Free Michel Kilo Now - Enough Already

Sadly, I have been reading for years the news about the Kurdish issue in Syria and that so many people were stripped of their Syrian Nationality in 1962. Therefore they were deprived of traveling, studying, owning properties, receiving health care and holding public jobs. So, in essence, they are paperless with nowhere else to go. This issue is a sad chapter in the modern history of Syria and should be resolved as soon as possible.

The Syrian regime has promised to solve this problem quickly since 2003, but they choose to delay, play with words, make false promises and politicize the issue making it so complicated out of nothing. I recently read some baathist guy say “that would be the beginning of settling the palestinians in Syria, or cutting out chunks of Syria like kurdish Iraq, or they could be used by the americans as a bridge to invade Syria”, you name it. Basically, when the regime does not want to do something simple, they are masters in creating excuses and making life hell for daring to ask for basic rights (Bital3ou il rouh)

I salute Joshua Landis from Syria comment on his opinion on the issue, he is surprisingly becoming a champion of human rights in Syria, let’s hope that helps. He wrote

Syria has released 3 Kurdish activists from jail. This move comes only days before the October 5th demonstration that is being organized on behalf of Kurdish citizenship for the 200,000 Kurds who continue to be denied full citizenship and rights in Syria. October 5 will be the anniversary of the 1962 census carried out by President Nazim al-Qudsi, which was used as the instrument for denying Kurds their rights, based on the provenance of their grandfathers and great grandfathers. President Asad has promised on several occasions that he would restore the rights and complete citizenship of the Kurds who were unfairly harmed by the 1962 census and subsequent policies, but he has refused to live up to his promises. Doubtlessly Asad believes that he can use the unfulfilled promise of citizenship as a club held over the heads of Syria’s Kurdish community to ensure their good behavior as Iraq’s Kurdish provinces gain independence. This is a silly policy and will most likely back fire because it will guarantee that Syria’s Kurds resent the Syrian state and its discriminatory policies. It is a bit like Israel trying to starve Palestinians into recognizing Greater Israel.

The national Salvation Front, run by Khaddam and Bayanouni, are calling on all Syrians to join the Oct. 5th demonstrations as an opening effort of their “new policy” of trying to build support “within” Syria. I must say that Khaddam and Bayanouni are smart to champion the Kurdish demand for full citizenship, just as they are smart to condemn Farid Ghadry’s politics of bigotry and his effort to turn Syrians against their fellow Alawis. National unity will be a winning strategy. Syrians have allowed themselves to be divided for too long. Asad has talked about promoting national unity, but on the Kurdish issue, he has made a mockery of this strategy and left a giant hole for the opposition to walk through. It is good to see that they are taking advantage of this weakness and bringing attention to government backed discrimination and racism.

The Syrian government has done more than its fair share in helping refugees of many stripes - and not only Arab refugees like the Palestinians, Lebanese, and Iraqis, but also non-Arabs, such as Armenians, Assyrians, Circassians, and many more. There is no need to mistreat the Kurds - it ruins what has been Syria’s excellent record of helping others and promoting tolerance among ethnic groups and religions in the region.

Anyway, I come from Aleppo so I have met and encountered a lot of Syrian kurdish people.  Also I met many Iraqi kurds in London and Copenhagen or turkish kurds in Turkey.They are very hard working and very generous and sincere once you get to know them. My dad opened a medical labratory in 3Affrin in the early 80s and we got invited to many graduation feasts and we were very welcome. Also some other friends of my uncle invited us to some pomergrenate “Rumman” gardens for “mashawee” in 3izaz.

I know there are a lot of tensions between the arabs (Muslims and Christians) and kurds in Northeastern Syria, and people in Aleppo are suspiscious of the kurds intentions. Also the kurds have higher birth rates and might have less economic opportunites. But we need to have dialogue with them and listen to their demands and attend to their rights specially the most basic ones such as citizenship, speaking up against bad treatments and illegal detention in jails.

Also we should be glad that for the most part (except of March 2003), there were no violent conflicts or minor civil wars like it was the case in Iraq or Turkey. The Kurds are part of the Syrian society and the biggest non arab ethnic minority, they comprise 10% of the population. There are a lot of succesful kurds in Syria and we should benefit from their potential good business and social relations with Kurds in Turkey or Iraq, also their network world wide.

Armenians and other non arab ethnicities have benefited Syria enormously, so let’s have the Kurds a major contributor to the future of Syria as well. Syria is richer with diversity.