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The Kurdish struggle - An interview with Dilar Dirik
Souvli, George
http://links.org.au/kurdish-struggle-dilar-dirikDate Written: 2017-03-08 Publisher: Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal Year Published: 2017 Resource Type: Article Cx Number: CX20590 Dilar Dirik interviewed by George Souvlis. Abstract: - Excerpt: George Souvlis: By way of introduction, could you explain what personal experiences strongly influenced you, politically and academically? Dilar Dirik: As a Kurd, you can never run from your identity, because your identity is essentially political and the level of your political consciousness acts as a self-defense as the only way to secure your survival and existence. That is why insistence on the free expression of your self-determined identity is portrayed as political controversy, nationalism, or terrorism by the capitalist-statist system. As an Alevi-Kurdish woman, who became a refugee as a child, and grew up as a Middle Eastern person in Europe, my personal story is absolutely not special or unique when put in the context of modern Kurdish history. Like many others, I come from a very leftist, politically active family. Knowing former or current political prisoners, militants, growing up around demonstrations and rallies was a normal part of my childhood, which is the case for millions of Kurds. Growing up in such a political environment, the militancy of elderly Kurdish women leading the forefront of demonstrations in the heart of capitalist modernity, in cities like Frankfurt, London, Paris, their wrinkled victory signs, their battle cry, determination, have a very educational and radicalizing effect. Subject Headings |