Contents
A Political Map of Kurdistan / 4
Introduction to English Edition / 5
Part I. Kurdistan and Kurdish Identity Introduction / 17 The Establishment of Colonies in the Nineteenth Century / 18 The Political Status of Kurdistan and the Kurdish Nation: A Country and a Nation Without an Identity / 19 How the Policy of Divide and Rule Facilitates the Colonialists / 21 The Common Colony of Kurdistan / 23 The Kurdish Issue is not a Minority Issue / 26 Kurdistan and the Liquidation of the Classic Colonies / 27 The Imperialist Struggle to Divide Kurdistan 1915-1925 / 29 The Focal Point of the Kurdish Issue: The Division of Kurdistan and the Application of the Policy of “Divide, Rule and Exterminate” on the Kurdish Nation / 32 The Slogans of Kemalism / 34 Human Rights and the Kurds / 35 Double Standards Applied in Interpreting the Principle of Equality / 36 The Slogans of Unity and Togetherness / 37 The Problem of Identity Amongst Kurdish Intellectuals / 41 The United Nations and the Kurds / 41 Kurdistan is no Longer What it Used to be: the Rise of National Consciousness / 43 The Kurdish Issue and GAP / 49 The “First Bullet” Theory / 50 State Terror in Kurdistan and Basis of Guerilla Warfare / 52 The Material and psychological Basis of Guerilla Warfare / 53 The Negative Influence of the Official State Ideology / 53 The Failure of the Official Ideology / 55 The Visible Result of Guerilla Warfare / 57 Colonialist Practices and Turkish Intellectuals / 61 The Need for Scientific Research / 63
PART II. Reflections on the “Kurdish Ruling Class” Introduction / 64 A Worn Out Phrase / 64 The Kurds Facing State Oppression / 67 The Transformation of the Class Struggle in Kurdistan in the Nineteenth Century / 70 Sheikhs in the Service of the Official Ideology / 73 The Eastern Trials of 1971 / 75 Two Major Fields of Activity of Military Courts / 79 The Use of Islamist Ideology Against the Kurdish Question / 83 The Meaning of Turk / Islam Synthesis From the Point of View of the Kurdish Issue / 86 The Results of the Breakdown of the Class Basis of Nationalistic Ideas / 89 Not a Ruling Class But an Agent Class / 89 The Situation in Eastern and Southern Kurdistan / 92 The Turkish Left and the Kurdish Question / 93 The Concept of “Minority Racism” / 96 The Significance of the Debate on the Mode of Production in Kurdistan / 99 Internal Dynamics-External Factors / 100 The Significance of Divide and Rule / 103 The Situation of Bureaucrats and State Employees / 106 The Situation of Members of Parliament / 108 The Kurdish Petty Bourgeoisie / 114 Colonial Intellectuals and Intellectuals of the Colonialist State: A Case Study / 116 Singers / 117 The Development of Capitalism in Kurdistan and the Kurdish National Movement / 118 Some Comments on Progress in the “East” / 120 The Material Basis for the Weaknesses in Kurdish Society / 122 A. The writings of Ehmede Xani, P. Auryanot, and Cigerxwin / 122 B. Herding and the Characteristics of the Tribal Structure / 125 C. Kurdistan’s Position at the Crossroads of Invasions and Migrations / 126 D. The Natural Resources of Kurdistan / 128 E. Kurdish Tribes as a Political Structure / 129 Why Was There No Kurdish State in the Middle East? Why was Divide and Rule Imposed on the Kurds? / 130 What Is Meant By The Phrase “The Kurds Are Too Fond of Their Freedom”? / 132 Village Guards: An Indication of the Weakness of Kurdish Society / 134 How Can the Division of the Nation be Overcome? / 139
Conclusion / 143
Epilogue / 147
Endnotes / 149
To the children of Kurdistan
Appended Materials to English Translation Names of Political Parties and Their Kurdish or Turkish Acronyms / 153 |