Amuda residents reject attempts to rename Kurdish cities

Over the past few weeks, areas in Rojava have seen wide protests against the renaming of several Kurdish cities and towns, including Kobani and Çil Axa. Inhabitants noted that such a move is in contradiction with the preservation of the special nature of Kurdish regions and their cultural and linguistic identity.

Inhabitants noted that such a move reminds them of Arabization policy carried out by the Ba’ath regime when the names of cities and villages were changed. Inhabitants added that the Kurdish people have made huge sacrifices for defending their language and culture and will not tolerate such moves again.

In this context, Aziza Ahmed, a member of the Social Affairs Committee of the Amuda City Council, said that restoring Kurdish place names to Arabic is unacceptable after decades of struggle and resistance to defend the Kurdish language and identity.

"She explained that we have made many sacrifices for the sake of keeping alive our language because it is an integral part of our culture, our values and our very existence. We will never give up this right. Neither do we accept any irresponsible behavior which tries to take away our legitimate rights and erase our identity from the map. We will keep on living according to our language and values."

On the other hand, Javin Habib, one of the members of Amuda Teachers' Union, mentioned that recognizing the distinctive identity of the Kurdish areas is a fundamental principle. On the other hand, she pointed out that the persistent attempts to rename the Kurdish cities go against this basic principle.

"Of course, we will not give up our language, identity and culture. Kobani will always remain Kobani as it has become the symbol of our resilience and our struggle. We therefore reject and condemn any attempt of renaming the Kurdish cities. We will keep on fighting for our rights till the end since these rights were earned by the sacrifice of our martyrs."

Meanwhile, Media Saado, Head of Bahira School in Amuda, said that the educational community rejects any attempt to change the name of Kobani or any other Kurdish city, describing such efforts as attempts to undermine the will of the Kurdish people and erase their identity.

She added: "The Kurdish people have sacrificed thousands of martyrs so they could live with their language, dignity, and identity. For us, the Kurdish language is a red line. It is the language of our ancestors and forefathers, and no authority has the right to erase or undermine it."

Abdul Rahim Shaker, Co-Chair of the People's Municipality in the Sanjaq Saadoun district, also stressed that every nation in the world is defined by its cultural identity and that language is the cornerstone of that identity.

He said: "As Kurdish people, we are committed to our language because it defines who we are. Denying a people's language means denying its culture and history. We will never accept any attempt to erase the Kurdish language, and we will continue our struggle until it receives official recognition. It is one of the oldest languages in the region and has preserved Kurdish culture and heritage across generations."

The residents concluded by emphasizing that the names of Kurdish cities and towns are far more than geographical labels; they represent history, culture, collective memory, and a deeply rooted identity in the region. They vowed to continue defending these names and to reject any attempts to alter or erase them.

ANHA