Welcoming Remarks to KNC 19th Annual
Conference
By Kamal Artin
The following speech was for the KNC 19th
Annual conference at Hilton in Irvine, California on March 24, 2007. It is of
note that midway the conference an angry individual had threatened and made the
hotel to remove the symbolic identity of Kurdish people from the flag pole in
front of the hotel; the incident is being investigated.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Before I proceed, I would like to have a minute of silence for the loss of one
of our best members, Mrs. Soraya Sarajadini. Whoever had met Soraya, the late
KNC vice president, knows about the dedication of this remarkably assertive and
confident leader; she was an advocate of independence and an opponent of
injustice, humiliation, and submission. We miss this dear sister and leader
tremendously but continue her mission.
After the 2006 annual conference in Washington DC , the KNC board decided to
have the next event in Irvine . As the resident of this beautiful and diverse
city, I was asked to chair this year’s annual conference. In the name of KNC
board of directors and the conference committee members, who have worked hard to
make this event happen, I would like to welcome all of you.
As the chair of the conference and its preparation committee, I thank every one
who stepped in and helped us with achieving our objective. Special thanks to our
committee members who were directly involved and alphabetically included: Mr.
Dyari Ahmad, Mr. Luqman Berwari, Mrs. Soraya Falah, Mr. Aazad Moradian Mr. Hiwa
Nazhadian, the board members Mr. Nyma Ardalan, Mr. Bulan Baban, Mr. Shwan Karim,
Dr. Wafa Khorshid, Mr. Brusk Reshvan, Miss. Lana Salih, Dr. Saman Shali, Mr. Tom
Ver Ploeg, the alternate board member Muazaz Aziz, and the past presidents Dr.
Fouad Darweesh, Dr. Hikmat Fikrat, Dr. Asad Khailany, Dr. Najimalden Karim. They
deserve a very loud applause. Thank you all.
I would like to especially thank Dr. Sahli who for the past three years
tirelessly has worked hard and brought the organization to a new stage of its
development. Now many Kurds in North America, in other part of Diaspora, as well
as in Kurdistan look up to KNC as a pluralistic, determined, and assertive
organization that does not accept anything less than independence for Kurdistan.
KNC was established in 1988 by the few patriotic Kurdish Americans in response
to the chemical bombing in Halabaja. Since they all were men, it’s fair to
consider them as the founding father of KNC. I refer them as senior members,
although they are not qualified for the 25c coffee at McDonald, as one of our
members put it. They have been great role models for many of us who joined the
organization later. Some have criticized KNC leaders as self serving people who
are after power, fame, and position. Frankly the people I have worked with in
KNC can achieve a much higher position, fame, and power by not working with KNC
or being a Kurd at all; because of their dedication, talent, and determination,
they could lead any institution they join, but they rather promote a cause that
they are compassionate about; not many people dare to take their noble path
because it is a tough road to take and requires much dedication without any
personal rewards.
Still since 1988 many others Kurds and friends of Kurds have joined and helped
this organization to promote the cause of our stateless but courageous, hopeful,
and determined people to fulfill their dream of obtaining self determination
right. Like any other organizations KNC has had downfalls, yet been persistent
and successful in working toward its ultimate objective step by step.
As an example the yearly conferences including the one last year in Halwe and
Slemany , the women’s conference in Hawler, the youth conference in Nashville,
and convincing some of the US legislators as well as human rights organizations
to support our cause are not simple tasks. They all required dedication, time,
and money. Without voluntarism of our members and supporters these would not
have been possible. Thank you all.
Of course more can be done, and I invite all of you to join us to serve our 40
million stateless people who are being treated as second class citizens in four
dictatorial countries. One could argue that one of those states is no longer
dictatorial. I doubt if it is left for the fanatic section of the “liberated
Iraq ” they will not hesitate to repeat Saddam’s atrocities against the Kurds.
Sadam’s punishment was carried out by a revengeful fanatic section in Iraq that
has a difficult time to forgive and insists on mixing religion and state as the
answer for every citizen as indicated in their suggested constitution. Although
such a constitution might be of value to some, it might be an insult to others
who have other convictions and to some of us who doubt any convictions.
For the past year many Kurds have been reminding the leadership in Southern
Kurdistan to declare independence. Some have argued that it is better to wait
until all part of Kurdistan are ready to create one united Kurdish state. Even
I, as a dreamer’ consider such a hope impractical. While there are multiple
Turkish, Arabic, and Persian states, why should we shy away from having a few
Kurdish states starting with Southern Kurdistan ? How long should Southern
Kurdistani people wait until all citizens of Dyarbekir, Qanmishli, and Kermashan
have an access to an education in their language as the foundation for a healthy
identity and development.
An independent Southern Kurdistan not only benefits all Kurds but also
neighboring countries. I am convinced if Kurds are free, they would unite not
only with each other but also with the neighboring nations to create a union
based on equality and mutual respect, as it is the case in European Union. Such
ideas might sound dream-like; however, humankind’s achievements have always
started with the ideas of some dreamers.
In the eye of our opponents, including some cheaply purchased entrepreneur or
self acclaimed intellectuals who had described Kurdish hope an illusion, KNC
activists might be seen as dreamers. I believe those opponents are in a
dreamless sleep for not seeing their destiny will be the same as the destiny of
colonialists, slave-owners and all of those who opposed freedom and equality. I
believe independence of Kurdistan is inevitable despite all the obstacles. I am
confident once independent, Kurds will open their arms even to their opponents
and wish them a happy Newday. For now they might only wish a happy Newroz to
those who believe in freedom and equality!
Dr. Artin maintains the website: www.art-in-mind.net
