By: Kamal Artin

Oct 13, 2005

Although a “Yes” vote to Iraqi constitution might be a temporary bandage to cover a deep wound, a “No” vote bring Kurdish dream closer to its fulfillment. With all due respect to all of those Iraqi leaders for their continuous effort to find a pragmatic solution to the very complex Kurdish and Iraqi situation and to modify their draft constitution, they seem to be moving backward by voting “Yes” to it this time. The draft still contains elements that are not consistent with values of contemporary civilized and modern world or with the assurance that Kurds will be able to determine their destiny by themselves. The draft still contains elements of mixture of religion and state and approves superiority of one religion over others; it supports the idea of Iraq to be a part of the bigger Arab nation that has 22 countries, but prevents the Kurds to have a national identity and a country of their own.

As I understand, one of the cultural prides of neighboring Arabs has been their faith and its influence on the state to unite various rival tribes under the banner of Islam. Their faith might have given hope to many disadvantaged people who had questioned the existence of humanity and justice without religion. For that reason, it is understandable that they still think Islamic law is the answer to what Saddam and alike have brought to them. However, for non-Arabs, Islam, despite its humanistic elements common to all religions, has not been a liberating faith but rather a captivating one. Because of the influence of Islam, the Kurdish identity, culture, and heritage have been almost lost. The pride of the Kurds might not be a single unifying faith such as Islam, but rather the diversity of faiths in their land and the idea that spirituality and believe in a higher power is separate from world affairs that are very much prone to corruption and abuse. With this in mind, imposing Islam or any other religion to become a prescribed foundation for Kurdish life is an insult to their free spirit. In addition, to expect them to be part of the bigger Arab nation is even more insulting; many Kurds have lost their live to assure that their people have an own identity and become equal with their neighbors.

I am wondering who determined that Kurdish dignity is not as important as the dignity of other ethnic groups? Who determined that Kurdish life, language, and culture are of less value? Who assigned the Kurds to be and remain a subordinated group of their neighbors! If the Kurds determined this attitude themselves, let’s mark them as subhuman and encourage them to assimilate completely to become Arabs, Persians, and Turks. However, it does not seem to be the case, as evidenced by constant uprisings of Kurdish people in all parts of their divided land, despite being assassinated, displaced, bombed, and gassed.

Now the time has come to put an end to this humiliation at least in Southern part of Kurdistan. Considering that there is now a stronger force in the region that could prevent further destruction of Kurdish lives, cities, and villages by their suppressors, no time should be wasted by accepting a constitution that is not consistent with Kurdish culture, philosophy and way of life. Despite sincere success for Iraqi Arabs to make their part of Iraq a model Arabic and Islamic country, I hope Kurds in Southern Kurdistan show their determination for a free and independent Kurdistan by saying “NO” to the Iraqi constitution on October 15^th 2005.

Kamal Artin

Dr. Artin is a member of Kurdish American Education Society ( www.kaes.us ); however, his views are not necessarily reflective of all of the KAES members’ views.