Renwar Najm

Voters in Kirkuk face another election shaped by ethnicity not policy When campaign banners went up across Kirkuk this autumn, they told a familiar story. The Kurds spoke to the Kurds, the Arabs to the Arabs, and the Turkmen to the Turkmen. Each community ran its own…

In Kirkuk, elections still follow the map of ethnicity, not policy.
Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen vote apart in a city meant to stand for coexistence.
Renwar Najm reports on Iraq’s most divided ballot.
www.theamargi.com/posts/voters...

Kirkuk in numbers: Arabs up +15 pts since 1957, Kurds down −5, Turkmen −3. Elections mirror demographics, a census disguised as a ballot. Tap the link in comments to read Renwar Najm’s piece on what these numbers reveal.

The Endless Political Persecution of Sherwan Sherwani Just before sunset on 7th October 2020, Kurdish journalist Sherwan Sherwani was arrested by military personnel in his house on the outskirts of Erbil.  “From their uniforms, I could tell they were a…

www.theamargi.com/posts/the-en...

What happens when journalism itself becomes a crime?
Since 2020, each time Sherwan Sherwani neared freedom, new charges came.
Read the full story by Renwar Najm. Link in comments.

Two men left Kurdistan for Britain. Both returned, carrying the weight of exile.
Full documentary: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R7g...
Camera and editing: Mohammed Tahir | Producer: @renwar.bsky.social

From Nalî to Sherko Bekas, from Edward Said to Ai Weiwei, exile is often written as rupture and loss.
At The Amargi launch, Bachtyar Ali asked: can exile also be a place of freedom, critique, and new beginnings?
Read his full keynote: www.theamargi.com/posts/the-in...

The Struggle and Revival of the Kurdish Language Once whispered in secret and prohibited from even the simplest outdoor conversations, the Kurdish language has long shared the struggle of its people–enduring repression, exile, and erasure. Today, as...

Kurdish children still lack formal education in their mother tongue in Turkey, and a recent survey found that three out of four Kurdish children no longer speak their mother tongue.

@theamargi.bsky.social

At our launch today, keynote speaker Bachtyar Ali is reflecting on exile, intellectual life, and freedom. Here are some of his most powerful words. 🧵
#TheAmargiLaunches #TheAmargi

Ziad Rahbani

Lebanon lost a cultural giant.
Ziad Rahbani chose art over privilege, giving voice to the working class & exposing Lebanon’s contradictions.

In this obituary, Cihad Hammy reflects on his life & legacy.

🧵 @the_amargi launches Sept 20 ⬇️

We’re almost here! 🚀
The Amargi is a new independent media outlet created by journalists, activists, and academics.
Our focus: Kurdistan, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Iran, and the wider Middle East.
Follow us and join us on this journey.

The Guardian view on Turkey and the PKK: an elusive peace is in view once more | Editorial Editorial: Abdullah Öcalan’s call for fighters to disarm is an important moment. But a lasting resolution will require greater rights for Kurds

The Guardian view on Turkey and the PKK: an elusive peace is in view once more | Editorial

13 Angry Teachers About Teachers Hunger Strike in Iraqi Kurdistan

13 angry teachers in Iraqi Kurdistan, staged a 15-day hunger strike—not for political demands, but for a lasting solution to the decade-long salary crisis. Their frustration targeted the KRG ruling elite, whom they accuse of neglect and broken promises.

Some thoughts on my Substack.

The Kurdish Red Crescent are actively calling for donations. They are currently the only NGO providing aid to the 200,000+ refugees arriving into Tabqa and Minbij, and will inevitably be responsible for building longer-term camps for them. Please donate if you can.

She was immediately expelled from the KJG. This raises the question: which camp convinced her to switch sides— KDP or PUK? Furthermore, if an MP from a highly disciplined party like the KJG can be swayed, what does this imply for the stability of other, newer parties?

Thousends of Afrin refugees who fled to Tal Refaat 5 years ago are stranded and lie in the fields, waiting for chance to escape turkish sponsored terrorists.

Yesterday videos emerged how they beat hospital personal, one of the terrorist wispered, wait until camera is off.

Turkish strikes in Syria cut water to one million people The attacks have added to a humanitarian crisis in a region reeling from civil war and extreme drought.

Turkish air strikes in drought-struck north-east Syria (Rojava) have cut off access to electricity and water for more than a million people.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Starmer backs plans to explore Italian-style migration deals to limit crossings PM does not rule out UK providing financial incentives to stop would-be asylum seekers making journey

As @renwar.bsky.social said elsewhere: giving money to the authorities in the Kurdistan Region is unlikely to work. The issue of migration is “a structural problem that requires deeper solutions.”

I know the consulate has been told this, hopefully London listens.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024...

Zor spas :)