A new era begins today, it has opened the door to moving from an armed struggle to a democratic struggle. No weapons but political struggle. It’s the beginning of a new era”. Abdullah Ocalan, leader of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), 21/03/13. Since 1984, when the Marxist-Leninist Kurdish political party the PKK launched the armed struggle against the Turkish goverment, more than 40,000 people have died. Violence and oppresion have hit at the core of the eastern Turkey regions’ social fabric, impacting education and business, stalling growth and progress. In eastern and southeastern Anatolia, socioeconomic development has been virtually nonexistant. Kurdish society calls for full recognition of their identity by the Turkish government. Meanwhile, Kurdish minorities in Iraq and Syria have been increasing in power. A new era has still to come. Social, political and economic factors have contributed so far to alienate the Kurdish minority in Turkey, and the eastern and southeastern regions of Turkey still live below the poverty line, while the Turkish economy is among the fastest growing in the world.
A new era begins today, it has opened the door to moving from an armed struggle to a democratic struggle. No weapons but political struggle. It’s the beginning of a new eraâ€. Abdullah Ocalan, leader of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), 21/03/13.
Since 1984, when the Marxist-Leninist Kurdish political party the PKK launched the armed struggle against the Turkish goverment, more than 40,000 people have died. Violence and oppresion have hit at the core of the eastern Turkey regions’ social fabric, impacting education and business, stalling growth and progress.
In eastern and southeastern Anatolia, socioeconomic development has been virtually nonexistant. Kurdish society calls for full recognition of their identity by the Turkish government. Meanwhile, Kurdish minorities in Iraq and Syria have been increasing in power.
A new era has still to come. Social, political and economic factors have contributed so far to alienate the Kurdish minority in Turkey, and the eastern and southeastern regions of Turkey still live below the poverty line, while the Turkish economy is among the fastest growing in the world.