Kurdish activist wants Canada to keep fighting Islamic State
Like other voters, Canadians of Kurdish origin will have their own reasons for making their choice in the October 19 federal election.
Although activist Nissy Koye underscored that she doesn’t speak for the entire Kurdish community, she acknowledged that it’s not going to be an easy decision for many people.
According to her, it doesn’t follow that Kurdish voters will support the ruling party simply because Stephen Harper’s Conservative government moved to join the U.S.–led military campaign and help Kurdish forces in Iraq and Syria fight the Islamic State (IS).
Koye noted that although members of her community applaud Canada’s military mission against IS, many do not approve of the way Conservatives govern here at home.
“You have one foot in Kurdistan, and you have one foot in Canada, right?” Koye told the Straight at a Vancouver protest calling on western countries to support Kurds combating IS. “You cannot ignore the issues that are in your front door—right?—because there are a lot of issues within Canada.”
Although the NDP and the Liberals opposed the military mission during deliberations in the House of Commons, she suggested they would have done the opposite in a different set of circumstances.
“The Conservative government was in power when ISIS [now known as IS] knocked on the door of the world,” Koye said. “And the Conservative government responded well, right? It wasn’t NDP or the Liberal government that was in power, and I’m pretty sure had it been either, they would have responded fairly similarly, I think.”
The NDP’s Thomas Mulcair and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau both want Canada to focus on a humanitarian mission to assist Iraqi and Syrian people displaced by the conflict.
Whichever party triumphs on October 19, Koye said that the next government cannot turn a blind eye to IS, whose members adhere to an extreme interpretation of Islam and are known for brutal acts like beheadings and mass executions.
“This is a global issue,” Koye said. “It’s not just a Kurdish issue. ISIS is a threat to everyone across the world. It’s not exclusive to just the Middle East. The more help that western governments send, the better.”
Comments
4 Comments
Amirie
Aug 26, 2015 at 4:27pm
My parents are immigrants from Iraq. I have family in Borthern Iraq I have lost to the evils of IS. And I am voting for conservative. They are the only party making sense in dealing with international threats and dangers... IS is pure evil and must be stopped. They are Nazi 2.0. No if ands about it... Most Canadians do not know because they do not see it or experience it. But I have and IS must be eradicated. Did we ignore Hitler's atrocities in WW2? No. There can not be peace keeping if there is no peace to keep. We must bring peace to the people. That is heroism. War is sometimes necessary for the greater good. First World War, WW2... Mulclair and Trudeau are weak to say Canada will not deal in combat missions. The UN and Security Council are weak with China and Russia stalling the process of peace making. To sit idle from sidelines is selfish and cowardly in my eyes and goes against principles of what makes Canada great. What makes Canada uniquely amazing and selfless is our obligation and commitment to humanity. To protect the good and innocent in the world. We must do our part and help our international community... And that means deal with evil, this pure pure evil of IS who are slaughtering innocent people and spreading the word of hate and growing a mission rooted in evil. Bring peace to this world not turn a blind eye.
@Amirie
Aug 26, 2015 at 6:21pm
You're going to vote for the conservative government because they took some phony action in Middle-East? That is very one-dimensional thinking.
Canada's role in the world is humanitarianism, peace-keeping, and refuge. At least that used to be our role in the world, until conservatives followed American and British tories to the trenches. We have roughly 90,000 active military personnel. That is our country's designation.
There is a reason why we are different from the US that has 1,3 million active duty personnel If you're gonna live in our country, you better learn our political history and role in the world.
If you fight fire with fire, there'll be more fire in the end.
Shame...
Aug 26, 2015 at 9:22pm
I remember the brief period between Viet Nam and Sept 11 when Canadians (and all people of good conscience) were completely antiwar. We're not "adults" or "mature" because we acknowledge that sometimes war is necessary---war is never necessary, and there are no heroes in war. Nobody who goes to war is a hero. It's not heroic to kill people. It's not heroic to kill people to make peace. War destroys the civillians on both sides. War destroys the soldiers who come home as broken people with PTSD, nightmares, etc.
I remember when this sort of pro-war rhetoric was unthinkable in Canada. ISIS Is not a threat to everyone in the world; we have the tools to deal with ISIS, which primarily relies on radicalized young men. The USA already dealt with this sort of threat in the 1960s using rock music and drugs---it didn't need to engage in any sort of warfare, but unfortunately no middle east government has as sophisticated an intelligence community as the USA. Give the young men in these organizations something _better_ to do than risk their lives, that is how you end these conflicts, not through direct military action.
Kiskatinawkid
Aug 26, 2015 at 10:18pm
Give me a break! ISIS a threat to the world? Please! They only exist because of countries run by psychos like harper propping up loser governments in what is now ISIS's backyard.
I feel as threatened by that cabal of cretins as I do of Pee Wee Herman. Actually, I do tremble a bit remembering that a character like that actually did exist! But I digress.
If you're residing here vote for what's best for THIS country. Otherwise, ask yourself why the hell you're here!