17. I HAVE A DREAM - the letter to President B.Obama

Mr President,
 
For sure You know what is the situation of Kurdish people who have to live under Turkish state occupation since 1926, when Lousanne Treaty divided Kurdistan and gave its territory, together with the people who were living there, under four states control. So once again I am writing the letter to You about that issue and I will keep writing until You will change Your attitude and the policy of Your country regarding Kurdish - Turkish conflict.

Mr President - You a leader of powerful country, which almost since its creation aspired to be the model of democracy and the defender of human rights. But even in the glorious history of the United States there are some dark pages of shameful times, which anyway in a result didn't have a chance to endure and prevail over universal values of humanity. The dark times of slavery in XVIII and XIX century and the Civil War between Confederate States of South and the United States of North already belong to the history. But despite the fact that victory of human rights over the slavery brought freedom to thousands of people - not long time ago, just in the middle of XX century in the cradle of democracy and human rights, we witnessed the echoes of those dark times of slavery and oppression. If we get back in time to just only one generation - we can observe how the large part of American nation used to be discriminated and oppressed.

Afro-Americans, the people whose skin happened to be dark or black in colour, experienced very similar atrocities as those which are still a part of everyday life of Kurdish people. How many American citizens of African origin were secretly murdered (mainly by the members of Ku-Klux-Klan)? How many lost their lives openly, just in front of other people's eyes? These people, who couldn't do anything, coz they were helpless and those people, who didn't want to do anything, coz they lived with hatred in their hearts. That was 50-60 years ago in the USA. But today things like that are still happening to Kurdish people, who have to live within artificial borders of Turkish state.

Mr President - did You ever think, that if You were born in different times, if You lived in 50's or 60's last century - You wouldn't even dare to dream of being President. Do You realize that in those dark years You wouldn't be even allowed to travel in the same deck with your "white" fellow citizens in the bus? And if You would say "Hello" to "white" girl on the street, You could be beaten or - who knows - maybe even killed by the members of this "better" part of the society - those whose skin colour was "correct".

That kind of things still happens today. The only one difference is that oppressors use more advanced and modern means and tools to persecute and genocide Kurds - like war planes, bombs, illegal and forbidden by international law chemical weapon and - as some people suspect - also the modern technology that makes possible to cause human-made earthquakes.

No matter what the base of discrimination and oppression is - skin colour or nationality - the fact is that human rights are being broken today - in XXI century, at the doorstep of Europe. Maybe there is no more activity of Ku-Klux-Klan in the USA, but there is still activity of AKP Party in Turkey. And today being a Kurd under Turkish control is very similar to being "black" in the middle of the last century in the USA.

The situation of Afro-Americans changed broadly within the last 50 years. The situation of Kurds living under Turkish occupation didn't change at all for nearly entire century. It is heart breaking that You, Mr President, support this brutal, oppressive and in fact outlawed Turkish policy toward Kurds. Your country supplies Turkish state with the most modern weapon, which is used in many acts of terror against Kurdish people. Of course I know that "business is business" and money speaks lauder than any value in the modern world. But it doesn't have to be like that. It shouldn't be like that. We can justify the existence of the weapon only if it serves for self-defence. The modern weapon that your country sells to Turkey doesn't serve for self-defence. It serves to genocide Kurdish nation, to kill in a very brutal way young Kurdish people, like those 35 in Uludere, Roboski village, who were massacred by Turkish war planes on 28th December 2011. These young people, Kurdish teenagers and kids (the youngest was only 12 years old), didn't dream of being the President of the powerful country. They dreamed to have safe life and freedom. How many more dreams like that will be brutally destroyed by American weapon in Turkish hands?

Mr President, if for any reason You don't want or You can't help us - at least, please, don't support Turkey in oppressing and killing us. Don't support this modern kind of hidden terrorism. Just consider in Your mind if Dr Martin L. King would be proud of You, Mr President. This man was one of those who sacrificed his life in struggle for Your rights - and now You are using these rights against helpless people, against Kurds, who didn't commit any crime, except being Kurds and keeping the everlasting desire for safe life, self-determination, freedom and independence.

Mr President - I am sure You know these words, which I know by heart, although I am not American:
"We hold this truth to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. "
These great words from American Declaration of Independence apply also to Kurdish people.

And as once upon a time, in 1963, one of Your great countryman, Dr Martin L. King said: "I have a dream..." - today I dare to repeat His words. I also have a dream.

I have a dream that my people, Kurdish people, will live safe on their own land and this land - Kurdistan, will be free and independent.

I have a dream that one day little Kurdish boy will speak his own native Kurdish language at school and he will not be accused of terrorism.

I have a dream that one day Kurdish kids will no more need to pick up stones against the tanks to defend their right to be Kurds.

I have a dream that one day these Kurdish kids will not be judged by their origin and nationality but by their content of character.

I have a dream that one day Kurdish woman will not be sentenced to prison for celebrating birthday of Abdulla Ocalan, the man, who is her only hope for freedom and who was illegally kidnapped and is kept in isolation in Turkish prison on Imrali Island for many years now.

I have a dream that one day Kurdistan will not only be the land of hope, but also the land of liberty, with freedom rings from every mountain, from Zagros, Qandil and Ararat, from the waters of River Tigris and Euphrates, from the surface of Lakes Urmia, Dukan and Wan, from the Caves of Shanadar and Bestoon, from the palm trees of Khanaqin and ancient walls of Amed city.

I have a dream that the day of liberty will come as soon as possible, coz the longer current situation persists, the more Kurds are oppressed, tortured and murdered.

I have a dream, but I wish it would no longer be a dream, but reality. You can fulfil this dream, Mr President. You can make this dream to come true very easy.    

This letter wasn't written by well-known activist or politician, by famous artist or by anyone important. This letter was written by me - and I am nobody. You can ignore me, Mr President. But You shouldn't ignore millions of Kurdish people, whose life and health is in danger every day. And for sure You can't ignore the great values of human rights, for which so many people all over the world sacrificed and still scarifying their lives.

Sometimes once in a lifetime we have the unique chance to do something important.
Mr President - today You have a chance and possibility to fulfil very important dream, not only my dream, but the dream of millions of Kurdish people.
Don't waste this chance - it's only once in a lifetime.
 
With respect, with hope, with trust
Heval Kulka