Kurds in Syria ‘waiting to take to the streets’

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The Kurdish people of Syria have not joined the current wave of unrest with any significant demonstrations against President Bashar al-Assad and his ruling Baath party. But that could change.

The Kurds, representing around 10% of the country’s population, are “ready, watching and waiting to take to the streets, as their cause is the strongest,” according to Robert Lowe, manager of the Middle East Centre at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Largely concentrated along the borders with Turkey and Iraq in the northeast of the country, the Kurds have long been described as a repressed minority in Syria. Since the break-up of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, they have fought for an independent Kurdistan with fellow Kurds in Iran, Iraq and Turkey. Their situation in Syria has been particularly difficult in the past five decades.

“They didn’t have problems before this regime,” said Obeida Nahas, director of the Levant Institute, a London-based Syrian think tank. “Now they are denied the right to speak or even write in their own language and are told to use Arab names.”

The government has been regularly accused of sanctioning a heavy-handed and in some cases violent approach to controlling the annual Nowruz, or Kurdish new year celebrations, which have become increasingly politicized since the Baath party took office in 1963. That is, until this year.

On Sunday, Nowruz festivities across Syria passed without any major incidents and members of the Kurdish community noted that police allowed them an unusual level of freedom.

Nahas said this was a government attempt to “bribe” the Kurdish people into not following the example of the largely Sunni Muslim tribes demonstrating in the south of the country. Presidential advisor Buthaina Shaaban offered her greeting of “Nowruz Mubarak” or “happy new year,” to the Kurdish people Thursday, when she told a news conference about the “wonderful coexistence” among Syrian people.

The political move won’t work, though, according to Ribal al-Assad, the first cousin of President al-Assad now living in exile in London. “They can’t suddenly give the Kurds freedom to celebrate Nowruz without expecting them to ask for their other rights, like owning an ID card or using their own language,” al-Assad said. “The Syrian secret service and police are very good at dividing people, but most Kurds want to be part of Syria.”

The Kurdish community is not expected to keep quiet.

“There has been a lack of trust from the Kurds since 2004,” said Khalaf Dahowd, co-chair of the International Support Kurds in Syria Association. Violence involving Kurds, Arabs and police broke out after a soccer match in Al-Qamishli in March 2004. Several people were killed and over a hundred were injured.

Dahowd, a Syrian Kurdish refugee now living in England, believes that the resentment felt by many Kurds toward Arabs after that event has also divided Kurdish people. He speculates that many will find it very difficult to join their Arab neighbors in protest against President al-Assad and his government.

As an activist for Kurdish rights and a united Syria, Dahowd argues that Kurds should put aside any bad feeling they have for other opposition factions. “Everybody in Syria needs to rise up. This regime needs to go,” he said.

With several leading Kurds already imprisoned for speaking out and the Kurdish political movement divided between as many as 15 parties, the impetus to demonstrate will need to come from ordinary Kurds, many of them classed as “stateless” without Syrian citizenship.

“These people are desperately poor and weak, but ripe for protesting,” Lowe said.

After a week of anti-regime protests in Syria, it has become clear that the opposition there is divided along lines of ethnicity, religion, tribes and families. Presidential advisor Shaaban may have stated the government’s intention to avoid referring to Syrians based on their ‘religious, ethnic or sectarian identity” but, according to Lowe, “there is a weak sense of Syrian identity because the country is such an artificial creation.”

However, the big challenge for Kurds and other minority groups according to, Ribal al-Assad, the president’s cousin, is to show the overwhelming scale of feeling against the government. “Everybody is in opposition in Syria,” he said.

CNN

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29 responses to “Kurds in Syria ‘waiting to take to the streets’”

  1. josephphdman Avatar
    josephphdman

    the kurds should ask for there basic human rights and to be treted like a human beeing
    the syrian people who live in france or any where in the world they can speak arbic and and they can go to the mosq and they have a freedom for there basic personal things activities ,but the kurds in syria they ca,nt speak kurdish and the can,t have kurdish names and they ca,nt have jobs in the governement ,this is an absolute discrimination against the kurdish people and it is more rasism than anywhere in the world???

    1. LOOK WHOS TALKING AMERICANS ALWAYS HYPOCRITES, HOWS THAT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS RESPECTED IN AMERICA? SHOULD WE GO TO THE RESERVATIONS IN USA OR IRAQ?
      OR… THOSE ARE NOT HUMAN? COME ON! DO YOU THINK WE ARE STUPID? TAKE A HIKE!!

      SCHOLARS OF WESTERN AMERICAHNISTORY have long recognized the cost-CivilWar frontier army’s complicity in the near-extermination of the buffalo. Historian Richard White represents the scholarly consensus in stating that “various military commanders encouraged the slaughter of bison” by white hide hunters in order to cut the heart from the Plains Indians’ economy. Some scholars implicate the army’s high command more directly in the an- nihilation. Retired Brigadier General S. L. A. Marshall, for instance, claimed that Generals William T. Sherman and Philip Sheridan viewed the eradication of the buffalo as “the critical line of attack” in the struggle with the plains tribes. Paul Andrew Hutton, Sheridan’s able biographer, maintains that the scrappy little Irishman did his utmost to further “his policy of exterminating the buffalo.”‘

      1. Hannibal Avatar

        Hey F0sS2U 2,
        What you are quoting about the Buffalo is old history. This is 2011 and Syria will be free and minorities will get their rights… Tic Toc Tic Toc Mohamed Bouazizi’s revolution is for all the Middle East… Bye Bye ba3oes barty…

      2. Hannibal Avatar

        Hey F0sS2U 2,
        What you are quoting about the Buffalo is old history. This is 2011 and Syria will be free and minorities will get their rights… Tic Toc Tic Toc Mohamed Bouazizi’s revolution is for all the Middle East… Bye Bye ba3oes barty…

      3. josephphdman Avatar
        josephphdman

        this was history the us one the first democracy in the world ,and one of the the best, people in america have more freedom and more rights than any country on the face of this earth
        if you accuse the us of discrimination ? how could you ?
        the us have a black president: barrak obama

      4. master09 Avatar

        Should we talk about the greek empire, today people we need to forget the past and forgive each other and live as brothers enough HATE in this world we always talk about the past crap. Why dony we start thinking about how we build a better future.

      5. master09 Avatar

        Should we talk about the greek empire, today people we need to forget the past and forgive each other and live as brothers enough HATE in this world we always talk about the past crap. Why dony we start thinking about how we build a better future.

  2.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    the kurds should ask for there basic human rights and to be treted like a human beeing
    the syrian people who live in france or any where in the world they can speak arbic and and they can go to the mosq and they have a freedom for there basic personal things activities ,but the kurds in syria they ca,nt speak kurdish and the can,t have kurdish names and they ca,nt have jobs in the governement ,this is an absolute discrimination against the kurdish people and it is more rasism than anywhere in the world???

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      LOOK WHOS TALKING AMERICANS ALWAYS HYPOCRITES, HOWS THAT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS RESPECTED IN AMERICA? SHOULD WE GO TO THE RESERVATIONS IN USA OR IRAQ?
      OR… THOSE ARE NOT HUMAN? COME ON! DO YOU THINK WE ARE STUPID? TAKE A HIKE!!

      SCHOLARS OF WESTERN AMERICAHNISTORY have long recognized the cost-CivilWar frontier army’s complicity in the near-extermination of the buffalo. Historian Richard White represents the scholarly consensus in stating that “various military commanders encouraged the slaughter of bison” by white hide hunters in order to cut the heart from the Plains Indians’ economy. Some scholars implicate the army’s high command more directly in the an- nihilation. Retired Brigadier General S. L. A. Marshall, for instance, claimed that Generals William T. Sherman and Philip Sheridan viewed the eradication of the buffalo as “the critical line of attack” in the struggle with the plains tribes. Paul Andrew Hutton, Sheridan’s able biographer, maintains that the scrappy little Irishman did his utmost to further “his policy of exterminating the buffalo.”‘

      1. Hey F0sS2U 2,
        What you are quoting about the Buffalo is old history. This is 2011 and Syria will be free and minorities will get their rights… Tic Toc Tic Toc Mohamed Bouazizi’s revolution is for all the Middle East… Bye Bye ba3oes barty…

      2.  Avatar
        Anonymous

        this was history the us one the first democracy in the world ,and one of the the best, people in america have more freedom and more rights than any country on the face of this earth
        if you accuse the us of discrimination ? how could you ?
        the us have a black president: barrak obama

      3.  Avatar
        Anonymous

        Should we talk about the greek empire, today people we need to forget the past and forgive each other and live as brothers enough HATE in this world we always talk about the past crap. Why dony we start thinking about how we build a better future.

  3. josephphdman Avatar
    josephphdman

    the syrians who live in europe or the us or anywhere in the world there human rights are respected
    1-they can speak syrian or arabic with each others if they want
    2-they can name themselves any nanme they want :ali mohammad, hosein etc………….
    3- they are hired for anyjob if they qualify for
    why the kurds in syria are treted like animals?????
    the syrian governement banned them from speaking kurdish
    and banned from namimg there kids of kurdish names
    they ca,nt get jobs in the governement or any good job even if they qualify for
    this is the slavery of the 21,century these people are treted like slaves so are the rest of the 15 millions sunnis in syria !!!!

    1. But they can NOT put a Mosque near ground Zero in NY. I hate Americans trying to lecture democracy when they practice dictatorship.
      Those who don’t know You will buy it, but I know that Americans only look after the interests of their masters the Jews/Zionist same thing.
      Speaking of a true modern slavery what about house taxes and indiscriminate home mortgages that ended with the life and economy in America when at the same time the American Banks took all the money to Israel? Ask Bush and Dick Cheney.

      1. master09 Avatar

        Can you build a CHURCH in Iran??? Come on what a joke other relg or nationality has to obey the laws of the Islamic states, when in England USA or Australia Islamic community have more freedom than some of the nationals. Come on wake up the rest of the world must bow to your all request and laws.

  4.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    the syrians who live in europe or the us or anywhere in the world there human rights are respected
    1-they can speak syrian or arabic with each others if they want
    2-they can name themselves any nanme they want :ali mohammad, hosein etc………….
    3- they are hired for anyjob if they qualify for
    why the kurds in syria are treted like animals?????
    the syrian governement banned them from speaking kurdish
    and banned from namimg there kids of kurdish names
    they ca,nt get jobs in the governement or any good job even if they qualify for
    this is the slavery of the 21,century these people are treted like slaves so are the rest of the 15 millions sunnis in syria !!!!

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      But they can NOT put a Mosque near ground Zero in NY. I hate Americans trying to lecture democracy when they practice dictatorship.
      Those who don’t know You will buy it, but I know that Americans only look after the interests of their masters the Jews/Zionist same thing.
      Speaking of a true modern slavery what about house taxes and indiscriminate home mortgages that ended with the life and economy in America when at the same time the American Banks took all the money to Israel? Ask Bush and Dick Cheney.

      1.  Avatar
        Anonymous

        Can you build a CHURCH in Iran??? Come on what a joke

  5. what are they waiting for?

    they shoudl fear no more.

    aren’t they hearing the protesters cries? they are saying “no more fear”.

    the kurds should have been the first ones on the streets.

    unless their silence is a fear of changing the attitude of the greater syrians watching the events unfold….i don’t know, i am preplexed.

  6.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    what are they waiting for?

    they shoudl fear no more.

    aren’t they hearing the protesters cries? they are saying “no more fear”.

    the kurds should have been the first ones on the streets.

    unless their silence is a fear of changing the attitude of the greater syrians watching the events unfold….i don’t know, i am preplexed.

  7. josephphdman Avatar
    josephphdman

    its not hard to belive that this regeme had opressed and killed kurds and deprived them there rights to live in dignity and freedom;deprived the kurdish syrians from speaking kurdish
    deprivethem from schools and jobs and good healthcare ;while collecting ther tax money for years and givethem nothing in return
    3 millions kurdish syrians had been humulated and treated as slaves; for this arrogant tyrant regeme who careless about human rights and dignity ;this regeme who murdered over 500,000 syrians sunnis over the past 40 years in cold bloodl ;
    how hard would it be for them to abuse the kurds and deprivethem from there human rights

    1. then heck what are they waiting for?

      time to take to the streets!

      time for freedom.

    2. then heck what are they waiting for?

      time to take to the streets!

      time for freedom.

  8.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    its not hard to belive that this regeme had opressed and killed kurds and deprived them there rights to live in dignity and freedom;deprived the kurdish syrians from speaking kurdish
    deprivethem from schools and jobs and good healthcare ;while collecting ther tax money for years and givethem nothing in return
    3 millions kurdish syrians had been humulated and treated as slaves; for this arrogant tyrant regeme who careless about human rights and dignity ;this regeme who murdered over 500,000 syrians sunnis over the past 40 years in cold bloodl ;
    how hard would it be for them to abuse the kurds and deprivethem from there human rights

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      thank heck what are they waiting for?

      time to take to the streets!

  9. F0sS2U Avatar

    You all are forgetting the Iraq story and is not old, they took unilateral action against the international community, the list is long about the arbitrary actions of USA and England and don’t You dare to tell Me is old story, What I said about the slaughter of the bison is to make You understand that destruction, greed, looting, treason are part of the American/anglo genes/culture.
    What happened recently in the antiracist summit? USA, Israel and England left the room when it was stated that they built their empires over the Palestinian and the African People. All of You ass Kissers of USA, are same Hypocrites posing like Middle Eastern and are no more than monkeys of the pentagon.

  10. F0sS2U Avatar

    You all are forgetting the Iraq story and is not old, they took unilateral action against the international community, the list is long about the arbitrary actions of USA and England and don’t You dare to tell Me is old story, What I said about the slaughter of the bison is to make You understand that destruction, greed, looting, treason are part of the American/anglo genes/culture.
    What happened recently in the antiracist summit? USA, Israel and England left the room when it was stated that they built their empires over the Palestinian and the African People. All of You ass Kissers of USA, are same Hypocrites posing like Middle Eastern and are no more than monkeys of the pentagon.

  11.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    You all are forgetting the Iraq story and is not old, they took unilateral action against the international community, the list is long about the arbitrary actions of USA and England and don’t You dare to tell Me is old story, What I said about the slaughter of the bison is to make You understand that destruction, greed, looting, treason are part of the American/anglo genes/culture.
    What happened recently in the antiracist summit? USA, Israel and England left the room when it was stated that they built their empires over the Palestinian and the African People. All of You ass Kissers of USA, are same Hypocrites posing like Middle Eastern and are no more than monkeys of the pentagon.

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