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Kurdistan
issues in press interviews: Dr Fuad Omar |
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: Aso Newspaper, Sulaimaniyah, daily newspaper in
Kurdish |
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Kurd Net
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Kurdistan issues in press interviews: Dr
Fuad Omar
20.6.2008
Translated by Dr Kamal Mirawdeli |
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June
20, 2008
Syrian Kurdish leader: US
cannot succeed in the Middle East without the
support of Kurds
[Interview with Secretary-general of Kurdish
Democratic Unity Party Dr Fuad Omar: " America's
projects cannot succeed without the Kurds."]
Secretary-general of Kurdish Democratic Unity Party
Dr Fuad Omar was born in Damascus the capital of
Syria in 1962 from a patriotic family coming from
the Kurdakh region in Western Kurdistan. He
completed his education including university study
in Damascus. In 1978 he contacted the organisations
of Kurdistan national liberation movement in Western
Kurdistan and works as an official in the national
front for Kurdistan's liberation. He is a founding
member of Kurdish Democratic Unity Party (Parti
Yeketii Demokraik- PYD) and he was elected as member
of the leading council of the Kurdish Democratic
Unity Party (PYD) in the first conference of the
party. He was in charge of the Halab council of the
party and was elected the General Secretary of PYD
in the second conference of the party. He is living
in exile in Belgium now. He has been convicted by
Syrian regime. He has political asylum in Belgium.
In an interview with Aso, Dr Omar talks about the
situation of the opposition in Syria. He says: "I
have chosen the democratic way of struggle. I have
democratic thought and principles and have adopted
[Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK)'s jailed leader
Abdullah] Ocalan's philosophy as the main source of
my thinking."
Relationships
The head of Kurdish Democratic Unity Party says"
Since the foundation of the party it has faced a lot
of problems and difficulties. Many comrades have
been martyred. Many others have been imprisoned and
they are now in Syrian jails. But it can obtain a
high level of political development within the
democratic opinion in Syrian opposition." About
their participation in the joint Kurdish-Arabic
opposition in Syria Dr Omar says: "We support the
reunification of the opposition and broadening it to
embrace all the classes and strata of society. We
have good relations with political groups."
Syrian Kurdish situation
not clear
He says frankly:" The Kurdish movement in Syria is
still in an uncertain state and it is far from the
requirements of today's important stage of our
struggle. It seeks alliances without being able to
struggle in line with the needs [of Syrian Kurds]
and achieve success. It is a kind of self-deception.
But we are trying to create an alliance or
partnership that goes beyond the status of just a
front to prevent inter-fighting and antagonism.
Today is the age of dialogue, unity and
co-operation." He added: "We are with people. Those
people who do not want to enter into an alliance
with us perhaps are afraid of the power of people.
Alliance today has different meaning from
traditional alliances because we cannot solve the
problems of people just by having an alliance among
political groups. Alliance must establish the true
meaning of democracy; it must promote and broaden it
in the Kurdish society because there are large
strata and sections of Kurdish society that are not
affiliated to any political party or group."
The aims of external powers
About the intensification of Syria's oppression of
the Kurds since the death of [former President]
Hafiz Assad, he said:" This issue is not related to
the death of Hafiz Assad but it is related to the
political changes in the regime's approach to the
Kurds after [PKK leader Abdullah] Ocalan left Syria
and the development of a Syrian Kurdish policy
closer to that pursued by Turkey. This is the reason
for the emergence of this new condition." He added;"
The establishment of Kurdish Democratic Unity Party,www.ekurd.net
its quick development in
western Kurdistan and its commitment to the culture
and politics of Kurdistanism (one Kurdistan nation)
have upset the Syrian regime. That is why our party
has become the target of external forces especially
the chauvinist and dictatorial forces, and we find
this natural."
Confederalism
About the imprisonment of hundreds of the members
and supporters of PYD who are in Syrian jails now he
says:" From the very beginning of the foundation of
our parry our members became the target of the
regime and [party member] Bavi Judi was our first
martyr who died under torture in prison. Then Ahmad
Ginju, Osman Sleman, comrade [female martyr] Shilan
and four others were killed in the same way in
prison." He added:" Our response to these actions by
the regime is to intensify our efforts to achieve
the will of our people in creating confederalism and
democracy.
1962 census
On the deprivation of Syrian Kurds from having
nationality registration, General Secretary of
Kurdish Democratic Unity Party says:" 1962 census is
a stain of shame for the Syrian regime and the
international community too. The issue here is not
having a Syrian nationality or identity. Having an
Arab Syrian nationality does not satisfy the
aspiration of the Kurds in Syria. Today even the
Aran Syrians give up their Arab Syrian nationality
and migrate to Europe. The issue of 1962 statistics
is linked to the issue of Kurdish national question.
Today the Syrian regime uses the cheapest methods to
deal with the Kurdish people in Syria. When they use
the term 'foreigners' [for the Kurds], I think this
is a wrong reading that demonstrates ignorance and
wrong understanding of the Kurdish issue. This
problem cannot be solved but through democratisation
and community development." Dr Omar believes that
the Kurds know very well what their problem in Syria
is and the Ba'thist regime would make a grave
mistake if they think that they can make Kurdish
people compromise their right to freedom, democracy
and the unity of Kurdish identity for the right of
obtaining [Syrian] nationality.
Threats
About the future of the Syrian regime which is under
great international pressures now, Dr Omar says:" I
do not like Syria to become like Iraq but the
conduct of the Syrian regime: chauvinism, racism,
and sectarianism threatens the unity of Syrian
society. Syria will face great problems if it fails
to solve the Kurdish problem."
45 million Kurds
On the question whether the Kurdish question can be
solved through military means or the current stages
needs different methods of struggle, Dr Omar says:"
The Kurdish population [in the Middle East] is more
than 45 millions. Kurds cannot be defeated how many
massacres and anfals committed against them. This
has been proved by past history. We cannot be
exterminated by violence. We have a just cause and
we have right to self-determination and achieving
our free will. For this reason, we believe in
democratic political struggle. We do not believe in
violence and solving issues through military means."
No success without the Kurds
About the project of democracy in the Middle East
which the US and others publicise, he indicated that
he has not much faith in that project. Even the US
is not keen on this project now as before. He added:
"Such a project cannot succeed without the
[involvement of] the Kurds." He gave Iraqi Kurdistan
as an example which is the best hope for peaceful
democratic change in the region. But in spite of
this the role of the Kurds is weak. The US is trying
to achieve its aims at the expense of the Kurds
rather than their participation. He said:" If the US
wants to be successful in [the Middle East] region
then it must organise its relations with the Kurds
in all parts of Kurdistan." He adds:" The US
supports the separation and independence of Kosovo
and at the same time describes Kurdistan Workers'
Party {PKK) as a terrorist s and separatists. As
Kurdish Democratic Unity Party we are of course not
against the independence of Kosovo. This is their
just right of self-determination. But we also
understand that freedom cannot be achieved just by
creating a national state; freedom depends on the
degree of democratisation of the state,www.ekurd.net
it depends on to what
extent a system can protect security, safety and
freedoms of individuals. I believe that
self-determination is different from separation. In
the European Union (EU) this concept has been
surpassed. We can follow the example of the EU to
deal with our national issues. The Kurds have
achieved a great progress today."
Translated by Dr Kamal Mirawdeli from: Aso,
Sulaimaniyah, daily newspaper in Kurdish, 11 Jun 08,
p 5
Copyright, respective author or news agency
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