Kurds Essay, Research Paper

Even so, 15 million individuals of Kurdish origin presently live in the Republic of Turkey. Kurds have for decades been subjected to economic disadvantages and human rights violations which bear the hallmarks of systematic persecution intent on destroying the Kurdish identity by silencing the Kurdish language and other cultural expressions through violence or censorship.

Since 1984, the Republic of Turkey has faced insurgency at the hands of the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK). It is estimated that at least 20,000 lives have been lost in clashes between the Turkish security forces and the PKK. The civilian population of south-east Turkey has suffered particularly. Raids, carried out by the security forces on villages in the name of fighting terrorism have resulted in innocent villagers being subjected to interrogation and frequent torture, indiscriminate violence, and even death in custody.

In recent years there has been a dramatic increase in the detention and prosecution of lawyers, human rights activists, parliamentarians, trade unionists, publishers and journalists who have advocated a peaceful solution to Turkey’s Kurdish question.

Not least at the time of Newroz.