The Kurdish Lobby

Much has been written of late in newspapers across Kurdistan about the Kurdish lobby, or lack thereof. Before we start analyzing whether or not one exists, we should take a step back and ask ourselves if we know what one is or not!

We should also stop comparing ourselves to the Jewish lobby or the Armenian Lobby, as these lobbies have been active in the US for well over half a century.

Nowhere does grass roots advocacy affect policy more than in the US. Sure enough, if you get enough people out on to the streets of Europe, you will make a splash in the news, or even generate some sort of temporary intervention, but in the US, effective grass roots advocacy can actually change policy.

But a lobby is not something you can pick off the shelf at Wal-Mart, or buy with enough Franklin notes. No, a lobby requires hard work, dedication and sacrifice.

An effective lobby in the US requires a community that believes in the cause that they are lobbying for. This community needs to be united on the core issues. Moreover, this community needs to be organized; and be ready to dip into their pockets, contribute, donate and spend their hard earned cash on their efforts and advocacy.

It is unfair to say that there has not been any grass roots advocacy in the US, as some Kurdish Americans have said publicly. During the Anfal, and later during the exodus in 91, Kurdish Americans, such as Dr. Najmadin Karim, Hassan Jaff, Asad Khailany, and others (please forgive me if I missed your name!!), through established organizations such as the Kurdish National Congress of North America (KNC) did well to bring to the attention of US policy makers the plight of the Kurds. This was especially difficult at the time as the US had excellent relations with Iraq, and they viewed the Kurds as nothing more than a band of rebels.

But with the advent of the political party representations in the US, and subsequently the establishment of first, two KRG offices in the US, and later in 2006, the unification of the KRG offices, the Iraqi Kurdish interface with the US took on a more formal and structured feel. This, for a variety of reasons has created distance between the work of the Kurdish officials, and a-today-less-active Kurdish Diaspora in the US. This must change, and we must make that change happen.

Furthermore, we must manage our expectations. AIPAC (American Israeli Public Affairs Committee) is powerful because they are enormously wealthy, and very well organized. They are able at any given time, to fly into DC influential members of their organization, from any state, to meet with their representatives on the Hill. Their ability to do this, and fund raise for the a fore mentioned Senators and Congressmen make them formidable lobbyists.

The Armenians are less grand in their strategy, but equally effective. They use effective grass roots lobbying, in strategically targeted communities to let their respective members of congress know their clout when it comes to fund raising, or getting out the votes. What they lack in wealth or size (of community), they make up in spirit, hard work. Their focus on youth driven activities in Universities, Colleges and in placing interns in important congressional offices and think tanks in DC also makes them highly effective.

I regret to say this, but we must be true to ourselves: we neither have the size and wealth of the Jewish lobby, nor do we have the exceptional dedication or organization of the Armenian lobby; but as a good friend once told me, there are two times to plant a tree: 25 years ago, and today!

So today, we must plant the seeds to generating a grass roots advocacy campaign in the US that will compliment the work of the KRG office in DC. This will require the youth to lead the way, as it is the youth who are in colleges and universities. It is the youth who speak today's “lingo”, who can effectively use the multitudes of social networking internet sites to gather momentum and can start working at a grass roots level in their communities. They can even even get involved in politics, whether in their universities or later in their city councils, and why stop there?

But in order to be effective, we must overcome the resentment that some in the Diaspora have towards the political leadership in Kurdistan. There will be other platforms and avenues to put pressure on Kurdistan to change, modernize and reform, and in no way do I advise people from refraining to demand reform in Kurdistan. Armenian Americans are not entirely happy with the slow pace of political and civil society reform in Armenia, and they frequently let their government know their thoughts, but when it comes to defending their nation’s interests, they stand by the soil and flag of their country. When it comes to preserving Kurdistan, and strengthening her alliance with the US, we must also put forward a united front. We must put Kurdistan first.
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If anyone is interested in helping lay the foundations of a Kurdish American lobby in the United States, please contact me on qubad.talabany@krg.org