Sema
Miqdad Madhat Badrkhan and his brother Abdul Rahman Badrkhan founded the first Kurdish newspaper named “Kurdistan”, which emerged as part of the Kurdish Enlightenment movement. The newspaper was first published on April 22, 1898, in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, during a time when Kurdistan was under Ottoman occupation. The struggle to preserve Kurdish language and culture faced immense challenges during this period.
Kurdistan was published in both Kurdish and Turkish, and its founders placed great emphasis on raising national awareness, promoting the Kurdish language, advocating for education, and demanding the rights of the Kurdish people under the Ottoman Empire. The newspaper also featured rich literary and critical articles written by prominent Kurdish writers.
Despite severe obstacles and pressure, 32 issues of the newspaper were published. It achieved noble goals and marked a golden milestone in the history of Kurdish enlightenment. It paved the way for the emergence of many other Kurdish newspapers and magazines, contributed to the academic development of the Kurdish language, and fostered strong ties among Kurdish intellectuals.
The newspaper continued to be published in later stages from cities like Geneva, London, and Folkestone, until it eventually ceased publication in 1902. However, despite its discontinuation, it remained alive in the memory of the Kurdish people, symbolizing a vital struggle during difficult historical periods. It laid the foundation for the modern era of Kurdish media, which now includes television and social media.
127 years have passed since the first Kurdish newspaper was issued in Cairo. It played a vital role in amplifying the voices of various Kurdish communities to the world. Among these communities is the Yazidi society, which endured horrific atrocities at the hands of ISIS. Kurdish journalism was instrumental in highlighting their suffering, particularly during the genocide and forced displacement from Sinjar (Shingal) on August 3, 2014, helping to raise international awareness of the Yazidi cause.