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Hurriyet, Turkey
July 27 2012
Get Over Your Kurd Phobia Already!
Interview by Faruk Balikci with Co-Chairman of PYD Salih Muslim in Al-Qamishlo
Co-Chairman of the PYD [Democratic Union Party], which is known to be
close to the PKK [Kurdistan People's Congress, KGK] Salih Muslim said,
"The Turkish rulers have a Kurd phobia. I beg of you, let them
overcome this phobia." A graduate from Istanbul Technical University
Department of Chemical Engineering, Muslim explains how he lived in
Istanbul for seven years: "I have Turkish friends; we have a fraternal
bond. Understand us. We do not want bloodshed. We are defending
ourselves in our region."
PYD Co-Chairman Salih Muslim stated that Turkey had to get over its
Kurd phobia and said, "Understand us correctly." Muslim stressed that
they were protecting themselves from the war on their borders and that
they wanted to avoid bloodshed. Co-Chairman of the PYD, which is known
to be close to the PKK, Salih Muslim explained that he completed the
Istanbul Technical University Department of Chemical Engineering as a
middling student and that he lived seven years in Istanbul.
We Are Protecting Ourselves
I was not into politics as a student. I only felt sympathy. I used to
look on from afar. I never felt like a stranger. I have Turkish
friends and good relations. I never felt any enmity. The Turkish
rulers have a Kurd phobia. I beg of you, let them get over it. We have
historical, social and fraternal bonds. What we are doing here is not
against anyone. We are acting simply to protect our society from the
war that is pressing on our borders. Tanks have entered Kobani. They
were going to pass through our area and hit the Arabs. The people did
not allow it. They resisted. We are only protecting ourselves in our
region. The people rose up themselves to protect their region. This is
their natural right.
Baath In Barracks, Kurds On Patrol
We Want To Avoid Bloodshed
We do not want confrontation or bloodshed. We do not have the
authority to make decisions by ourselves. We have been organizing the
people for two years and we are now getting results. We want to avoid
bloodshed. Nobody should be disturbed by this, least of all Turkey. We
are a fraternal people. If the Turkish authorities want to discuss
this I will speak with them. We are shouting out what it is we want: a
democratic regime in Syria and recognition of the Kurdish identity. We
want a structure in which the Arabs, the Assyrians and the Armenians
will also be free. Among the Kurds there are those who want autonomy,
an autonomous federation. But that is not our priority. We do not want
Al-Asad's forces or anyone else's forces here. There should have been
a democratic revolution in Syria, but that never happened.
How Did It Come To This?
Where Are The Kurds Currently In Control?
We Have No Bond With The PKK
We have no organic bond with the PKK. Not one armed force has crossed
the border. The PKK has a lot of sympathizers among the people in the
border region. However, we make our own decisions. The Kurd Supreme
Council makes the decisions. If there is foreign intervention in Syria
Al-Asad's Stinger missiles are pointed at Israel. In this situation
Israel would use chemical weapons. However, Al-Asad is going to resist
for a long time in order not to go.
Checks Along Al-Qamishlo Highway
Militants of the People's Defence Units (YPG) are conducting vehicle
and ID checks at a check point on the Derik-Al-Qamishlo highway. The
militants who are carrying out these checks are unarmed and are
organized into defence committees formed in every neighbourhood inside
the Kurd region. There are defence committees formed by the residents
in almost every neighbourhood in the Kurd region.
[Translated from Turkish]
July 27 2012
Get Over Your Kurd Phobia Already!
Interview by Faruk Balikci with Co-Chairman of PYD Salih Muslim in Al-Qamishlo
Co-Chairman of the PYD [Democratic Union Party], which is known to be
close to the PKK [Kurdistan People's Congress, KGK] Salih Muslim said,
"The Turkish rulers have a Kurd phobia. I beg of you, let them
overcome this phobia." A graduate from Istanbul Technical University
Department of Chemical Engineering, Muslim explains how he lived in
Istanbul for seven years: "I have Turkish friends; we have a fraternal
bond. Understand us. We do not want bloodshed. We are defending
ourselves in our region."
PYD Co-Chairman Salih Muslim stated that Turkey had to get over its
Kurd phobia and said, "Understand us correctly." Muslim stressed that
they were protecting themselves from the war on their borders and that
they wanted to avoid bloodshed. Co-Chairman of the PYD, which is known
to be close to the PKK, Salih Muslim explained that he completed the
Istanbul Technical University Department of Chemical Engineering as a
middling student and that he lived seven years in Istanbul.
We Are Protecting Ourselves
I was not into politics as a student. I only felt sympathy. I used to
look on from afar. I never felt like a stranger. I have Turkish
friends and good relations. I never felt any enmity. The Turkish
rulers have a Kurd phobia. I beg of you, let them get over it. We have
historical, social and fraternal bonds. What we are doing here is not
against anyone. We are acting simply to protect our society from the
war that is pressing on our borders. Tanks have entered Kobani. They
were going to pass through our area and hit the Arabs. The people did
not allow it. They resisted. We are only protecting ourselves in our
region. The people rose up themselves to protect their region. This is
their natural right.
Baath In Barracks, Kurds On Patrol
We Want To Avoid Bloodshed
We do not want confrontation or bloodshed. We do not have the
authority to make decisions by ourselves. We have been organizing the
people for two years and we are now getting results. We want to avoid
bloodshed. Nobody should be disturbed by this, least of all Turkey. We
are a fraternal people. If the Turkish authorities want to discuss
this I will speak with them. We are shouting out what it is we want: a
democratic regime in Syria and recognition of the Kurdish identity. We
want a structure in which the Arabs, the Assyrians and the Armenians
will also be free. Among the Kurds there are those who want autonomy,
an autonomous federation. But that is not our priority. We do not want
Al-Asad's forces or anyone else's forces here. There should have been
a democratic revolution in Syria, but that never happened.
How Did It Come To This?
Where Are The Kurds Currently In Control?
We Have No Bond With The PKK
We have no organic bond with the PKK. Not one armed force has crossed
the border. The PKK has a lot of sympathizers among the people in the
border region. However, we make our own decisions. The Kurd Supreme
Council makes the decisions. If there is foreign intervention in Syria
Al-Asad's Stinger missiles are pointed at Israel. In this situation
Israel would use chemical weapons. However, Al-Asad is going to resist
for a long time in order not to go.
Checks Along Al-Qamishlo Highway
Militants of the People's Defence Units (YPG) are conducting vehicle
and ID checks at a check point on the Derik-Al-Qamishlo highway. The
militants who are carrying out these checks are unarmed and are
organized into defence committees formed in every neighbourhood inside
the Kurd region. There are defence committees formed by the residents
in almost every neighbourhood in the Kurd region.
[Translated from Turkish]