AMED - The Kurdish Language Platform, which conveyed its demands to the parties before the elections, called for "Kurdish language and identity is the red line. The Kurdish language should be a common criterion for all candidates."

 

Platforma Zimanê Kurdî (Kurdish Language Platform) held a press conference at the Southeast Journalists' Association regarding their demands for the 2023 elections. Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Amed Provincial Co-Chairs Zeyyat Ceylan and Gülistan Atasoy, Kurdish Writers' Association Co-chair Sultan Yaray and many party representatives attended the meeting.

 

'EITHER DENIAL OR ACCEPTANCE'

 

Kurdish Language Platform Spokesperson Şerefxan Cizirî pointed to the upcoming May elections and touched on its social and political meaning and importance. Stating that all political parties offer solutions for Kurdistan and Turkey, Cizirî said: “This policy will either resolutely favor a solution, peace, dialogue, freedom, democracy and equality, or the policy of the Republic of Turkey against the Kurdish people for a century will continue. Either the denial, assimilation and ignoring of the Kurds will continue or the status of the Kurdish people will be accepted."

 

'OUR LANGUAGE IS KURDISH, OUR LAND IS KURDISTAN'

 

Underlining that they do not accept racist election campaigns full of multifaceted and wide-ranging assimilation ideas and propositions that ignore the language and identity of the Kurds, Cizirî said: “The main question for us in the 2023 elections will be; Either the Kurds will regain their own language and identity and become free and equal citizens, or mutual rejection, bondage, racism and arrogance will continue. In this context, the position of the Kurdish Language Platform is very clear; Kurdish language and identity is a red line for us. Everyone and political parties should know this fact well; We are Kurds, our language is Kurdish and our homeland is Kurdistan."

 

'THERE IS NO LIFE WITHOUT A TONGUE'

 

Cizirî listed the Kurdish Language Platform's demands for the 2023 elections as follows: “The language of education, from kindergartens to primary and secondary schools, and even to universities, should be Kurdish. All names in the villages, cities, neighborhoods and streets of Kurdistan must be in Kurdish. Personnel working in official institutions and municipalities of Northern Kurdistan must be able to read, write and speak Kurdish. Sermons should be read in Kurdish in regional mosques. For the realization of these wishes, an official Kurdish Language Institution should be established and a budget should be allocated to it. In the elections in our region, parliamentary and municipal candidates must know Kurdish. The Kurdish language should be a common criterion for all candidates to participate in the elections in our region. During the election process, Kurdish must be well visible in all activities. We demand that all Kurdish candidates speak in Kurdish, make discussions, participate in meetings, conferences and panels, and shout slogans in Kurdish. There is no life without a tongue, and life is beautiful in Kurdish.”