tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19312979.post114636426068827044..comments2024-01-23T11:00:45.457-08:00Comments on Rastî: Mizgînhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01850990661771197094noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19312979.post-1146629793245758532006-05-02T21:16:00.000-07:002006-05-02T21:16:00.000-07:00Well I am happy to know that Iran is lying. I wor...Well I am happy to know that Iran is lying. I worry about my Kurdish friends in the area. I know they can take care of themselves, but still...Nobody's Favoritehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16550487056833278607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19312979.post-1146546115059318492006-05-01T22:01:00.000-07:002006-05-01T22:01:00.000-07:00Welcome to Kurdish politics, Philip.Juanita, I ass...Welcome to Kurdish politics, Philip.<BR/><BR/>Juanita, I assume you mean to point out the article about Iran, and the fact that there is an agreement between Iran and Turkey over PKK and MEK?<BR/><BR/>Yes, we know, although in the last three years, I cannot recall an instance in which Turkey turned over any MEK members to Iran. They have been exchanging their respective, enslaved Kurds though.<BR/><BR/>Turkey is going to stick with Iran because Iran isn't going anywhere. It is a permanent fixture in the neighborhood. <BR/><BR/>By the way, Iran is lying.Mizgînhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01850990661771197094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19312979.post-1146544436279041012006-05-01T21:33:00.000-07:002006-05-01T21:33:00.000-07:00Miz:http://www.newssafety.com/index.htmMiz:<BR/><BR/>http://www.newssafety.com/index.htmNobody's Favoritehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16550487056833278607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19312979.post-1146457269378513802006-04-30T21:21:00.000-07:002006-04-30T21:21:00.000-07:00BTW, anyone who has observed WEurope since 1990 kn...BTW, anyone who has observed WEurope since 1990 knows that they will bow before the biggest, most violent bully. Ergo, unless the Kurds plan an AlQaeda scale terror-campaign in WEurope, rest assured that those greedy, frightened geldings will bend down and grab their ankles when the pashas get angry at them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19312979.post-1146456966117045532006-04-30T21:16:00.000-07:002006-04-30T21:16:00.000-07:00Mizgin, I must be eating my steak too rare again, ...Mizgin, I must be eating my steak too rare again, because I thought the entire thrust of that article was consistent w/your view...the inaccuracies you pointed out were incidental to the argument, in any case.<BR/><BR/>I'd characterize it more as chocolate inside caramel...<BR/><BR/>That's what makes horse-racing, I guess.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19312979.post-1146453481071621942006-04-30T20:18:00.000-07:002006-04-30T20:18:00.000-07:00Philip, placing a truth within a pile of inaccurac...Philip, placing a truth within a pile of inaccuracies is like covering a piece of s**t with chocolate. It may look good and it may smell good, but it's still s**t. This is why I quoted Cicero.<BR/><BR/>Anonymous, yes, you are right, there are elements within Turkish society who really do want and work for a change of the system and, yes, they do tend to be educated. I also think diaspora communities, of both Turks and Kurds have had a big effect on this. Kurdish diaspora has had a huge effect on the development of Kurdish "nationalism" and the preservation of Kurdish culture.<BR/><BR/>If we look at the case of Orhan Pamuk, we can see that there are certain people for whom the West will go to bat, however, for every Orhan Pamuk there are dozens of not-so-famous people who face the same charge, for which no one speaks out. The same is true for many other charges. I think that role models are developing within the Kurdish milieu, especially in organizations like DTP and IHD, or even among musicians. Again, although these people are trying to work within the system, they are still harassed by security forces and the general political system.<BR/><BR/>The DTP leaders were being harassed, charged, and detained before the Amed serhildan, so the harassment doesn't really have anything to do with the serhildan. There was one DTP mayor, from a town over near the Iran border, I can't remember who it was now, but he has to travel from home to his office, and home again, carrying a weapon because he is harassed, while going to and from work, by security forces. Others are detained, others have received death threats from the government, others are arrested, they are charged under the TCK over stupid things, and they have threatened to arrest Osman Baydemir over the serhildan.<BR/><BR/>I suspect that much of this harassment has a lot to do with the fact that elections are coming and DTP has seemed very popular among Kurds, at least in Kurdistan, so why not get rid of the leadership before the elections? I hope that the DTP leadership will serve as role models and as a collective focus for solidarity among Kurds in the elections, and I hope DTP reminds everyone exactly what AKP has done for Kurds since the last elections.<BR/><BR/>Torture, and its lasting effects, both physical and psychological, is a huge problem.<BR/><BR/>I used to think that EU accession would be the answer, but now I am not so sure. After the Amed serhildan, Europe backed the Turkish government all the way, and I am beginning to suspect that, under the EU, Kurds would be fifth-class citizens. I consider also how Europe responded to the break up of the former Yugoslavia, especially over Bosnia, and I am beginning to suspect that a similar thing would happen to Kurds. The EP will reinforce any Turkish argument to behave as it wants domestically, leaving Kurds on their own, once again, while Kurdistan is open to economic exploitation. Check the destruction of Hasankeyf for that.<BR/><BR/>So, I think it is time to rethink the whole EU thing, especially from a Kurdish perspective.Mizgînhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01850990661771197094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19312979.post-1146421741369023212006-04-30T11:29:00.000-07:002006-04-30T11:29:00.000-07:00The Turkish government is using the PKK, much as i...The Turkish government is using the PKK, much as it did the Cyprus issue to cover up the fact that it is a staunch supporter of a facist stagnation on a highly subversive level. While life looks to be moving forward and democratic (you only need to watch the BBC to gather this train of thought), there has to be, as a friend put it so well this weekend, "A move from within the culture that does not allow the behaviour and mistreatment of others." An underlying desire to create citizens that will act for the greater good – the problem is a serious low-level of education on all fronts. Better to keep the population drugged on their own hang ups and/or others than allow it to create and think freely. There is a movement in Turkey who do talk about the issues and want to solve them, but they feel powerless, although I commend their efforts. These people are usually highly educated, doctors, or academics who have at one time in their lives lived abroad for a good amount of time and are able to see what life really is like in a democratic nation – when I say democratic I mean from the working man's perspective not of course from the political platform.<BR/><BR/>If one does not have a role model then one never learns, unless one suffers a lot, and with no one to guide the development of a people and culture, it will stay the same and be easily manipulated by others. <BR/><BR/>A Turkish doctor, who volunteers at an NGO, last night told me that there are at least 1 million torture victims in Turkey (on the record) – the heavy hand of the Turkish state is scarred in the minds of many. An amnesty as we all know was issued which simply dished out impunity to those involved. No compensation has ever been offered and is not discussed publicly – no admission at all costs. <BR/><BR/>Torture victims, if belonging to a hardline political party who behave as "tough men" do not seek any type of treatment, and if the "psychological will" needed to seek such treatment is not even present – the tough guy syndrome remains. Well, he told me that these people who have suffered such acts, while not processing what had happened to themselves, can and are able to inflict pain on others – a vicious cycle. <BR/><BR/>Role models are a necessary part of a social change, a moral contract of responsibility to others. Something that goes beyond the political aims, and something which is easily ignored when an environment is created where each person must fend or defend themselves.<BR/><BR/>Many a Turk have called me selfish (just for not being Turkish), and many have appreciated my independence – those who have generally been out of the country and experienced the multi-cultural and multi-ethical modern world. <BR/><BR/>While I spent the weekend with a group of Turkish activists fighting against Turkey's nuclear ambitions, it was nice to see that there are some who can openly talk about the Kurdish plight and who are also petitioning their own government in a peacful and democratic manner. This is a small proportion of the country. I'm at a loss sometimes to know where to start and where to go next. <BR/><BR/>Scratch the surface and you'll find it's never ending. Admission is the key to reconcliation, oh where for art thou admission, admission.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19312979.post-1146416249189142902006-04-30T09:57:00.000-07:002006-04-30T09:57:00.000-07:00Mizgin, I hate to commit even-handedness, but this...Mizgin, I hate to commit even-handedness, but this apologist-artile argues:<BR/><BR/>[The PKK wants two things: first, to remain the centre piece in the Kurdish politics and second, to secure the release of Mr. Ocalan at any cost. The Turkish government wants to cling to the outdated and fascist Kemalist ideology while at the same time tries to fool the world and especially the EU with its cosmetic reforms which are nothing more than window dressing. <BR/><BR/>So, when the Kurdish problem transforms into a mass political movement rather than rebellion/security matters – as it is happening now, both PKK and the Turkish government/Kemalists become losers. To survive this epoch both the PKK and The Turkish military need to help each other. Don’t be fooled! This by no means prevents them from being the mortal enemies of each other at the same time. It’s a sick relationship with seemingly no logic behind it except for one thing and that is their coexistence as mutual enemies may ensure their survival at least transiently. A future liberal democratic Turkey in Europe will have no place for an outdated and racist Kemalist ideology nor will a free Kurdish nation want a Stalinist – cold-war era and authoritarian organization such as the PKK. Therefore, they will do their best to create chaos and conflict to ensure their mutual survival. <BR/><BR/>The Turkish military is using the PKK leadership as a controlled agitator right now by loosening the leash at times of their choosing to exert their prominence in Turkish political arena and tightening the noose when threatened beyond a certain limit. <BR/><BR/>To put the recent developments in perspective, the Turkish military wanted the PKK to create troubles to give the impression that Turkey is facing a major security problem from Northern Iraq (South Kurdistan). In their mind this justifies launching a cross boarder operation into southern Kurdistan to root out the source of that threat. The reality is that Turkey is not concerned so much about the PKK as she is about the inevitable formation of an independent Kurdish state in what was once called Northern Iraq.] <BR/><BR/>I have heard such arguments propounded many times by...YOU!<BR/><BR/>Don't tell me you've succumbed to EdKochitis??!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com