Thousands in Jazira: Our language is our identity, future

Under the slogan “Our Language Is Our Identity,” the Popular Initiative in the Jazira organized a mass gathering on Tuesday to demand the right to education in Kurdish and reject limiting Kurdish-language instruction to three classes per week. The gathering was held in front of the March 12 Martyrs Stadium in Qamishlo.

Thousands of residents from cities and towns across the Jazira took part in the event, including Derik, Amuda, Derbasiyah, Jal Agha, Tel Tamer, Tirbê Spîyê, Girkê Legê, Qamishlo and Hasakah. Participants carried Kurdish flags and symbols.

They held banners reading, “Our language is our identity,” “Our languag is our future,” “The blood of martyrs protected our language,” “Our language is our dignity,” and “There is no life without language.”

The event began with a minute of silence, followed by a speech on behalf of the Popular Initiative delivered by Youssef Koti. He said, “Every plant depends on its roots, and people depend on their language. Every person rises through their language. Without language, no one can introduce themselves, no one can document their culture, and no one can say, ‘I exist.’ That is why language is our existence and identity. Every people in Syria has the right to read, write and live in their own language.”

He added, “As the Popular Initiative, we demand that our language, alongside Arabic and the languages of other communities, be recognized as an official language in a democratic, decentralized Syria. We say to the Transitional Government that three Kurdish-language classes are not enough for our children. We do not accept a Syria of one color and one people. Over 60 years of Baathist oppression and persecution, we lost our language and our existence. Therefore, we pledge that we will no longer accept this and will affirm our existence and identity through our language.”

Speaking on behalf of the Martyrs’ Families Council, Mohammed Abbas said, “On behalf of our heroic martyrs, we salute you. They made immense sacrifices for the sake of the language and history of the Kurds. We have sacrificed thousands of heroic women and men so that we could affirm our existence on the land of Mesopotamia.”

He added, “During the Rojava Revolution, we managed to establish many institutions and build a system, and we struggled greatly. Our call to the Transitional Government is to recognize and accept our language.”

Speaking on behalf of the Kongra Star, Gulistan Kelo said, “The Kurdish language is one of the gains of the Rojava Revolution and the Women’s Revolution, achieved through the efforts and sacrifices of thousands of martyrs. During the revolution, the people of this region learned the Kurdish language, all educational materials were written in Kurdish, and an entire generation grew up educated in its Kurdish mother tongue. Therefore, we no longer accept the Transitional Government’s decision. It reflects the mentality of an authoritarian state that seeks to govern the people as a single-color society. Our position, however, is that our children should be educated in their own language and that our language should be recognized as an official language in the constitution.”

Speaking on behalf of the students, student Sulafa Ali said, “As students, we grew up learning in our own language, struggling in our language and achieving success through it. We reject the government’s decision because it is not the right decision. We do not want only the Kurdish language; we want education in Kurdish.”

Speaking on behalf of the teachers, teacher Rojin Mohammed Musa said, “The government’s decision in Damascus is unjust and unfair. If the Kurdish language disappears, so will the existence, history and culture of the Kurdish people. For 15 years, teachers and students have stood their ground so that the Rojava Revolution, the revolution of the language, can prevail. We will be the custodians of our language, and every Kurd must rise with us in defense of our Kurdish language.”

Sheikh Omer, speaking on behalf of the Democratic Islam Conference, said, “All the holy books; the Torah, the Bible and the Quran, have spoken of preserving peace and security on this blessed and simple land blessed by God, and of the human right to their mother tongue. This is a legitimate right for every person before it is even a matter of law.”

He added, “Among the noble verses of the Quran is the saying of God Almighty: ‘O mankind, We created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of God is the most righteous of you.’ He also says: ‘And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your languages and your colors. Indeed, in that are signs for those who have knowledge.’ Languages, customs and traditions have existed since the creation of the Earth and will endure until the end of time. Today, it is our duty to affirm our language in Rojava as an ancient and blessed language. Today, the dream has become a reality through the blood of the martyrs and for all communities and components of Rojava. We pray to Allah that He will ensure that the language is officially documented.”

Speaking on behalf of the Armenian community, Kohar Khaja Doran said, “We must demand the right to learn in our mother tongue in our schools and to learn about our culture and history. The Armenian people, too, have been deprived of the ability to read and write, and this is due to the reduction of mother-tongue classes. What is required of us today is to rise up against those who deprive us of our rights.”

The event concluded with participants chanting slogans including, “There is no life without language.”

ANHA