Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan
Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan | |
---|---|
Founded | 1967 |
Headquarters | Kurdistan |
Ideology | Kurdish nationalism, social democracy, democratic socialism |
International affiliation | Alliance of Democrats |
Colors | Red |
Website | |
Komalah |
Komalah (Komele in Kurdish) is a Kurdish political party in East Kurdistan. The word Komele in Kurdish is derived from Komel (Society) and means "association" [1].
Political background
In 1967, Komalah was founded and struggled against the government and policies of Shah for 12 years until 1979. In 1983 Komalah formed a political organization with other Iranian Marxist and socialist groups called the Communist Party of Iran.[1]
Political program
Komalah considers itself a Marxist organisation. Its aim is the establishment of a new kind of society, a new kind of social system based on freedom, equality and social justice, in other words a system of socialism guided by this principle: from each according to ability, to each according to need.
In its view, the struggle for socialism requires workers acting together on a mass scale. At the same time, it recognises that collective action does not come from nothing. Instead, each and every small struggle provides workers with experiences and the confidence in their own ability and strength. Towards this end, workers organise themselves in trade or professional organisations (such as trade unions etc) and their political parties.
In Iranian Kurdistan, Komalah is trying to create the conditions favourable for bringing about radical changes in peoples' lives, and to end the national oppression of the Kurds. For this purpose, it has developed a special programme which asks for self-determination rights for the people of Iranian Kurdistan. This right means that the people of Iranian Kurdistan can, secede and establish their own independent state. Hence, Komalah aims to be able to create such conditions in Kurdistan which would enable them to conduct a free referendum in a democratic fashion, and to make their final decision to either separate from or remain within the framework of Iran.
If the decision of the Kurdish people were to remain within the framework of Iran, it would seek changes such as the creation of equality of all nationalities in Iran, an end to all the practices and official laws which discriminate between the various Iranian nationalities, and alongside it the reversal of the imposition of the present official language on the peoples, an end to the bureaucratic intervention by the central government in people’s everyday lives, and the possibility of creating and setting up a system of democratic power internally.
While Komalah has been, and continues to be, actively involved in the struggle to remove the national oppression from the Kurdish people, it is also opening other avenues of struggle in Kurdistan. This is why Komalah raise questions such as the day-to-day quest of workers for economic improvements; of women against oppression and the political and social inequalities they are suffering; of poor farmers against the bourgeois landowners. They also include efforts of shaping civil society through building mass institutions such as trade unions, youth and women’s organisations; and the expression of popular will through people’s councils in the towns and in liberated areas whenever possible and no matter how transient they may be. It also means pressing for unqualified political freedoms and the basic rights of working people, not only in opposition to the central government, but also against anyone and any local force which violate these rights; and it means struggling against religious superstitions and backward morality.
Tactic and Political Struggle
The three main areas Komalah is involved in are as follows:
- 1. The development of the party’s clandestine organisation, and activities in the cities and villages of Kurdistan.
- 2. The development of people’s everyday struggle for reforms, building on their achievements both small and great, and establishing large trade and professional organisations wherever people live and work.
- 3. The military struggle in Kurdistan against the Islamic regime’s aggression.
With regard to the first area of work, a group called the ‘clandestine organisation centre’, known by the name ‘TAKISH’, was set up. Its members in the cities and villages of Iran’s Kurdistan are contacted either by written correspondence or verbally, by calling them out from Iran and discussing matters with them in person (eg in Iraqi Kurdistan, or Europe).
The second part of Komalah's work, is mainly carried out through the publication of magazines and special broadsheets which are frequently issued. They also have a daily radio broadcast lasting three and a half hours, on three short wave channels. Peshang is Komalah's monthly political magazine written in the Kurdish language, as is Peshang, a literary magazine.
With regard to the third area of there work, Komalah has set up a military group called KOMALAH’S PESHMERGA FORCE. Its purpose is to organise the military defence of the people of Kurdistan, and it has carried out this task in Iranian Kurdistan for the past 16 years. Given the regime’s militarisation of the whole Iranian Kurdistan in the recent period, the Force’s military actions are carried out through small guerrilla groups who live secretly inside Kurdistan. Komalah maintains two camps in Iraqi Kurdistan, in the Silemani province, which contain some of the departments central to Komalah’s activities, such as the Executive Committee, the Clandestine Organisation Centre, Radio Broadcasting, Printing, the Health Centre, and the Military Training Centre.
It also takes care of a group of Iranian political refugees living in the regions of Silemani, Qlaladiza, Rania, Arbat, Kifri and Kalar.
One fact needs highlighting. During the years following the first Gulf War (1988), because of changes in the region’s political conditions, Komalah was forced to prepare for later events and to increase its ability to manoeuvre and the humanitarian aspect of its work. Thus, it sent out around 2000 members and supporters, well known political refugees and their families who lived in Iraqi Kurdistan, with the co-operation of the UN or independent of it, who subsequently settled in different countries around the world.
Organizing Elements and Komalah's Formation Chart
Komalah's conference is held every two years. Until now, there have been eleven conferences, the last one having been held in July 2003, when a central committee of 21 members was elected.
The Central Committee holds meetings every three months. These meetings always elect an Executive Committee to conduct the work between the meetings. Komalah has an official spokesperson who is at the same time the first secretary of Komalah. Currently, this spokesperson is Ebrahim Alizadeh.
See also
External links
References
- ^ Background Komalah Official Website