09-FEB-2021
1 Pre-title: Mountains |
Caption Zagros
Mountains Iraqi Kurdistan |
2 Mountains 1991 archive |
Comm: The mountains of Kurdistan. For
me, they’re full of dark memories. In 1991 I was nine years old. It
was the end of the first Gulf War and the Kurds had rebelled, hoping to free
themselves from Iraqi control. My family, along with two million other Kurds,
had to flee Saddam Hussein’s tanks. We were only saved by the
intervention of international forces. Five years later my father died.
He’d fought Saddam for many years. I saw the
physical and mental price he paid for his dream of a free Kurdistan. For me, escape seemed the only
option. I set out for Britain, arriving as a refugee. This place, my homeland, is now
called Iraqi Kurdistan. It’s under Kurdish control
and has, in its turn, become a refuge – but for Kurds fleeing from
neighbouring Iran. |
3 Mountains... Voices of Iranian Kurdish youth |
In Iran they claim there’s
freedom of expression, but it’s
a lie. If you say otherwise, they’ll kill you. It’s a dictatorship. Women aren’t
allowed to speak out. You have no rights.
Whatever you achieve will be taken away. |
4 Caption Mariwan City Iranian Kurdistan UGC |
|
5 Zana’s 1st phone video |
The situation is very bad. All the youth are unemployed. No one can live here. I want to join the peshmerga. |
6 Title: Escape From Iran |
|
7 Komala on patrol Caption Komala video [NB every video will be captioned
as appropriate] |
Comm Iran, close to the border with
Iraqi Kurdistan. These peshmerga fighters are on a secret mission. They’re Iranian Kurds and they belong to an organisation
called Komala. The border is heavily guarded so
they’re looking for new ways through the mountains. They
expect more young Kurds to cross from Iran in a few days. |
8 Hemin |
We went to find better routes so more
people can join us. We need to check the
border. Iran is always planting mines. They use drones. Helicopters scout the whole
area. To reach our people in
Kurdistan, we have to
cross the border zone in Iran. It’s heavily guarded. There’s a lot of risk. If you’re
discovered, you’ll face the authorities. |
9 Komala Base Caption: Komala training base Iraqi Kurdistan |
|
10 Intro to base |
Comm Komala is one of the Kurdish leftist
groups that have long been illegal in Iran. In the 1970s it joined the
revolution against the Shah. Soon afterwards, Ayatollah Khomeini issued
a fatwa against the group, outlawing them as anti-revolutionary infidels
who were trying to stop the advance of Islam. Today, Komala says it stands for a democratic and secular
Iran where the rights of both Kurds and Iranians are safeguarded. But
Tehran still denounces them as a separatist faction seeking to undermine Iran’s territorial integrity. |
11 Hemin on phone Zana UGC Hemin on phone |
Hemin Hello. Hi Zana, how are you? Comm Hemin is Komala’s
Head of Recruitment. He spends his days helping young Iranian Kurds trying
cross the border. Zana, can you leave tonight? Yes, evening or night. The route isn’t
safe. Can you walk long distances? Yes, sure. This is Mariwan,
I’m Zana Rashidi. I’m planning to cross the border
tonight. How’s the situation in Iran? There’s oppression, it’s very bad. Unemployment, poverty. Now corona’s taken over, no one
cares. Zana, be ready tonight. We’ll bring you in. He’s a boy of 18. He tried to cross
twice but couldn't. He’s been asking for help for a
month. With corona, we couldn't. Now we’re
trying again. |
12 Zana Video Hemin |
I went to the border. It
was closed. I’m planning to see if it’s open
tonight. Corona’s had a huge impact. Living expenses are unbearable. Life in Iran is very hard. Zana, take the safest
route. You understand? I’ll put you
in touch with someone who’s
coming soon. The last time I went
to Khurmal, Kurdish security forces arrested
me and sent me back. This time I’ll send someone who knows the route. He’ll bring you in safely. |
13 Aram and Zana video |
We’ll become peshmerga and fight for freedom. We’re proud to join. Our families
support us. We’ll only be proud
once we begin to fight for our homeland. This is Mariwan,
next to Jihad Square. I was in the
demonstrations. More than 200 people from Mariwan and other cities. Half were killed. The other half disappeared. I don’t
fear death if I’m caught. But they torture you so much, you reveal others who took part. |
14 Demonstrations Possibly fade in and out of black here? |
Comm In late 2019 anti-government
demonstrations swept across Iran. First, people protested
against the high cost of food and fuel. When Iran shot down a
Ukrainian airliner by mistake, they took to the streets again. Komala encouraged and supported the
protests. The government reacted with
teargas, beatings and live ammunition. It’s believed that several hundred
people were killed. |
15 Hemin Aram & Zana on the border UGC |
Zana, go towards Hanai Dn. Avoid border guards and Kurdish
security forces. Don't get caught this time. I’m relying on you. I trust you. We’re close to the Tata border point. This peak is called Kawazro. This is Zana, from the beautiful city of Mariwan. This is the Iran-Iraq border. |
16 |
Comm The journey is dangerous. If they’re spotted by Iranian border guards, they could be
shot. If captured, they face jail and even the death penalty. Two days later they finally make
it through. |
17 Zana and Aram arriving |
No one else
has used this route. There were mines everywhere. We could see Iranian guards searching with torches. |
18. Arrival |
You’ll be quarantined here
because of corona. When you’ve
completed your medical test and other
procedures, you’ll go to reception to start. |
19 Aram & Zana sitting in the dark |
I can't
believe I'm here. It was my dream to stop
smuggling and come here. |
20 Night shots after arrival |
Comm Having escaped Iran, the boys
now face an even bigger challenge. I know it well – arriving in a foreign
place, alone, with an uncertain future. Do they have the determination to
make it as peshmerga? Will Komala accept them into
its ranks – or consider them spies? The next few weeks will be a
real test of their character. |
21 Aram formatting |
Khabat, can you call Aram? What was your job? I was a porter. Which part of the military were you I was in ground forces. Do you have any relatives
working for the state? My friends too? Friends, relatives, anyone. But
tell me the truth. If you don't, it won't
do you any good. You won't
name me? No, don't
worry. We want it for our archive. Tell me the names of any
collaborators, friends, relatives. There was one called B****. He
was a peshmerga. He’s now working with the regime. What is his family name? A*****. How is he collaborating? There are many ways. Some kill
for the state, others pass on
information. I only know that he’s collecting information. An informer? Yes, an informer. |
21A |
COMM The meeting seems to be going
well. Then it takes a surprising turn. |
21B |
You told the boys you want to go
back? Yes. Why? To be honest, it was when I was
coming here. Relax. It was because I promised to ask for my girlfriend’s hand in
marriage. This is your only problem? My problem is I don't feel I can stay. I want to go back. We’re not forcing you. Becoming a peshmerga must be done
willingly. We don’t
bring anyone forcibly. We don’t
keep them against their will. I’ll give you an hour to decide. |
22 Zana formatting |
Zana, come in. How old are you? 18. 18 or 17? A little bit left. Why did you lie earlier and say
18? I was told you don't accept under 18s. I was afraid. You won't
have time for your hair. There’s dust and dirt in
the mountains. I’ll cut it. Will you? Yes. I’m not saying cut it. Here
you can look as you like. But you must wear the uniform. No problem. There are things you must
consider. You can’t
abuse anyone. No comments about how
people speak or look. Not everyone is as smart as you with your hair style. You mustn't
humiliate anyone, no matter their dialect or
accent. Can you read and write in
Kurdish? I can read. But you can't
write? No. We’ll teach you reading and writing. You must know Komala's policies. Peshmerga don’t
just carry guns. They must have a high
political awareness. You need to know why you’re fighting. I love Komala
so I tried to come here when I was too young. I intended to lie so they’d take me and not send me back. I knew you were a few months too
young. By the time
the procedures are over, you’ll be 18. The worst would be for me to be
sent back. |
23 Investigating officer discussing Komala |
People come to be peshmerga from a society ruled by the
Iranian regime. It’s collapsed educationally,
socially and economically. All of them have broken
personalities. Komala is trying to give them back
their identity. To bring them to a safe state of
mind, and give them back their
personality. They achieve things they’ve never even dreamt of. Many of them become very brave
peshmerga. |
25 Night shots of Zana alone |
Comm Now that Aram’s going back to
Iran, Zana is on his own. His name is Kurdish; but if it wasn’t,
he’d be given the chance to change it, as part of his new identity. |
26 Caption: Six months earlier. January 2020 Driving up |
Comm This is my first visit to the Komala base. It’s bringing back
memories of my early life. Komala had supported the resistance
group against Saddam that my father belonged to. I thought they might try to
restrict me, but I’m allowed to film whatever I want. I meet a group that’s recently crossed over from Iran. They’re
just beginning their training. |
27 Singing |
Gather those from all walks of
life, the unfortunate, the
hard-working, the poor. Gather at the call of the army, the army of struggle and of
creation. Join your Komala. |
28 Hemin with group announcing passing of first stage |
Comrades. you have passed
selection. Now you begin the reception
stage. The reception process has rules. You must
stay within the boundaries allocated. Communication with other
peshmerga must be limited until you
complete the process. Then you’ll
start the training stage. |
29 Training seq. |
Stand up. You must be
quick with your Kalashnikov if you get ambushed. Go. |
31 |
Comm Komala says it’s
fighting for an Iran that treats all evryone
equally. It was one of the first Kurdish
groups to invite women into its ranks and give them guns. |
32 Training |
You’ll be under a lot of stress when you do the training programme. You think about your family. It’s natural to miss them. You’ll have very restricted access to mobile phones. |
33 Training |
Comm One of the new recruits, Ajin, is struggling with the high altitude as well as the
physical stress of training. |
34 Ajin – guard duty |
I was very tired because I was in the guard
post until 5am. I had only a couple of
hours’ sleep before training. Whether we like it or not, it pushes our bodies to the
limits. I spent my time reading books,
doing different things. Now I need to get used to
this. |
35 Training |
Faster, faster. Like real
soldiers. |
36 Ajin & Rajan |
My brother and I came from Sanandaj. I’m very happy he’s here. He’s
only 20. My sister was
an undercover fighter in Komala while we were in Sanandaj. I wasn’t
as involved as her. Yet I always thought about injustice and the oppression of my people. The lack of freedom
of speech, because there was no
freedom of thought. Sometimes I was afraid even to
think. |
37 Training |
Speed is essential. You
change your position as soon as you hear shots. When you’re
walking you don’t know if an attack is coming. So be quick, release
the safety and take the firing position. You understand? Yes. |
38 Rajan & Ajin |
I was a student. I’m a person of culture. I was
forced to walk over treacherous
terrain. Suffering hunger and humiliation
to get here. Now I have a
weapon instead of a pen. None of us wants to pick up a weapon and fight in wars. We must defend
ourselves, which is why we have
weapons. |
39 Bayan & Ajin |
I was so sick today, Ajin. I was in severe pain. Did you cry? I was alone. No one to care for me. You were no longer there. I thought about you all the
time, Bayan. Where did you go? We went to the top of that
ridge. I’ll show you. If peshmerga or anyone tries to
cross over there, there’s a 95% chance they’ll be killed. |
40 Bayan |
I left Iran because I didn't want to get married. I have close friends beaten
up by their husbands. When they go home to
their parents, the father accuses her
and defends the husband. Women have no rights.
I didn’t
come here for myself. I came for my friends. To free them. |
41 Hemin on phone call ... disguise the audio Hemin talking to his wife |
Hello. I want to join the party if
possible. You want to become a peshmerga? Yes. Have you finally decided to come and stay here? Yes, 100%. Why do you want to come? Why did you choose Komala? To be honest, I can’t live here. If I stay here, I might kill
myself, my life is a misery. Ok, I’ll
contact you soon. Goodbye. Can you imagine how desperate
people are? In half an hour there’ve been messages from six people wanting to
become peshmerga. They’re all fed up with the Islamic
Republic. All these girls and boys are
under pressure. |
42 Training |
Comm Hemin says they have to turn away hundreds of potential recruits. It’s no surprise that Komala’s presence creates tension with Tehran, which has
branded the group as terrorists. The Kurdish Regional Government
keeps a close eye on Komala, but also sees it as
part of the wider struggle for Kurdish independence. |
43 Maloud firing a gun Maloud Training |
I joined around the year 2000. I started in Komala’s
underground cells. My family had links to the party. Every three months I receive a group of 30-35 recruits. We give them military and
political training. Now I’ll
fire a bullet.
|
44 |
Comm To me, this looks very like guerilla training, but
Komala says the guns create a false impression and
are just for self-defence. It claims to have stopped
military action against Iran almost 20 years ago. |
45 Heavy machine gun |
This gun is a BKC. In battle it’s
used to provide support. Or cover for the attackers. |
46 Ajin & Maloud |
Commander Maulood. If we start our service,
will we be given the same guns? No, you’ll
be given beautiful weapons. And new magazines. Everyone will have 150 bullets. Can't you give us a couple of bullets now to try? No. You might injure yourself or
someone else, or even kill yourself. Being away from your family might cause depression. |
47 |
Comm Training Komala-style
is tough, both physically and mentally. The recruits have
to share round-the-clock guard duties. There’s little time for
personal life. |
48 |
Love is forbidden here. After we graduate, we can go on with our love life.
We can say if we have a
relationship. |
49 Ajin in guardpost |
The peshmerga life has its
difficulties. But now I’m
with my brother. I see no differences. We’re equal. It’s not our tradition, what happens
in Iran. Like forcing a girl of nine to
marry when she isn’t
ready. |
50 Ajin and Bayan shower |
When I was in Iran, I’d shower twice a day. How often do you do it now? Every 24 days. We have one hour left. Hurry up, hurry up. Come on, Bayan. I’m freezing.
Bayan, I've
lost a lot of weight. It's normal when you train a lot. After graduation, we’ll get decent places to live. We undergo this
so we get used to hardship. Bayan, when was the last time you spoke to your mother? Two weeks ago. Don't you miss your mother? Yes, a lot. And Sami? Yes, a lot. I’m
dying to see them. What did your mum tell you on
the phone? She told me there’d
be hardship at first. It’ll get easier afterwards. Ajin. If my mum was
here, she’d be braiding my hair. I miss her very much. |
51 Rajan Itv |
I’m certain of one thing.
We won’t be here forever. Now we’re
forced to live in camps.
This will pass. One day we’ll go back east. I miss my family a lot. My little nephew was the last to
say goodbye. I wish I could give him a hug and kiss him once again. I’m fighting for him and others to have a better life. |
52 Caption Komala video |
Comm. The Zagros mountains mark
northern Iraq’s border with Iran. To peshmerga on secret missions, they’re not a barrier, but a protection. In Iran’s Kurdish villages the
fighters support their underground network, and
spread the word. It’s a dangerous business. If
Iranian troops see them, they’ll open fire. |
53 |
Crossing the border is always
risky. Each time I go in, I know I
might not return. I’ve been through a lot. I’ve lost many comrades. We were about 10 to 12
peshmerga. We were in a fight with the
Iranian army. Some of us were wounded. We lost one of our young and
sweet comrades. He was like a brother to me. His death was devastating. I’ll never forget it. We were six or seven metres apart when the traitors shot at him. I jumped towards him. There was nothing I could do. He was shot so many times, you can’t
imagine. |
54 Ajin |
We’re getting killed on our land. We carry arms only to defend
ourselves. I’d rather have had a pen in my hand than a weapon. But we have no choice. My brother went to university
for three years. He left to follow me here. He didn't finish? No. We have to
do this because of Iran's intolerance. What 17-year-old wouldn't prefer to stay in their own country? In their own home, going to
university? And have a coffee. Yes, of course. Instead of learning mathematics,
why are we fleeing to the mountains and learning about bullets? In Tehran I saw the
demonstrations. A friend of mine was killed in
front of me. We asked for our rights. Instead we got bullets in the head. |
55 |
Comm Some of the recruits need
lessons in the Kurdish language. It’s not taught in
Iranian schools, so when Ajin used to write poetry,
it was in Farsi. |
56 Ajin reads poem |
I dedicate this poem to all
women. ‘A bird on the brink of
death, without speaking her last
words.’ ‘They suffocated her, and broke her wings.’ |
57 Ajin |
It was about a girl killed by fundamentalists because she loved someone. The Constitution of the Islamic
Republic allows it by law and justifies
it. If a woman is killed by the
father, brother, husband, or close family, it won’t
be considered murder. From 2005 until 2015, more than 500 honour killings were
recorded in our region. One of my friends was killed. Officially it was recorded as a
heart attack. Can you believe a girl of 20 or 21 died of a heart attack? 'You’re You’re a woman in the trenches
with me.' I decided long ago to fight using writing and acting. Often I was warned and my work was censored. We were deprived of the most
basic rights. Such as studying in our mother
tongue, speaking freely. We’re supposed to be silent,
speechless. 'Like the sun, fighti |
58 Graduation |
Good evening, comrades. Thanks. Today, we the Central Committee
and the Military Commission met to discuss you. You have now completed the training and become peshmerga. Ajin will be sent to work in the
media centre. The rest of you will be dispersed to other camps. This is your last night
together. Tomorrow you’ll
find out where you’re going. |
59 Rajan tears |
I left everyone and everything for the sake of Komala. I was relieved that with you
beside me we could share everything. Rajan, my love, we’re
not separating. We’re very close. Look behind you. |
60 Ajin Itv |
Rajan is the dearest person in my
life. I couldn't
ever think of losing him. All I can do is convince him it’s our decision to choose this
path. We have to go on, and not let minor incidents cloud our
judgement. Or stop us fulfilling our
duties. |
61 Graduation chanting in group |
Long live Komala.
Long live Kurdistan. Long live socialism. |
61A |
COMM After three months’
of training, Bayan, Rajan and Ajin
have become peshmerga. They’re now full members of Komala, and they face an unexpected challenge. |
62 Mouloud |
A virus called corona has
spread.
It’s dangerous and deadly. |
63 |
COMM The pandemic stopped all
recruitment. The camp closed to outsiders and I had no idea when I could
return. |
64 Moloud speech/ covid outbreak |
From today we won’t accept any new arrivals. |
65 |
Comm Back in London, coronavirus had
also changed everything. After the first lockdown ended,
there was someone I wanted to meet. Abdullah Mohtadi
is a co-founder of Komala, and its current leader.
I asked him who was supporting the group financially. |
65A |
We live a simple life. You’ve seen it. Anyone who wishes can see it. We support our activities with donations from people. We have no great international source of financial support. We depend on our people and the local situation. If we get anything, it comes from there. |
65B |
Comm I also wanted to know if Komala is a political party armed only for self- defence,
or a guerrilla group waiting to attack. |
66 Abdullah Muhtadi leader of Komala in London |
Do you plan to attack
Iran’s military bases? It depends on the
situation. I can’t
say anything definite.
I can say that peshmerga are currently
in a state of defence and protection. They’re a force to defend Kurds and
their identity and rights. When IS attacked, we came from
all over Kurdistan to fight and defend the Kurdish
homeland. |
67 |
Comm In fact, the Iraqi Kurdish
authorities didn’t really welcome Komala’s offer to help. As allies of Iran, they were
uncomfortable with a group that saw Tehran as a deadly enemy. Today, Komala is seeking to secure international recognition. It
now has an office in Washington, DC. |
68 Mohtadi |
It’s a responsible
force. That’s why all foreign countries support it. Why the USA supports it. |
70 |
Comm I was able to return to the camp
in July. I found it badly in need of a clean-up. And, ominously, Iran had
been launching drone attacks against Komala bases –
as I heard from Ajin. |
71 Rajan and Ajin
cleaning up |
We were forced to evacuate the
camp. We stayed in the mountains for about 10 days. We left everything
except our uniforms and guns. I wasn’t
frightened. That’s why we’re
here. For armed struggle. But we have to protect ourselves and take precautions. |
72 Bayan in kitchen Can we find a way of cutting the reference to Ardalan? We don’t know who he is |
How many? Four. When Ardalan
told me to join the kitchen, I was shocked. I could have worked in the
kitchen at home. Even there I didn’t do it. I have a master’s in accounting
so I thought I’d
go to the finance department. The first day I joined the
kitchen, I was so disappointed. |
73 Hemin sending teams for fireworks |
I'll deliver the publications I spoke about
to the agreed location tonight. Go and distribute them to commemorate the founding of Komala. Distribute them among your
group. Start the activity whenever it suits
you. Ok, comrade. That will be done. |
74 |
Comm Hemin is organising
demonstrations in Iran. They’re acts of defiance, and are intended to increase public awareness of
Komala. |
75 |
This call was from my agent in our underground organisation in
Iran. On specific dates connected to Komala’s
struggle, they organize activities in the
community. It pleases our people and keeps
morale high. Of course, if caught, they’d get at least 10 years, even
life, or hanging. |
77 |
Comm Rajan has received basic medical
training and is now working in the camp clinic. |
78 Rajan in medical centre and
conversation with patient |
I like this work more than
military activity. I feel much better now. If you work on something you
like, you're happy. Now I'm
satisfied that I can serve and be useful. I have a pain here, exactly
here. You're passing stool normally? Very little. You might have appendicitis.
I’ll ask Sister Hanifa
to refer you for X-rays. If that’s
the case, you need an operation. Can I get some painkillers for
now? |
|
NEW COMM Despite the risks, Hemin’s
undercover agents are continuing their actions in Iran. |
79 Hemin watching of videos of fireworks |
My agents in Iran sent me this
video. This is to celebrate the
founding of Komala. On these special dates they use
fireworks
to show happiness. They place them where most of
the people can see them. In the villages, towns and all around the cities. Our activists put Komala’s leaflets and slogans everywhere. These activities have really angered the Islamic regime. The cities are already restless. Lots of Iranian troops entered
the town but our comrades finished
the mission. These activities have a special effect on people in Iranian Kurdistan. |
81 Namak returning |
Comm Komala makes videos of those events
and posts them on social media. …. In November, I made my final
visit to Komala. The second wave of coronavirus was
sweeping across the globe, but the group was now accepting new recruits.
Which meant that Zana could finally start his training. |
82 New arrivals |
Comrades, these new friends have
joined us. Welcome. Welcome. Give them some tea. Show them what they need. They've had a long, tough day. |
83 Zana painting |
This is our room. I’m painting it for those who’ll
live here after us. We had no life as young people
in Iran. We came here to build a home for
ourselves. Being a peshmerga isn’t just about carrying a gun and fighting.
This is also part of it. Here I learned to study, to
speak, and to behave morally. Half of it is about your
morality. It’s the most important thing here. |
84 Ajin recording Ajin at TV centre |
‘From the day it was founded, Komala has stood against outdated traditions.’ COMM I found Ajin
still in the media unit. She’s making a film about
the women of Komala. Komala was the first party to involve women in armed
struggle. We want to show that this continues
to today, 2020, and will continue further. I want to bring back the archive
back to life. |
85 |
Comm Bayan has joined Ajin. At last, she’s got the job
she wanted. |
86 Bayan at TV centre Ajin |
I’m much happier here. I can learn a lot. I translate the news stories
into Farsi and post them. On Asoi
Rojhelat and Roj TV, on Telegram and Instagram. We have different rooms.
Newsrooms in Kurdish and Farsi. I’m very happy working here as my background was in media
studies. |
87 Zana round the fire |
I was on my own before. It was hard and I missed home. After a while it got easier, especially when my friends
arrived. |
89 |
Comm Under pressure from Tehran, the
authorities in Kurdistan are trying to stop Komala
recruiting. Escape from Iran is harder than ever. |
89ASana |
Iranian border guards shot at
us. Not once, several times. We ran and fell. We were afraid they’d catch us. Three days after we left home, the intelligence service called our families in for questioning.
They said we’d
be chopped up if they caught us. |
90 Hemin welcomes new recruits |
Hello, comrades, and welcome. You’ve chosen a path to become peshmerga. It's obvious you’ve all faced difficulties and injustice in the Iranian regime. To stop this you must revolt, struggle and take responsibility. Have courage and patience. Welcome to the struggle. I’m very happy to see them all
here. Each from a different town, all wearing
peshmerga uniforms. I like it very much. |
91 Ajin, Bayan Rajan
filming. |
Hello, comrades. How are you doing? Comrades, we’re from Komala’s media section. We’re
making a documentary. You left Iran a year after us. Can you tell us about it? |
92 Zana |
It’s only three months since I left but the economic situation is much worse. |
93 Hemin |
I’m pleased to see the old and new recruits coming together. I’m happy to see them advancing. Developing their abilities and contributing. |
94 |
Comm My time with Komala
has shown me one thing: it’s not for everyone. Of
the recruits I met in January, only half are still here. Some returned to
Iran, others headed for Europe. One even took her own life. |
95 Hemin on the hill |
The struggle needs special people who will stay. Many difficulties are facing you. The ones beside me are those with the strength to continue. |
96 Ajin |
I’m not happy with everything but I never regret my decision to come here. Despite the
difficulties. We fight to achieve a modern society. |
97 Namak leaves |
Comm During the past year I’ve made five visits to the Komala
training base. It’s time for me to leave. I don’t
know how Bayan, Rajan and Ajin
will fare. The region is simply too unstable to make predictions. But I can see that, despite
their difficulties, they’ve found a home and a
purpose. At least for now. |
RTR |
The BBC
invited the Iranian government to provide a statement of its view of the Komala Party and to comment on the findings in this film.
It has received no response. |
Credits |
Location
Producer & Additional Camera Kermanj Hoshyar Sound
Recordist Roman Rafiq Sound
Assistant Mohamed Emir Online
Editor Dominic McMahon Colourist Michael Sanders Dubbing
Mixer Andrew Sears Archive
Researcher Owen Pinnell Production
Co-ordinator Khulood Alansi Nader Khouri David O'Donovan Junior
Production Manager Nardia Millington Production
Manager Maria Caramelo Executive
Editor Tim Awford TV
Documentaries Editor Christopher Mitchell Film
Editor Becky Way Executive
Producer Tom Roberts Produced,
Directed & Filmed by Namak Khoshnaw |