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Eastern Kurdistan: Opportunists and
enemies
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
KurdishMedia.com - By Sirvan Kaveh
In recent years, a number of Iranian groups have sprung up to propagandize
Iranian brotherhood, and in most cases, a pan-Iranist identity that
includes all peoples of Iranian descent and cultural ancestry (Persians,
Kurds, Baluchi, Afghanis, Tajik, and even Azeri). While some of these
pan-Iranist groups carry similar traits to that of Pahlavist ideologies
(those conjoint with the principles of Persian identity and synonymous
with Persian chauvinism), others are a bit more subtle and embody the
cultural sovereignty of the distinct ethnic groups as part of a united
Iranian identity. The first of the two mentioned dreams is to install a
new Persian empire while the latter takes a more acceptable approach and
dreams of incorporating a full democracy, which includes all Iranian
ethnic groups. However, the commonality of the two groups is that neither
seems to entirely accept full political sovereignty of the ethnic groups
that are not of Persian descent. The two groups are naturally opposed to
the idea of independence for any “Iranian” ethnic group, and hence, oppose
any discussion of an independent Kurdistan and regard it as nothing more
than “separatistism.”
Little research needs to be done in order to familiarize one with the
concept that these political groups are campaigning for. (I will refrain
from mentioning the names of these groups in this article because it is
pointless to give them any publicity. However, one does need to search far
in order to find groups that have the characteristics that I will
describe.) These pan-Iranist groups that claim to support freedom and
democracy in Iran seem surprisingly sympathetic to the Kurdish struggle.
However, most often marked by Pahvalist ideology and their empirical pride
of their past, these groups claim Persians are the mother race of all the
ethnic groups in and bordering Iran. In their very words, “Kurds are
Persian,” and so too are all other ethnic groups inside Iran. They claim
that Persian is synonymous with Iranian and their criteria for a national
Iranian or Persian identity refers to a shared language, and shared values
and cultural ideologies. (Please see my article entitled, “Iranian Kurds
and Kurds,” for related information.) Although attacking the very rights
that belong to Kurds using different strategies, it is not that difficult
to compare these Pahlavists with that of their neighboring Kemalist in
terms of fascism. Both undermine Kurdish identity and make strong
references to national identity, whether Turkish or Iranian.
Unfortunately, unlike Kemalism, many Kurds often fall for the Pahlavists
claims as a result of Kurds’ Indo-Iranian ancestry. The question to be
asked is what makes it right for Kurds to become Persian for the sake of
Iranian ancestry that has only been used by political bodies in Iran to
gain Kurdish support? Regardless of ancestry, the modern Kurdish culture,
language and values are distinct from any ethnic group in the present-day
world, including the Persians. And despite the claims that these groups
make in terms of Iranian brotherhood, Kurds are still second-class and
Eastern Kurdistan is still in poverty.
There are also other few pan-Iranist groups that consider themselves far
from the Pahlavists. (After all, many regardless of ethnicity did support
an overthrow of the Shah in Iran.) One might become rather curious about
these groups and whether they have any ulterior motives and what they
exactly are. Firstly, however, these groups are in far too small of
numbers to be discussed as a useful ally for any Kurdish oppositional
group. Secondly, these groups are highly contradicting in terms of their
beliefs and policy. While these groups are continuously propagandizing
Iranian brotherhood and equal rights for all of Iran, they still ignore
the mistreatment of specific ethnic groups in Iran, such as Kurds. How can
you accept the Kurdish peoples’ demands and claim to support their rights
when you are not willing to admit the countless atrocities that have been
committed against them throughout the history of Iran and the preceding
Persian Empire? This is a bold question for these groups that they will do
their best to avoid. These groups, like any other pan-Iranist or Persian
opposition group, will do their best to please the Kurd by baiting them
with the concept of cultural rights. However, what good are cultural
rights for any Kurd if a Kurd is unable to feed the family? Kurdistan is
and has been lacking economical, political and social rights among many
other things. Cultural rights are surely on every Kurds’ “list of
things-to-get”, but are definitely not the most important.
Kurds are always hopeful that their representing political parties are
highly aware of these deceptions so often practice by pan-Iranist groups.
However, as the trend has lately been, Kurdish parties continue to speak
of federalism within Iran before they speak of independence from Iran.
Iranian brotherhood has not benefited the Kurdish people for as long as
anyone can remember. In addition to the Persian Empire, in the modern Iran
under the Shah and later, Islamic Republic, Kurds have made it to the top
of the list as an oppressed people and are living in the poorest region
within Iranian borders. In the most extreme case, Iran nationalists should
be pleading with Kurds to drop their so-called “separatist” ideas. These
ideas, more so, an unconditional right of the Kurdish people should not be
abandoned for the sake of finding a short-term solution to the forever
long Kurdish problem. The mistakes of the past for Kurds have been to work
with the Iranian groups to create a strong and self-sufficient Iran
(whether the modern Iran or the centuries old Empire of Iran). The Iranian
groups and the Pahlivist-opportunists of today must be viewed no
differently. Even during the revolution in 1979, Kurds sided with Shiite
groups to overthrow Iran in hopes that it would finally lead to Kurdish
liberation. However, once Iran was self-sufficient and liberated,
Kurdistan was again constrained and imprisoned.
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