​​​​​​​Kurdish media between advancement and challenges

In the midst of the Third World War, whose current center is the Middle East, the heart of which is the territory of Mesopotamia (Kurdistan), the media sector is very important in this war.

In this war, the occupying powers that occupy Kurdistan territory, in particular the Turkish and Iranian states, are fighting a special war that continues through the media against the Kurdish people. It is a war aimed at cultural annihilation and the elimination of Kurdish identity. Hundreds of TV channels, news agencies, radio stations, newspapers and, more recently, social media are working 24 hours of keeping the Kurdish people out of their reality.

Through these tools, they seek to consolidate the notion that the Kurds with belonging to homeland, and that they are just a territory with no history and no culture spanning thousands of years. With the technological development, the enemies of the Kurdish people could no longer target the Kurd directly, so they resorted to the media as the chief weapon of this dirty war.

In conjunction with the global efforts to re-divide and rearrange the region, the people have emerged as the Kurdish people have been exposed as fighting against the authoritarian forces, defending their rights and seeking to build a democratic system. In return, the enemies of the Kurdish people seek to silence the voice of the Kurd people through the media and special war policies, and to limit the reach of their voices and their struggle against terrorism to world public opinion.

In conjunction with the anniversary of the 22 April Kurdish Press Day, it is time for the Kurds to ask themselves; To what extent can the Kurds counter the special war of information and the schemes of the forces of occupation and colonialism.

It should be noted that the first Kurdish newspaper was published by Miqdad Medhat Badrakhan, on 22^nd April, 1898, in the Egyptian capital of Cairo. That newspaper became the seed of the growth of Kurdish journalism in general. In 1973, in Southern Kurdistan, on April 22^nd was declared Kurdish Press Day.

The importance of media to the Kurdish people

In the twenty-first century, media is increasingly important for all peoples, especially for the Kurdish people. Media is a school or academy through which the Kurdish people can establish an entity in the world. Today, media has become an integral part of our lives, in a way for the Kurdish people.

Although the Kurdish people have preceded many Middle Eastern peoples in their first steps towards information, they have not been able to bring the media to a level that will enable them to respond to the attacks they are being subjected to. This is due primarily to the political fragmentation of Kurdish reality and the lack of national unity at Kurdistan level.

"The media sector is influenced by the manner in which political forces engage with the media."
Former Kurdish Center for Studies and Information in the Space of MED TV, ROJ TV, and RONAHÎ TV, Nawaf Khalil spoke about the negative impact of political fragmentation on Kurdish media: "We are talking about a country divided into four parts, and people living under repression and persecution in four countries. It was therefore very natural for the media to be affected by the fragmentation situation, and in my opinion is a negative influence. There's a direct impact on how every political force is abused with the media. For example, the MED TV space, although close to the Kurdistan Freedom Movement, has had a positive impact on Kurdistan in general. Through Kurdish channel, the Kurdish citizen had listened the first time to other Kurdish dialects. "

Khalil noted by speaking of the reality of Kurdish media, must not forget that the Kurds are living in a state of revolution and ongoing struggle for freedom and the realization of their legitimate rights.

With the publication of the first issue of Serxwebûn newspaper in 1982, free media march was launched in all parts of Kurdistan. Free media first developed in Europe and Northern Kurdistan, and after the 19 July revolution, this march extended to Rojava and Southern Kurdistan.

Although free and alternative media have made significant and valuable historical strides in the course of Kurdish media, but due to fragmentation, and occupation, as well as to the repression and pressures faced the journalists, they have reached the point of killing journalists, especially in Northern Kurdistan.

Responding to a question about whether the free Kurdish media succeeded in becoming a national media, Nawaf Khalil said: "Information is an independent institution. I can tell that the MED TV space played an important role in the consolidation of national discourse, the convergence of Kurds to language, nationalism and all other levels. So was ROJ TV. Unfortunately, after the emergence of Kurdish channels directly loyal to political parties, every media organization has drifted towards a certain intellectual and political direction. "

Kurdish parties and the interests of Kurdish parties have also prevented the emergence of Kurdish national media, capable of communicating the voice and color of the Kurdish people to the entire world. and the absence of a unified and independent media organization in the four parts of Kurdistan. As in the case of the Arabs, where the General Union of Arab Journalists exist.

"Kurdish media must adopt a unified strategy"

On the joint work of Kurdish media organizations, Khalil said: "It is important and urgent that Kurdish media focus their attention on the common issues of Kurdish nationalism. But what is emerging now is that, instead of convergence and joint action, there is divergence and disharmony. Especially with regard to the use of social networking, where it is used more by society. Television channels, radio stations, news agencies and social networks must adopt a unified strategy. A strategy that embraces the cause of a people under occupation and threat, a people that continues to fight for freedom. It's got to be the first thing. "

On the other hand, in recent years, social media networks have emerged as important media, and Kurdish media is also weak in this regard. That is, it has not succeeded in responding to these variables. Although television channels, agencies and print newspapers still remain important, but in reality today society is directly affected by social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter and others.

The number of Kurdish people running a special war through social networks, with the aim of influencing Kurdish society and undermining Kurd's confidence in their power. As enemies of the Kurdish people, particularly the Turkish state, sometimes pressure on Google company to close down influential Kurdish sites. According to a survey conducted by the Arabic Newspaper Independent, during the Turkish state and its gangs when attacked Afrin canton, 2018, Facebook blocked the account of the People's Protection Units YPG, under pressure from the Turkish state.

On ways to use social media sites by Kurdish media, the editor of the PolîtîkAzad newspaper, Loqman Koldvi said: "Even if it's too late, the importance of using social media in Kurdish media outweighs the importance of other media. Over time, the importance of paper media is declining. On the other hand, television channels as well as radio stations continue to maintain their importance to some extent for certain reasons, especially since social media sites easily allow the dissemination and sharing of audio and video media materials. "

"Kurdish media does not create trained cadres for dealing with social media."
Journalist Laqman Koldvi added: "Over time, the new generation in Kurdish media is making greater use of social media, but in reality today we do not have a qualified and trained institution in the field of social media networks, as in the case of television and radio stations, as well as newspapers and magazines. In other words, Kurdish media creates and trains cadres for visual media, radio stations and for the issuance of newspapers and magazines, but does not create and train cadres for social media networks.

On the one hand, on the other hand, one of the shortcomings of Kurdish media is that it treats social media as a means of emergence, not as an arena for spread. It means that no media teams are used to deal with this media sector. "

Koldvi stressed the need to strengthen two aspects regarding the field of social media, and said in this regard: “The first is to enhance digital publishing in media institutions to ensure a wide visibility on social networking sites. The second is to be professional in using and dealing with social media platforms. In both cases, it is necessary to organize training courses. "

"Right now social media networks are still just personal work for journalists."

On the subject of smear campaigns by social media against the Kurdish people and ways to counter them;
Luqman Koldvi said: "In order to counter the deformity campaigns, the Kurdish media must perform its main task: the truth of the media. Telling the truth means not only showing the truth of a subject, but at the same time informing those events, ideas, visions and debates in society, which do not usually appear in power media. The primary role of media must be within our society. At the moment, the use of social media sites is just personal work for journalists. Training and rehabilitation courses for the professional and use of these social platforms are essential. "

Kurdish media has developed in Northern Kurdistan before the rest of the country. Many media organizations have been established in Kurdish and other languages. Of course, free media in Northern Kurdistan has been subjected to pressure and violent attacks, and many journalists and media workers have been martyred for the sake of the truth. "

The editor of Mesopotamia, Abdul Rahman Kok, who for years worked in the media in Northern Kurdistan and other parts of Kurdistan, spoke about the reality of the media in Northern Kurdistan at the moment: "The repression and persecution of Kurdish media in Northern Kurdistan from the first day of the Kurdish press continues at the same pace today. On the other hand, determination and non-surrender shown by journalists since the first day of the emergence of journalism in Northern Kurdistan are still the same today. In other words, the injustice and oppression of the dominant state has not declined, as has the resistance and struggle of the Kurdish media. In the face of this, the Kurdish media has strengthened and consolidated its network and sites and has worked to expose the dirty face of power. And it's still doing it. Right now there are dozens of our fellow journalists in Turkish prisons. Hundreds of them have been forced to emigrate as a result of the threats they have been subjected to, and live off the border, hundreds of journalists, including me, have been tried with severe penalties. But to no avail, although the authorities own hundreds of newspapers, television channels, websites and an army of unemployed people working on social media, they cannot hide the truth revealed by Kurdish media. This points to the fact that, thanks to resistant media professionals, she will not remain a prisoner of darkness. "

And it's still doing it. Right now there are dozens of our fellow journalists in Turkish prisons. Hundreds of them have been forced to emigrate as a result of the threats they have been subjected to, and live off the border, hundreds of journalists, including me, have been tried with severe penalties. But to no avail, although the authorities own hundreds of newspapers, television channels, websites and an army of unemployed people working on social media, they cannot hide the truth revealed by Kurdish media. This points to the fact that, thanks to resistant media professionals, it will not remain a prisoner of darkness. Thanks to the resistance media."

"Right now there are no Turkish media."

He continued: "I don't think Kurdish media should be a substitute for Turkish media. Because right now there's nothing we can call Turkish media. Institutions that have been disguised as media, do nothing but be spokeswoman for government institutions. They have a mission to hypnotize society. But society is vigilant and sees everything. Because television channels and readable media are generally under the control of the Government, they have forced society to listen to dirty propaganda 24 hours a day, yet they do not succeed in their endeavors. "

On the difficulties and obstacles facing Kurdish media in Northern Kurdistan at the present time, he said, "Media workers in Northern Kurdistan live under the threat of ongoing investigation and prosecution. Because Kurdish media posts cases that are not desirable to the ruling authorities, they are constantly threatened. Turkish courts continue to issue decisions to shut down Kurdish Websites. They are so unfair and unjustified that the courts do not talk about reasons. After every statement, reporters in Kurdish media are arrested, and harassed by the police. These problems and obstacles cannot end with the realization of democracy, which in turn is achieved through the ongoing struggle, a common struggle in all political and social aspects, which will eliminate this power and open the way to democracy.

"The media in Southern Kurdistan has not become social media but is in the hands of power."
Roj news editor Sheena Faiq spoke about the general media situation in Southern Kurdistan: "The media in Southern Kurdistan did not become the public media of the people, but became a weapon in the hands of parties, traders and people to fight their rivals. After the popular uprising in Southern Kurdistan, party media appeared, mostly under the control of the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the National Union of Kurdistan. In 2000, the publication of the Haulati newspaper and a number of other newspapers began the professional media phase, and there became media on which society could rely, opposition media that did not act according to the whims of the parties and offered serious criticism. But this phase has only lasted for a short time. These institutions have either disappeared for financial reasons, after the sources of funding have been lost, or owned by political parties or loyalist people. "

Sheena Faiq called the Kurdish media in Southern Kurdistan "chaos," adding: "Because of the state of chaos, every person or institution has many websites, media organizations, and large labels have been released on them, but they are in fact nothing more than a weapon they use against their competitors."

She noted that the majority of the media were under the control of the Authority, while the rest were always under the control of the Authority, often seized, or journalists were arrested, tortured and threatened. She also stated: "All the official institutions in Başûr work for the Authority. There is no single institution that guarantees the rights of journalists, and the authorities can therefore impose the punishment they consider for journalists. There must be an alliance against these matters, with alliance and solidarity such arbitrary actions can be brought to an end. "

With the launch of the 19^th July revolution in Rojava, Kurdish media were given the opportunity to work freely. Regarding of media in Rojava Kurdistan, and about whether Kurdish media successfully conveyed the voice of the revolution to the world, the editor of the Arab section of the Hawar news agency ANHA Kemal Najm spoke.

Kemal Najm first said that the revolution allowed the media to work in Rojava freely. It is well known that there was media renaissance in Rojava also before the revolution, but for many political reasons, given the oppression of the Kurdish people, the media situation in Rojava has not become a professional institutional situation. "

Najam: Media in Rojava seeks to become an institutional state and acquire its identity
After the revolution, the media sector, like all other sectors of life in Rojava, sought to become an institutional state with its own identity, adding: "When we ask; What level did the media reach in Rojava? It's like we're asking; What level has the revolution reached? "

It was noted that what is going on in Rojava is a stage in which society is trying to manage itself. In the midst of this process, there are efforts to entrench institutional and organizational work in various social, economic, educational, health, security and other fields. He also said: "During this struggle there are many obstacles, many mistakes and shortcomings, but the struggle continues. So is the media work. During the nine years of the Revolution, the media sector succeeded in reaching an institutional state, acquired its own entity, found its way and, day after day, sought to acquire its own independent identity. "

The media has not succeeded in introducing the world to Rojava political and social project."

Kemal Najm added: "Apart from communicating the voice of the revolution to the world, the media in general are other tasks in Rojava. It is understood that the Kurdish people of Rojava adopt a political and social project. Domestic media therefore sought to make the Kurdish people and other peoples of the region sound. It has succeeded in reversing the inter-communal, inter-ethnic and cross-cultural coexistence and, to some extent, in raising life issues of interest to the people of society. In addition, it is important role is to raise the voice of the communities in the areas by communicating news and information.

There is also no doubt that the media in Rojava played a pivotal role in bringing the voice of the revolution to world public opinion. On this particular subject, Kurdish media in Rojava was weak in the main world languages. It may have succeeded to some extent in bringing daily events, news and developments to the world, but it has not succeeded in introducing the world to Rojava political and social project. "

"Universities and media academies must be established"
On the obstacles and obstacles to the development of media in Rojava Kemal Najm said: "Above all, the media sector must become an institutional sector. If "the media is the fourth authority," it must indeed be a fourth authority that is, a private independent entity.

Moreover, the media sector is in urgent need of qualified and trained professionals. To that end, it is essential to establish an educational structure for the media that is, universities and media academies must be established and strengthened. "

Farzah Jalali, an activist and journalist from eastern Kurdistan, spoke about the reality of Kurdish media in Eastern Kurdistan (Rojhalat): "What distinguishes Eastern Kurdistan from other parts of Kurdistan is the reconciliation of Kurdish parties and movements. The absence of official parties and civil institutions is also one of the reasons why the Iranian Government is heard to extend its control over Kurdish areas. "

Farzah Jalali added: "The Iranian government is openly demonstrating its hostility against Kurd journalists and activists. In recent years, we have witnessed numerous arrests and arrests of journalists and activists in Eastern Kurdistan, accompanied by unjust and severe sentences. "

T/S

ANHA