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Organisations that are active in europe
which are Democratik and Civil organisations e,g UNICEF,UNESCO,COUNCIL
OF EUROPE ,OSCE (Organization for Securuty and Co- operation
in Europe) members of european country's prime ministers,
and foreign ministers were sent letters.
Dear,
As a democratic institution of Kurds living in European countries,
we are writing this letter to raise awareness of the situation
of Kurds living throughout Turkey, as well as in Northern Kurdistan, which is within the borders of
the Turkish Republic.
It is indisputable that the Kurdish issue is a matter of
providing cultural freedom for Kurds as a people. It is well
known that the Kurds are being persecuted within their fragmented
country. This issue can only be resolved by taking steps
towards freedom of self-expression and self-determination
within the framework of the equality of nations, as adopted
by the United Nations.
However, this does not mean that nothing can be done while
waiting for a permanent solution. Measures that could be
taken immediately could include:
-
reducing the escalating tension
between Turks and Kurds,
-
reversing the increased violence.
Both steps would further conditions that would enable a peaceful solution.
With this in mind, we wish to present our views and suggestions
regarding the Cultural and Linguistic rights of Kurdish children,
which is a critical issue.
Dear,
To date, Turkey is not a signatory to the International
Convention of Children’s Rights. The Turkish educational system,
which is inherently against pluralism and free-thinking, perpetrates
a set of dogmas with racist and paternalistic elements. They
fill children’s minds with nationalistic Turkish policies
instituted by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk . Radio and television
in Turkey are not permitted to produce mother-tongue
programming for children of non-Turkish origins, nor are children
permitted to learn their own language, culture or history.
Schools, especially ‘Regional Boarding Schools’ where very
young Kurdish children are placed after removal from their
families, are breeding grounds for assimilation and “Turkification”.
Without exception, all children are forced to take the racist
oath each morning which begins: ‘I am Turkish, I am righteous,
I am industrious’. They close by saying: ‘Let my very existence
be a sacrifice for the existence of the Turkish Republic.
In addition to the efforts of the government, private companies and institutions
are being required to do likewise. For example, last year
the Milliyet Daily newspaper launched a campaign entitled;
‘Daddy, Send Me To School’. Contrary to the seemingly commendable
goal of the campaign, it is not an educational campaign of
good will. The goal, instead, is to alienate Kurdish children
from their culture, by causing them to forget their mother
tongue and identity. They are re-educated to become “good
Turks”. We are living witnesses of the tragic and traumatic
outcome inflicted upon individuals, families and the society,
as a result of inhumane policies which have been carried out
in various regions of Kurdistan since the 1940’s. Whilst Turkey demanded linguistic education, cultural rights
and identity for the children of Turks who came to Europe for work, the very
same government has not assured equivalent rights for Kurdish
children in their homeland. The fact that the Turkish government
repeatedly refuses to even discuss these issues merely underscores
the true nature of its discriminatory and assimilative policies,
which are essentially racist.
In the meantime, yet another assimilative programme for “Turkification” is underway.
This time pre-school children are being targeted. In an openly
racist manner, the Minister of National Education has labelled the inability of Kurdish and Arabic
children to speak Turkish, a “disease” which must be “cured”.
Further, he claims that any effort to “cure” the “disease”
should be regarded as ‘positive discrimination’. (Milliyet
Daily, 20 April 2005)
Obviously, whilst eager to join the EU, Turkey
shows no respect for the linguistic, cultural and self-identity
rights of Kurdish children, but instead increases its efforts
to assimilate minorities. Clearly, this is a breach of principles
adopted by the United Nations, of which Turkey
is a member. By perpetrating its nationalistic policies,
Turkey commits crimes which can only
be seen as cultural genocide.
Having begun a campaign with the motto, “No
to Assimilation! Freedom for the Kurdish Language! Education
in our Mother Tongue!”, we call upon all humanitarian organizations,
state and government authorities, institutions and concerned
bodies, first and foremost within the UN and the EU, to support
our efforts to oppose Turkey’s campaign to assimilate minorities.
Education and literacy are fundamental rights
for Kurdish children, as they are for all children. And like
other children of the world, Kurdish children should be assured
the right to express their own language, culture and identity.
Turkey must comply with International
Convention of Children’s Rights, as well as other related
conventions. It must respect the fundamental rights of non-Turkish
nationals and minorities and abandon its racist-assimilative
educational policies in favour of democratic, egalitarian
and pluralist education. We believe that models already well established in Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, Spain, and the one currently being developed
in Iraq, serve as good examples of successful
policies.
We hope that you will stand by our nation
as it struggles for peace, justice and freedom. We thank you
for your support.
Respectfully yours,
Bodies responsible for the Campaign:
- IKK e.V. – Institute
for Language and Culture of the Kirmanc (Zaza), Berlin
- IMK e.V. – International Center for the Human Rights
of the Kurds, Bonn
- AWADANI e.V. – Kurdish
Forum in Germany r.A., Berlin
- KOMKAR – Federation
of Associations from Kurdistan r.A., Cologne
- Community of Syrian
Kurds in Berlin and Brandenburg r.A., Berlin
- Association of Kurdish
Medical Doctors in Germany r.A., Berlin
- SOZK – Social and
Organizational Center for Kurds, Berlin
- Kirkuk Solidarity, Berlin
- Kurdish PEN-Center, Bremen
- KOMJIN – Womens Office,
Wuppertal
- KOMCIWAN – Federation
of Kurdish Youth in Germany, Dortmund
- Kurdish Women in Exile
r.A., Berlin
- ZANIN – Kurdish Students
Association at the University of Hanover
- KAK e.V-.Contact Point
Kurdistan, Munich
- Sponsoring Association
for the Support of HAK-PAR in Germany
- German-Kurdish Friendship
Society – Hevalti in Cologne
- German-Kurdish Friendship
Society – Hevalti in Bottrop
- German-Kurdish Friendship
Society – Hevalti in Duisburg
- IVK/KOMKAR, Wuppertal
- KKH – Kurdistan Cultur
and Aid Association, Berlin
- Association for Ethnic
Minorities, Munich
- German-Kurdish Friendship
Society, Hamburg
- Kurdish Community
in Mannheim
- Association of Workmen
from Kurdistan in Nurnberg
- Kurdish Association
in Bremen
- Kurdish Community
in Gießen
- Kurdish Community
in Rhine-Sieg-Circle
- Kurdish Community
in Paris/France
- Union of Employees
from Kurdistan in the Netherlands
- KOMKAR – Switzerland
- KOMKAR – Sweden
- KOMKAR – Denmark
- KOMKAR – Great Brittain
- KOMKAR – Austria
Address for exchange of correspondence
Abubekir Saydam (Geschäftsführer des IMK e.V.)
Postfach 200738, D - 53 137 Bonn
Tel.: 0228/36 28 02, Fax: 0228/36
32 97, E-Mail: imkkurds@aol.com,
www.kurden.de
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