A general Feature Story
The Kurdish has been discriminated and oppressed though,
they have been living in the East of Turkey for thousands years. After the
founding of the Turkish Republic in 1923 their language was banned, and they
are repressed.
The Kurds are an ethnic group who have historically
inhabited in Turkey. Kurdish people have one of the longest ethnic histories in
Turkey along with Turks. The history of Kurds back to as early as 2400BC. Kurds
has followed Islam since 7th century. Kurdish people consist of 20
percent of the Turkish population.
In fact, it is very hard to separate two nations from each
other. It is very common to marry to each other. As a population Turks and
Kurds do not have problem. Problem is between the state and the Kurds.
1923 was the year Turkish Republic has been established.
After this date the fate of Kurds has been changed in Turkey. The existence of
the Kurds is denied and ethnic identity is repressed.
Muhammed Mus’ab Celik, 23, student at Istanbul University, “It
is shameful for me to not speak Kurdish, though I am a Kurdish,” he said.
He was seven years old when he was beaten by his teacher in
primary school because he could not speak Turkish in Igdir in 1997.
“It was the first day of the primary school. I was just
registered but the teacher failed to find my name on the list. She asked my
father’s name but I could not understand her. I only said: ‘father’ then, she
asked me the second question I was silent once more I did not understand her at
all. The teacher took me to the head
teacher to register. When we were in his room he slapped me. It was a hard slap
indeed,” he said.
“When I return to the class I did not understand the teacher
for two months. After months I had begun to learn Turkish and know things
slowly. At least we started talking in terms of expressing ourselves,” he
added.
Beating was a type of fate of Kurdish children in primary
schools where Kurdish children learn literacy. No one had been taught Turkish in
their family life. Parents also did not know Turkish, either.
The story of Celik has not finished yet. When he enrolled to
Istanbul University there was discrimination and humiliation, too.
“I prepared for the biggest exam to get in university in
2010. I have succeeded. When I came to Istanbul to enrol there was an officer
and I asked him ‘what was the date today’ which was necessary to fill up a
form. I was replied: “You are an idiot Kurdish, you don’t have a brain, and how
a person cannot know the date if you are planning to start the university. You
are here because you did something illegal to get in to this University. Tell
me what did you do? Copy or what? I was shock and I am hurt,” he said.
Yakup Celik, grandfather of Muhammed Mus’ab Celik, 83, farmer,
“One day I had a problem with my neighbour and I went to police station. I
explained what happened and an officer said ‘shitty Kurds’. I was thinking it
should not hurt me but it did. Not only swearing at me but he also slapped me,”
said by sighing.
“It is very common in this region being beaten by the army
or police officer. It is kind of habit. Once, when army came to our villages in
1960s they forced us to talk Turkish but people who failed to talk the language
faced to torture in front of our eyes,” he added.
It seems to be Kurds no longer believe in the Turkish state
but there is always hope.
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