SIRNAK - Şırnak Bar, started to give Kurdish education to lawyers by working in partnership with Birca Belek Language and Culture Association. The Bar, aims for lawyers to establish a healthy relationship with their clients in their mother tongue.

Şırnak Bar,  started to give education to lawyers in Kurdish by collaborating with Birca Belek Language and Culture Association. In line with the demands of the lawyers who are members of the Bar Association, the courses that started at the Tahir Elçi Conference Hall of the Şırnak Bar, are given by the lecturers of the association.

EDUCATION FOR LAWYERS

Şırnak Bar President Rojhat Dilsiz stated that they first identified the needs of their colleagues when they took office. In this context, Dilsiz stated that they started vocational internal training for the first time, and that they immediately requested a trainer from Birca Belek for mother tongue training in Kurdish, in line with the demands of the lawyers.

THE IMPORTANCE OF LANGUAGE IN DEFENSE

Emphasizing that Kurdish, spoken by 20-25 million people throughout Turkey, is still considered to be an “unknown language”, Dilsiz reminded that the Kurdish language is used in courts as a result of the struggles of the Kurdish people which costed a lot for them. Stating that all lawyers in the provinces of the region communicate with their clients in Kurdish, Dilsiz said, “For a lawyer to understand his client well, language communication must be strong. As people living in these lands, we should know our mother tongue well. Our lawyer friends, who learn Kurdish, will be able to intervene in the translator mistakes that our citizens who make their defense in their mother tongue in the courts are exposed to.”

Noting the importance of the defences made in the courts, Dilsiz said, “When a wrong expression is used in court, it is a responsibility for the lawyers. In this context, it is necessary to be able to express yourself correctly and be understood correctly. Although our people are innocent, they are considered to be guilty because they do not speak Turkish. Our lawyer friends who speak Kurdish will be able to prevent this problem.” Dilsiz said that as the Şırnak Bar Association, they also use their social media accounts in Kurdish and Turkish, and that other bar associations should take similar initiatives.

THIS IS A POSITIVE DEMAND

Bahattin Robar, one of the trainers of Birca Belek Language and Culture Association, who gives education to Şırnak Bar Association lawyers in Kurdish, said that the education has been going on for 1 month with the participation of 24 lawyers. Stating that they started education at the first level, Robar stated that they taught reading and writing in Kurdish in the first place. Noting that lawyers are trying to ensure that they can write, read and speak in Kurdish, Robar said, “It is very positive that such a request came from a bar association. The fact that professional groups such as lawyers, teachers and health professionals perform their duties in their own language will enable them to do their jobs better. The society will also be pleased with this situation and will benefit more. Likewise, we expect such initiatives to take place in professional chambers in other regions.”

'REMOVE THE BAN ON MOTHER TONGUE'

Drawing attention to the importance that every people should know and use their mother tongue, Robar continued his words as follows: “The bans on all languages, especially the Kurdish language, need to be removed. Even if the rulers do not remove the bans in front of our language, we need to remove those bans individually. The way to do this is through learning and teaching. In order to understand the demands and needs of the society well, it is necessary to master their language. For this, all politicians and professional groups need to know and learn Kurdish well.”