Kurds ‘important’ allies, integral part of German society: Lawmaker

BERLIN - Kurds are an “important ally” in the Middle East and an integral part of German society, Christoph de Vries, a member of the German parliament and a founder of the Kurdish Life Parliamentary Group, told Rudaw in an interview on Tuesday.

“It’s worth supporting Kurds,” De Vries said, describing Kurds as “important allies” who “work for our democracy.” He pointed to their role in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS), women’s rights activism, and their struggle for cultural and linguistic freedoms. 

Germany is home to the largest Kurdish diaspora in the world, hundreds of thousands who fled persecution, war, or economic hardship in Iraq, Turkey, Syria, and Iran. The country remains a popular destination for tens of thousands of mostly young people who continue to leave Iraq and the Kurdistan Region annually, using smuggling routes to reach Europe. The country also hosts one of the largest refugee populations worldwide.

The Kurdish Life Parliamentary Group was established in 2023 at the request of the Kurdish community in Germany. According to the group, it “aims to incorporate Kurdish perspectives into the political discourse, contribute them, and raise the visibility of the structural challenges facing the Kurdish community in Germany.” Its priorities include tackling anti-Kurdish sentiment, strengthening civil society, encouraging political participation, and improving integration.

“The fact that they can identify themselves as Kurds [in Germany] is itself progress, because this cannot be done in many of their countries of origin. I want them to participate in all parts of our society,” De Vries said.

“Sometimes I feel they are viewed in a very diminished way,” he added, blaming foreign propaganda that portrays Kurds as “terrorists or communists.” 

“This image is incorrect,” he said.

The parliamentary group, which brings together members from across the political spectrum, “is something very special,” de Vries said. “Despite our different opinions, this is a major commitment. I hope this will be seen by the Kurdish diaspora in Germany and abroad, and in all parts of Kurdistan.”

The following is the full transcript of the interview with Christoph de Vries:

Rudaw: You are one of the members and founders of the Kurdish Life Parliamentary Group. Why was it important for you to establish a group for Kurdish voices and issues in parliament?

Christoph de Vries: Yes, I am the founder of the parliamentary group for Kurdish Life. Since I've been in politics, I have good relations with those Kurds who work for our democracy, those who support principles and work against anti-Semitism. I also know that Kurds are our important ally in the Middle East, against Islamic terrorism, or in matters of implementing justice and women's rights in determining their own destiny. So we have strong allies. It's worth supporting Kurds. Of course, because they also have the right to use their own culture and language. I would very much like to be helpful in this area.

You have recently held a meeting with several Kurdish organizations, discussing obstacles that Kurds face in Germany. What are these obstacles?

Kurds in Germany are one of the largest foreign groups. In my opinion, the fact that they can identify themselves as Kurds is itself progress, because this cannot be done in many of their countries of origin. I want them to participate in all parts of our society. They do this work in many organizations. I also want them to work in party ranks, because they are part of our society and state. I'm very happy that we have members of parliament of Kurdish origin in different parties, including in our party, the Christian Democrats. This shows that Kurds have found their place within our state. A while ago, a young person told me: "I have two hearts in my chest, a Kurdish heart and a German heart." In my opinion, Kurds prove well that this is not contradictory and they work well together.

What are you doing to make the Kurdish voice better heard?

I think it's the Kurds' own responsibility to show where they come from, what they do, and why they are important. But we can help them. We can help so that Kurds are viewed differently. Sometimes I feel they are viewed in a very diminished way. Perhaps propaganda from foreign governments has an influence on this. They are accused of terrorism and communism. In my opinion, this image is incorrect. They are an important ally. Most importantly, they share with us in democracy. We need to express this more.

How can you express this and by what means?

Only in this way, that we establish this parliamentary group with all parties. This is something very special. This is not for any other community. Despite our different opinions, this is a major commitment. I hope this will be seen by the Kurdish diaspora in Germany and abroad, and in all parts of Kurdistan. Also, another thing I see is that there is oppression in Syria and Turkey. We must be united with all parties in supporting Kurds against subjugation and oppression.

How can you help the Kurdistan Region, which fought the Islamic State (ISIS)? Or how can you help the Yazidis?

Yes, they are one of our most important allies, and in the war against ISIS, we must thank them for many things, in Iraq and also in Syria. Fortunately, to this day, ISIS terrorists are in their prisons because Kurds, Peshmerga, deserve our appreciation, praise and respect. But most importantly, they deserve support. Like now in Syria. We don't know how things will develop there. Of course, we hope for peaceful progress, but for some serious reasons, there are doubts about it. So it's important that we help Kurds there, too, so that if necessary, they can defend themselves.

You say support for Kurds needs to be increased, now that northeast Syria (Rojava) is under threat. Does the new German government have any plans to support Kurds there?

The federal government tells the new authorities in Syria, first and foremost, to work with all minorities, to mix them and make them participate in power, so they don't face the wars and conflicts that have existed in Syria in recent years. In my opinion, those who can be allies in Syria are only Kurds.

Do you really see it as important that borders need to be controlled and migrants deported right at the borders? The German interior minister said we want to work with Afghanistan to directly deport Afghan migrants. Where is this issue now?

Our main principles are organizational and humanitarian. We want to help people who face the danger of war, yes, we also want to stop illegal migration to Germany. The developments of recent years have put a heavy burden on our state and polarized the situation. So our clear signal is that people don't need to head towards Germany because they don't have the right to request protection. Don't give money to smuggling groups and don't fall under the influence of criminal networks. So controlling borders is necessary. We're not closing our borders, but controlling them. We also reiterate that German and European asylum laws should be implemented. We must also implement deportation duties. That means anyone who has gone through all constitutional and institutional processes and received a negative answer, that person must leave the country. To implement this, we also talk with other countries. We are very optimistic about the success of this.

Do you want to continue this way? If we look at the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the regional elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, we see that the party has gained many votes. How do you deal with them?

There is great public support for our understanding and work. We promised in the elections that we would limit illegal migration. We will continue on this path because we want to stop social division and polarization. We are working hard on this.

Do you intend to deport Syrian migrants as well?

That depends on the situation in Syria, how it develops. If it becomes stable, we need to make a new assessment. Our asylum law is like that, too. When the reasons for fleeing no longer exist, then the right to protection no longer exists. So we will assess it. But we start with criminals and dangerous people, those who become a danger to our society in Germany.

How can you support bringing legal migrants?

That's very important. We need to reduce illegal migration and facilitate legal and professional migration. We have made an agreement in the coalition, agreement with the Work and Stay Agency to make processes easier, such as granting visas, recognizing certificates and granting residence rights, to be attractive to professional workers from other countries. We put too many obstacles in front of them. We need to change this.

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