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inez
279 Posts |
 Posted - 21 Dec 2007 : 21:13:27
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What is the situation with kurds in northern Iraq and Turkey? Their independence, land and rights? Please inform me what is that conflict about? PKK is called terrorists, so is Al gaida, what´s the difference?
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 21 Dec 2007 : 23:40:39
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Let me give you some information on Kurds that may help your understanding.
- Kurds have been living in the area for 1000 years. They have several dialects, different tribes and very traditional with many different religious. They live in mountain and as a society they have not been urban for a long time. They live in Iran, Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Azarbaijan, Armenia.
- Iraqi Kurds were murdered by saddam's chemical weapons.
- Northern Iraq, Kurds have the authonomy. They are mostly Kurdish nationalist, they were granted authonomy and special political power despite the low population. A iraq president, foreign minister are kurd.
- With this power, they recently try to change the population in Kirkuk, a Turkoman city, by bringing Kurdish population and forcing sunni and Turkoman population out. The objective is; in the future referandum, they want to include Kirkuk, oil rich city in Kurdish region. Obviously with iraqi president, and overpowered political power they are doing very good at the moment. Obviously the air base deal to america/israel for future iran military operation helps.
- Turkey's kurds have been suffered long with lack of rights. Almost 20 - 25 % of population of Turkey are kurds. They have never granted exclusive rights by Turkish government. Kurds have been part of the ottoman empire and recent republic for a long time. However, kurds are integrated to society, and promise of better future EU member Turkey, most are happy with current improving situation in Turkey. Last a few years, they got their full cultural rights. The last election in this year, only 4 % of vote to Kurdish natinalist party and the rest of 20 % of gone to the conservative party in the power. It really means only 20 % kurdish population pushing for authonomy. Full independence is not on the agenda for the kurds in Turkey.
- PKK is a terrorist organization accepted by NATO, EU. They are maoist and established by former leftist Kurds. These rebels have been fighting with Turkish army since 1980s causing more than tens thosands of deaths. PKK has nothin to do with al-qaida. They are nationalist/ideological movement. Basically what they want is their authonomy.
My personal opinion is about the situation: As Kurds in Iraq is negotiating with the devil, they are doing big mistake as when yankees go home, they will face the enemy of iran, syria, turkey and iraq. For now they are doing good for the air base deal, but I am not sure about their future.
Kurds in Turkey have different situation. They have better situation and future as Turkey's economic and political future is bright. Democracy is improving in Turkey. However, I do support kurds agenda in terms of their full cultural and political rights under the united republic. Many kurds are well integrated in Turkey, more kurds live in western turkey and their economic situation is much better. They are in the government as the leading party got 80 % of kurdish vote. This is a chance for them as a coalition of government, they should improve their situation.
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diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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inez
279 Posts |
Posted - 23 Dec 2007 : 16:39:32
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| Thanks for the information. What about their language, are they allowed to speak their language in Turkey and have their own schools? |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 23 Dec 2007 : 20:27:58
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Yes they are allowed to speak their language daily life. There are Kurdish TV, kurdish newspapers, kurdish music CDs. They are allowed to open Kurdish Language schools. They actually opened one but it was closed down because no one was registered. They can't open kurdish schools for formal education.
Government certainly can do more about their language rights. Obviously lack of funding is a big problem. Turkish is the official language in Turkey. Everyone must learn Turkish first. Most kurdish families are not really interested in Kurdish as a second language training. Because it is not useful for career and future. They are more interested in English, French, german.
What government do about their language rights.
- More TV time for Kurdish programs on TV. Current time is not enough.
- Help funding for private Kurdish Language schools those who are interested in.
- At universities, there should be Kurdish Literacy training for Kurdish linguistics.
However, there are obstacles. Most kurdish living in western cities. They don't have much interests in Kurdish Language which has more than 3 different dialects. Also, Kurdish Language has never been written literature. Is a spoken language. There are 25 seperatist kurdish member of parliement and there are 50 kurdish member in the leading partyThese 25 seperatist party are not interested in bringing these problems to the parliment. Imagine, so far they were talking about the leader of PKK who is in prison for life should have parole. They can't declared PKK as terrorist organization. Than, government refuse to work with these members. They must renounce violance first, than they can be part of democratic process. Government will not give in as long as these members condemn violance by PKK.
In my opinion
They should be given full cultural rights and municipal government rights. As democracy improves in Turkey and accession to EU, they should benefit. At the same time, they must work the issue in political process. They are in the parliement as a member. They are in the government. Former Turkish President Turgut Ozal was half Kurdish. Former Army Chief, Dogan Gures was Kurdish. They have chance to change the situation in political process. |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
Edited by - turk on 23 Dec 2007 20:35:53 |
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