If you equate Kobane with PKK, and PKK with IS(IS)

17.10.2014 Vatan
Translated by: Turgay BAYINDIR /
Orjinal Metin (tr-10/6/2014)

War live on social media

One of the most striking aspects of the First Gulf War was CNN’s live coverage of the war that brought it to our homes. Since then many other wars have been similarly broadcast. For example, when the international task force landed in Somalia, they were met by an army of reporters. 

With the spread of social media and consequently “citizen journalism” it has become possible to access news coverage about wars from many different outlets. This is particularly evident in the case of the Kobane resistance. News of Kobane reach us not only through the representatives of the two sides and through journalists, but civilians who went to Suruç to support the resistance also give live reports of what they see, hear and of course feel on social media.

The persistence of IS(IS)

It is not difficult to understand the motivation of the people of Kobane, the PYD/YPG members who are defending Kobane and the people who are supporting them; however, it is extremely strange that IS(IS), which has encountered such an effective resistance for the first time, is so persistent about capturing this city at the risk of losing the other areas in Syria and Iraq that have been under their control. Can this situation be explained simply by the strategic importance of Kobane? Would it be sufficient to say “it has become a matter of obstinacy for IS(IS)”? Attempting to explain the situation with “hate of the Kurds” would not be very credible as we know at least that there are many Kurds within IS(IS) as well. It is more logical to think that IS(IS) sees the secular ideology of PYD/YPG and by implication, that of PKK/Abdullah Öcalan, as an alternative to itself and therefore an enemy.

The stinginess of the coalition

Every moment of the Kobane resistance is taking place in front of the eyes of the whole world. The obviously unequal distribution of heavy artillery owned by the two sides is also visible even to the naked eye. However, the international coalition the sole purpose of whose existence is to fight against IS(IS) has been acting for some reason in a very tight-fisted manner in taking action to change the situation in favor of Kobane. It is still a mystery why the coalition has not so far concentrated on Kobane as much as IS(IS) does.

Equating IS(IS) with PKK

The speakers of the Kurdish Political Movement believe that this attitude of the coalition is, to a large extent, Ankara’s doing. Based on the fact that President Erdoğan sees and presents IS(IS) in the same way as PKK, we can conclude that the government is in favor of a long war in the process of which both sides will destroy each other. However, it is obvious that this is not a realistic, and therefore sustainable stance at all because:
1.  The phenomenon of Kobane is already beyond being simply PKK’s issue; it is an immediate concern for all Kurds. If you distance yourself from the Kobane resistance because of PKK’s role in it, you are not only distancing yourself from PKK but from all Kurds.
2.  PKK is not an immediate concern to the international coalition which Turkey subsequently joined; they actually do not complain at all that armed groups that follow a line similar to that of PKK are fighting against IS(IS) in Iraq and Syria.
3.  The government is handling a very critical resolution process with PKK. It is not possible to limit this process to simply Kurds who are Turkish citizens. If Ankara attempts to continue the process with no regard to the condition of the Kurds in Iraq and Syria, it might end up with nothing. You cannot win the hearts of the Kurds in Turkey if you break their hearts in Syria.

Making PKK toe the line through IS(IS)

The other day I asked “If Kurds lose in Kobane, will Turks win?” and I was surprised by the amount of affirmative responses of “Yes, exactly”. Some have truly projected their feelings of fury and vengeance of PKK on the victory of IS(IS). However, they do not admit or do not want to admit these:
1.  To repeat: The Kobane resistance is beyond PKK. Supporting IS(IS) in this war is an open expression of hate of the Kurds.
2.  One who allows the massacre of Kurds in Kobane cannot look Kurds in the eye in Turkey either.
Whatever the outcome of the Kobane resistance, at this point it is not possible for Kurds to lose and for IS(IS) to win.

Destek olmak ister misiniz?
Doğru haber, özgün ve özgür yorum ihtiyacı
Bugün dünyada gazeteciler birer aktivist olmaya zorlanıyor. Bu durum, kutuplaşmanın alabildiğine keskin olduğu Türkiye'de daha fazla karşımıza çıkıyor. Halbuki gazeteci, elinden geldiğince, doğru haber ile özgün ve özgür yorumla toplumun tüm kesimlerine ulaşmaya çalışmalı ve bu yolla, kutuplaşmayı artırma değil azaltmayı kendine hedef edinmeli. Devamı için

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