On May 8th, Kurdish language institutions began events for the 15th of May Kurdish Language Day, under the slogan "Kurdish Status, Kurdish Education," which will continue until June 1st. 

 

Heval Dilbahar, co-spokesperson of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party's (DEM Party) Language, Culture, and Arts Commission, highlighted the importance of these efforts, noting the historical repression of Kurdish language and culture. Dilbahar said, “The policies to eliminate Kurdish have largely been overcome through the Kurdish freedom movement’s struggle.”

 

Although Kurdish’s existence is now recognized, Dilbahar pointed out that it still lacks official status and added, "Kurdish cannot survive if not spoken at home or in public." 

 

‘EFFORTS ARE INSUFFICIENT’ 

 

Dilbahar stated that efforts to support Kurdish are insufficient and that bold actions are needed and said, "Millions of children should be learning Kurdish in schools today. We need to discuss our shortcomings and focus on making Kurdish more widespread."

Underlining that DEM Party has established commissions in 33 cities to fight for the language's status and against its repression, Dilbahar called on local governments to take bold steps in promoting Kurdish language education. 

 

"Municipalities should prioritize Kurdish in their agendas and organize Kurdish language programs. All municipal workers should learn Kurdish and use it in their work," he added. Dilbahar, warned of the risk of auto-assimilation, describing it as a "suicide" and said, "Artists and writers must work in Kurdish, and Kurdish language institutions must be open to the public.”

 

CALL FOR KURDISH STATUS

 

Stating that Kurdish is essential to the survival of the Kurdish people Dilbahar stressed: "Without recognizing Kurdish as an official language, the status of Kurds will not be acknowledged. The issue of Kurdish education and status is not negotiable for us."

 

Dilbahar, recalling Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan’s Peace and Democratic Society Call on February 27th, emphasized, “This call encompasses the freedom of all languages. It was a call for the freedom of Kurdish in every field. Peace cannot happen without granting Kurdish status and Kurdish education. If peace is to come to these lands, we must first make peace with Kurdish. Kurdish cannot be a bargaining chip in the peace process. The Kurdish people's demand is clear: Kurdish is their red line.”

 

He continued, "We must not only fight for Kurdish on February 21st (International Mother Language Day) or May 15th, but always and everywhere. We must spread the Kurdish language struggle everywhere. Each of us must be a language teacher, a language militant." 

 

MA / Müjdat Can