Few years
ago, I was discussing the situation in Kurdistan and the urgency for
independence with a colleague. Since, I believe that sovereignty is the only
path for all nations who want to grant their citizen prosperity and dignity in
life. Development and social progress are vital elements for national survival
and continuity. Undoubtedly, neither development nor social progress happens
under oppression.
The term
national is being developing since the appearance of national states in the past
hundred years or so as a 19th century European phenomenon (1). It is
obvious that this term is being loosely adopted and frequently abused to
describe most of the post WW-I states that are none but products of imperialist
policies of “divide and conquer”, and their long-term economic and strategic
interest in regions other than Europe. The majority of these states lack the
basic fundamental of a nation state (2)! For many of these states there is no
unitary or even a common language, culture, or a common political vision. The
majority of the citizens, even when imposed on them, they never learn the
dominant language properly unless they dissociate totally from their ethnic
identity and assimilate in the dominant group.
Most of
these so-called nation states are oppressive states practicing terror and
genocide to subjugate the non-dominant ethnic group/s of the so called “their
citizens”, who otherwise lack the basic human rights and rights of a citizen.
They are often denied identity cards, travel documents, refused access to basic
medical care, education and employment. Examples of such a states are many
needless counting. Syria
and the stateless Kurds, Iraq
and the mass murder of the Kurds in (al-Anfal), Sudan and the ongoing
genocide in DarFur are examples in recent history.
The fact
that Turkey, since its emergence on the world political scene 1923 on the ruins
of the conquered Ottoman Empire, declaring itself as a nation state, vigorously
adopting the ideology of denial of existence of any nation but Turks in Turkey,
and crushing with iron feast any deviation from this ideology, thanks for the
support she has been receiving from the victorious allies over 50 years of the
Cold War Era! Especially the supporters of Turkish admission to the EU, that
systematically blinded for the Turkish genocide atrocities against the Armenians
and the Kurds, and belittled the violation of human right in that country in
general (3).
This
unlimited support and the clever tactics used by the Turkish politicians and
military, exaggerating the risk of USSR, and the deployment of missiles in
Turkey that was later withdrawn in 1963 gained them huge financial, military,
and international support (4).
The fall
of Berlin wall did not only expose the communist brutal regimes, but also
rendered non-nation states like Turkey less strategically important for the west
than ever before. The globalisation and the rise of both China and India as
gigantic energy consumers, and their bid to develop their industry rendered the
oil resources especially in the Middle East and Africa more attractive than
ever, at a time when the North Sea oil production is reaching its end epoch.
The Gulf
wars and the brutal regime in Baghdad, a loyal Turkish ally, and the disastrous
economics of that country, and the emergence of Arabic Islamic terrorist
organisations targeting the western interests, and the rise of the Islamic Iran
hungry to obtain nuclear power and regional dominance, opened a glorious
opportunity for the USA and Western allies to intervene and re-enter the Middle
East physically again and may be for a very long time.
Turkey,
the only western NATO ally in the region had an excellent opportunity to play an
important and constructive role not only for its own sake, but also for the
whole Middle East, by showing a mature level of western like responsible
democracy, a model for the rest of the Middle East, but they missed out!
Obviously 50 years is too short time fermenting democracy project á la Turkish
style!
One can
wonder why?
It is
obvious from the Turkish politician’s attitude that the following points in part
can explain the Turkish failure:
National reasons;
Turkish
politician since the founding of the Kemalist state been systematically
indoctrinated that in the “nation state” of Turkey no nations do exist other
than Turks! All other languages are mountain dialects of Turkish, and the
people are subordinate to the Turks, and they would only be good enough if
they denounce their identity and assimilate as Turks, the failed policy of 85
years.
The
renaissance of the Kurdish national identity after 6 decades of hibernation
and the intensity and the power of the movement in Kurdistan created great
fear among the Turkish intelligentsia of possible break up of Turkey.
The
continued oppressive policies and lack of sincere efforts to modernize the
legal system of the country, besides the rise of Islam as an anti western
power in Turkish politics that further dragging Turkey back into dark ages.
The
lack of control of the civil society over the military and the outdated brutal
police practices that is blinded for by the politicians.
The
devastated state economy that pushed the Turkish leadership to adopt old
Turkish tricks and distortion tactics in bargaining for the US $20 or so
billions offered to them in return for opening of the Northern front against
Saddam.
The
arrogance and constant refusal of the Turkish state to acknowledge the Kurdish
existence in Turkey and the Middle East as an endogenous ethnic group with the
right of self-determination, and its bold refusal to negotiate with the
Kurdish rebels in Turkey.
The
immaturity of Turkish military and politicians and their lack of understanding
of political national movements that has never been neutralised by militarily
means in the history. A living example, the Southern Kurds survival despite
the 182 000 Anfal genocide.
International reasons some include,
The
lack of the capability of the Turkish nation and politician of bridge
building, mutual understanding and respect for nations other than Turks.
The
rise of nationalism in Turkey, and increased engagement of the Turkish
politician and leadership in reviving, the long deceased, Ottoman Empire
dressed in a Kemalist gown, instead of accepting the reality on the ground!!!
The
refusal of the Turkish state to build a confederation with South Kurdistan.
The
rise of Iran and its long-standing influence on all Iraqi people irrespective
of their ethnicity, with the exception of the Sunni Arabs.
The
gamble of the Turkish politician on the loser puppet Turkmen Front
organisation, a radical unpopular MIT funded group, specifically instructed in
harming both Kurdistani and Turkmen interests in South Kurdistan.
The
exaggeration and inflation of the number of the Turkmen in Iraq to 5 Millions
instead of the actual 200 000 or so.
The
boldness and arrogance of the Turkish military and politicians directly
threatening the emerging Kurdistan state on its south borders, belittling the
Kurdish leadership, and internationally declaring their objection and
opposition to the right of a nation to sovereignty outside their borders, the
famous Mr Erdogan say “ I object the creation of a Kurdish state even in
Argentine”! “Ostrich policy”.
Despite
initial drawback in early 1990s, the success story of South Kurdistan
experiment, and the insistence of the Kurdish leadership to actively support
the US policies in the Middle East, rendered Turkey less an important ally of
the US.
The
lack of progress of Turkey’s accession bid to join the EU, due to her rigidity
and the lack of understanding of the actual contents of Copenhagen Criteria.
The
lack of Turkey’s readiness to abide by EU protocols and recognition of EU
member state and opening its harbours to their ships, namely the Greek
Cypriots, further eroded her chances of getting an accession date despite
cleverly using the Kurdish card blackmailing the EU.
The
refusal of the Danish PM and the Danish legal system to bow for Turkish
undemocratic pressures to shut down the Roj TV station, and the letter of the
50 or so Mayors from North Kurdistan to the Danish authorities not to
surrender to Turkish pressure have uncovered the true face and mentality of
terror practiced by the Turkish state that seems have no remedy in that part
of the world!
The
current threats made by both the military and the politicians to orchestrate
muscle flexing of the mighty powerful Turkish army planning a senseless
invasion of South Kurdistan under different pretexts out of proportion further
weakening the Turkish position internationally, and will add a further nails
into the Europe’s dead mans coffin! I still remember the caricature from mid
1980s showing Saddam kicked Khomeini in the bum, but couldn’t retract his
boots out!
Turkish
trade with Kurdistan is currently summing to US $ 5 Billion annual exceeding
their trade levels with Saddam of the pre Gulf war era. One arbitrary question
is have these men gone mad or what is their real agenda?
In conclusion: in any mature democracy, politician
responsible for all these mishaps of a “nation” would be out of the office way
before they get there in the first place, but obviously not in Turkey. This
indicates lacking of nation state that strives for her citizens development and
prosperity despite the 80 years of such propaganda. The obvious reason is the
indoctrinate of the Kemalist false “nation state” that is dragging Turkey down
further to the end stage, and who knows, may be to its last decade/s of
existence as a coherent unitary state!
Thus, the only road to continued existence, development, and
progress is sovereignty and building of the nation state for all nations
fulfilling the criteria of a nation likewise.
An anonymous US diplomat have said “ The Turks are difficult
customers”, indeed they are!
References
1.Gellner,
Ernest. 1983. Nations and Nationalism. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
ISBN 0-8014-1662-0 .
3.Beckett publicly
announced UK support to Turkey's EU accession
and "We strive to always be your staunchest ally," Beckett said during the joint
news ...
ANKARA, (Turkish Daily News):
28-03-2007
http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/news/news.php?article=12514
4.
HIGH MIDEAST TENSION WILL CONFRONT DULLES; On This Tour He Will
Try Again To Reassure Baghdad Alliance DISPLAYING FIRST
PARAGRAPH -
WASHINGTON, Jan. 25 -- Mr. Dulles has gone out to the Middle East
armed with the sword of military aid and the buckler of economic aid, with the
Eisenhower Doctrine on his lips and the Charter of the United Nations in his
heart.
January 26, 1958, Sunday By DANA
ADAMS SCHMIDT Special to The New York Times.Page E5, 1156 words.
