The Kurdish question Historical and present survey Kurdish history Kurdish nation After the end of the WWI, the Treaty of Sèvres in 1920 planned the forming of an independant Kurdish state, but it was suppressed three years later by the Treaty of Lausanne. The Allies accepted the annexion of the most part of Kurdistan to the new Turkish state,and what was remained was shared between Iran, Irak and Syria. On 1924, Turkey promulgated a law banning Kurdish schools, associations and publications. The Kurdish people's existence was denied and its language forbidden. Some hundred of thousands Kurds were deported or massacred Irak, Saddam Hussein seized the power in Bagdad in 1979 with a putsch. He was supported by Western countries (especially the USA and France) that considered him like a way to fight against Communism. The Kurds were not spared : at this time, they were considered to be directed by the Soviet Union. After that, Irakian Kurds seeked a rapprochement with Iran, and Iranian Kurds oppressed by the Shah turned to Bagdad Islamic revolution succeed in Teheran and when the war broke out with Khomeyni's Iran, Western countries considered the government of Bagdad like the vanguard of the Free World in the region and let him exterminate its Kurdish opponents, by using chemical arms. Reassured by the western support, Saddam invaded Koweit for appropriating its petrol. But in that case, he was a danger for American interests and Western Allies mobilized against him their forces, bombarding at first civilians, then Irakian army. However, Saddam stayed like a counterweight to Iran and a barrier against Communism. Since that time, Irak sustained an economical embargo leading people to misery and making thousands of victims Ithe aim to protect Kurds, a safety area was accorded to them in Northern-Irak, where they could live in autonomy, but without setting up their own state, for the strong opposition of Turkey, fearing a certain emulation in its own Kurdish population. The USA are a military warrant of the autonomous region in Northern Irak and supported in the same time the government of Ankara in its policy of repression against the Turkish Kurds. Turkey makes frequent raids in Northern Irak, with the excuse to eliminate what it remains of the PKK basis, who replied in this region since the one sided cease-fired stated by their leader, Abdullah Öcalan, in September 1999 (Abdullah Öcalan is presently condemned to capital punishment and imprisonned in Imrali island)

The Kurdish question :

historical and present survey

After the end of the WWI, the Treaty of Sèvres in 1920 planned the forming of an independant Kurdish state, but it was suppressed three years later by the Treaty of Lausanne. The Allies accepted the annexion of the most part of Kurdistan to the new Turkish state,and what was remained was shared between Iran, Irak and Syria. On 1924, Turkey promulgated a law banning Kurdish schools, associations and publications. The Kurdish people's existence was denied and its language forbidden. Some hundred of thousands Kurds were deported or massacred.

In Irak, Saddam Hussein seized the power in Bagdad in 1979 with a putsch. He was supported by Western countries (especially the USA and France) that considered him like a way to fight against Communism. The Kurds were not spared : at this time, they were considered to be directed by the Soviet Union. After that, Irakian Kurds seeked a rapprochement with Iran, and Iranian Kurds oppressed by the Shah turned to Bagdad !

The Islamic revolution succeed in Teheran and when the war broke out with Khomeyni's Iran, Western countries considered the government of Bagdad like the vanguard of the Free World in the region and let him exterminate its Kurdish opponents, by using chemical arms. Reassured by the western support, Saddam invaded Koweit for appropriating its petrol. But in that case, he was a danger for American interests and Western Allies mobilized against him their forces, bombarding at first civilians, then Irakian army. However, Saddam stayed like a counterweight to Iran and a barrier against Communism. Since that time, Irak sustained an economical embargo leading people to misery and making thousands of victims.

In the aim to protect Kurds, a safety area was accorded to them in Northern-Irak, where they could live in autonomy, but without setting up their own state, for the strong opposition of Turkey, fearing a certain emulation in its own Kurdish population. The USA are a military warrant of the autonomous region in Northern Irak and supported in the same time the government of Ankara in its policy of repression against the Turkish Kurds. Turkey makes frequent raids in Northern Irak, with the excuse to eliminate what it remains of the PKK basis, who replied in this region since the one sided cease-fired stated by their leader, Abdullah Öcalan, in September 1999 (Abdullah Öcalan is presently condemned to capital punishment and imprisonned in Imrali island).

Roxane - May 2001

Summary