Friday, August 26, 2011

Basa! Enough! Kafi!

To the world's greatest blog follower*

The family is packing, the first thing that came to my mind when I realized we're travelling was to make a blog entry before I leave. I have made an escape to write this blog entry before someone finds me and yells out: "Sazaaaaaaaaan!!"
The best thing that our students in UKH did at the time was put together this HUGE Kurdish flag, it's become our symbol. Where ever you see it, know that this is UKH spirit
This was a random unexpected morning call trip. Jezhn (eid) is around the corner, and while most people like to celebrate in big cities we take the opportunity to go to villages, towns etc… I always return refreshed. I enjoy the company of the simple people over there.

While I celebrate Jezhn I also realize there are people of my greater family who are under attacks, who are being bombarded. Recently little children were massacred as they were with their family leaving a mountain escaping bombardment from one of our neighbouring countries.

No matter how proud I am as a Kurd, there are often times where I sigh and let out a long "Aaaakh" this week I set free many "aaakhs". Iran attacking from their side, Turkey from another and even within Iraq there were attacks on Kurds on areas that are neighbours to my hometown of Mandaly.

We really had enough
I re-read the first line of my diary entrance on the day of the demonstrations in Erbil a few days back against Turkey's recent air attacks on Kurdish soil. In big, bold scribble writing I had written: "for god sakes, enough is enough!"

Indeed, enough.
Thanks to Narin B. Qaradaxi, Bewar Rwandzi , Ashna Shareff, Sara Sinjari and few other girls who helped with posters, organizing protests and making everything run smoothly. The guys did a outstanding job too. So proud of UKH graduates. Their motivation and dedication pushed this a long way
The picture of the little girl with her body parts shredded to pieces remains in front of my eyes and visits my dreams every single night. For the sake of that innocent child, I took on the streets of Erbil to call out "Enough!" for the sake of the soul of that little girl, I write words of anger and resentment. That innocent child is not a stranger to me, she is my sister, my loved one, that innocent young girl could just be a part of me.

These two kids and their parents Kurds from Turkey... I guess they stood against the young girl their age who was killed by the warplanes earlier in the week
We endured the Anfal, we suffered the consequences of Halabja, we've experienced deportations, mass killings and have felt the pain of chemical attacks and genocide. Our grandparents—and parents—fought side by side with the mountains, and we managed to begin a new page in our history books. As Kurds we stood up and built. We never gave up. I am not ashamed to say that we were almost entirely alone on this journey, no one held our hands.

My hand, holding the hand of Ashna Shareff, a dear friend, the nicest blend of colours around her wrist. Thanks Ashna and Narin who took their time early in the morning to create ribbons for demonstrators
As a Kurd I know too well that it was the atrocious mind of enemies that caused the massacres written in our history pages. It is now the year 2011, in the 21st century. At any cost, the blood of any Kurdish child will not go down the drain. No innocent young girl, on the lap of her mother should be shattered to pieces, with her face burned, her limbs broken, and her brain out from one of her ears.

Close friend and blogger Bewar Rwandizi also in this picture
Enough is enough.
Let a nation live. How hard can it be?

We are educated on the western curriculum that teaches the Westphalia state system; the right to self determination, the right to democracy and the basic right to live.
The "right" repeated over and over again, the "right" which we just don’t have. The pain kills.
The crowd of demonstrators in Erbil
What don't I have that other citizens of states across the world have? I have a rich culture, and a unique language; I have a bloody history and a land where I belong. What does it take for you to recognize me? 

I'm surrounded by the world's most amazing girls-- they inspire me more and more as each day goes by with their passion, love and motivation
 I took out the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I read article after article, to the point that I began to sniff. For me, as a Kurd, as I was reading, that declaration was a checklist, in my head I would make arguments whether or not I could tick—or cross— some of the articles. At the end if it were an exam, I would fail. There were more crosses than ticks.
Peace. That's what we're asking for
But you know what? One day we will have all our rights. The power of walking in a street with the Kurdish flags in both hands swaying in the air and chanting out loud, you feel empowered like you have never felt before. You feel like you are expressing and screaming the words that the innocent children who lost their life would have screamed out if they could leave their graves and protest now.
Young Kurds feeling it's their responsibility to speak up
Another one of those days that I can spend the entire night writing in my diary about, another one of those hours where it will be made history in Mandalawi's life, another one of those instances where I can raise my head up, look into the sky in such a way where the sun's rays will water my eyes—look up and say "I'm a proud Kurd. I will be as strong as my only friends— as strong as the mountains."

Me in the morning of the demonstration (notice it's Ramadan) with a group of friends preparing some posters
Jezhntan Pirozbet in advance- see you when I return.
MUM: "SAZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN" ooooops!! Someone is in trouble.

*Proud to have a new follower to the blog, and a newly arrived member to the Mandalawi family S. M. K. - waxerhati.

A part of this blog entry has made up my "Memoirs" column in the Kurdish Globe this week. Some pictures taken by me, but the really good ones are taken by my great friend Sara S. Sinjari :) I bet your wondering why some of them looked so good.... because I didn't take them!!


18 comments:

Tabouleh said...

Allah Ma3kom Habeebti... May you get what you have always deserved... may the Kurds and many other nations around the world fighting for their freedom get their rights... if not now then know for sure it will come... Eid Mubarak Habeebti and may the situation be much better by the time you come back.

Lama Baker said...

proud of u sazan gian, inshalla u will never say akhhhhhhhh again

kulka said...

I am proud Kurdish. Kurdistan is the only one thing that keeps my life on, straight on its way.
I am proud Kurdish and i am going to London tomorrow, to demonstration in front of turkish ambassy.
One day we will have all our rights. One day those who oppress us now will be suprised that we dont do to them what they did to us. One day those who oppress us will suffer watching Kurds strong, proud, free, independent and powerful.

EDI BESE!

I AM PROUD KURDISH AND I WILL DO WHAT I CAN TO PROTECT THE LAND WHICH I LOVE.

GOD BLESS KURDISTAN!

dancingbrook said...

I am so sad to know what is going on. You should know that we are hearing things like:

"The government's hawkish approach is a response to a series of attacks by the PKK in recent weeks that have killed around two dozen Turkish soldiers."

I am very sorry, but am glad to see peaceful protests. I wonder what would happen if the PKK laid down arms and risked their lives forming massive (I mean 100 of thousands, but peaceful protests, in the way of Gandhi, emphasizing not anger, but pleading for understanding.

I wish I knew what we could do. I'm sure you don't need our military adding to the violence.

Perhaps you can tell us what we can do to help that would be effective.

Shvan Goran said...

really reaaaaally DAST XOSH ..

dancingbrook said...

I have to say I don't fully know all the history, or even the current situation, but I do know the reason I follow your blog is because you represent hope. It makes me sad to see you so unhappy, but I understand.

Please do share any suggestions for what we could do that would be effective, and please keep up the hope.

I will try to spread your words more widely,

kulka said...

To the guest who post the last comment:
if you try to spread Sazan's words more widely - it will be really great help for us, thanks for your interest. All world should know whats going on and how the things really looks like.
(Not one - two demonstrations in London within less then a week, all together i attend three demonstrations in London within less than one month - and i will not stop. I am going also to write letters to ... everywhere).

dancingbrook said...

Kulka, I will, but can I offer that I think your protest will be most effective if they are peaceful and ask for all sides to stop all violence. I hope they are.

I certainly understand the frustrations.

Can some one please tell me what DOST XOSH means? Curious.

Peter

Sazan M. Mandalawi said...

@Tabouleh
Eid Mubarak to you too. Thanks for your kind wishes for the Kurdish people. We just want right and freedom in a region that prefers out non-existance.

Sazan M. Mandalawi said...

@Lama
Thank you!! As Kurds we have said too many Akkkkkkhs, from out mothers to our fathers and grandparents, I wish for that sigh to also be removed from our every day vocabulary... one day I hope.

Sazan M. Mandalawi said...

Dear @Kulka and @db the best thing we can do is spread the word, call out, we need to let even those who are turning a bling eye and pretending to be deaf to also hear us. People in the world need to know of our people, our culture, out history, out endurances and simple WHO WE ARE.

We need to reach a level when we tell someone "I am Kurdish" they dont raise their eyebrows. When we say Kurdistan, people need to know immediately where it is, and what it is...

I still have difficulty answering those questions to people who hear of us for the first time.....

Sazan M. Mandalawi said...

@db

DAST XOSH, or dastet KHosh means THANK YOU!! the easier word is SUPAS!! which also means thanks in Kurdish.

Supas for commenting :)
hope that helps


Keep supporting, and yes the demonstrations we held were peaceful. We've had enough of violence and blood shed.

dancingbrook said...

Supas Sazan, for the explanations.

kulka said...

Yes, as Sazan said our demonstrations are always peaceful and also we need people from all over the world to talk laud about us.
Dear Peter - asking them to stop the violence is like asking the rain to stop falling. You can take a look what i wrote about it:
https://www.facebook.com/kulkak#!/kulkak?sk=notes

We asking for our basic human rights - they reply with bullets and bombs. They reply with many years sentences in prison and executions. Teenage Kurdish girl Berivan sentenced for 8 years in prison for passing by the kurdish demonstration, eldery kurdish mother Naciye sentenced for 7 years for holding the sign which says : ""Either a free leadership and free identity, or resistance and revenge until the end." " - which she even couldnt read,as she can read at all. Much more examples like that.
You cant change that kind of mentality.
We used to say - "No friends, but mountains." We want to change it. So we are happy with any single person supporting our case.

dancingbrook said...

Kulka,

The FB link leads me to a Page Not Found. Feel free to email me, via the address in my profile (just realized it was not public).

db

Anonymous said...

First time im here, I love it! Keep up the bloggin!

Sazan M. Mandalawi said...

Dear Anonymous....

Hope that first time will not be your last.

:)
Enjoy your stay and feel free to stop by anytime :)

thanks!
:)

Anonymous said...

are you by any chance the oldest blogger from Irbil? you've opened the gateway to blogging I think couldnt find a blog that dated older than yours