Travels in the Kurdish Blogosphere · Global Voices
Deborah Ann Dilley

According to preliminary results the Iraqi Constitution Referendum has passed with a “yes” vote. And while the world waits for the official results, Iraqi Kurds and Kurds in general have been very active as to their opinions of the proceedings. Dr Nazhad Khasraw Hawramany of  Iraqi Kurdistan gives a congratulatory message  welcoming Iraq to the family of free nations. He praise those Iraqis who “faced BULLETS and BOMBS to cast their BALLOT”. Hiwa from  Hiwa Hopes has been very vocal on the subject of the Iraqi constitution. He discusses the erroneous use of the term Iraq, and  whether or not the name should even be kept as the offical name of the country. He also notes the difference in support for the constitution in the different regions and how even faced with being united in self-goverence  Iraq is still too divided to ever unify. On the  Kurdistan Bloggers Union  Hiwa has also asked about the reasoning behind voting on a constitution that will  amended just as soon as it is passed. Was it too soon to vote? Medya of  Medya Daily, from Eastern Kurdistan, notes many of the problems that are currently in the Iraqi Constitution, from being too religious in tone, to its treatment of the Kurds and the autonomy that they will have to give up, to the treatment of women under the new document. He also asks if Iraq should remain in its present state or split and form new borders. I am sure that much much more will come out as results transpire in the elections, if you are looking for up to date news on the referendum,  this site might be of interest to you.
There is more going on in the Kurdish world besides the Iraqi referendum. Vladimir from  From Holland to Kurdistan  recently posted a link to some highly recommended  video about Kurdistan. He also comments on some  inconsistancies/incorrect facts  contained in a recent Washington Post article. Life in Turkey for Turkey's Kurds have not changed, and regardless of the outcome of the Iraqi vote, things in Turkey will not change for the Kurds. Turkey still has much more that it needs to accomplish before it joins the EU, answering the Kurdish question is on top of that list. However, Turkey has been focusing its efforts in  blackmailing Kurdistan (Northern Iraq/Southern Kurdistan) by withholding regular fuel truck routes in the area.
To close this week, I would like to include an excerpt from a  poem about Kurdistan  from Fly Away:
Remember me not for…
Struggling for centuries.
Remember me for…
attempting to stand every time I fall.
Remember me not for…
a life which came to a sudden end.
Remember me for…
dying for a greater cause; FREEDOM.
Remember me not for…
all the lies passed down in history.
Remember me for…
what I want to pass on.