By Khadija Askandar
National struggle from grandfather to generation:-
In the long history of the Kurds, the path of national struggle has been passed down as a continuous chain from father to son, from emir to writer and intellectual. The most obvious example of this transition is the Badrkhan family: from the armed revolution of the Emir of Botan to the revolution of the pen and journalism of his descendants.
1. Mir Badr Khan: Independence by the sword
Badr Khan, son of Mir Abdal, became Emir of Bhutan in 1821 at the age of He took power at a time when Sultan Abdulmajid I (1839-1861) was trying to renew the Ottoman “sick state”. Mir Badr Khan refused to submit to this framework and raised the flag of independence of his empire. He took some revolutionary steps to strengthen the country:
– Social reform: reducing class differences and reducing agricultural and livestock taxes on farmers.
Army Building: Establishment of weapons factories and sending students abroad, which led to the creation of an organized army.
– Economic independence: minting private coins and conducting trade in the currency of the empire.
– Expansion of power: Extending the borders of the empire to Jazira, Botan and Hakkari.
These steps were unacceptable to Istanbul. In 1847, after 26 years of rule, the Sultan ended Mir Badr Khan’s rule. The Emir was captured and exiled to Istanbul, Crete and then Damascus, where he died after 21 years in exile. But the thought of independence which he had cultivated did not die, but continued.
2. From Sword to Pen: The Descendants of Badr Khan
Nearly 50 years after the failure of their grandfather’s revolution, the descendants of Mir Badr Khan pursued the same goal in another way: the cultural struggle. Miqdad Medhat Badr Khan and Abdulrahman Badr Khan tried armed struggle from Istanbul. Together with Amin Ali Badr Khan, he formed a secret group to uprise in Trabzon and return to Botan. However, the Ottomans’ strict surveillance revealed their plan, and Amin Ali and Miqdad were arrested and imprisoned.
After his release and illness, Miqdad Badr Khan moved to Cairo. There he decided to move the struggle to the field of words and consciousness. On April 22, 1898, he published the first Kurdish newspaper, Kurdistan. “I decided to devote all my efforts to the benefit, happiness and education of Kurdish citizens through this newspaper,” he says.
“You know that I am the son of the man who fought for your independence with the sword.
3. Kurdistan Newspaper: The Beginning of Modern Kurdish Writing
Kurdistan was not just a newspaper, but a manifesto for the revival of the nation:
– Language: Kurdish became the language of journalism, politics and science for the first time. Until then, Kurdish was the only language of speech and poetry.
– Aim: Miqdad Badrkhan wrote in the first article: “The Kurds are more intelligent than many nations, but they are not as educated and rich as other nations… I wrote this newspaper to talk about the benefits of science and knowledge.”
– Circulation: 31 issues and 2000 copies each. Due to the pursuit of the Ottomans, it was printed in Cairo, Geneva, London and Folkestone. Abdulrahman’s five brothers were imprisoned in Istanbul to put pressure on the newspaper.
4. A living, lasting legacy
Discovery of the Kurdistan Archive in the 1960s by Dr. Marf Khaznadar in Russia; Kamal Fuad opened a big window on the history of writing in Germany. Today, most researchers agree that “Kurdistan” was a turning point.
“The value of this newspaper is not only that it is first, but it has historical and political value.”
“Kurdistan newspaper is the beginning of writing political, literary and social articles in Kurdish.”
Therefore, the national struggle has not been interrupted from grandfather to generation. Mir Badr Khan planted the seeds of independence with the sword, Miqdad and Abdul Rahman Badr Khan watered it with the pen and made it a fruitful tree. Kurdistan has proved that language is the foundation of a nation’s survival and journalism is a more effective weapon than cannons and guns to awaken the people. This path continues today: from defending with the pen to the struggle for Kurdish rights.