Girkê Legê residents reject Arabization of Kurdish city, village names in Rojava

The Girkê Legê City Council issued a statement today condemning the use of Arabized names for Kurdish cities, in the presence of members of institutions in the city. The statement was read before the city council by council member Riva Murad.

The statement said: “The January 29 agreement aims to build a new Syria based on partnership among all its components. However, the continued use of Arabized names for Kurdish cities, particularly referring to the city of Kobani as ‘Ayn al-Arab,’ contradicts the principles of the agreement and the spirit of coexistence.”

The statement pointed out that policies of Arabizing the names of Kurdish cities and towns are not new, but rather an extension of the approach adopted by the Baath regime, which sought to erase Kurdish identity by changing the historical and geographical names of Kurdish regions.

It explained that the names of cities are not merely geographical labels, but represent a part of history, culture, and identity, emphasizing that Kurdish names carry a civilizational heritage that should not be altered or replaced.

The statement called on the transitional government to officially recognize the original Kurdish names and adopt them in all official documents, institutions, and maps, considering this a legitimate right that aligns with the principles of justice and equality among all components of Syria.

It also called for restoring the name Kobani instead of “Ayn al-Arab” and reinstating all historical Kurdish names that were subjected to Arabization, stressing that the success of any process to build a democratic Syria requires respecting the national and cultural rights of the Kurdish people and moving away from policies of exclusion and denial.

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ANHA