Parviz Rahimzadeh (Kurdish: پەرویز رەحیم زادە)
In the initial definition, when two ordinary individuals in our society sit and briefly discuss the Peshmerga and its characteristics, the first image that comes to mind is of someone in khaki attire, armed, standing on the heights, ready for battle, with a composed demeanor and full of conviction.
However, when the discussion shifts to the “Peshmerga of Komala,” the definitions and images take on a different meaning, prompting us to delve deeper into the concepts associated with this term.
For over 30 years since the establishment of Komala’s Peshmerga forces, this force has managed to instill a high human culture, presenting hundreds of examples of resistance and steadfastness, and recording thousands of memories in history, making this identity remain as the definition of this beloved individual of Komala.
In Komala, it has always been stated that the Peshmerga forces of Komala are not merely an armed force, which is a comprehensive definition of this term. From the beginning, even when its structure was not clearly defined, this force was present in all parts of Kurdish society, from factories and fields to universities, schools, and markets, emanating from the depths of people’s hearts, and after a period, organized within the framework of an armed force.
The Peshmerga of Komala believes in the principle that the path of revolution and uprising passes through the awareness of society and engagement with human issues. Therefore, this force, alongside its duty to confront the occupiers of the Islamic Republic, has always been present in every public gathering, pushing forward defensive, rights-seeking, and justice-oriented policies within society.
It is evident that these definitions, which appeared in the appearance and behavior of Komala’s Peshmerga forces, were the result of those ideas upon which Komala was founded, which were later developed in the organization’s ideology. The Peshmerga of Komala entered the daily life of society.
During times when Kurdistan faced threats from the Islamic Republic’s attacks, and when internal conservatives continuously attempted to suppress the people’s militant spirit and instill despair, and when some believed that the new government in Iran might realize the rights of the Kurdish people, or generally, those who wanted to suppress the revolutionary movement in Kurdistan and nullify its characteristics, there was a thoughtful and militant movement in Kurdistan that made decisions based on building a free, democratic, just, and humane society, believing in unity and coordination, but without compromising the demands of the Kurdish people or aligning with any party if the people’s interests were threatened.
This was the beginning of Komala’s Peshmerga struggle, which started from the cities and reached the mountains.
The horizons of this force’s thinking expanded day by day, even during periods when media in Kurdistan was limited, the Peshmerga of Komala continued to break barriers and involve society in determining its destiny.
The Peshmerga of Komala, despite being part of the military system, was always close to society and never considered itself separate from it.
Despite the centuries-long occupation in Kurdistan, which systematically imposed an inhumane and uncivilized culture on society, the uprising of Komala’s Peshmerga and its entry into the heart of political struggle removed the veil from people’s eyes, making this force stand against all those backward cultures.
Involving women in political and armed struggle, supporting workers and the laboring class in villages and cities, attracting the attention of students and teachers towards building a modern and advanced society, standing against conservatism and backwardness, being transparent with people, and not compromising on the demands of society were among the main characteristics of Komala’s Peshmerga, and these traits were the main reason for Komala’s increasing popularity as a leftist movement in Kurdistan.
What is discussed today and known as the identity of Komala’s Peshmerga is related to a specific stage of revolutionary struggle in Kurdistan, in which this force was directly involved and played an active role.
However, now, after more than three decades since the establishment of this force, if Komala’s Peshmerga is not directly present in the field, and its struggle has taken on a different image, this force, through careful and realistic reading, adapts to the changes of the era and utilizes current challenges to advance its goals.
But if there is a significant and serious change in the style of Komala’s Peshmerga struggle, what never changes and remains in place is its continued pursuit of the goals it was founded upon, and its sincere support for the most deprived and impoverished segments of Kurdish society.
Change in Iran and Kurdistan has begun, and this situation may create an opportunity for Komala’s Peshmerga to be an influential force in it; therefore, this force must develop in terms of quantity and quality, according to the needs and changes of the era, and prepare itself to take on future responsibilities.
The existence and continuation of Komala’s Peshmerga and the development of this force towards the future of Kurdistan is an undeniable necessity, and we must once again assure the people of Kurdistan that there is a force that comes to them in times of hardship, defends their achievements with the strongest conviction, and pushes them forward.
19 June 2014
