Interview With ERNK/PKK Representative Mahir Welat
Interview conducted by Onnik Krikorian
Mahir Welat is the official representative of the National
Liberation Front of Kurdistan (ERNK) and the Kurdistan Workers
Party (PKK) to Moscow and the former Soviet Union. He is also a
member of the ruling Central Committee of the Kurdistan Workers
Party (PKK). The Turkish Government has to date made two
assassination attempts on his life in Russia. Mahir Welat was
visiting Armenia to attend a Kurdish academic event in Yerevan
and to tour Yezidi villages. A transcript of his speech at one
village is currently under production.
Q: Could you please identify yourself and your position?
I am a member of the Central Committee of the Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK) and representative of all of the Kurds living
within the territories of the former Soviet Union, and at the
same time the representative of the National Liberation Front of
Kurdistan (ERNK).
It is for 24 years that I have been in this movement. I have
been working in almost every part of the world. I have spent 10
years of my life struggling, fighting, and now I have come to
Alagyaz.
Q: Are you Yezidi or Moslem Kurd?
I am a Moslem Kurd but I also honour all religions. We all
[the Kurds] used to be Yezidi in the past. Some of us were forced
into becoming Moslem, and Yezidism is considered to be one of the
most ancient of religions. From this religion - Zoroastrianism -
came many other religions.
For a time the Kurds forgot about their Zoroastrianism roots
but now it is our intention to return and to educate ourselves
again. Zoroastrianism is considered to be the most "democratic"
of religions because it has never forcibly converted. There are
many different religions, and many people worship different
things in Kurdistan.
The Kurdistan Parliament in Exile [located in Belgium] is
also considered to be the most democratic of Parliaments in the
world because it has representatives from many different
religions. So, we involve all of the different religions in many
different activities.
We consider that religion should not be the cause of
quarrels between people - we consider that it should be a source
of some inter-communication and co-ordination of people's
activities. It should help people understand each other and not
make problems and difficulties.
Q: This interview forms part of a report that myself and another
journalist are undertaking on the situation of minorities within
both Armenia and Azerbaijan. In your role as an ERNK/PKK
representative, what are your opinions on the situation of
minorities in both republics?
Here in Armenia the Kurdish problem is a general problem.
There are many different nations living here in Armenia. After
the collapse of the Soviet Union some national problems came into
being, but nowadays we do not have these sorts of problems.
The attitude of Armenia towards national minorities is
considered part of the generosity and graciousness of the
Armenian people. In the future we hope that the Armenian
Government will pay even more attention to those national
minorities, and it will be even more generous if it can do that.
I have not much information on what is going on in Azerbaijan.
They also have many nations and if we consider their national
policy I would say that it is very bad. For those that show
loyalty towards Azerbaijan the attitude towards them is normal.
But towards those such as the Kurds their attitude is quite
different. They do not have normal lives.
Q: It is a suprise to see so many ERNK and PKK flags flying here
in Armenia, and so many photographs of Abdullah Ocalan [Chairman
of the Kurdistan Workers Party - PKK] on the walls. The Turkish
Government accuses the Armenian Government of supporting the PKK
in terms of weapons and of provoking unrest in Turkey. Has your
presence, and PKK support amongst some villages, resulted in any
action from the Armenian Government?
We can say it is as if we have a common enemy. It is this
situation with the Armenian people historically. We have one
enemy - Turkey and Turkish policy. Whatever the propoganda from
Turkey about weapons from Armenia it is propoganda against the
Armenian Government. That is the policy.
We have many problems in Kurdistan and Turkey is trying to
make it more complicated, with more problems, and also bigger.
That is why they have such a policy. They say such things to make
enemies of friends.
The Armenian Government is a democratic government and is
going further in terms of that democracy, and the Kurds are
people living in Armenia. The people living here are citizens of
Armenia, but they support the national liberation movement in
Kurdistan. They support it, and they are never afraid that anyone
will blame them. The Armenian Government up to now did not help
us because the Armenian Government is in a difficult situation
itself.
Everyone knows that Turkey supports Azerbaijan with weapons,
economically, and with its policy, but no-one has problems with
that. We hope that one day Armenia will be prosperous and at that
time Armenians and Kurds may be able to support each other
against Turkey.
(Source: Yezidi Kurds In Armenia -
http://www.oocities.com/CapitolHill/9574/armenia.htm)
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