Karayılan warns against undermining January 29 agreement, stresses protecting mother-tongue education

Karayılan took part in a special program on Stêrk TV on the occasion of Kurdish Language Day, where he discussed attacks targeting the Kurdish people and ways to protect the mother tongue.

The interview text was as follows:

The Kurdish people celebrate Kurdish Language Day on May 15. To begin with, what would you like to say about this day?

“First of all, I respectfully greet all our people and viewers.

Kurdish Language Day is undoubtedly an important occasion because our language and culture still face serious threats and challenges. Celebrating this day is not merely symbolic, but an essential necessity. The occasion must be given its true meaning and celebrated in a manner worthy of the value and importance of the language. Marking such days contributes to advancing the struggle for the language and opens the way for new steps and initiatives in this field. Therefore, it carries great significance. In this context, I congratulate all activists working for the Kurdish language, everyone engaged in this field, and all patriotic members of our people. Many individuals have made special efforts for the language, and some continue this work to this day. Even the guerrilla fighters in the mountains play a role in protecting and defending the language. The language has reached the mountain peaks, and they too contribute to preserving and safeguarding it. In other words, this is a broad and collective cause.

Language is a national value, and the national struggle serves the language at the same time. Those who work directly and specifically for the language and dedicate their efforts to it perform work as valuable as that of the fighters. Figures such as Celadet Ali Bedirxan and Muhammed Emin Bozarslan made major and significant contributions. Serving the language and developing the Kurdish alphabet and Kurdish literature are invaluable achievements. We must always remember these efforts and never forget those who devoted their lives to them. In this context, I express my gratitude to everyone continuing the struggle for the Kurdish language. Everyone who has contributed to developing the language, whether in our history or today, holds an esteemed place. I remember the martyrs of the language cause, especially activist Ferhad Kurtay, with respect and reverence, and I renew the commitment we made to them on this occasion.”

What is the relationship between language and humanity throughout history?

“There is a close relationship between language and humanity in the progress of civilization. As human beings think, their ideas and awareness develop, and language evolves gradually alongside that process, becoming a means for the advancement of humanity. As human life progresses, social interaction emerges, allowing people to exchange experiences with one another. Language plays a fundamental and essential role in the development of humanity, civilization, and culture. For this reason, humanity and language are deeply interconnected. Life develops through language, depth is formed, and knowledge emerges. Language is knowledge, beauty, and the meaning of life. It nurtures all these aspects within itself. Moral values deepen as language develops. In this sense, the values of humanity, its formation, and its integration with history were all shaped through language. Therefore, language is sacred. Just as the values of humanity have their own sanctity, language also possesses its own existence and sanctity. Every sentence and every word in a language is formed over thousands of years. Imagine that early humans knew nothing; through the sounds of water and nature, language slowly evolved, and sentences gradually formed. Who knows how many years, hundreds or thousands, it took for every sentence to come into being? Therefore, every sentence has its own meaning, and every word has its own importance and sanctity.

Another issue is that humanity today is witnessing the formation of a new language and a different vision upon which nations are built. Language occupies a central place in the nation-building process and forms its fundamental pillar. When examining the elements upon which nations are based, language comes first. A nation must possess its own independent language, culture, and literature. In short, language has immense importance in the existence of nations. A nation that cannot protect its language cannot protect its existence. Language is the first line of defense in protecting a nation. If language disappears, everything else disappears with it.” 

In Rojava, beginning in Kobani, then Tel Tamr, and recently in Hasakah, forces affiliated with the interim government attempted to remove Kurdish signs and replace them with Arabic signs. How do you evaluate this?

“What happened in Hasakah is exceptional. It appears that certain parties are involved. It resembles a political and intelligence-driven intervention as part of a deliberate plan, and it should be approached cautiously. As is known, an agreement was reached. The January 29 agreement, to some extent, protects the gains of the Kurdish people and certain democratic values. It is clear that some parties seek gradually to empty this agreement of its substance. There are political calculations and plans in places such as Hasakah and Kobani. Generally, they do not want full implementation of the agreement but rather seek to undermine it. Therefore, this matter must be approached carefully.

In Rojava and parts of North and East Syria, education in the mother tongue has been practiced for 14 years. This is an achievement for our people and should not be abandoned. The struggle must continue through political and diplomatic means. Great sacrifices were made for this, and many martyrs gave their lives. Accepting the cancellation of 14 years of education and settling for only a few hours of Kurdish-language instruction should not be accepted. That would be a concession. If the interim government does not want to reproduce the Baathist system in one form or another, it must refrain from such actions.

The right to education in the Kurdish mother tongue is a legitimate, universal, and human right. Our people are determined on this issue. However, there are other parties intervening. To speak clearly, the Turkish state should not interfere in Syria’s internal affairs. The model it seeks to impose in Syria or in Rojava constitutes unjustified interference. We also know that the January 6 conspiracy that began in Aleppo had a primary objective: to undermine the policy of the democratic nation.

This policy, developed by  Leader Abdullah Ocalan, promotes brotherhood among the peoples of the region and enables them to live together as one nation while respecting each people’s values, language, and culture. This policy strengthens the Kurdish people and supports the Kurdish revolution, which is why enemies fear it greatly. We know that intelligence agencies in many countries reached this conclusion nine or ten years ago. What is the purpose of these conspiracies? It is to provoke division and hostility among peoples in order to weaken and manipulate them. We should not be influenced by some Kurdish voices that still speak with a narrow nationalist mentality, repeating phrases such as ‘The Kurds have no friends’ or questioning the value of brotherhood among peoples. Such rhetoric directly or indirectly serves occupation policies that seek to prevent solidarity among peoples by sowing division and weakening societies to facilitate domination over them. In contrast, the policy of brotherhood and unity among peoples remains a fundamental and important strategy that must be strengthened.

Because of the events in Syria, there have been attempts to provoke hostility, but they have failed. Despite some incidents and tensions between Kurds and Arabs, those adopting extremist nationalist rhetoric attempted to fuel discord but failed to achieve their goals. These efforts continue today. Once again, we must defend the brotherhood and unity of peoples and work toward this goal. 

In Rojava in particular, people should continue using signs written in three languages: Kurdish, Arabic, and Assyrian-Syriac. There is also the Assyrian-Syriac language, and they seek to eliminate it as well. This is unacceptable. People must move forward, defend, and insist on establishing the foundations of the democratic nation. This is a struggle for democracy throughout all of Syria. Therefore, it is very important for our people to display signs everywhere — in shops, at village entrances. If there are Kurds, signs should generally be in Kurdish, and if there are others, they should be in three languages. The majority principle is essential — not the individual, but unity. What does unity mean? Does it mean excluding others? No. Democracy and the majority principle are the foundation. In this way, the enemies’ efforts can be thwarted. The bonds of brotherhood among peoples must be strengthened and consolidated. Especially today, as the Kurdish language is under attack, Arab friends as well as Assyrians and Syriacs should help protect it. All democratic peoples must adhere to the values of democracy and nations. This approach must be protected and advanced. We believe this movement is strong in Syria, deeply rooted, and capable of succeeding. The final thing I want to say is that our people have the right to education in their mother tongue and must not give it up. They should be prepared to struggle for it by all possible means. They must continue the struggle, and in this way our people will prevail.”

A-H 

ANHA