ŞIRNEX - Kurdish language institutions called for mobilization with the declaration they announced in Cizîr, stating that they will raise their voices everywhere for the status of the Kurdish language.

 

Kurdish language and cultural institutions announced their declaration on August 17th in Cizîr (Cizre) district of Şirnex (Şırnak) province regarding their work for the Kurdish language. Declaring mobilization with the declaration, the institutions shared with the public the work they will do to make the Kurdish language widespread in society. The organizations called on political parties, institutions, municipalities and the public to respond to the state's policies of denial and assimilation of the Kurdish language and the recent racist attacks on Kurdish language and culture.  

 

Representatives of the organizations participating in the declaration stated that they will respond to the attacks against the Kurdish language. 

 

'WE WILL RESPOND TO THE ATTACKS'

 

Heval Dilbihar, Co-spokesperson of the Language and Culture Commission of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), stated that the assimilation policies and attacks aim to eliminate the language and values of the Kurdish people and that they will increase the struggle for the Kurdish language with the declaration they issued against this. 

 

 

Şînda Ayazgül, one of the trainers of the Arî Research and Culture Association (ARİ-DER), stated that they will respond to the attacks and said: “Attacks on Kurdish language and culture continue in conjunction with assimilation policies. Language is our criterion of nationhood. For this reason, with this declaration, we want to raise awareness in society and institutions about using one's own language. For this reason, we came together in Cizîr and declared a joint mobilization against the attacks. We aim to respond to assimilation policies and attacks with the work we will do in the following processes.”

 

'VOICE OF KURDISH WILL RISE EVERYWHERE'

 

Cahit Akıl, Co-Chair of Cizîr Birca Belek Language and Culture Association, emphasized that they will mobilize to raise the Kurdish language struggle everywhere and said: “For years, the policies of oppression and destruction against the Kurdish language have been continuing. But recently the level of attacks on Kurdish language and culture has increased. In order to counter these attacks, Kurdish needs to be spoken more. If Kurdish is spoken and fought for in all areas of life, assimilation policies and these attacks will not achieve their goal. Along with the declaration, we will raise awareness about the Kurdish language through meetings, panels and conferences. We will raise the voice of Kurdish everywhere.” 

 

Berivan Duman, one of the executives of the Mezopotamya Language and Culture Research Association (MED-DER), stated that they aim to raise awareness of speaking Kurdish with the projects they will implement and said: “We will raise public awareness by working in neighborhoods, neighborhoods, villages, villages and in every area. At the same time, we will come together with children and families in parks and organize activities in Kurdish.” 

 

'SPEAK YOUR LANGUAGE EVERYWHERE'

 

Yusuf Bağırcı, one of the executives of the Ferat Language and Culture Research Association (Ferat-Der), said: “Attacks against the Kurdish language are not new. The only way to respond to these attacks is to speak, learn and live in Kurdish everywhere. Especially mothers should speak Kurdish with their children and teach them Kurdish. Only in this way we can ensure the protection of the Kurdish language. With the declaration, we will start our work within this framework and raise our struggle.” 

 

MA / Mahmut Altıntaş