We and They!

Material for thought... and conclusion

Last Tuesday evening, I accepted the invitation of the German Foreign Ministry to attend a celebration organized by the German Institute for Cultural Exchange affiliated with the ministry, to present the annual institute award to the Queen of Sweden, Queen Silvia, given to individuals or institutions working to help those in need worldwide and to connect different cultures and develop global cultural exchange among all peoples.

Queen Silvia, who participates in and supports more than sixty institutions and projects worldwide and has founded several charitable organizations to support the needy, most notably the Mentor Foundation for youth support operating in over eighty countries including all Arab countries, and another foundation supporting care for elderly Alzheimer’s patients, is the eighth person to receive this award.

Before entering the celebration hall located next to the famous Berlin Gate near the German parliament, the Kurdish brothers were celebrating the results of the popular referendum organized by Barzani in northern Iraq. I observed the situation quietly for a while... then entered.

At first glance, a reader might rightly ask, what is the connection between this and that? What is the link between the Queen of Sweden, the Kurdish celebration, and the German Foreign Ministry?

The relationship is simple yet profound, the link distant and close... The dialectic here revolves around 'We and They!' around us and the other.

At the start of the celebration, Queen Silvia entered humbly, with a smile, without exaggerated personal guards, no red carpet, no hand-kissing or bowing from attendees! She smiled and I recalled our celebrations in the East and the exaggerated hospitality for officials and the deceit that hangs over the scene when you see a president, king, or even a director from the East entering an official ceremony... I told myself this is the difference between us and them... their kings and leaders enjoy simplicity and humility and approach the people at every opportunity, while our leaders and kings enjoy arrogance and pride and master the art of distancing themselves from the masses... They and we were not created from the same mold...

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel delivered a welcoming and appreciative speech for Queen Silvia, noting the open-mindedness of the Swedish people in general and the Queen in particular. He pointed out that Queen Silvia, born in Brazil to a German father and Brazilian mother, carries a global outlook in her blood and history... She is Brazilian in heart, German in body, and Swedish in spirit... She views the world not from the perspective of 'We and They!' but from a purely open human perspective... 'We' means humanity, and we are all equal in it... This made her beloved and highly credible worldwide and among all peoples. She supports the integration of newcomers, refugees, and others into Europe for many years, some of whom have risen to ministerial and prestigious positions in official institutions.

I remembered the Kurdish brothers abroad and asked myself why they rejoice in separation when they have been part of our societies and countries for hundreds of years? They dance joyfully for separation in a country that has been trying for over sixty years to unify the European front under one tent! I quickly concluded that they indeed live among us and with us in some Arab countries, but their opportunity to become one of us has not been fully given as necessary and required. The prevailing general view in our East towards them is: They and We... We are the origin, they are the separation... We are the foundation, they are the underminers... We are the landowners, they are the intruders. They and we in our East represent a separatist and exclusionary dialectic, while we see successful attempts in the West to make 'They and We' one group, one society bound by humanity and common interests, and 'We' is the language of address and direction.

The Kurdish brothers' response to the Arab arrogant exclusionary approach to minorities also came as an Eastern exclusionary reply in the language of 'They and We'... the language of 'You there and We here'... As the German Foreign Minister said in his welcoming speech to the Queen of Sweden: 'We live in an era that requires joining hands for the benefit of all, away from the selfishness and militant chauvinism practiced by some political leaders in the world.'

Yes, life on an isolated island cut off from others is no longer possible in the twenty-first century, but this is exactly what Barzani planted in the minds of the Kurdish brothers in Iraq and those dancing in Berlin. Barzani was not honest with his people when he put his head against the wall and succumbed to Israeli pressure to hold the referendum despite the opposition of all countries except Israel, this destructive step. The daughter of the other Kurdish leader, Talabani, who disputes Barzani, commented on Barzani's insistence on holding this referendum despite the world's stance, saying it was a leap into the unknown... Yes, it was a leap backward to another era far from realism and far from the Kurdish people's interest at this stage.

The Swedish Queen emphasized in her thank-you speech that political leaders worldwide must listen to their peoples and do everything possible for the people's benefit without oppressing another people...

The legitimate question is: What is the Kurdish people's interest in Iraq now from sliding into such a step? Some answered honestly that the Kurds have the right to self-determination and to build their state like all peoples worldwide... Yes, this is a humanitarian and progressive approach without a doubt... But before that, we must ask what the terms self-determination and independent state mean? Aren't they borders, army, police, authority, government, language, education, freedom of movement, trade, and investment? The Kurdish north of Iraq has all this since 2005 and more... This is what the vast majority of the Kurdish brothers dancing in Berlin and the vast majority of Arabs who boast about peoples' right to self-determination to justify their support for Barzani's step do not realize...

The Kurds in northern Iraq elect their government alone, have their own parliament, army, and security forces that protect and care for their affairs and the borders of their province. They have their national economy, schools, language, and have been handed over by the central Iraqi government the universities and higher institutes without compensation, as well as the two international airports in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah without compensation. The Iraqi army and security agencies have no right to intervene in Kurdish affairs without the provincial government's permission... Barzani did not present this to the Kurdish brothers before the referendum nor did he inform them that separation from Iraq would lead to losing most of these achievements that serve the Kurdish people's interest. He also did not inform them that the largest share of the Kurdish provincial employees' salaries comes from the central Iraqi government and that he personally manages the revenues from selling Kirkuk oil, which is geographically and historically outside Kurdistan's borders... Barzani has not disclosed these revenues to his government until today nor handed over the agreed share to the central government under the federal agreement... Barzani held the referendum not for his people's interest but for his narrow economic interest, pushing his people into a leap of doom...

The fate of these political leaders will be, as the Queen of Sweden said in her speech, in the hands of their people who will show no mercy if their interests and their children's livelihood are confiscated... Barzani wanted with this step to move the Kurds from full freedom to complete isolation... They are there and we are here... They belong to another era!