The Movement for Democratic Change is the tip of an iceberg
- KurdishMedia.com - By Delovan Barwari
- 14/10/2008 00:00:00
The greatest news for an average none-partisan Kurd like me, and by far, something the majority of the Kurds have been craving to hear about is the news about the “Movement for a Democratic Change”, initiated by a number of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) members, as a reformist movement to peacefully cleanse the political ranks of their own political party, PUK. The movement is indeed patriotic and deserve applaud. It certainly gives hope to millions of Kurds to the beginning of a peaceful and intellectual revolution which would positively contribute to the transformation of the current political mentality and norms in Kurdistan and ultimately modernize the political atmosphere. It is a cornerstone within the political ranks of PUK that will serve as a catalyst to greatly influence the other main political party in Southern Kurdistan, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
Even if it may take time to achieve the set goals, undeniably, it rings an awakening alarm to the Kurdish leadership in both parties; KDP and PUK. The founders of the “Movement for a Democratic Change” are only the tip of an iceberg. The Kurdish nation is certainly thirsty for political reform and the initiation will successfully take the gene out of the bottle.
The Kurdish leadership needs to start eliminate the growing gap between Kurdish society and their politburo. The reality is that for the past few years, the main topic of discussion in the majority of the Kurdish gatherings amongst Kurds, whether in the Diaspora or in Hewler, Duhok, Sullaimania, Zakho, Koya, Akre, Amediya, or Halabja, between the youth or the elderly, the educated or the none-educated, party-members or none-partisans, is corruption, nepotism, lack of democratic advancement and political and economic transparency.
Without a doubt, both KDP and PUK have contributed significantly to the political movement in Kurdistan; especially the most recent achievements in Southern Kurdistan; however, as they are the leaders of Kurdistan, it is their sole obligation to go beyond the political norms of the Middle-East, and illustrate to the world that the Kurdish nation is democratic, progressive, modern, an open and a secular society; that it is in touch with its citizens, and protects the rights of its minorities and religious groups.
Both Massud Barzani and Jalal Talabani should view the courageous steps of the founding members of the “Movement for a Democratic Change” as patriotic and nationalistic and ought to praise their bravery, and start a new chapter in the Kurdish political movement, as the fundamental motive of Massud Barzani and Jalal Talabani’s life long history of leading the Kurdish movement has been to server the best interest of their nation.
- KurdishMedia.com - By Delovan Barwari
- 14/10/2008 00:00:00