Kurdish rights in turkey pdf map

The turkish government has always denied to recognize the right for. However, the results of the lausanne treaty1 of 1923, which documented the establishment of the republic of turkey, annulled all prior recognition of cultural and political rights to the kurdish minority in turkey. The military turned much of the kurdish region in turkey s southeast into a militarized zone and committed human rights abuses in the region. Iran has also seen several kurdish revolts 1946, 1979. Turkey igdir kurds democratic society party dtp refworld.

Unfortunately, the kurds called these mountains home, and many kurds were forced to relocate away from the borders. Kurds shaping turkeys political map the washington. The modern kurdistan map includes parts of eastern turkey, northern syria, northern iraq and northwestern iran. The kurds in turkey federation of american scientists. Only the kurdish movement in turkey, which has pan kurdish ambitions, includes kurds from neighboring states, though the top leadership is from turkey and some only speak turkish. Organization of human rights and solidarity for oppressed people. Issues, parties and prospects article pdf available in security dialogue 284. All this is apart from the deep political divisions that exist among the respective national populations. Among the most significant is the dersim rebellion, when,160 civilians were killed by the turkish army and 11,818 people were sent into exile. The pkk conflict in the context of eu turkey relations in this excerpt from our watch list 2017 annual earlywarning report for european policy makers, crisis group urges the european union and its member states to increase efforts toward two related objectives.

Thus, it is noteworthy how the syrian forces in connection with the current crisis in syria withdrew from the kurdish areas in 2012 before the ypg took control. The kurds issue in turkey represents the most serious and unresolved ethnic problem in contemporary turkey and today kurds still represent the largest group of stateless people in the world. The pkk conflict in the context of euturkey relations. The area indicated as kurdistan in the map roughly. Dogu ergil is professor of political sociology at ankara university in turkey and president and director of the center for the research of societal problems tosav, an ankarabased nongovernmental organization created to address the tensions between turks and kurds. This paper will examine turkey s relationship with the kurds and analyze the issues faced by both the u. While the majority of turkey s kurds do not openly support separatism from the turkish state, many do support the pkk, as the only force fighting for broader kurdish cultural, economic and political rights. Why turkey wants a military assault on syrian kurds. There are roughly 2025 million kurds across the middle east, almost half of whom live in southeastern turkey, northern iraq, northern syria and northwestern iran, a region that some kurds refer to as kurdistan. To date, arrests in kurdish provinces have totalled 81,634. But of course the kurds rebelled 27 times and fought against this right up to modern day as the kurdistan workers party or pkk, under the leadership of the imprisoned kurdish leader, abdullah ocalan, continue to fight for political rights in turkey. Turkey is home to the largest kurdish population of any country in the world the cia world factbook estimates between 10 and 20 million kurds to be living in turkey. The kurds european country of origin information network. Finally, through august 2015 to february 2016, kurdish armed incidents cluster within turkey in an unprecedented way, covering a large swath of turkeys predominantly kurdish areas.

Turkey s largest kurdish population lives in istanbul 2 million. The 8 th international eutcc conference, titled the quest for democracy in turkey universal rights and kurdish selfdetermination and the struggles over the new constitution and held at the european parliament in brussels on the 7 th and 8 th december, came at a critical time for turkey s kurds. May 30, 2011 to fully appreciate the failings of the turkish government to ensure economic, social and cultural rights of the kurds in turkey, it is essential to read the international covenant on economic, social and cultural rights, then the report submitted by turkey, followed by the khrp list of issues report. This is the first report by human rights watch on the kurdish minority in syria. Since the early 20th century, the region has been divided between turkey, iran, syria, and iraq, all of which have repressed, often brutally, their kurdish minority. Their centuryold quest for independence is marked by. Recent emigration has resulted in a kurdish diaspora of about 1. In january 2018, turkey launched a military offensive on the northwest syrian kurdish populated district of afrin and at time of writing continued to control the territory see syria chapter for.

Kurdish fighters in northern syria have served as a crucial u. It wants to push back members of the ypg, which it views as an extension of a kurdish rebel group that has been fighting in turkey for decades and is designated a terrorist organisation the. Men with video cameras were waiting at the entrance to cizre, a rundown city in turkeys kurdish southeast. The politically engaged kurds have chosen complicity with the regime rather than rebellion, contrary to other parts of the kurdish homeland i. Throughout their history they have remained under the thumb of various conquerors and nations. In that sense, turkeys policies towards the kurds on syria are wholly inseparable from domestic turkish kurdish policies, as are the two kurdish populations since the establishment of the syrian state in the aftermath of world war i. Kurdish rights and turkey s desire to join the european community have played a part in softening turkish repression of the kurds. In a few short pages, amnesty internationals 2015 annual report detailed a rapidly deteriorating human rights environment in turkey, particularly after the 2015 parliamentary elections and the outbreak of violence between the turkish government and kurdish workers party pkk in. The cia factbook estimates a kurdish population of 12 million in turkey, six million in iran, about five to six million in iraq, and less than two million in syria, which adds up to close to 28 million kurds in kurdistan. Kurt 2017 or the socialist hakpar rights and freedoms party5. Annual report pdf the european court of human rights. To save the maps to your computer, rightclick on the link.

Dec 05, 2016 in a few short pages, amnesty internationals 2015 annual report detailed a rapidly deteriorating human rights environment in turkey, particularly after the 2015 parliamentary elections and the outbreak of violence between the turkish government and kurdish workers party pkk in continue reading. To fully appreciate the failings of the turkish government to ensure economic, social and cultural rights of the kurds in turkey, it is essential to read the international covenant on economic, social and cultural rights, then the report submitted by turkey, followed by the khrp list of issues report. Includes location map, graphs showing agriculture and rainfall, col. Of 70,000 current political detainees, more than 20,000 are reportedly kurdish, and 90 percent of these are reputed to have been peaceful protestors for kurdish cultural rights. On august 2, the turkish parliament passed a reform bill that introduced a number of remarkable changes in the letter of the nations law. The kurds are denied many basic rights, including the right to learn or broadcast in their own language. In 1984, the kurdistan workers party pkk initiated an insurgency which intensified in the following decades and continues to this day. Occupying a region of 500,000 square miles in iran, iraq, syria, turkey and the ussr, the kurds are one of the most persecuted minorities of our time.

Issues, parties and prospects find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Download free turkey mapsfree map downloadsfree world country map downloadssponsors. The kurdishturkish conflict is an armed conflict between the republic of turkey and various kurdish insurgent groups, which have demanded separation from turkey to create an independent kurdistan, or to have autonomy and greater political and cultural rights for kurds inside the republic of turkey. This thesis examines the transformation of the kurdish national struggle in turkey from a political movement to a social movement. The disparity and repression led to the formation of an armed separatist movement, the pkk, in 1984. Half of the kurds reside in turkey, where they comprise over 20 percent of the turkish population. This may be considered an important demerit of not only kurdish and turkish studies but social and political sciences in general. This book provides an interpretive and critical analysis of kurdish identity, nationalism and national movement in turkey since the 1960s.

Human rights of kurdish people in turkey wikipedia. This human rights record is one of the main stumbling blocks in turkeys efforts to join the eu. The author of numerous books on turkish kurdish relations and reconciliation, including turkey s encounter with. In june 2015, a kurdishbacked political party, the peoples democratic party hdp, threatened the islamist grip on turkey and redrew the political map of the turkish society. Such hopes were dashed three years later, however, when the treaty of lausanne, which set the boundaries of modern turkey, made no provision for a kurdish state and left kurds. Nowhere is their future more threatened than in turkey where kurds are one quarter of the population. Turkeys laws have long discriminated against the kurds, who reside largely in the eastern region of the. Feb 08, 2020 for turkey, rojava is a multilayered and multidimensional issue lowe, 2016. In addition to highlighting kurdish culture and personal stories about kurds and kurdistan, we have recently begun giving grants to kurdish cultural initiatives.

The kurds are one of the worlds largest peoples without a state, making up sizable minorities in iran, iraq, syria, and turkey. Turkey has a long history of discrimination and injustice committed against the kurdish people. The european court of human rights and many other international human rights organizations have condemned turkey for thousands of human rights abuses against kurds. The situation worsened when the pkkformally established in 1977started its operations.

In syria, the government has sought to arabize some of the kurds similar to the turkification efforts in turkey and has deprived others of citizenship, rendering them stateless people without rights. Kurdistan maps, map, carte, maps of kurdistan kurdistan map, people map, carte of kurdistan. The kurds, a group of approximately 18 million people, are the fourth largest ethnic group in the middle east. Kurdish regions in turkey were under military rule for more than a decade and. Despite their common heritage, the historical paths of kurds have diverged greatly in the 20 th and 21 st centuries. Later on, another kurdish newspaper was founded called botan that was published once every two weeks. Turkish court acquits kurdish children over language campaign. The kurdish project was cocreated by farhad fred khosravi, a kurdishamerican entrepreneur, and media cause, a nonprofit digital agency, as a culturaleducation initiative to raise awareness in western culture of kurdish people. Pkk against turkey have empowered the kurds and challenged the existing political map of the middle east gunter, 2015. But both the turkish government and its kurdish counterparts have come too far to back away. The road map of ocalan to solve kurdish question in the middle east. Language policy in turkey and its effect on the kurdish language. Genesis, evolution and prospects mesut yegen turkey domestic policy abstract this paper examines the resolution process in turkey since its inception until today.

Visit the kurdish projects interactive map to explore this turkish kurdistan. Kurds have had a long history of discrimination perpetrated against them by the turkish government. The kurds have lived in a mountainous, roughly 74,000squaremile region known as kurdistan for the past two millennia. But, as the existence of a kurdish project for territorial autonomy has no place within the turkish political imaginary, a real dialogue between the kurdish community.

Turkey has come to see some benefit in a stable and more autonomous kurdistan. The state of the turkishkurdish conflict center for. A turkish military operation against syrian kurdish territory could unleash instability, displacement and intense fighting. The aim or the law was to spread the population with nonturkish culture in to. The year 2009 has become of utmost importance in the solution of the kurdish question which is at the. Turkey has a long history of human rights abuses against its kurdish population a population that stretches into millions. Block diagram shows kurdish inhabited areas in iraq, turkey, and iran. The idea of a turkish kurdistan dates back to the 16th century ottoman empire. Of 40,386 formally charged, the death penalty was sought for 900. As far as the united states is concerned, regional reactions to. Turkeys syria offensive explained in four maps bbc news.

Kurdistan, it may not have enough leverage to prevent such an outcome, although the iraqi central government could complicate the kurdish drive for independence. Oct 14, 2019 it wants to push back members of the ypg, which it views as an extension of a kurdish rebel group that has been fighting in turkey for decades and is designated a terrorist organisation the. Massacres have periodically occurred against the kurds. Pro kurdish party fears democratic reforms will be slow to take hold. Turkish leaders believed such a development could foment separatism within turkey and offer strategic depth to the pkk. Almost three decades have passed since political violence erupted in turkey s southeastern regions, where the majority of turkey s approximately 20 million kurds live. A map of the administrative divisions of central and eastern turkey. There are kurds living in all provinces of turkey, but are primarily concentrated in the. Turkey s military launched a crossborder operation against kurdish led forces in syria in early october, after us troops who had been allied to the kurds withdrew. Unlike the turkish people, the kurds speak an indoeuropean language.

Kurdish economic, social and cultural rights in turkey. Turkey a region referred to as kurdistan by ethnic kurds and their supporters. Ironically, both erdogans vision and turkey s future political map depend not so much on his handpicked akp successor, prime minister davutoglu, nor on the main opposition faction, the republican peoples party chp, but rather on the performance of a small kurdish nationalist party. The kurdish project was cocreated by farhad fred khosravi, a kurdish american entrepreneur, and media cause, a nonprofit digital agency, as a culturaleducation initiative to raise awareness in western culture of kurdish people. Violence was widely reported against ordinary kurdish citizens and the headquarters and branches of the pro kurdish rights peoples democratic party were attacked by mobs. Kermanshah qasre shirin borujerdarbil dahuka s 36 s u l a y m a n i y a h karbalaan najaf al basrah maysana l f a l l u j a h d a s t s a m a w a h a hal basrah. The kurdish region of turkey has rich culture, history and values. Turkey, the kurds, and human rights dissent magazine.

Mixed messages have convinced mainstream public opinion that turkeys kurds seek an independent state, even though most just want full rights within turkey. The last three years of turkish politics have been tumultuous, from the constitutional. According to various estimates, they compose between 15% and 20% of the population of turkey. After an assessment of three distinct phases of the process, it seeks to explain what stimulated the turkish state and the pkk to launch the. Kurdistan is not a country, but the map of the kurdish region includes the geographical region in the middle east wherein the kurdish people have historically established a prominent population and unified cultural identity. Massacres have periodically occurred against the kurds since the establishment of the republic of turkey in 1923. The kurds are a large and distinct ethnic minority in the middle east, numbering some 2530 million people. Note that maps may not appear on the webpage in their full size and resolution. Jailed kurdish politician urges eu to open doors to turkey. May 19, 2016 in this period, kurdish involvement in turkey is minimal, with the exception of isolated incidents in diyarbak. The area that they have inhabitedreferred to on maps for centuries as kurdistan spans modern day iran, iraq, syria, and turkey. Sep 17, 2010 turkey s ruling justice and development party akp is in talks with kurdish militant group the kurdistan workers party pkk and its patron, iraqs kurdistan regional government, to ensure that violence does not erupt after the scheduled sept. In february, erdogan again raised the kurdish flag in honor of barzanis visit to turkey, while scolding the iraqi kurds in april to lower it in kirkuk, controlled by the iraqi kurds since 2014.

The kurds quest for independence council on foreign. Turkeykurdish regional government relations after the u. Kurds in turkey refers to people born in or residing in turkey who are of kurdish origin. Accuses turkey of killing hundreds of kurds the new. There are kurds living in various provinces of turkey, but they are primarily concentrated in the east and southeast of the country, within the region viewed by. Turkeys largest kurdish population lives in istanbul 2 million.

Violence in turkeys predominantly kurdish southeast has surged after a ceasefire between the countrys. The kurdish movement needs to speak with one voice and honour its leaders commitments, if it is to be taken seriously in ankara and its grievances are to be heard sympathetically by. The kurds are the largest ethnic minority in turkey. Kurdish nationalism in whichwhether encouraged by iraqi kurds or notkurdish populations in iran, turkey, or syria not only support the establishment of a sovereign kurdistan in northern iraq, but even seek to join the new nation. Armenian radio station denge erivan the voice of yerevan broadcast in kurdish for one hour a day, drawing an audience of ethnic kurds from southeast turkey. Yet, as this paper concludes, the likelihood of a solution to the crisis is still remote, as the demands of both sides seem mutually exclusive. Turkeys kurdish minority comprises between 15% and 25% of the countrys population. U5 available also through the library of congress web site as a raster image. Berikeratiyas and others published the kurdish conflict in turkey. This evaluation comes at a time when discussions on democratization in turkey have intensified and because of the responsibilities that i hold.