GV Cross-post: Kurdistance:Where Have All the Bloggers Gone?

Coverage of the Kurdish blogosphere began on Global Voices in September of 2005, and since that time the Kurdish blogosphere has waxed and waned in its content. As I look at my feed-reader today, out of the 74 Kurdish blogs listed only 11 have updated their sites in the past two months, and even a smaller handful (3 or 4) have updated in the past week. Where did the conversation go? The answer is to places like Facebook and forums like Roj Bash Kurdistan and The Kurdistani Forum.

So how many Kurds are on Facebook? A sizable number in fact. Two Facebook groups (where membership is invitation only) sport fairly large numbers: How Many Kurds are on Facebook? has 1,367 members, and Support an Independent Kurdistan has 1,452 members. Of course this begs the question, with so many members on Facebook, how come more Kurds aren’t blogging? After his site was hacked multiple times From Holland to Kurdistan closed his blog to private readers only; and after similar persecution in Iran, Medya from MedyaDaily was forced to stop blogging. As one poster on the Facebook site I (heart) Kurdistan put it:

I want to tell you that I knew a lot of kurdish blogs, which were full of turkish idiots people ( I don’t mean that turkish are all idiots, but those ones were) who posted insults on those blogs, and it always became very violent, no discussion was possible, and the website host had to delete those blogs because of this violence !
So how can we have blogs from kurdish people when others enjoy breaking all hopes of sharing our culture !!?? All kind of people can go on Internet so fortunately other ways are possible to get stronger and respected !

And in response:

It’s sad about the blogs, and giving so easily up. People should not response to them and let them bark, and let the people know how they are. I’ve blocked/deleted countless many of such people who come and curse at the entire kurdish nation. Because they are not worth to waste my time to reply.

What can be done to counteract the quietening of voices in the Kurdish blogosphere? Facebook poster Rezan offers the following list:

10 simple things you can do right now for Kurdistan!
* 1. Create a blog about Kurds. The more blogs we have about Kurdistan and Kurdish culture the better.
* 2. Be active on Wikipedia, add articles, and be active in promoting Kurdish history and culture.
* 3. Create a group IRL in your city, that you meet each week to discuss politics. Be creative. Do not be afraid to discuss politics. We HAVE to learn to discuss our difference not our common. Find activities to do, like create a dance group, open a seminar at your university or school.
* 4. Create a website with photos from your Kurdistan trips. Power up Google Images with Kurdish and Kurdistan.
* 5. Promote Kurdish Language. Go to courses or ask for help from friends and schools to learn your mother language. If you are good at it, offer your help to those Kurdish youth that cannot speak Kurdish.
* 6. Write an article about Kurdistan to your local newspaper. Give your hope and dreams of a country of our own. Promote the greater Kurdistan.
* 7. Donate money in several Kurdish organizations. If you don’t have money, find sponsors from companies that could donate money for Kurdish youth non-political organizations.
* 8. Become active your local non-Kurdish political parties. Having Kurds in American or European political organizations has the most profound effect on foreign affairs.
* 9. Send a letter to your local politicians to include the Kurdish struggle in their events and discussions.
* 10. Be a role model for other Kurdish youth. Be active. Become productive. Promote Kurdistan and Kurdish culture. Make sure that follow your steps!

If you are interested in seeing more of the Kurds online, here are just a few of the Kurdish Facebook sites:
How Many Kurds are on Facebook?
Kerkuk-The Heart of Kurdistan
I (heart) Kurdistan
I am a Kurd
Friends of Kurdistan
Fundraising for Kurdish Rights
Asimilasyon bir insanlık suçudur…
Free Kurdistan
Happy is the one who says, “I’m a KURD”.
Support an Independent Kurdistan