Give Kurds a chance to develop
Kurdishaspect.com - By Kirmanj Gundi
In 1992, as a result of the No-Fly Zone, Saddam’s forces were driven out of Iraqi Kurdistan. For the first time after the division of their land following World War I, the people of Kurdistan were given a chance to create their own administration. Parliament and other branches of government were established, and the people of Kurdistan were able to have their own President and Prime Minister. They started administering their affairs from scratch with no or very little assistance from the outside world. Many Westerners including Americans traveled to Kurdistan for business; only very few to help.
The Kurds had just come down from the mountains, although they were good warriors they needed help to learn to administer their affairs in the modern world. Soon, they transformed their society into an exquisitely diverse mosaic consisted of various cultural and religious beliefs. Children of non-Kurdish backgrounds began to study in their own native language and non-Kurdish cultures have not only been preserved, but also encouraged to flourish. All ethnic and religious groups have representatives in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Coexistence is promoted. Such a unique socio-political culture is unprecedented in the surrounding countries. Therefore, the new Kurdish experience is not only unacceptable, but also vehemently opposed by the neighboring countries, because the regional political mentality is not mature enough to acknowledge Kurdish identity.
On the other hand, it is true that the Kurdish administration has not been quite able to observe civil order in all social accouterments. More is needed to be nurtured vis-à-vis freedom of the press, liberal economy, and the so-called the “honor-killing.” Certainly, it should be the KRG’s preferred responsibility to minimize such awkwardness in the Kurdistani society if they are to live in a civilized world.
In recent months, there had been more reports in the Western Media, including The Washington Post, The NY Times, BBC and others criticizing the KRG more than any other time since the liberation of Iraq. Some carry valid points some groundless hearsay. Western media have been reporting on corruption in Kurdistan. It is true corruption exists in Kurdistan, thus the KRG officials must take more far-reaching measures to minimize it. However, investigative journalism, while reporting on an issue, should balance its findings within an ethical context and premise its account on undeniable evidence. It is not good journalism when conservative think tank writers like Michael Rubin pick their ingredients on the Kurds from the desk of the Turkish lobby only to trivialize the progress that has been made in Kurdistan. It is like proclaiming a “truth” by ignoring the”Kurdish truth.” His criticism would be more fair and balanced had he also talked about the attempts the KRG has made to do good things. Moreover, the account would especially be more valid if it had mentioned the efforts made by the neighboring countries especially Iran and Turkey to undermine the Kurdish experiment in self governance. The KRG is not unblemished, it has its flaws. However, it is in need of the aid from the democratic world. Let’s help this century old oppressed people to develop into a highly functioning democratic society. It is unethical to tarnish their efforts prior to giving them a chance to correct themselves through constructive criticism, not unrelenting demagoguery.
This article was directly sent to Dr. Michael Rubin
Kirmanj Gundi is a professor at Department of Educational Administration & Leadership at Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee.
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April 3, 2008
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