The history of Kurdistan is as much a testament to legendary resistance as it is to tragic betrayal. Even in times of cruel persecution and oppression, there were Kurds who collaborated with the murderers, occupiers and colonialists. The Barzani clan and its party KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party) repeatedly played an important role in this. This is not about every person in the Barzani family, but about its leadership and its political formation in the corrupt KDP apparatus. Mesûd Barzani, his son Mesrûr Barzani and his nephew Necîrvan Idris Barzani form the core of the betrayal.

Brief history of the Barzani clan

To better understand the current KDP and the betrayal among Kurds in general, a look at history is helpful. Barzan is the name of a region. The Barzani tribal union was formed from the confederation of the Kurdish tribes Mizurî, Dolemerî, Berojî and Şerwanî living there. This unit existed long before the Barzani family. Little is known historically about the early days of the family, and most of the available data is either fragmentary or unclear. The Barzani family may have first come from North Kurdistan to the Zaxo/Duhok/Amêdî region and then to the Zap River, which was formerly called Zê. They were called "malbata ber zê", which means "the family on the Zap". Not only this family, but also the tribes living in Barzan have always been called by this name. The Barzani family, which essentially has no tribal affiliation, joined forces with the Sunni Naqshibandi sect, which became powerful in South Kurdistan from the 1850s onwards, and created its own new tribe.

The sources of Mesûd Barzani's power

Mesûd Barzani's close circle in particular is deeply involved in the betrayal. It is therefore important to take a look at his family connections. Mesûd Barzani married the daughter of Mehmed Xalid, the son of the Sheikh of Barzan. His mother belongs to the Zêbarî tribe. The marriage gave him both tribal authority and religious power. These two sources of power made Mesûd Barzani stronger than his older brother Idris. This made Mesûd Barzani practically the heir of his father, Mustafa Barzani.

KDP, a force for liquidating Kurdish freedom efforts

The KDP repeatedly played the role of liquidating the resistance in the various parts of Kurdistan. Some examples:

* Suleiman Moini, one of the leaders of the KDP-Iran, was murdered by Mustafa Barzani on 15 May 1968. His body was handed over to the Iranian Secret Service SAVAK.

* Ahmed Tawfiq, general secretary of the KDP-Iran, was persecuted by the KDP in South Kurdistan, had to flee to Baghdad and was murdered by agents of the Baath regime in 1972.

* Sait Elçi, one of the leaders of the Democratic Party of Kurdistan in Turkey (TKDP), was tortured in 1971 after fleeing North Kurdistan and murdered by order of the KDP leadership.

* Sait Kırmızıtoprak (Dr. Şivan), one of the leading cadres of the TKDP, the revolutionary from Dersim also known as the Kurdish "Che Guevara", was arrested in Zaxo by the KDP in 1969, tortured and shot together with two of his comrades.

The Kurdish parties in North and East Kurdistan were paralyzed in this way. This happened at the request of both the Persian SAVAK and the Turkish Secret Service (MIT). The interference of the KDP leadership in the internal affairs of the Kurdish movement in Western Kurdistan (Rojava) dealt a severe blow to the unity and common struggle of the forces there. The Kurdish movement in Lebanon, which is actively dealing with the problems of Kurdish refugees, has also been internally divided by the actions of the KDP leadership.

In short, like a lightning rod, the Barzanis and the KDP have made it their mission to disperse the Kurds' resistance energies. The support of the occupiers and their goodwill is crucial for them. Without this, the party with its corrupt nepotistic network could not control South Kurdistan for another month.

What does not serve the interests of the KDP must be destroyed

The close ties of the Barzani clan and the KDP to the colonialists and occupiers mean that they serve as an extension of the colonial states, especially in the other parts of Kurdistan. Their repeatedly displayed patriotism remains a farce in the face of this reality. The KDP is trying to ingratiate itself with the occupiers in new ways. It is responsible for extermination operations against the revolution in South and East Kurdistan. Now the KDP is mobilizing all its resources to stifle the PKK's revolution in North Kurdistan.

A war against "free Kurds"

The main function of the KDP is the fight against the Kurdish freedom movement. It pursues an explicitly counter-revolutionary agenda, because the oligarchs of the Barzani clan see themselves as the owners and masters of Kurdistan. They tried to make the revolutionary organizations that emerged in Kurdistan dependent on them and force them to follow them. Those who resisted this were murdered in cooperation with the occupiers. This is also the attitude that the KDP pursues towards the Kurdish freedom movement.

It attacked the Kurdish freedom movement even in its founding phase. First through the counter-organization Stêrka Sor, by which Haki Karer was murdered on 18 May 1977 in Dîlok (tr. Antep), then through the Kurdish National Council (KUK), which attacked the PKK in particular in the early 1980s.

When the freedom movement spread throughout the Middle East and also settled in South Kurdistan in 1983, there was initially an agreement with the KDP. However, when the armed struggle began on 15 August 1984, the KDP got cold feet and demanded that Abdullah Öcalan immediately stop the resistance against Turkey, otherwise it would go to war against the Kurdish freedom movement. However, the PKK's offensive became increasingly effective, and a long-lasting guerrilla war brought the PKK great prestige. It gained strength and sympathy in all four parts of Kurdistan.

The KDP was not prepared to tolerate this. Because in the KDP's understanding, every left-wing force threatens its power. It viewed the PKK as a threat and competitor to its corrupt rule and moved ever closer to the Turkish state. The KDP’s statement to Turkish state officials that the PKK is a much bigger enemy than Turkey is proof of this logic.