KON-MED issued a written statement to mark 15 May, Kurdish Language Day.

In the statement KON-MED underlined that “the Turkish Republic always pursued a policy of denying and destroying the Kurdish language and culture.

Throughout the history of the Turkish Republic, the most brutal and barbarous attacks and shows of hostility against the Kurdish people have been those of the AKP-MHP fascism. They did not hesitate to do whatever they could to ensure the annihilation of the Kurdish people.”

The statement recalled that “especially in the 1970s, the entire assimilation policy against the beautiful Kurdish language was used in a highly systematized and barbaric way to ban, forbidding, humiliating and insulting Kurds. The name of the thousands of Kurdish villages in Kurdistan was changed to Turkish, and the education system, art, culture, work and public sphere belonging to the Kurdish language and culture were shut down and banned.”

Underlining the importance of establishing 15 May as the Day of the Kurdish Language, KON-MED added: “Today, the contribution of Kurdish language in the education of Kurdish in three universities in South Kurdistan as well as in Rojava and in the opening of Kurdish language and literature departments in dozens of Kurdish institutes and European universities is very important.

All our people, especially women and young people, should consider their mother tongue as a national duty and pride. Thinking in their native language, creating, speaking, writing in it should become a priority. We call on people to organise themselves to ensure the defence of the Kurdish Language.”