In an interview with ANF, Îbrahîm Spîndar, a lawyer and politician from southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq), assessed developments in the political and security spheres in the Middle East. He emphasized that state borders and centralist structures in the region are increasingly being shaken, and the monist system of nation-states is now struggling to function.
According to Spîndar, this dissolution is not a threat to the Kurdish people, but rather a historic opportunity. “The Kurdish people, who have been denied for centuries, are today for the first time acting in such an organized, visible, and politically conscious manner,” he said and cited the democratic autonomy in Rojava, the rising political consciousness in Bakur (North Kurdistan), the social resistance in Rojhilat (East Kurdistan), and the administrative experience in Bashur (South Kurdistan), demonstrating that Kurds in the four parts (of Kurdistan) can act with a shared national consciousness.
Spîndar said that some regional and international powers are pushing for a solution that doesn’t include the Kurds, adding, “The Kurdish people are not the same as they used to be, nor is the world. The international legitimacy of the SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces), the gains of the people of Rojava, and the political power of the Kurdish community have shown that a solution that doesn’t include the Kurds is not possible.”
Stating that armed struggle must now give way to political reasoning, diplomacy, and social work, Spîndar noted that the PKK’s decision to end armed struggle is also a result of this new political reality.
Spîndar recalled that the nation-state system, especially the Turkish state, was founded on an ethnic basis. All the rights of the Kurds were denied, the concept of one state, one language, and one religion rendered the Kurds invisible and ignored their political and cultural existence, and armed struggle was a defense against this policy of annihilation, he added.
Spîndar explained that the PKK fought along socialist lines during a period when there were no grounds for legal politics and has now raised awareness among the Kurdish people. “The gains made in Rojava are being targeted by the Turkish state, but the process is now different. The SDF is not just a military force but has also become an effective political actor with international legitimacy. Turkey no longer has the means to eliminate this power,” he said.
The Kurdish politician stated that the struggle must now be waged not only in the mountains, but also at the diplomatic table, in the media, in social organizations, and in the economy.
Remarking that the Turkish state still insists on a solution without the Kurds, Spîndar said that political wisdom, diplomacy, national unity, and social mobilization should now take precedence over armed struggle. The PKK’s decision to end the armed struggle, he said, is part of this transformation.
Stressing that state structures in the Middle East are being shaken and the nation-state paradigm is collapsing, Spîndar said that centralised systems are being replaced by federal and autonomous structures, and hegemonic powers want fragmented, weakened structures rather than strong nation-states.
“These developments coincide with the regional interests of the Kurdish people. In this equation, which is parallel to Israel’s security policy, it is possible for the Kurds to be included rather than excluded. The turmoil in Rojava, Rojhilat, and Bashur is the pain of this transformation,” he said.
According to Spîndar, the economic crisis in Bashur is a strategy of the central government and all the pressure is being exerted to keep the Kurds out of the process of change. However, if read correctly, this time the Kurds could be the agents of change rather than being pushed out, he noted.
“For this reason, all Kurdish parties, political formations, civil society organizations, and intellectuals must put aside their short-term agendas and unite around a common national strategy. We must focus on our commonalities, not our differences. If the right steps are taken, this century could be the century of the Kurdish people,” he added.
Source: ANF News
