BEIRUT, Lebanon — An estimated 70,000 Kurds live in Lebanon, according to unofficial numbers, but they remain among the poorest, most marginalized people in the country
“If you are a Kurd, you are alone,” said Willat Mohammed, a Kurd living in Beirut. “Everyone oppresses Kurds because we do not have a leader. In the presence of a leader and unity, no one can break us. Before unity, we need support. If we have support, all Kurds will stand up.”
Kurds living in Beirut can trace their history back more than 800 years to Salahuddin Ayoubi, the legendary Kurd who led the Muslim military campaign against the Crusaders.
They are officially classed as Sunni Lebanese, limiting their ability to enter politics as Kurds.
“The problem of Lebanese Kurds is that we do not have support from outside the country. Lebanon has many problems and the problem of Kurds is being Kurds. There are many sects in Lebanon: Shiites support Shiites, Druze support Druze, and Christians support Christians. However, no one supports us," said Mohammed Mella of the Beirut Kurdish Association.
Many Kurds live in neighbourhoods badly damaged in the August 4 explosion at Beirut port, which damaged more than half the city and displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
"When the explosion took place, many people came and supported their people. A group came from Kurdistan [Region], but we were not informed," he added.
Translation by Sarkawt Mohammed and Karwan Faidhi Dri
