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The Kurds

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Live in an area that covers parts of Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. December 8, 2003 ... intellectual activity moved to Syria and later to Europe. December ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: The Kurds


1
The Kurds

2
Who and Where
  • One of the worlds largest ethnic groups without
    a state
  • About 25-30 million people
  • Live in an area that covers parts of Turkey,
    Iran, Iraq and Syria

3
Map
4
Population Distribution
  • About 15 of the Middle East population
  • Turkey 15 million (25)
  • Iran 6-7 million (9-10)
  • Iraq 3.5 million (14)
  • Syria 1 million (6)
  • Former USSR 500,000
  • Rest of the World 1.5 million

5
Brief History
  • Society that predated Ancient Greeks
  • Survived as a largely independent part of
    Islamic, Mongol, Tatar and Ottoman Empires
  • Attempted to break from Turkish control 1834
    following the Russo-Turkish war and were
    forcefully subjugated
  • Attempts made to create a Kurdish principality
    under Turkey in 1881
  • Kurds oppressed by Turkish during WW I
  • Soviet backed Kurdish republic lasts until WW II
  • Kurdish revolts in 1900s suppressed in Turkey,
    Iran, and Iraq

6
Kurdish Language
  • Part of Iranian branch of Indo-European family
    tree
  • Three main dialect branches
  • Northern (Kurmanji and Badinani)
  • Central (Sorani)
  • Southern (Pehlewani)
  • Kurds classify different dialects based on how
    they perceive them to sound
  • No standard nomenclature for different dialects

7
Basis of marginalization
  • Kurdish recognition of their distinct identity
  • States with significant Kurdish minorities
    concerned about independence movements
  • State suppression of or refusal to accept Kurdish
    identity
  • Of course, linguistic oppression often plays a
    part in these efforts

8
Language Oppression - Turkey
  • In 1924 all Kurdish institutions banned, Kurdish
    revolts suppressed
  • I believe that the Turk must be the only lord,
    the only master of this country. Those who are
    not of pure Turkish stock can have only one right
    in this country, the right to be servants and
    slaves Turkish cabinet member in 1930
  • In 1932, forced resettlement of Kurds
  • Following a 1938 revolt, the use of Kurdish was
    banned and the Kurds became officially known as
    Mountain Turks
  • Speakers fined per word for use of Kurdish in the
    marketplace

9
Language Oppression - Turkey
  • Though Kurdish continued to be used as a home
    language, its repression has adversely affected
    the language
  • Many educated Kurds have a hard time expressing
    abstract ideas in Kurdish
  • Kurdish literacy dropped to the point that many
    Kurdish publications became bilingual
  • Most Kurdish intellectual activity moved to Syria
    and later to Europe

10
Language Oppression - Iraq
  • Kurds received protection and education in
    Kurdish under British control
  • Spoken Kurdish never officially banned, a written
    standard for some local dialects did emerge
  • Some officially apathy or hostility towards
    Kurdish
  • At times authorities had been forced to publicly
    reaffirm that Kurds have rights
  • Kurdish received acceptance and some support from
    Iraqi government prior to 1970
  • Beginning in 1970, the Kurdish population lost
    most rights and faced numerous attacks and
    oppression attempts

11
Language Oppression - Iran
  • Policies seek to keep Kurds content and limit any
    attempts at independence
  • Publications were rarely allowed
  • Kurdish often considered just a dialect of
    Persian by Farsi speakers
  • Kurdish university declared illegal
  • In education, Kurdish only allowed alongside
    Farsi

12
The Future?
  • Turkey appears to be less restrictive towards
    Kurds under the scrutiny of the European Union
  • Kurdish publications legalized in Iran in 1984,
    Kurdish education is now permitted
  • The future of Kurds in Iraq remains to be seen
    following the end of the Saddam Husseins regime.

13
References
  • Keryenbroek, Philip, and Sperl, Stefan. The
    Kurds, A Contemporary Overview. New York
    Routledge 1992
  • Bodnarchuk, Kari J. Kurdistan, Region Under
    Siege. Minneapolis, MN Learner Publications
    Company 2000
  • Izady, Mehrdad. The Kurds A Concise Handbook.
    Washington, DC Taylor Francis 1992
  • Wilipedia.org
  • http//en2.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurds
  • http//en2.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurdish_language
  • http//en2.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_Kurd
    s
  • http//en2.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Kurds

  • CIA World Fact Book
  • http//www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/
    sy.html
  • http//www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/
    iz.html
  • http//www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/
    ir.html
  • http//www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/
    tu.html
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