Don Nawzar

After 100 years of Kurdish misery in Turkey, Iran, Syria & Iraq, the only real solution which can defuse regional tensions including the Kurdish plight is a new model which allows for a political, economic union based on Islamic ethos. If not, misery will continue, for all.

The new era which was brought with Sykes-Picot in which Kurds were divided on newly established nation states represented the beginning of Kurdish misery in Middle East. All atrocities, massacres, genocide, ethnic cleansing against Kurds took place after the end of Ottmoans.

No wonder why all Kurdish revolutions demanded the return of the Ottoman caliphate! Even Sheikh Mahmoud-i Hafid from Sulaymaniyah in today’s Iraqi Kurdistan made the same demand. While many want to dismiss it as simply ‘religious reasons’, it was more than that.

In Sheikh Said’s tragic death lies the tragic story of Kurds under the Psikes-Pickot order. While Ottomans order wasn’t perfect, it allowed for existence & coexistence of numerous ethnic & religious groups together. Abolition of Ottoman caliphate was end of that coexistence.

PKK leadership & its sympathisers in Iraqi Kurdistan argued against the independence referendum & went further to call for more actual powers for Baghdad’s federal gov The abuse of nationalist discourse by KDP made PKk’s mission easier, less controversial

The difference is, unlike the Iraqi Kurdish communists, PKK is not going through an identity crisis or a division in its leadership due to that question. They have identified Turkey (Erdogan’s Turkey) as the main enemy. All positions visa vis other parties are taken accordingly

HDP’s struggle isn’t new. Iraqi Kurdish communists went through a similar period. The question of ‘are we Kurdistani or a pan-Iraqi leftist movement’ continued from 1940s to the formation of KRG. Remnants of that conflict came to surface again during the 2017 referendum

When alliance w/ Assad, CHP or Iraq’s federal government is required, they assume a less nationalist more egalitarian rhetoric But when they mobilise against KDP or Turkey’s strategy, they turn the volume of nationalism. And it works for them.

HDP as the political wing of PKK in Turkey has been jumping between Kurdish nationalist and pan-Turkey leftist positions. The same is true for PKK’s other branches. They don’t want to label themselves as a ‘Kurdish party’ but can’t give up claim to Kurdish representation either

This tweet & its replies show a fact we know to be true: The anti-Erdogan coalition is a populist front too fickle to be trusted with Turkey HDP tweets about Sheikh Said Piran, a pro-Ottoman Kurdish revolutionary executed by Ataturk. Racist replies from CHP + IYI Party + MHP!https://twitter.com/HDPgenelmerkezi/status/1144900871421145089 …

21- Before the Istanbul elections, I talked about CHP’s ‘opening’ to the conservative vote. Results showed the tactic worked. CHP now happy to continue. New Istanbul mayor starts office with prayer (something considered a taboo by CHP seveal years ago)https://twitter.com/ekrem_imamoglu/status/1144308833923338241?s=20 …

Haftar fights the legitimate Libyan government in the name of facing the ‘Islamist danger’, a talking point repeated by numerous other depots in MENA Yet the bulk of Haftar’s militia consists of Madkhalis (an extremist Salafi group who believe in unquestioned obedience to ruler)

Libya has turned into another battle ground for the UAE-led anti-democracy axis in MENA But it’s time to hold France accountable for its counter-productive role. Why is France supporting a warlord accused of numerous war crimes who’s fighting a UN-backed legitmate government?https://twitter.com/Lyobserver/status/1144678098400661510 …

Turkey can’t possibly take on so many forces at the same time. Erdogan’s ‘topunuz gelin’ can’t be translated into realistic policy on ground. Given that the populist anti-Erdogan opposition has gained momentum lately, stability inside is a prerequisit before any major FP steps.

Turkey is alone. Unlike Iran, it doesn’t have proxies. The Libyan & Syrian forces supported by Turkey aren’t proxies and can shift loyalty easily. The sheer number of powers unhappy with Erdogan in power means many are investing in an unstable Turkey