Last week, US President Barack Obama sent a Newroz message to the Iranian people, during which he greeted the Iranian people in their native Persian language Farsi. In the Kurdistan region, however, the segment seemed to many Kurds as though it were meant for them. Even a main Kurdish news channel mistakenly presented it several times with one of the most famous Newroz songs by the renowned Kurdish singer Hasan Zirak. It was a false delight to many Kurds who though that finally the president of a superpower had recognized Kurdish culture. Wittingly or unwittingly, the Obama administration missed just the right moment - the celebration of the Kurdish New Year - to recognize the many sacrifices of the Kurdish Peshmerga and the ethnically Kurdish guerrillas in Syria’s Rojava region. It appears the Obama White House takes the Kurdish support for granted. Newroz was the perfect time to reinforce Washington’s alliance with the stateless nation of some 40 million Kurds, a key ally in the troubled Middle East. Newroz, which literally could be translated as “new day,” is one of the most celebrated national festivals in places like Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and elsewhere. Kurdish people also claim the celebration as their own. According to Kurdish legend, a blacksmith named Kawa revolted against a tyrant named Zuhak and liberated people from his oppressive yoke. For non-Kurds, Newroz is a moment for celebrating the new year manifested in green mountains and plains, the rebirth of nature and the excitement of bringing families together. For the Kurdish people, in Kurdistan and around the world, Newroz is a moment of resistance and for celebrating the unique Kurdish identity. On the eve of Newroz this year, the Islamic State released video of the beheading of three captured Peshmerga. Meanwhile, there was a rumour the Islamists would also set fire to those caged Pehsmerga who were paraded in Hawija, south of Kirkuk. As a result, many Kurds chose to stay indoors. For those who went out, there was almost no sense of joy or Kurdish dancing. More than 1,150 Peshmerga have lost their lives in the fight against ISIS and it is common to meet someone affected personally. The Kurds are fighting the Islamic State on behalf of the free world. They are the only effective force on the ground that shares the Western values of freedom, democracy and tolerance. The fact that women have fought alongside men in Kobane and Rojava has received little recognition from the international community. The Peshmerga have likewise received far much less arms and ammunition compared to the Iraqi forces. The Kurdish channel mixed two seconds — the only two seconds that sounded like Kurdish — of Obama’s speech with a Kurdish song showing Kurdish partnership with the Americans. Imagine if it were really Kurdish. Although a small, simple step, the Kurdistan Regional Government could have claimed that the outside world stands by the Kurds in their fight against the savage cruelty of the Islamic State. This message could have provided partial moral support for the Peshmerga and their families who lost their lives. But there was no no special Newroz message to the Kurdish people from Obama. This fact has saddened almost all Kurds, and angered many who believe the Kurdish saying that the Kurds have no friends but the mountains. The most popular Newroz event in the Kurdistan Region is held in Akre town, where people carry torches to the top of the local mountain. How long will it take for Western countries go up the mountain with the Kurds?
Kurdistan17-06-2026President Barzani, Baghdad governor discuss closer cooperation between Erbil, Baghdad citiesRUDAW English
