The Fragile Foundations of Arab-Kurdish Coexistence

Aktar: Political will needed for Kurdish demands

A month has passed since Abdullah Öcalan’s historic call on 27 February and the PKK’s announcement of a ceasefire on 1 March, yet the government has not taken any concrete steps. At the same time, there has been no change in Öcalan’s conditions in Imralı prison. ANF spoke with Professor Dr. Cengiz Aktar from Akdeniz University about the developments in Syria as well as the ongoing debate in Turkey over the peace process and the possibility of re…

The Fragile Foundations of Arab-Kurdish Coexistence

I traveled approximately 310 miles from Damascus to Deir ez-Zor in a civilian van filled with passengers and — as I would only realize much later — illegal weapons concealed beneath the seats. For most of the journey, I remained unaware of the cargo we were transporting. What disturbed me most was that soldiers at more than 15 military checkpoints along the way failed to notice anything unusual, waving us through with routine glances. By the tim…

Jan Dost on writing in Arabic and Kurdish: "Like being caught between two magnets"

"Like a piece of iron between two magnets" ctaxis Tue., Apr 1, 2025 - 14:45 DeutschEnglish Body Kamiran, a thirteen-year-old boy, tells in Jan Dost's novel "Safe Corridor". In his behavior he fluctuates between an adult man and a helpless child. The Kurdish teenager still has difficulty controlling his bladder and steals his sister's diapers to hide it. In 2018, he and his family in northern Syria move from city to city in search of a "safe corr…

Every year in April, we celebrate Arab Heritage Month, a wonderful opportunity to highlight the richness and cultural diversity of Arab communities and the invaluable contributions of their members. The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) is proud to highlight these contributions, which continue to shape and enrich our country. Let us take this opportunity to recognize the essential contribution of Arab communities to our society, whether i…