Remazan Bakur: Power and Media

Rastinews — Throughout world history, authority — especially oppressive authorities — has always created obstacles for the press and media. They have not wanted critical press and media; instead, they have used press and media to strengthen and perpetuate their own authority. In this period, Rastî Agency, because it broadcasts true voices and accounts and publishes on the basis of truth, is facing obstacles and is being obstructed.

For a long time I have written for the magazine. Most of the subjects of my writings are language, culture, and historical experiences. I have never entered the political arena with my writings, because the politics of international actors and of the Middle East is a dirty politics. In the Middle East, religious and conservative politics still holds influence. It is a politics based not on justice and truth but on interest and deception. It is a politics of rights violations and injustice. They constantly change society's agenda, silence the press and media that convey the truth, and continue their own work. Deceptions are carried out, rights are violated.

Unfortunately, truth does not always prevail. Truth and just organizations have often suffered grave setbacks. Throughout world history, many truthful people, in pursuit of truth and reality, have faced persecution, imprisonment, and even beheading. There is a well-known saying: by the time truth is proven true, its owner has already lost his head. I say again: unfortunately, after grave setbacks, persecution, imprisonment, and even beheading, the truth has come to be accepted, and the truthfulness of the honest has come to be acknowledged. I could give many examples on this subject, but I do not want to make my article too long. Throughout the whole world there is one truth and one reality; no one can hide the truth. In the end, truth falls like a heavy fist upon the face of lies and injustice.

Because of the obstacles being placed against Rastî Agency, this time I have chosen authority and media as the subject of my article. We are not people who fear the truth. In every area of life we have spoken the truth, and we will continue to speak the truth. A person may fall into trouble because of telling the truth, but defending the truth and speaking honestly is a matter of pride and dignity. Honorable people speak the truth and do not fear it. The elders have said: "the wall of the palace of lies stands on ice" — when the ice melts, the palace collapses on top of its owners. But unfortunately, self-interest prolongs lies and thereby also prolongs unjust systems. There is another saying of the elders: he who lends his ear to lies becomes a summer fox. We, the Kurdish people, have until now lent our ears to lies a great deal; that is why, like the bald summer fox, we are leaderless, without capital, and subjugated in our own land and homeland.

Without doubt, through our writings we give voice to our thoughts, views, and opinions. Perhaps many people will not understand them; perhaps they will not be accepted by many. This is because everyone has their own beliefs and convictions, and everyone has different knowledge and understanding. But everyone has the right to express their thoughts, views, and opinions through speech, writing, and sharing, and everyone should respect that right. Truth and reality are the same thing in every area of life. Those who do not accept criticism of themselves can never become just people. We know there will be attacks from enemies and occupiers. But attacks from those who call themselves freedom fighters are a matter of doubt and suspicion.

In this cause of peace, freedom, and rights, our people have paid heavy prices. Because of these heavy prices, we are obliged to become the voice of our people. When we give voice to our people's grievances and write about them, no one has the right to attack us, and those who attack are obliged to pay heed to criticism and grievances. If they choose not to heed criticism and grievances, that is their own affair; we will not back down from our position and will continue to speak the truth and reality.

After the First World War, due to the negligence of the leaders of that time and those who came after them, and later through the struggle of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the Kurdish people passed a hundred years under subjugation and massacre. From today onward, whatever the cost, it is unacceptable for the century ahead of the Kurdish people to pass under subjugation and massacre as the previous century did. In this giving and taking of rights and justice, no person and no organization has the right to impose their own thoughts and opinions on our people. It is necessary that the hopes and demands of our people be the goal and direction of every one of our fighters and politicians.

Our aim is not to expose the shortcomings and faults of any person or organization before everyone's eyes. In any case, the shortcomings and faults of every person and every organization are already plain to see, and everyone knows them. It is necessary that we set aside our own beliefs and convictions, our ideologies, and unite around our shared goal. I believe the goal of every Kurd is the freedom of the Kurds and Kurdistan, and the rights of the Kurdish people. Recent events make it clear that international and regional actors do not want the Kurds to become owners of a state and authority in their own country. Recent events show us that organizations that consider themselves responsible on behalf of the Kurds have also become entangled in the web of Kurdistan's occupiers. Rojava was handed over to Arab religious fanatics and racists. In Bakur, the Kurdish people are being made to lose hope of an independent Kurdistan, and the same is being attempted in Rojhilat.

Those who supposedly stand against international actors (imperial powers) and regional occupiers have themselves fallen into the web and systems of those same international actors (imperial powers) and regional occupiers. Integration, in the century ahead of us, means leaving the Kurdish people without a state and without status, continuing assimilation, continuing the disruption of demographics, and the annihilation of the Kurdish people. Whichever person or organization has made a deal with international actors (imperial powers) and regional occupiers, let them know that this is their own deal — it is not a deal made on behalf of the Kurdish people with international actors (imperial powers) and regional occupiers. The Kurdish people will never give up the right to the independence of the Kurds and Kurdistan. The wish of every Kurd is a free Kurdistan.