5 People Killed in Turkey Over Speaking Kurdish in 7 Years

The co-chair of the organization dedicated to the preservation of the Kurdish language and culture, "Birca Bellek," Mirza Roni, is convinced that the persecution of the Kurdish language in Turkey occurs under state sponsorship, with attempts being made to silence Kurdish speech through the power of fear.

According to a resolution adopted by the Kurdish National Congress in 2006, May 15 is celebrated annually as Kurdish Language Day. However, on this occasion, intolerance towards the Kurdish language and its speakers intensifies in Turkey every year.

The source points out that for years, Turkish authorities have not appointed Kurdish language teachers in schools where Kurdish is already an optional subject. Kurdish newspapers, magazines, and television channels are banned, and expressions in Kurdish heard in the Turkish parliament are recorded as "unknown language."

As a result of persecutions due to Kurdish identity, many citizens are forced to leave their residences. Since 2013, in Istanbul, Erzurum, Aydın, Ankara, Adana, Çanakkale, and other places, dozens of individuals have been expelled from educational institutions and even subjected to beatings and armed assaults for speaking Kurdish over the phone, in the street, or with friends and relatives. As a result of such attacks, at least 5 people have died in the last 7 years, and many others have sustained various injuries, reports Ermenihaber.

According to Mirza Roni, the intolerance towards the Kurdish language and its speakers stems from the fact that the existence of Kurds is not tolerated in that country. He states that Kurdish is one of the ancient languages of Mesopotamia, and the Turkish state is concerned that if Kurdish becomes accepted, especially if it gains official status, it will not be possible to deny the existence of Kurds anymore. For this reason, a persistent campaign against Kurdish identity is being carried out.