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• Kara Namiq Agha September 1, 2010 8:13 pm

  

  This is a crash course on Kurdish history and their struggle throughout the years.
  The Kurds rarely looked to establish an independent state until they found themselves within borders not of their own making in the early 20th century and were suppressed. The Kurds helped Ataturk win the War of Independnce, having been mobolised as the ‘muslism brothers’. Hence, Kurdish national conscience and desire to self-determine was never really there until the Treaty of Lausanne was drawn up.
  Of course, Kurds are a disctinct people for the purposes of international law and have a right to self-determination. Whether they’d be allowed to exercise this right and potentially change the international frontiers of four states, is a whole different matter.But one thing is certain, Kurdish nationalism and desire for self-determination is a genie out of its bottle and can no longer be ignored.
  Thanks for drawing attention to the issue Mark.

• KA August 28, 2010 3:48 pm

  

  Thank you Mark for the talk show on Kurdistan. In the long run, people like you make a difference!
  Best
  KA

• Serkan (from South Kurdistan/Turkey ) August 28, 2010 10:45 am

  

  the main independent war, Kurds have, is in Turkey at the moment. Kurds because of the PKK(Guerrillas movement, still actif at the pinnacle of the months)got some rights in Turkey yet still need help deeply. the other regions kurds are unhappy as in Turkey. an example citi of that is gonna be Iran! the worst monster who ever lived! killing kurds without reason, or just because they are Kurds! Kurdish people in Iran are in terrible situation because of the AHmedi Nejo! I do hear many killed stories from people or news or kurdish media. channels, how terrible to be kurds in Iran!
  Syria! is the country of the unknown kurdish people! how many they are and what they have, passport, idendty, is nothing! predominantly being threated as illegal! they dont counted as a citizen!
  To come to Turkey; the country that i have lived and grow up and got educated and discriminated against all the time! having different colour, accent, appearence, problems all for kurdish people!
  they were mostly in village before 1990s but government killed or burnt most of their villages, they relocated to cities, no job no home no food! now they doing the worst jobs in Turkey!
  the war is still around especially at the east part of Turkey, these cities: Diyarbakir, Siirt, Mus, Bingol, Hakkari, Sirnak, Batman, Agri, Cizre, Urfa Kars, Igdir,Tunceli are mixed kurdish cities.
  the result is very insulting and atrocities. thousonds children, women, men, are in jail without case! and they say turkey respect to children rights!
  now that turkey has a new constitunal election and the AKP wants to make a new constitution, however,there is nothing about kurdish people, nothing is being altered or changed! so im gonna boycot the new constitutional amendment!
  Mark I`m very glad that i have chance to met you in W.DC.!
  thank you very much dealing with Kurdish issues! it is absolutly true that we`re (kurdish people) need help! I think you`re going to turn over a new leaf on that issue!
  MA, sociology,
  Serkan

• ruken August 27, 2010 10:24 pm

  

  just a quick correction to a mistake i made during the program.
  apparently, jake hess was released and deported from Turkey a few days ago. sorry about that.
  please see the link below for more info
  http://www.democracynow.org/2010/8/23/exclusive_us_journalist_deported_from_turkey