warned at the end of an ethnic civil war between Turks and Kurds, Ocalan ever before. The responsibility lay solely with the Turkish state.
your analysis in your book, the Kurdish national liberation movement, especially the PKK, and the emancipation of the movement. Can they understand the Kurdish liberation movement as part of an international movement against exploitation and oppression and for peace and social justice? What about the international solidarity with this movement?
Brauns: The PKK and the Kurdish self-legal organization have gone through over the last ten years great changes to a modern leftist movement, grassroots democracy, feminism and ecology of large writes. The social question is still too short and it will still be very subordinate to the national question. For example, the Kurdish women's movement does indeed an impressive fight against feudal mindset. But only if a genuine land reform was carried out in Kurdistan and the Agha was also deposed material, the feudal structures in society will be removed permanently.
International solidarity is due to ignorance of many left over the Kurdish liberation struggle is becoming low. It is therefore important that participating Kurds living in Germany also in democratic and social struggles in their countries, so the union struggles or the peace movement. This would produce contacts, built up trust and prejudices are eliminated. Solidarity can not be a one-way street - certainly not in a globalized world.
Kurdish children Flüchtlingscamp-Mexmur/Südkurdistan-Irak
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THE BOOK
"PKK - perspectives of the Kurdish Freedom Struggle:
between self-determination, the EU and Islam"
During the first time in the Turkish Parliament on proposed reforms of the Islamic-conservative AKP government to curb Kurdish uprising is being debated, war and persecution will continue in the Kurdish parts of Turkey.
Excluding that of Turkey, EU and U.S. as "terrorist" classified Kurdistan Workers Party PKK in Turkey, no peace is possible. And will not solve the Kurdish question be no democratic development for the Middle East, Nicholas Braun and Brigitte Kiechle my spring in her forthcoming book, "PKK - the Kurdish freedom struggle perspectives: between self-determination, the EU and Islam."
The authors sat down with the detail in this country largely unknown political and programmatic development of the working party Kurdistan PKK from the 70s to the present day apart. They will also discuss the importance of the civilian Kurdish self-organization and in particular the women's movement. The policy of the Kurdish Islamic-conservative AKP government of Prime Minister Erdogan is analyzed, asked about chances and risks of the EU accession process and the impact of neoliberalism on the Turkey / Kurdistan. This
incorporate the authors personal experiences from her travels in the Kurdish parts of the country as well as from conversations with politicians, guerilla fighters and representatives of trade unions, women's and human rights organizations in Turkey and Iraq.
Brauns, Nicholas / Kiechle, Brigitte:
"PKK - perspectives of the Kurdish Freedom Struggle:
between self-determination, the EU and Islam"
butterfly-Verlag Stuttgart
2010th 400 pages, paperback, ISBN 978-3-89657-564-7
April 2010
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