Although some forces may benefit from the continuation of the current status quo, the Kurds have no interest in it. Democratic changes in the region will mean freedom and a revival for the Kurds. Therefore, the Kurds, a people of 40 million people, are among the strongest supporters of change in the Middle East. Throughout history they have gained very strong political, organisational and military experiences, i.e. as a result of their rebellions against the Arab, Turkish and Persian dominance and through their struggle for national liberation since the 1970s. Because the Kurds have been waging a struggle of sociological renewal and for national liberation under very disadvantageous conditions, they today constitute a very active and influential society with high political consciousness in Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. Despite all the oppression, the Kurdish people have set up their own non-governmental civil society organisations thus being able to express and represent themselves.
The Kurdish people represent a great force of change and democracy in Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. Kurdistan is a vast country divided among these four countries. Its wealth of natural resources, its closeness to other areas rich in energy resources, its location on major trade routes as well as its young and dynamic population give Kurdistan a huge strategic importance in the Middle East.
Kurdish society, an important part of the regions sociopolitical fabric, has been the most disadvantaged group under the current regional order. Its social and cultural existence has been denied and is still not adequately acknowledged in the international arena. The inalienable rights of the Kurds are suppressed, and their claims to a free cultural and political development don’t enjoy the necessary support. Kurds are practically exempted from the fundamental rights and freedoms that international bodies like the United Nations or the European Union acknowledge as universal. Consequently, systematic violations of their rights are being flagrantly ignored. Although the right to self-determination, including separation, is granted to all nations and peoples under international law, the Kurds still suffer even the prohibition of the use of their language. Democratic actions and the most basic demands made by the Kurds are still branded as separatism.
It is clear that the Kurds cannot accept a continuation of their suffering in the form of the denial of their most basic rights, repression, deportations, war and genocidal campaigns against them. In order to end this suffering, there is no alternative to achieving a clear leap forward in the fields of democracy, fundamental rights and freedoms. While this holds true for all the peoples and communities in the Middle East, it is especially critical for the Kurds. The only solution is a new, vigorous advance in contemporary democracy. Weakened by continuous subjection to violent repression and poverty, the social structure of the Kurds can only be revived by embracing democracy and recognising the Kurdish people’s rights. As a result of their successful struggle and their strong commitment to democracy, the Kurdish people can play an important part in the overall democratisation of the Middle East.
