Through a rational reading of history, it is clear to see that since the end of the First World War, the Kurdish people have dreamt about a free Kurdish State: Kurdistan. Woodrow Wilson, then President of the United States, made negations with Ottoman Kurds and wanted them to be allies with the USA. He promised them a land in the Middle East; some parts of Turkey also included. After losing the war, the Ottoman State signed the Treaty of Sevres and agreed to establish the Kurdish State. However, Musta Kemal’s Independence War invalidated Sevres and deterred the Western Countries away from Turkey. The dream of Kurdistan vanished.
The beginning of the 2000’s came with the Iraqi War. Iraq got teared up into three parts; Northern Iraq being put under control of the Kurdish leader Barzani and Iraqi Kurds. It obviously was not a free State –or even a state — but Kurdistan clearly was a port of a federation in Iraq.
Some research shows that the Kurds are the largest ethnic group without a country. In the 21st century, being a nation — no matter how populated — is not enough to be a free state. Earlier this week, Iraqi Kurds voted in a referendum, asking them if they wanted to have a free state of Kurdistan or not. As expected, most of the northern Iraqis said ‘yes’. Most certainly, a free State under Barzani’s control will not be successful.
Firstly, no country has given its support to Barzani’s referendum except Israel. However, a referendum does not mean that tomorrow Barzani will declare its independence and the free Kurdistan will have its own borders.
Secondly, it is not realistic to assume that Kurdistan will or can be economically independent. Currently, Northern Iraq has important diplomatic and economic ties with other countries. A Kurdish free State, which most of the world would not recognize as a State, cannot rebuild its ties diplomatically, nor economically.
Also, the leader himself is in question. The West wanted Barzani to establish a democratic government in Northern Iraq but nowadays without any doubt, everyone can see that Barzani did not care about democracy or any Western values; he extended his time in power and got corrupted day by day. Kurdistan’s potential relationships with its neighbors is also a key component of whether the state will be successful or struggle in its new independence. Iraq, Iran and Turkey can close their airspace and/or borders. Therefore exportation will become impossible and the country’s exterior economy will collapse eventually.
Turkey’s position on the Kurdish Referendum
Erdogan’s Turkey nearly declared war on Barzani’s State. First, the Turkish government threatened the Kurds with economic sanctions. Afterwards, Turkish President Erdogan declared, “We can suddenly come over one night”.
The Kurdish Issue is taboo for Erdogan. The Turkish government would rather stand close to ISIS than sit around the same table with Kurds. Erdogan’s domestic policies also plan his foreign politics; the Kurdish question is only an example. For instance, whenever he tries to get closer to the East, he starts an endless discussion with Germany or the Netherlands.
Erdogan’s domestic Kurdish policy got more militarist and nationalist over time. Kurdish cities were destroyed by the Turkish army, children died, and Kurdish people became homeless all of a sudden. To make peace, the Turkish State wanted to use guns and bombs. That is why the Kurdish People living in Turkey cannot feel themselves belonging to the state of Turkey and won’t believe that they are equal to a Turk legally nor socially. If they could have believed in the Turkish State and its leader Erdogan, today Kurdistan would not even be an issue.
Photograph: Safin Hamed/AFP/Getty Images
