Kurdish must be formally recognised as a language of Turkey and taught in educational establishments, Kurdish Writers Association Co-Chair Rêdûr Dîjle told Mezopotamya Agency on Tuesday, highlighting the cultural and existential significance of language to a community’s identity and the risks of assimilation under dominant languages.
His call to action coincides with the celebration of International Mother Language Day on 21 February, designated in 1999 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) General Conference to acknowledge and protect endangered languages.
In Turkey, Kurdish faces a continuous threat of assimilation under the country’s monolingual policy, placing it on UNESCO’s list of endangered languages, with regional Kurdish dialects ranging from ‘vulnerable’ to ‘critical’.
Dîjle articulated the intrinsic value of language as more than a mere tool for communication, embodying the collective intellect, morality and aesthetics of a community. He argued that the level of development of a language reflects the societal and cultural advancement of its people, warning that the suppression of a language leads to cultural genocide and assimilation under the dominance of a prevailing language.
Dîjle further stressed that living without a native language subjects the community to the risk of losing its identity to the hegemony of the dominant language, equating this loss to a form of colonial existence.
The co-chair criticised the ongoing bans on Kurdish slogans, statements, theatre and music, viewing the restrictions as attempts to sever the unity of the Kurdish community and eradicate its cultural identity. The Kurdish Writers Association aims to preserve and promote Kurdish culture and identity through literature, striving to make these elements visible in an authentic manner.
Dîjle called for the Kurdish public to take action to protect their language and incorporate it into all aspects of life.
International Mother Language Day is a vital marker for all oppressed languages, Dîjle reiterated, and must be used with sensitivity as a platform to amplify advocacy efforts for Kurdish as an official and educational language in Turkey.
