KURDISH REPORT Issue #1

Kurdish report

March 15, 2016

IN THIS ISSUE

The Kremlin’s Kurdish Card Turkish-Iranian Relations Numbering some 30 million, , the largest ethnic by Evangelos Diamantopoulos stateless minority, inhabit a rapidly changing and Democratic Party (HDP), was formally invited volatile region that lies mostly within the borders of The scattered Kurdish population offers in Moscow last December from where he , , Iraq and Syria. Russia different strands of influence in the castigated the downing of the Russian Su-24 Middle East and a significant lever of pressure Page 2 jet.2 In addition, the Russians stepped up their on its latest rival, Turkey. During the 2000s support for the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Russia avoided exploiting its ties with the Party (PYD) and its military wing the People’s Kurds in order to maintain good relations with Southern 1918-1925 Protection Units (YPG). Moscow finds it Ankara, Damascus and Tehran. Vladimir Putin The political future of Southern Kurdistan, or else the unreasonable that the Kurds of the Rojava and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had even agreed Vilayet of of the Ottoman Empire, after the region were kept out of the Geneva peace latter’s dissolution, was uncertain until 1925. to help each other on the thorny issues of talks and pushes for their participation in Chechnya and the Kurdistan Workers Party future diplomatic negotiations. For Russian (PKK).1 However, since the beginning of the policymakers, not only the Kurds of Syria Page 3 Arab Spring, Moscow proclaimed itself a weaken the capacity of Turkey to support defendant of minorities in the Middle East rebel groups but their military victories work Kurdish Women’s Military and sought to develop its ties with the Kurds to the advantage of the Assad regime as well. who appeared to be one of the few forces on Organization and Active Political Furthermore, Russia tries to balance the ground who could defeat ISIS. From a Washington’s influence on Syrian Kurds even Role Russian point of view, the Kurds represent a though the empowerment of them in order to Amidst the violent and long-lasting Syrian civil war, the secular, democratic and moderate Sunni Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) fight against defeat the Islamic State on the battlefield is force which is increasingly important to the the Islamist rebel factions. one of the few things the Russians and the fight against the Islamic State and the Syrian Americans can agree upon in Syria. Thus, it chessboard in general. Page 4 was no surprise that most of the interested Kurdish pop music The free-fall in Russian-Turkish relations, parties (USA, Russia, UN) have called Turkey, in various tones, to show restraint after its A quite interesting part of this modernization process following the downing of a Russian military jet has been the emergence of a rich Kurdish pop culture, recent bombardments against Kurdish YPG by Turkish fighters, came during the same namely pop music. 3 period with the collapse of Ankara’s peace forces operating in Northern Syria. process with the PKK. Russia is well aware Page 5 that the Kurdish issue is Turkey’s weak spot and rushed to further promote its relations with the Kurds. Selahattin Demirtaş, the co- chair of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ KURDISH REPORT | Issue 1 2

Another important evidence of the decides when the dance is over. It’s the bear.” strengthening of ties between Russia and the Syrian Kurds is the opening, with much FOOTNOTES publicity, of a representative office in Moscow last month. The Democratic Autonomous Administration of Rojava (West Kurdistan’s 1. Bechev, Dimitar, “Fight Club: Erdogan and Putin Square off,” Foreign Policy, government, Syria) described the opening of (25/11/2015) http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/11/25/fight-club-erdogan-and- its first representation office outside putin -square-off/ Kurdistan as a historic move.4 However, the 2. Today’s Zaman, “HDP’s Demirtaş meets Russian FM Lavrov in Moscow,” Russian Foreign Ministry was cautious not to (23/12/2015) http://www.todayszaman.com/anasayfa_hdps-demirtas-meets- grant the office an official embassy or russian-fm-lavrov-in-moscow_407714.html consulate status but rather an NGO one in 5 order to avoid disturbing Damascus. Hence, 3. Russia Today, “UNSC urges Turkey to ‘comply with intl law’ in Syria after the interests of Syrian and Iraqi nationals will Russia requests meeting,” (16/2/2016) https://www.rt.com/news/332682-unsc- continue to be advocated officially by their turkey-fire-kurds/ respective embassies. In a clear sign of their increasing importance, the Rojavan 4. Firat News Agency, “Rojava Kurdistan Representation Office opens in authorities plan to open similar offices in Moscow,” (10/2/2016) http://anfenglish.com/news/rojava-kurdistan- London, Berlin, Washington and some Arab representation-office-opens-in-moscow countries in the near future. Time will show how far the Russian support for the Kurds will 5. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, “Briefing by go but meanwhile Turkish officials should Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova,” (4/2/2016) keep in mind an old Russian proverb: “If you http://www.mid.ru/en/web/guest/foreign_policy/news/- invite a bear to dance, it’s not you who /asset_publisher/cKNonkJE02Bw/content/id/2062481#14

All links accessed on 5/3/2016

Life of Kurdistan (PJAK) so as to prevent a characterized as a strategic mistake by possible emergence of an independent state; Iranian officials who grab lately every but due to “the growing strains over Syria, opportunity to present themselves as the How the Kurdish intelligence cooperation has been protectors of the Kurds in the region. More significantly cutback since the end of 2011.” 1 particular as President Rouhani stated during The political rivalry between them over the his visit at Kurdistan Province in Iran after the Factor strains Syrian conflict (Iran's support to the Assad nuclear deal: “Iran protects and Baghdad regime against Turkey's support to Sunni just as it protects Iranian Kurdistan. Without Turkish – Iranian insurgents) and the following cutback in their Iran's help Erbil and Baghdad would be in the intelligence cooperation over the Kurdish hands of terrorist groups right now.3 issue, led to the gradual deterioration in their Undoubtedly, this new Iranian approach over Relations relations. by Iris Pappa Since the end of 2011, the Kurdish factor Numbering some 30 million, Kurds, the turned from a shared security interest into a means for Iran to put some pressure to Turkey largest ethnic stateless minority, inhabit a and keep it out from Syria. Iran, back in rapidly changing and volatile region that lies September of 2011, reached an agreement mostly within the borders of Turkey, Iran, Iraq with the PJAK, in which the latter agreed to and Syria. In the current fragile balance of end its armed activities in the region, and power in the Middle East, the Kurdish factor started turning “a blind eye to PKK activity constitutes once again a crucial aspect in the along the Turkish – Iranian border,”2 while regional interstate relations, due to the Turkey, on the other hand, agreed to install the Kurdish issue raises questions regarding noticeable Kurdish participation in the Syrian NATO's anti-ballistic missile system on its soil the reasons behind this policy shift. As Israeli conflict. Iran and Turkey, two of the most so as to prevent any potential attack from scholar Michael Tanchum argues: “a Kurdish- important players in the region, have Iran. Turkey's ability to combat PKK attacks Iranian alignment would provide Tehran with maintained during the last decade gradually decreased and as a result there was more widespread influence in Iraq and Syria, cooperative relations, but the continuing an upsurge of PKK violence which, according fundamentally altering the region's conflict in Syria seems to stretch the limits of to Turkey, is still fueled by the Iranian policy. geopolitical chessboard {…} while it would their cooperation. turn Tehran into an influential force across a In the summer of 2015, Turkey started 4 The fact that both countries have large quarter of Turkey's territory.” launching strikes against ISIS and PKK while Kurdish minorities on their ground has led, in recently it renewed its bombardments Whether a Kurdish – Iranian alignment, the past, Turkey and Iran to share intelligence against the People's Protection Units (YPG) in however, is truly taking root remains to be in an attempt to combat the Kurdistan Syria; actions that have been criticized and seen in the near future. For the moment Iran Workers' Party (PKK) and the Party of Free KURDISH REPORT | Issue 1 3

sees Kurdish groups as a means of putting pressure on Turkey in the wider struggle in Syria, where Turkey and Iran have conflicting interests.

FOOTNOTES

1. Larrabee, Stephen & Alireza, Nader, "Turkish – Iranian Relations in a changing Middle East", Rand National Defence Research Institute, 2013, 11 http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR200/RR258/RAND_RR258.pdf

2. Ibid.

3. Dalay, Galip, "Where do Iranian Kurds fit in Iran's Kurdish Policy?," The WorldPost, (20/08/2015) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/galip- dalay/iranian-kurds-policy_b_8006488.html

4. Ibid.

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Southern Kurdistan: from autonomy to incorporation, 1918-1925 by Charitini Petrodaskalaki

chose to rule indirectly The political future of Southern Kurdistan, or through advisers and to else the Vilayet of Mosul of the Ottoman recognize Sheikh Mahmud’s authority.1 Mahmud’s supporters, continued. Despite the Empire, after the latter’s dissolution, was Therefore, by the end of the First World War, declaration in the Treaty of Sevres of an uncertain until 1925. The autonomous at the British-administered Vilayet of Mosul, autonomous Kurdish state, the Vilayet of Kurdish entity of 1918-1919 was short-lived, two systems were in place: the autonomous Mosul came under the direct control of the although Britain recognized in principle the entity around Sulaimaniya, and the areas British High Commissioner in Iraq in 1920. To national aspirations of the Kurdish people, under direct British rule. In addition, make things worse for the stability of the and provisions for a Kurdish state were assurances were given by Britain in 1918 that region, Turkish influence reemerged, as declared in the Treaty of Sevres. However, the the Kurds would not come under an Arab Kemalist Turkey claimed the Vilayet for itself. emergence of Kemalist Turkey, with claims government against their will.2 over the Vilayet, further destabilized the In 1922, the British were forced to bring back region, and in 1925 it was decided that Problems soon emerged; the Kurds Sheikh Mahmud, in an attempt to bring order Southern Kurdistan should be part of Iraq. 4 considered the autonomous entity as the into the chaos and curb Turkish influence. nucleus of a future, independent Kurdistan, Within a month of his return he proclaimed The Kurds initially saw the British advance on and although tribal and clan disputes himself King of Kurdistan and focused on the Vilayet of Mosul favorably, and prevented the acceptance of one single building a Kurdish state. The national symbols cooperated with them in order to free leader, many areas expressed their wish to that he was using, such as the Kurdish flag, themselves from Ottoman rule; the desire for merge with the Kurdish entity.3 Sheikh were the source of his legitimacy. In the autonomy and self-rule was evident among Mahmud attempted to expand his control, meantime, the Mosul question was excluded the Kurds who believed the declarations of and as the British decided to remove him, a from the Lausanne negotiations, and was to the Allies for self-determination of the widespread anti-British revolt was sparked; be discussed between Britain and Turkey peoples of the Ottoman Empire. Α Kurdish his declaration of an independent Kurdistan directly. In 1923, British troops occupied government had already been formed in led to his exile, and the era of Kurdish Sulaimaniya and other cities until reaching a Sulaimaniya with Sheikh Mahmud Barzanji autonomy came to an end. decision, thus ending Sheikh Mahmud’s rule elected as its head. As the British were in no once again. position to make military or financial The end of the revolt did not pacify the commitments, but needed Kurdish situation; on the contrary insecurity, disorder The League of Nations decided in 1925 to consolidation to secure their interests, they and low-scale insurgency, mainly from award the Vilayet of Mosul to Iraq, subject to KURDISH REPORT | Issue 1 4

limited autonomy, namely Kurdish ages of 18 to 40. This administrative personnel and Kurdish official all-female group language and education. By then the idea of allegedly receives no an autonomous Kurdistan had been Kurdish Women’s funding from the abandoned in order to appease Turkey, who international did not wish for an unruly Kurdistan that community or the would potentially threaten its security and Military Organization Kurdish population territorial integrity.5 Thus, incorporation of or groups outside Southern Kurdistan to Iraq seemed the only and Active Political Role Syria. However, option. All this confirmed the de facto there is some situation since the end of WWI: Ottoman by Aliki Sofianou information about Kurdistan was to be divided between Iraq, YPJ and YPG

Syria and Turkey, despite the declared Amidst the violent and long-lasting Syrian receiving twenty-four tons of small arms and promises for respect of the Kurdish wish not civil war, the Kurdish People’s Protection ammunition along with ten tons of medical to be subjected to Arab rule. Units (YPG) fight against the Islamist rebel supplies from the U.S., and the factions. The conflict erupted between the during the siege of Kobani.2 two groups in the city of Ras al-Ayn in 2013, In other respects, the striking feature of this FOOTNOTES where the Syrian Kurds attempted to take women’s militant group is the ideology control of the areas that were formerly behind its formation. Notably, apart from the controlled and governed by the Islamists. military protection they offer to the Kurdish 1. Eskander, Saad, “Britain’s Policy in One thing that drew international attention population, the group decisively confronts Southern Kurdistan: The Formation though, besides the numerous casualties and traditional gender expectations and redefines and the Termination of the First the profound breach of hope and confidence the role of women in conflict in Syria. YPJ has Kurdish Government, 1918-1919,” for the future of Syria, was the rather been praised by many feminists and it is seen British Journal of Middle East Studies, determined and well-organized participation as an all-female initiative. The YPJ example Vol. 27, No. 2, November 2000, 144 and resistance of the members of the Kurdish mainly illustrates 2. Edmonds, C. J., “The Kurds of Iraq,” Women’s Defense Units (YPJ). Specifically, Middle East Journal, Vol. 11, No.1, YPJ is a Kurdish military organization that was formed in 2012 as the female brigade of the 1957, 57 People’s Protection Units militia. 3. Eskander, Saad, op. cit., 146-7 The successful political involvement of women has a profound impact on the 4. McDowall, David, A Modern History guarantees of the developmental plans and of the Kurds, New York: I.B Tauris, policies of a state in general and of a 2004, 159 functioning government in particular. Many times, political participation is limited to men, 5. Sluglett, Peter, “The Kurdish while there are many women who are willing Problem and the Mosul Boundary: to take action and aim to change or criticize 1918-1925,” Britain in Iraq: 1914-1932, the increasing interest of women around the particular governments or policies that London: Ithaca Press, 1976 world in the Kurdish women’s movement.3 directly affect them in their societies. https://www.globalpolicy.org/compon Erin Trieb, a photographer who documented On the one hand, the all-female militia takes ent/content/article/169/36383.html the daily lives of these women, argues: "They part and fights against the Islamic State in want equality between women and men, and Syria in order to protect the Kurdish All links accessed on 05/03/2016 a part of why they joined was to develop and populations from militants and on the other advance the perceptions about women in hand, these women are their culture, they can be strong and be challenging the gender roles in leaders."4 the region.1 Thus, Kurdish female fighters are Yet, the YPJ alongside the YPG contributing to the articulation of women’s are part of a general Kurdish liberation. Namely, these women reject to freedom movement in which are comply with the premises of the global both resisting and fighting patriarchal capitalist nation-state order, they against the Islamists in Syria and are breaking the taboo of women’s militancy Iraq. The reconceptualization of and they are also reclaiming legitimate self- freedom by the Kurdish defense. The group is fighting a brutal force movement is part of the larger not on behalf of the imperialist forces, but in impacts of the conflict. order to create their own terms of liberation.5 The YPJ grew out of the Kurdish At last, Dilar Dirik, a Kurdish activist and resistance movement and seeks researcher stated: “Kurdish women have to defend and protect the Kurdish always been excluded from history-writing, population from attacks by both but now their power has gone down in history. the Islamist militants and the Syrian We are proud to belong to a generation of government. The group comprises of seven young Kurdish women, who will grow up thousand volunteer fighters between the KURDISH REPORT | Issue 1 5

having witnessed and identified with such a Helly Luv singing on top of a tank, amidst FOOTNOTES glorious struggle. It is not an empty pride in Kurdish fighters charging the enemy. meaningless things such as nationalism, but a Moreover, she has been very critical against

pride in resisting and sacrificing oneself for ISIS in her interviews and has even received 1. Enzinna, Wes, “A Dream of Secular Utopia in ISIS’ Backyard”, fundamental principles, for life. We do not death threats, due to her light dressing in her need any myths or romanticizations to justify videos.2 New York Times, (24/11/2015) http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/2 our demands for freedom”. One of the most popular young Kurdish artists 9/magazine/a-dream-of-utopia-in- is Serhado, a hip hop artist who grew up in hell.html?_r=1 Sweden. He sings in Kurdish, and has Kurdish pop implemented in his music traditional 2. Serinci, Deniz, “Scholar: elements of Kurdish music, creating a unique Fundamentalist fear westernization music: blend of hip hop and traditional music. He is a after Kurdish star Helly Luv video”, strong advocate of the Kurdish struggle for Ekurd Daily, (13/3/2014) independence, and this has made him quite http://ekurd.net/mismas/articles/mi 3 An exercise in unpopular with the Turkish authorities. In his sc2014/3/state7822.htm song “Ez Kurdistan Im” (“I am Kurdistan”) modernization Sarhedo sings about Kurdistan and his 3. Hilton, Jodi, “Rapper aims to give longing for independence. He describes Kurdish people hope”, Deutsche by Costas Faropoulos himself as “a prisoner, oppressed, detained in Welle, (26/11/2012) a cage”, but also as “the country, the nation, http://www.dw.com/en/rapper- the heart of a new sunrise”. aims-to-give-kurdish-people- The Kurds always had a distinct Other examples of young Kurdish artists hope/a-16398915 characteristic that differentiated them from creating new, diverse music are musicians like other states of the Middle East, that is their Renas Miran, who mixes traditional music 4. More details about these artists commitment to a secular society, one driven with house beats, Rapsan Belagat, a political can be found here: by the rule of law and democracy. The efforts hip hop artist, and also the band Adirjam, http://blog.mideastunes.com/post/1 at state-building, both in Iraq and Syria, in the which plays a fusion of traditional music and 14647295996/10-kurdish-musicians- two de facto autonomous Kurdish regions, rock/blues.4 A special mention must be made you-should-know share a common characteristic: the attempt to the band Ferec, the most known Kurdish All links accessed on 5/3/2016 at creating a modern secular political culture. heavy metal band, a music genre not so Especially, Rojava, the Kurdish region to the popular in the Middle East. northern borders of Syria, is a prime example If there is a common element to be found of this secularization process. Women have almost in all these Kurdish artists is the fact risen to leading positions, education is highly that they incorporate in their music the encouraged and democracy is practiced on notions of homeland, nation and sacrifice, not the streets.1 While the Kurdistan Regional very differently than poets and writers of the Government of the Iraqi Kurdistan adheres to 19th century did in Europe. Either more traditional values, still the secularization through video imagery, or lyrical trend is visible there too. Consequently, what content, or musical influence, these would be labeled as “western values” in other artists are contributing in the parts of the Middle East, are very much reshaping and formation of a exercised in Kurdistan. contemporary Kurdish national A quite interesting part of this modernization identity. Either by reviving process has been the emergence of a rich traditional Kurdish music, which is a Kurdish pop culture, namely pop music. A new political act in itself, or by rapping generation of Kurdish musicians, both in about Kurdish independence, these Kurdistan and in the diaspora, is contributing musicians are doing their part in to the creation of a modern Kurdish national shaping Kurdish society, and by narrative. Having as a starting point the extension the Kurdish nation. wealth of the musical tradition of Kurdistan (which also continues to be explored today by contemporary musicians, like Aynur and

Sivan Perwen) these artists utilize it either by incorporating in it western musical elements, or by turning to a purely western musical style. Pop star Helen Abdullah – known as “Helly Luv” - has made quite an impression in the last two years with her two videos, both filmed in Iraqi Kurdistan. While her music is typical western pop, she still sings in Kurdish and her videos are overly political, especially the second one titled “Revolution”. Here we see KURDISH REPORT | Issue 1 6

Centre for Mediterranean, Middle Kurdish East and Islamic Studies report Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Peloponnese

Evagelos Diamantopoulos

Evangelos Diamantopoulos

Costas Faropoulos Iris Pappa Charitini Petrodaskalaki Aliki Sofianou www.cemmis.gr.edu 1 Aristotelous str & Leof. Athinon Corinth, 201 00, Greece

[email protected]