Interview with a Kurdish candidate for the Swedish Parliament

Saturday, September 09, 2006
KurdishMedia.com - By Halwest Rashid
Rebwar Hassan
Mr Rebwar Hassan is a Kurdish politician who lives in Sweden. He is an active member of the Green party of Sweden, and is now a candidate to become the Kurdish member of the Swedish parliament.

Interview with a Kurdish candidate for the Swedish Parliament file:///F|/rebwar_hassan/clip_image002.gif">>
Saturday, September 09, 2006

KurdishMedia.com">file:///F|/rebwar_hassan/clip_image001.gif">KurdishMedia.com - By Halwest Rashid

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Mr Rebwar Hassan is a Kurdish politician who lives in Sweden. He is an active member of the Green party of Sweden, and is now a candidate to become the Kurdish member of the Swedish parliament.



First of all, could you tell our readers about yourself?



I am Rebwar Hassan, 46, born in the district of Sershaqam in the city of Sulemani [southern Kurdistan]. I was an active student when I studied geology in the university of Sulemani. My activities were stopped by the authorities, because I refused to become a member of the former ruling Ba’ath party. In mid 1980’s I left Kurdistan and went to Moscow (Russia), where I gained my Masters in Oil technologies.



What are your activities in Sweden?



In 1991, I came to Stockholm and here gained my honorary in environment sciences in 2002. Before I became active in politics, I had different activities such as learning the Swedish language and working. In fact, I was one of the first expatriates who became a member of the city council of Stockholm in 1998. I had several political functions, including membership of the international committee of the Swedish Green Party and heading the largest and most known water society in Sweden. I fought against discrimination and racism, and for a better positioning of the ethnic and religious groups in the Swedish society.



Early interest in politics



How did you become interested in politics?



I grew up in a country, where my people suffered greatly. I have to fulfil the love of my homeland, Kurdistan. That is why I have been engaged in politics since my youth. My schoolmates and myself frequently had problems; some of my friends were executed for their believes, for example, Shwan Ali, known as Hajar, Dr. Baxtiar and others. I attempted to establish an association for science and nature, but this was not allowed by the Ba'ath regime.



What do you think about the current situation in southern Kurdistan, what are the issues and problems?



Politics is used in Kurdistan to gain social status. There is no form of planning or an effective system of governing, with which the society can be modernised. In Kurdistan, we do not have the basic needs to establish a modern society, such as an effective education system and healthcare. First of all we need to provide these basic needs. We need to care for the youth, women, elderly people and the environment. In Kurdistan, we have an old kind of governing system.



Can you tell more about your activities in Sweden and in Kurdistan?



One of my first activities was setting up "Destani Jingey Kurdistan" (Friends of Kurdistan Nature). This was before I became a member of a political party. After this in 1997, we established a park for the martyrs of Halabja. As part of this, we have planted 5000 trees in the park 5.000. We financed the maintenance and supervision up to 2004. In 2004, we transferred the supervision and maintenance of the park officially to the local authorities of Halabja. I also have visited Kurdistan every year, where I have given seminars, interviews and workshops to promote the protection of the environment.



I have used my political network to put the question of shortage of drinking water in Kurdistan on the agenda. I have invited Dr. Latif Rashid [the Iraqi natural water resources of Iraq] to a conference concerning drinking water in the world.



How did you come into contact with the Green Party of Sweden?



I came in 1991 to Sweden. I read many party programmes and I am convinced that people have been linked with the nature. The Green Party take care of the environment and nature. Green gives great attention to the Kurdish nation and the Kurdish issue. Frequently delegations of the Green Party went to Kurdistan with the aim to witness with their own eyes what was going on in Kurdistan. In short, the green party have done a lot, both for my people the Kurdistan and for the environment and nature. So the Green party of Sweden is my party!



In Parliament to represent my people



You are now a candidate for the Swedish parliament on behalf of the Green party. Can you tell why are you a candidate and what were your prerequisite to achieve this?



I am a candidate for the Swedish parliament. I need the lowest number of necessary votes of all Kurdish voters. That is why I call all Kurds and other ethnic and religious groups in Sweden to vote for me. I want to bring the problems and difficulties of Kurdish community in Sweden to the attention of the Swedish authorities, and put the Kurdish question on the world’s agenda.



How do you look upon the current difficulties concerning environment clogging?



Nature is linked with people. Our future and the future of our children depend on the well-being of the environment. By helping nature our coming generations can grow up in a healthy and a well-balanced world.



In your views, how can Kurds from all parts of Kurdistan reach each other and unite?



The Kurdish question of all parts is just one question, a question of one nation which is divided and their country is occupied. The Kurdish policymakers can unite their people and with our united power we can put the Kurdish question on the international agenda. Only then, we can claim our rights, such as the right to self-determination, the right to have our independent state on our own historical land.