Turkey’s unresolved Kurdish conflict has cost $4.2 trillion, experts argued at a panel in Turkey’s Kurdish-majority Diyarbakır (Amed) province on Saturday.
The panel, organised by the Dicle Social Research Centre (DİTAM), was titled “What does the lack of resolution in the Kurdish issue cost Turkey?” It featured sessions on the economic impacts of and international relations affected by the unresolved Kurdish issue.
Experts argued that Turkey’s approach to the Kurdish question has deepened economic inequalities and strained relations with NATO and the US. Academics and local leaders criticised what they described as insincere government policies that prioritise security spending over development in Kurdish regions.
Economist Erol Katırcıoğlu said that “defence and public order allocations are significantly higher in Kurdish provinces”, adding that this has only widened regional economic inequalities since 2013. “The unresolved Kurdish issue forces the state to prioritise security spending in Kurdish regions,” he said. “This economic inequality…reveals insincerity in the government’s approach to finding a resolution.” Katırcıoğlu cited recent studies showing that investments in Kurdish areas are lower than in others, calling this “a clear example of economic discrimination.”
President of the Diyarbakır Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mehmet Kaya pointed to the toll defence and public order policies have taken on local industries, especially agriculture. “Restrictions in the name of ‘security’ are among the biggest obstacles to livestock farming in rural areas,” Kaya explained. Commenting on the restrictive trade policies with the government of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, he said, “While on the one hand they talk about boosting exports, at the same time they impose restrictions that block progress.” Kaya estimated Turkey’s losses due to the PKK conflict at $4.2 trillion, commenting, “Without the war, these funds would have remained in the national treasury.”
In another session, academic Serhun Al linked the government’s increasingly authoritarian policies to tensions over the Kurdish issue, saying, “Turkey has become one of the world’s most backsliding countries in terms of democracy.” Al noted that the unresolved Kurdish issue has also led to strains with NATO and the US, particularly due to American support for Kurdish forces in Syria. “The Kurdish role in the fight against ISIS has strengthened ties with the West, which in turn has strained Turkey’s alliances,” he said.
Journalist and historian Faik Bulut urged Kurdish communities to focus on diplomacy, pointing to the need for international engagement. “Turkey’s approach to the Kurds has been inconsistent,” Bulut said, adding that Kurdish leaders should “prioritise diplomacy and seize opportunities to engage internationally.” Bulut cited historic examples, such as the establishment of Kurdish radio in Cairo, as models for proactive diplomatic efforts.
The panel concluded with a question-and-answer session, offering insights into the domestic and international stakes surrounding Turkey’s policies on the Kurdish issue.
