Support for Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan's "Call for Peace and Democratic Society" continues to come from every field. Members of associations working on the Kurdish language also declared their support for the call for the Kurdish language to gain status and called on everyone to participate in this process.

 

Birca Belek Language and Culture Association member Cahit Akıl said that Abdullah Öcalan's historic call opened a new era and resonated around the world. Akıl said, "For more than 100 years, different peoples in the Middle East and around the world have been ignored with policies of denial and assimilation because of their language and culture. These policies have caused great suffering to the peoples for decades and these differences have been used as a justification for war and conflict. This call should be responded to with legal and political steps as soon as possible and Abdullah Öcalan should be able to work under free conditions. The attacks, war and operations must be stopped for the success of this process. The problems of the people must also be solved within the scope of a moral political society. The state must pave the way for the Kurdish language for the progress of this process, the Kurdish language must be recognised as the official language and the language of education. This should not be seen as something wrong, but important for the unity of the peoples. Differences increase hope more."

 

'KURDISH MUST BE THE LANGUAGE OF EDUCATION'

 

Êlih (Batman) Ari Language Research and Culture Association member Meral Kaptan said, "This process will not reach its goal without Abdullah Öcalan's physical freedom. As Kurdish people, we want to live free in our own land with out identity and language. The state should respond to the process accordingly. As language organizations, we want Kurdish to have official language and status from pre-school education to universities."

 

'THE STATE MUST TAKE A STEP'

 

Evindar Akbulut, a member of the Kurdish Language and Culture Development Association (KURDÎGEH), said that they support the call to the end. Stating that this process is very important for the Kurdish people, Evindar Akbulut said, "Kurdish people should support this process for their language and culture. When a language is lost, a people is also lost. For this reason, we want our language to be taken out of institutions and become the official and educational language." Evindar Akbulut also emphasised the importance of the state taking positive steps on the Kurdish language and said, "If this happens, belief in this process will increase more."

 

Yasin Oral, one of the trainers of the Mezopotamya Language and Culture Research Association (MED-DER), said that they have been waiting for years for an honourable peace to come. Stating that this call is historic for this reason, Oral underlined that all oppressed peoples and those who want peace should support this call. Oral said, "This call also paves the way for the Kurdish language. If this call achieves its goal, the way for Kurdish education will be paved and Kurdish will be spoken in every field." Oral underlined that they will do their best for the success of this process as a society or individually.

 

'WE WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY'

 

MED-DER member Mehmet Asena also expressed their support for the call. Underlining that he finds the call for an end to war and an honourable peace all over the world historic, Asena added, "This call also brings with it the embrace of Kurdish language, culture and art. We will take our responsibility and support the success of the call." Stressing that the government must also take legal steps and mobilise the parliament, Asena said that if the government takes steps, it will pave the way for language studies, language education and the status of the Kurdish language.

 

MA / Müjdat Can