AMED – Turkish writer and intellectual Fikret Başkaya said that the gains achieved in the Syrian town of Kobane must be protected, describing the area as both a model and a source of morale for the Kurdish people.

 

Speaking to our agency amid ongoing attacks on Rojava, Başkaya said assaults carried out by HTS, ISIS and Turkey-backed paramilitary groups had failed to deter Kurds from pursuing their long-standing struggle for rights and freedom.

 

“For a century, Kurds have faced repression unlike that experienced by almost any other people,” Başkaya said. “The struggle will continue. But the achievements in Kobane must be protected. They are vital. In many respects, Kobane represents an exemplary model and a moral source of strength.”

 

Reactions from writers, artists and academics to the attacks on Rojava have continued in recent weeks. Başkaya said that Turkey’s intellectual circles had largely failed to respond adequately, arguing that many remained influenced by official state ideology.

 

Referring to what he described as a century-long “anti-Kurdish alliance,” Başkaya said the division of Kurdistan into four parts had significantly weakened the Kurdish movement.

 

“When a movement emerged in one part, the other three states reacted simultaneously,” he said. “Confronting four actors at once created enormous difficulties. Despite this, Kurds have never abandoned their struggle.”

 

Başkaya also said public reaction to alleged war crimes in the region remained insufficient, adding that democratic forces in Turkey had historically failed to address the Kurdish issue in a meaningful way.

 

“The oppression of a people is an assault on human dignity,” he said. “Unfortunately, educated segments of society in Turkey have never approached the Kurdish issue with the seriousness it deserves.”

 

He attributed the historical division of Kurdistan to imperialism, saying global powers had both disciplined regional states and instrumentalized the Kurdish movement at various times.

 

“Despite everything,” Başkaya said, “Kobane must be defended strongly. Its significance is critical.