Journalists: We remain committed to path of truth

 Speaking to ANHA agency on Kurdish Journalism Day, marked on April 22, commemorating the publication of the first Kurdish newspaper, Kurdistan, in Cairo in 1898 by Miqdad Midhat Bedir Khan journalists in Kobani reflected on the significance of the occasion.

Sterfan Jojo, a member of Kobani FM radio, noted that any discussion of Kurdish Journalism Day must begin with the newspaper Kurdistan. “The first Kurdish newspaper to come into existence was Kurdistan, founded at a time when even mentioning the Kurdish people or Kurdistan was forbidden,” she said.

She added, “Occupying powers subjected the Kurdish people to all forms of torture, genocide, and massacres. During that period, Kurdistan played a vital role in conveying the truth of what was happening to the public.”

“we will always be the vice of truth and reality”

She explained that despite limited resources, the efforts of intellectuals at the time enabled some to continue working in media and to establish a tradition of free journalism. They carried their struggle across various media fields, leaving a lasting mark on Kurdish history and journalism.

She went on to say that this role helped preserve Kurdish culture and language and safeguard the existence of the Kurdish people. Although Kurdish journalism has consistently been targeted, those working in the field continue to renew their commitment to remaining the voice of truth and reality, regardless of escalating challenges.

Mohammad Mustafa, a correspondent for Ronahi TV in Kobani, paid tribute to all martyrs of free journalism and reaffirmed his commitment to continuing along the path of truth. He noted that independent media played a prominent role during the Rojava Revolution by directly conveying attacks by adversaries to the public. Despite the difficulties, media workers have remained at the forefront of the struggle to uncover facts and expose the practices of occupying forces to the world.

“Many journalists were targeted for revealing the truth”

Mustafa added that many independent journalists have been targeted because of their efforts to reveal the truth. He pointed out that Kurdish media contributed to bringing the voice of the July 19th Revolution to the world, documenting events and resistance, especially during the Battle of Kobani against ISIS/ Daesh, while recording the various violations faced by the Kurdish people.

He stressed their commitment to continuing the path of their fallen colleagues, who sacrificed their lives to report the truth, underscoring their determination to keep documenting events and exposing violations to the global public.

For her part, Berçem Judy, a correspondent for Nûjînha agency in Kobani, congratulated workers in independent media and all those striving for freedom on the 128th anniversary of Kurdish Journalism Day. She noted that the occasion traces back to the publication of the first Kurdish newspaper, Kurdistan, which was established to defend the Kurdish cause and identity, despite being published abroad.

She said, “The figures who worked on Kurdistan newspaper paved the way for us, and today we continue along the path of truth, conveying reality to the public. The situation facing the people of the region today is extremely complex, and therefore we bear a great responsibility toward this society.”

“Our determination is the path of truth and reality”

Journalists: we remain committed to the path of truth

Berçem Judy concluded by reaffirming their commitment to continuing journalistic work despite the challenges, stressing that the determination of women journalists remains focused on conveying truth and reality, and that they will continue to follow and report events as they are to the world.