Serhat Bucak assessed the historical development of the Kurdish press, saying he was at the center of this process in the 1990s as the publisher of Yeni Ülke. Bucak said that despite severe repression, censorship and the killing of journalists, the Kurdish press survived and grew with the support of the people. Bucak spoke to ANF about a struggle shaped through great sacrifices, one that laid the foundation for today’s media structure.
A historical process that began with Kurdistan newspaper
Today Kurdish newspapers and the Kurdish press have reached this level, and you are undoubtedly among those who contributed most to that legacy, a living history yourself. Shall we begin with the history of Kurdish journalism?
The magazine Kurdistan and Kurdistan newspaper entered publication on Thursday, April 22, 1898, printed at El Hilal Press in Egypt. The newspaper’s owner was Miqdad Bedir Khan. He published the first five issues himself. Later, due to illness, he handed responsibility for the newspaper to his brother Abdurrahman Bedir Khan.
In the first issue of Kurdistan newspaper, Miqdad Bedir Khan wrote: “Unfortunately, Kurds do not have strong literacy levels. There are many among Kurds who cannot read and write. I want both to encourage literacy among Kurds and to make Kurds reflect on developments in the world, as well as on Kurdish history and Kurdish literature. I want to warn Kurds on this matter.” That is the expression he uses: “I want to warn them.”
Yes, Kurdistan was published in Egypt for five issues. Afterwards, under Abdurrahman Bedir Khan’s direction, the newspaper moved to Geneva, where it was published until the 21st issue. It later returned to Cairo. Beginning with the 27th issue, it moved to London. After London, it moved to another city, where it ended publication with its 31st issue.
Before and after the republic: Interruptions and efforts of rebirth
Of course, with the publication of Kurdistan newspaper, Sultan Abdulhamid made every effort to prevent the newspaper from entering the borders of the Ottoman Empire, especially Istanbul. Interestingly, the Committee of Union and Progress, which came to power with the slogan “Liberty, justice and equality” and won Kurdish sympathy, targeted Kurdistan newspaper after taking power in a way that rivaled the Abdulhamid era.
In Kurdistan newspaper, they wrote particularly about the history of the Botan beys, about Mem û Zîn, and published the poems of the great Kurdish poet Haji Qadir Koyi. The Committee of Union and Progress in particular blocked the newspaper’s publications from entering the Ottoman Empire. The paper was published in Kurdish and Ottoman Turkish. From the fifth issue onward, Kurdish became the dominant language, while Ottoman Turkish was used for articles directed at Abdulhamid. A few articles were also published in French. These are some of the points I can make about Kurdistan newspaper.
After Kurdistan newspaper, there was the Hêvî Association founded in Istanbul in 1912, a student association. Among its founders were members of the Cemil Pashas, the Bedir Khan family, Müküslü Hamza and Halil Hayali, who played a leading role in its establishment. Under Müküslü Hamza’s supervision, they published a journal called Roja Kurd. After Roja Kurd was shut down by the Committee of Union and Progress, the journal Kürt was launched. During that time, the First World War began.
In 1908, Kürt Teavün ve Terakki newspaper was published. Then in 1918, the journal Jin began publication in Istanbul. Jin was the publication organ of the Kurdish Advancement Society. Again, we see Müküslü Hamza at the forefront of this journal. He made enormous contributions to the publication of these Kurdish newspapers, and I remember him here with affection and respect.
Later, in 1909, a newspaper called Peyman was published in Diyarbakır (Amed). Interestingly, writings by Ziya Gökalp, who would later become an ideologue of the Committee of Union and Progress, appeared in Peyman, and he was also among its administrators.
Then we come to the Republican period. Jin was published in Istanbul in 1918. Among those writing in Jin from Eastern Kurdistan (Rojhilat) were Babanzade Abdurrahman Salim, Lahuti Xan and Müşvik Süleyman. Those writing from Northern Kurdistan (Bakur) included Fikri Necdet, Hamzayê Miksi, Kürdizade Sabit, Süleymanê Boti, Halil Hayali and Zaxoyi.
Those writing in Turkish included Ahmet Mehdi, Aziz Yemlüki, Cizreli Mirza, Diyarbakirli Tevfik Hamdi Bey, Emin Feyzi, Encüm Yemülki, Hakkari Abdurrahim Efendi and Abdurrahim Rahmi Efendi. Abdurrahim Rahmi Efendi was the father-in-law of Musa Anter. Writings by Ihsan Nuri Pasha and Kemal Feyzi were also published. In the journal published by the Kurdish Mutual Aid and Progress Society, the writings of Said Nursi also appeared prominently.
The journal and newspaper Kürt Teavün ve Terakki were also managed and owned by Haci Tevfik Suleymani, known as Piremerd, the great Kurdish poet, jurist and administrator.
Now we come to the Republican era. As you know, during the 1925–1938 period, no newspapers were published in Kurdistan. The last issue of Kurdistan newspaper appeared in 1919. After that, newspapers in Northern Kurdistan were interrupted because there was enormous repression.
During the Ağrı uprising, Ihsan Nuri Pasha and those around him published a newspaper called Agri. But these were short-lived, two or three issues at most, and did not become long-running publications.
When we come to 1948, with the two-party era that began after the founding of the Democrat Party in 1946, a new phase begins. In 1948, in Istanbul, under the initiative of Musa Anter, writing under the name Şehmus Elmas, Dicle Kaynağı was published.
Those writing in Dicle Kaynağı included lawyer Baki Tekin and Apê Musa. Interestingly, Hamit Fendoğlu, who was later killed in an assassination while serving as independent deputy for Malatya, also wrote for Dicle Kaynağı. Very interestingly, in that newspaper Mustafa Remzi Bucak published an article titled “Two Communities,” arguing that there were Kurdish and Turkish communities in Turkey. Since those writings are not in our hands, we cannot fully describe their content.
Again, after Dicle Kaynağı, Apê Musa published the journal Şark in 1950. Following that, another newspaper called Şarkın Sesi was published in Istanbul. Among those writing there were Yaşar Alhas, a 1957 Republican People’s Party deputy from Urfa, Hilmi Çelakıl, Nazım Ören, Cevdet Altın, Sübhi Menteş, pharmacist Ahmet Ekrem Uğurlu and Behzat Direkçi.
Then we come to 1958, when things gradually reach another stage. In 1958, Apê Musa went to Diyarbakır and worked as a pharmaceutical representative at Yusuf Azizoglu’s drug warehouse, promoting medicines. Through this, he began traveling across Kurdistan.
At that time a newspaper called Ileri Yurt was being published by Abdurrahman Efem Dolak. Apê Musa went to Abdurrahman Efem Dolak and said: “Your newspaper only carries announcements. Come, let us do something together.”
Apê Musa persuaded Abdurrahman Efem Dolak. He told him: “You are only looking for advertisements. Let us make this newspaper ourselves. Hand over the management of the newspaper to us, you remain the owner, and we will publish Yeni Yurt ourselves.”
Yes, the late Canip Yıldırım became managing editor of the newspaper. Apê Musa had a column in Ileri Yurt titled “But What an Advanced Homeland,” where he wrote satirical pieces. Ileri Yurt drew considerable attention in 1958. If I remember correctly, it reached nearly a thousand subscribers. Everyone waited for Ileri Yurt to come out. And it particularly drew the attention of the state.
There were Kurdish sections in Apê Musa’s columns. For example, in one satirical piece, someone goes to a mosque. Apê Musa writes: “Aren’t you ashamed to beg?” The man replies, “We have no one, I am forced to beg.” Then Apê Musa criticizes this reality.
When Ileri Yurt was being published in 1958, the monarchy in Iraq was overthrown on July 14, 1958. The coup led by Abd al-Karim Qasim came to power. At the same time, there was the return of Mustafa Barzani to Iraq, which also had an impact. Especially among Kurdish students in Istanbul and Ankara, there was growing dynamism. Kurdish students subscribed to Ileri Yurt. The newspaper spread not only in Diyarbakır, but also in Istanbul and Ankara.
Apê Musa wrote a satirical piece there called “Kımıl.” In it he said that in a village in Siverek, a wheat pest had struck that year and damaged the crops. A peddler comes to the village, and a young girl approaches carrying a bowl of wheat, wanting to trade. The peddler sees the wheat is damaged and says, “I cannot trade with you, your wheat is spoiled.”
There, that Kurdish girl from Siverek sings a song, “Bi Çiya ketim lo.” Apê Musa wrote it in Kurdish using Latin letters. And beneath it he wrote: “Do not grieve, my sister, do not grieve. Your brothers are now growing who will save you from this suffering.”
Of course, Apê Musa lived with one foot in the prosecutor’s office and the other outside. That was his life. Following the “Kımıl” column, Apê Musa was arrested. For the first time, 35 lawyers registered to Kurdistan bar associations took on his legal defense, mounting a collective defense. Their spokesperson was the late Faik Bucak. Apê Musa was released at the first hearing.
The Kımıl incident I have described took place in 1959. On July 15, 1959, certain events occurred in Kirkuk. Turkmens did not want to join the first anniversary celebrations of the revolution. Thereupon militants affiliated with the Communist Party entered Turkmen neighborhoods. Clashes broke out and deaths occurred. Twenty-five to thirty citizens of Turkmen origin lost their lives.
Following this, retired colonel Asım Eren, known in the army as “Goebbels,” after Hitler’s aide, and then a Republican People’s Party deputy from Niğde, submitted a motion. He said: “Turkmens were massacred in Kirkuk. Are you not considering reciprocity in response?”
Thereupon, 102 students sent a telegram on April 14. That telegram became the headline of Akşam newspaper and was published in other newspapers as well.
This protest formed the main basis of the trial of the 49s. At the same time, it was linked to articles Apê Musa wrote in Ileri Yurt newspaper. Following this, Apê Musa, along with the owner of Ileri Yurt and around 50 Kurdish intellectuals, were detained. Among them were students, doctors, contractors, merchants and businesspeople.
Forty-nine of them remained in the Harbiye dungeons for nearly four months. Later, a dining hall was turned into a ward where they were held.
Short-lived publications and the problem of continuity after 1960
After this process, publishing newspapers in Northern Kurdistan was interrupted. The press was silenced. Then came the 1960 coup. Afterwards, some organizing began among Kurds, but the process always moved forward in fragments. This interrupted process continued until the 1990s.
Let me continue. After the 49s were released, a newspaper called Dicle Fırat was published in Istanbul in 1962 under the direction of the late great Kurdish patriot and revolutionary Edip Karahan. This journal continued until May 21, 1963.
In April, Deng magazine was launched. Its owners were Yasar Kaya and Ergun Koyuncu. Apê Musa and Medet Serhat were involved. Medet Abê was the editor-in-chief, while Apê Musa wrote articles. The newspaper was published in Kurdish and Turkish.
After that, Roja Newe was published under the direction of Doğan Kılıç. It appeared in Kurdish, Turkish and Zazaki. Preparations had also begun for Reya Rast, which was to be published under the leadership of Ziya Şerefhanoğlu and Sait Elçi.
But after Talat Aydemir’s coup attempt on May 21, martial law was declared. Once martial law was imposed, these newspapers were immediately shut down and their editors were arrested on accusations of seeking to establish a Kurdish state. Among them were Apê Musa, Ziya Şerefhanoğlu and Sait Elçi, as well as Cemal Alemdar and Gazi Dizayi from Southern Kurdistan (Başur).
After that, especially student associations in Kurdistan began publishing newspapers. For example, in Ankara, the Siverek Higher Education Association organized an event and published a journal called Keko, but nothing followed. Then there was Kom, Çira in Elazığ, and later Yeni Akış newspaper. In other words, there was no continuity.
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