Popular support in Jazira for KNK move toward UN legal recognition of Kurdish people

People’s initiatives in the cities of “Amuda, Qamishlo, Tirbespiye, Çil Agha, Girkê Legê, and Derik” in the Jazira region issued a joint statement today regarding the outcomes of the 24th General Assembly of the KNK, which was held on June 6–7, calling for the legal recognition of the Kurdish people and for guaranteeing the Kurdish people’s place within the United Nations.

In Qamishlo, the statement was read in front of the UNHCR building in the presence of representatives of political movements, women’s organizations, and city institutions. The statement was read in Kurdish by teacher Perivan Mahmoud, and in Arabic by the co-chair of the Council of Families of Martyrs in Jazira, Masoum Hassan.

In Amuda, the statement was delivered by the local popular initiative in the city at Martyr Jihad Square and read by Kurdish language teacher Hemrin Mohammed Khair Ali, in the presence of representatives of city institutions, political parties, and women’s movements.

In Çil Agha, the statement was read in front of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) center by council member Sidra Younes in Kurdish, in the presence of representatives of city institutions, political parties, and women’s movements.

In Derik, the statement was read in front of the Martyrs’ Families Council building by teacher Bahar Hassan, in the presence of representatives of city institutions.

In Tirbespiye, the statement was read by the co-chair of the city council, Mezhgin Lazgin, in front of the municipal council building in the presence of representatives of local institutions and women’s movements.

In Girkê Legê, the statement was read by teacher Nasreen Hadi at Martyr Khabat Square in the presence of representatives of city institutions and political parties.

In Tel Tamr, it was read by city council member Abdulrahman Mohammed and teacher Hevidar Mohammed Ali in the Martyrs’ Families Council garden, with the participation of civil society organizations, political party representatives, and local residents.

The statement read as follows:

“On June 6–7, during its 24th General Assembly, the KNK decided to submit an application to the United Nations for the Kurdish people to gain legal recognition and acceptance at the global level.

Over the past 200 years, the Kurdish people across the four parts of Kurdistan have faced numerous massacres, Anfal campaigns, displacement, forced migration, and policies of assimilation and cultural repression. Due to the lack of legal recognition of the Kurds, they were left entirely alone throughout this period and were treated as if they did not exist in their homeland, which spans thousands of years of history. They were even treated as foreigners and faced the risk of extermination and erasure.

The UN also bears part of the responsibility for this history, as it only recognizes the existence of states and does not accept peoples without their own state. This has enabled existing states to suppress and oppress the peoples under their control. As a result of these policies, many ancient peoples were exterminated or disappeared, and their languages, cultures, and traditions were erased.

As the Kurdish people, we have survived and continued our existence thanks to centuries of struggle, and we demand recognition of our legal existence as well. The United Nations itself describes the Kurds as the largest stateless people in the world.

Accordingly, they must have rights and legal status so they can present their demands, problems, and political positions to the world.

For all these reasons, we, as residents, declare our support for the decision of the KNK to submit an application to the United Nations. We call for the Kurdish people to be legally recognized and for their place within the United Nations to be guaranteed.”

A-H 

ANHA