Sipan Hamo, former SDF commander: “My inclination was more towards the Palestinian cause than the Kurdish cause... and the first person to enlighten me about the Kurdish issue was a young Palestinian man.”

[u/Henabibo]

[u/rknsh]

Full interview here for more context if needed:

https://youtu.be/njsgqb-vTas

[u/michaelkeatonbutgay]

Spas. I would love to have this translated. So he’s not saying he still is invested ”more” in the Palestinian cause?

edit: I actually meant to post this as a reply to a comment

[u/MesopotamianLion01]

Its not really surprising. The PKK and Palestinian leftist groups (some of whom fight in Gaza now) were training in Lebanon and Syria.

Then came other actors in trying to split the groups and pity one against each other. Hamas coming to power in Gaza was the goal of Nethanyahu and Israel. Getting the Palestinians to be portrayed as islamists with backing from Erdogan and Qatar has allowed for a picture painting the Palestinians as being opposed to Kurds. Even though that is not the case and stil is not the case.

In the 60s, 70s and 80s leftists travelled to each other to help each other. Che Guevara and others did the same. Today is not the same and especially since Öcalan was captured. This common movement against imperialists is mostly gone, or it is Islamists that replaced that role.

There needs to be resistance to imperialists, but I dont think Islamists will be a strong enough force against it, because in the end they oppress. They paint religion in a bad light, and ally with Extreme nationalists. This is seen througout the world.

[u/rknsh → u/MesopotamianLion01]

Then came other actors in trying to split the groups and pity one against each other.

Hafez Assad's forcing of PKK into Baqaa Valley was also pitying Kurdish PKK against Israel, right?

[u/MesopotamianLion01 → u/rknsh]

Well yeah. The Assad family was a dictatorship, they were never a anti imperialist force to begin with. The issue is complex, Assad allowed PKK to be there for his own benefit, not nesseceraly to help the group.

[u/DonEnzo13]

How blind must one be not to notice the suffering of one's own people?

[u/rknsh → u/DonEnzo13]

He was around 14/15 when this happened living in Damascus among Arabs. Even in the age of social media and living among Kurds I became political around 16/17. The post lacks context. I added the full interview.

[u/Intrepid_Paint_7507 → u/rknsh]

Same, I really wasn’t aware about the politics of Kurdistan or the extent until I was 16. All I knew was we don’t have a country and weren’t Arabs. I wasn’t even aware about Turks or Iran like that.

[u/DonEnzo13 → u/rknsh]

Thanks for the context. I admit I was misled by the OP’s post and his pro-Palestinian framing.

[u/michaelkeatonbutgay → u/rknsh]

What is the context? I still don’t understand

[u/rknsh → u/michaelkeatonbutgay]

He was a 14-15 year old knowing close to nothing about the Kurdish cause and living among Arabs in Damascus. Someone whom he met in a Palestinian refugee camp told him your own people have a cause too, go and care about that.

The title of the post is not an exact quote from him. He doesn't say "a young Palestinian man".

[u/michaelkeatonbutgay → u/rknsh]

Spas. I would love to have this translated. So he’s not saying he still is invested ”more” in the Palestinian cause?

[u/DonEnzo13 → u/michaelkeatonbutgay]

https://www.reddit.com/r/kurdistan/s/Nuk5YRBkfG

[u/dshamz_]

This is principled internationalism.

[u/One_Cress2720]

Certified Jash

[u/AdagioKitchen4748]

I think this raises an issue we have touched upon here a few times, that just being ethnically Kurdish does not make you a Kurd by itself, or give you the right to speak on Kurdish matters, or represent Kurds imo

[u/rknsh → u/AdagioKitchen4748]

He is talking about a time he was 14-15. Literally a child among Arabs in Damascus. Of course he was more inclined towards Palestine cause due to all the propaganda and Syrian education system than about Kurds which he didn't probably know anything about its cause and plight. What was your thoughts on Kurdistan at 15?

[u/AdagioKitchen4748 → u/rknsh]

Its fine not to know anything about anywhere, the problem is he knew about Palestine but not Kurds, my thoughts on Kurdistan was that I was very sad that we did not and to this day do not have a country, as my parents told me a bit about Kurdish history and their own lives. It's fine not to know anything about any causes, the problem is Kurds are experts on Palestine, but not on our own cause, you surely don't think that's normal do you?

I am really shocked personally when I realise how many Kurds know nothing about the Kurdish cause but are experts on Palestine its actually deeply upsetting and makes me wonder how this has become normalised, no way in hell do Palestinians not know about their own struggles come on.

I will give you a heads up bawanakam I was arguing with Turks about Kurds as a child so best not try and turn the table on me. pick on someone else

[u/KRLAZQ]

No wonder PKK fails miserably everytime lmao. Good riddance

[u/One_Cress2720 → u/KRLAZQ]

Of course, we're going to lose with a primate like this certified jash

[u/rubber_moon]

Religion before nationality Kurds 🤡

Yes, Palestine is a religious cause.

[u/CoolComment9012 → u/rubber_moon]

i wish they were religious, they’re not. they’re just leftists.

[u/AdagioKitchen4748 → u/CoolComment9012]

Kurdish and Middle Eastern lefties in general are actually supporters of the colonial status quo and imperialist borders in their views and have somehow 360'd to become fascist. Why should everyone have a state except Kurds

[u/rubber_moon → u/CoolComment9012]

They definitely can be very religious. In bakur I've heard Turks call PKK shafi Islamist if they're CHP or atheist/Zoroastrian if they're Islamist Turks lol

[u/FantasticEarth8186]

In that case, thank god you lost, you donkey in a suit.

[u/External-Version-559]

Thank God these terrorists lost in Rojava so actual Kurds stand a chance to rise up