Kawa Botani, a Kurdish activist from Duhok, Iraq, joined Amazigh (Berber) protests in Morocco in January, demanding cultural and civil rights. United by a common struggle against both political Islam and "Arabization," the Berbers of Algeria, Morocco and Libya are increasingly expressing solidarity with the Kurds of Syria and Iraq. This was especially evident during Algeria's choreographed presidential election, which was boycotted by the Berber "provisional government" that has been declared in the mountainous Kabylia region of the country's east. The Kabylia Provisional Government also issued statements supporting Kurdish autonomy in Syria. Harvey Morris of the Kurdish news site Rudaw explores.

Photo: Kawa Botani

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