The Turkish government’s policy towards the Kurds is very harsh and repressive. The country did not allow the Kurds to speak even for many years. It took various measures to eliminate the Kurds and turn them into Turks. There were various popular uprisings against the government, but it suppressed all. In the 1970s, various Kurdish organizations were formed to defend Kurdish rights. Some, including the PKK, even called for independence. It is not forbidden to speak Kurdish in Turkey now, but the general atmosphere in the country, especially in non-Kurdish cities, is so that people do not dare to speak Kurdish. In the last case, a young Kurd was stabbed to death for listening to Kurdish music.
However, Kurdish organizations and politicians claiming that the country does not pay attention to the Kurdish language they themselves only use it as a tool. Former People’s Democratic Party (HDP) leader Salahedin Demirtash and Abdullah Ocalan and other PKK leaders do not know Kurdish.
Iranian Kurdistan Human Rights Watch (IKHRW) asked Shukri Yabato, a Kurdish political activist in Diyarbakir, about this situation. “In the same city where I live, Diyarbakir is all Kurdish, but very few Kurds speak Kurdish, and most people prefer to speak Turkish,” said the activist.
“When Kurdish politicians claim to defend Kurdish rights, but they themselves do not know Kurdish, how to believe their words. I mention the PKK leaders as an example. “
“I don’t think the Kurdish language will return to its former status in Turkey. If it is not destroyed, it will be very weak in practice. Only the government is not responsible for this situation. Kurdish politicians are also responsible. They don’t believe in what they say.” He said.
