Muhamad Rahman Ahmad
The Middle East was not born naturally, but rather an artificial existence was imposed upon it against its own will. This artificial existence is constantly in an internal struggle to break out of those imposed bodies and borders that have stripped away its authentic existence.
For a hundred years, the artificial nation-states of this region have been attempting to transform the existence of the natural nation into an artificial nation—that is, changing the ethnic nation into a civic nation—through the process known as nation-building, but they have failed. The fundamental reason for this failure is that these nation-states have not tried to create a civic nation through impartial institutions, non-discrimination, fostering a shared sense of belonging, and acknowledging and respecting the cultural and national characteristics of the components. Rather, they have attempted to impose the dominance of one ethnicity over other ethnicities, through coercion and various forms of oppression, eradication of culture, language, and identity, deportation and uprooting of people from their ancestral land to other places, and bringing in other populations to replace them with the aim of demographic change, up to the worst level of oppression, which is the physical killing and genocide of the individuals of a nation.
In the upcoming changes in the region, alongside military and diplomatic power, there is another decisive issue for the various nations and components, which is the question of demography. This is extremely vital and decisive for the Kurds; that is why the states that encompass Kurdistan have, throughout these hundred years, systematically attempted to eliminate Kurdistan within their own countries through policies of demographic change in Kurdistan, because they know very well that their artificial nation-states do not possess an authentic and genuine existence, but rather have a fragile existence and identity.
What is crucial for the Kurds to handle with sensitivity and political vigilance during this important historical juncture is the demographic issue of Kurdish cities and regions, because the issue of demography determines the future political geography and the security and stability of any political entity. When we observe the events in Western Kurdistan (Rojava), particularly what is currently happening in the city of Hasakah, or when we recall the hostile stance toward the Kurds taken by those Arabs whose areas had been occupied by ISIS, as well as their stance toward the Kurds in the aftermath of the October 16 events in the Kurdistani territories outside the administration of the Kurdistan Region, these experiences tell us that the presence of such massive numbers of Arabs in the cities of the Kurdistan Region is like a Trojan horse, waiting for an opportunity until the policy behind them is revealed. Yet we, like the ancient people of Troy, have received them like a divine gift, believing that they bring us great economic benefits, earn us a good reputation, and paint a beautiful image of us in the eyes of other countries as a model of coexistence in the region. It is an obligation upon every country to pursue a policy of coexistence with the indigenous population and native components that have a long history of living together within the same geography; however, it is not an obligation to admit large numbers of imported people that pose a threat to future demography and national security under the name of coexistence, because this is a contemporary global threat and most powerful states have practiced precaution against it.
The United States of America is fundamentally not even an ethnic nation built on the basis of shared blood and ancestry, but rather an artificial nation formed by immigrants, with a multi-ethnic existence—meaning it does not have a problem with demographic change, as whoever goes there becomes American. Yet despite this, they oppose the influx of immigrants and pursue anti-immigration policies, especially with Donald Trump coming to power. Britain is the cradle of free thought, liberalism, and pluralism, yet in order to curb immigration and protect their national identity, they took the greatest gamble by leaving the European Union. Currently, in most European countries, the issue of immigrant influx is one of the hottest topics, and they are striving to prevent the arrival of immigrants in order to preserve their identity in the future, even though they all possess their own states and full sovereignty; nevertheless, they foresee the future danger. Meanwhile, the Kurdistan Region is a region surrounded by the conspiracies of external enemies, yet it appears indifferent and reckless regarding this vast number of Arab settlements.
The destruction and devastation of Sunni regions and cities by bringing in ISIS and subsequently the Popular Mobilization Forces (Hashd al-Shaabi), enforcing sectarian policies against them, and the lack of security and reassurance in their cities, were aimed at driving them out and forcing their migration to the Kurdistan Region—where the cities of the Region are full of services, beautification, security, and freedom. Conversely, granting salaries and housing loans to Arab citizens while depriving the citizens of the Kurdistan Region means that Arabs have money but their cities are ruined, whereas Kurds have beautiful cities but little money. This is an incentivizing policy for Arab migration to the Kurdistan Region. Furthermore, the blocking of water sources by Iran and Turkey to desertify the Arab-populated areas in southern and central Iraq and their subsequent future migration to the Kurdistan Region is a continuation of the same policy; none of these are coincidences, but rather orchestrated plans of which the Kurds must be aware.