ANKARA - Another support came from the prison for the campaign launched with the demand that Kurdish should be the official and educational language. In a letter they wrote to the EU, the women imprisoned in the Sincan Women's Closed Prison said: “Language is the existence of a people. As the EU, do not ignore this truth anymore. We want our language to be recognized and officialized on an international basis.’’

 

The assimilation practices on the Kurdish language are gradually becoming a permanent policy. Kurdish, which was officially denied in the 90s, is now assimilated by different policies. The Kurdish Language Platform and the Kurdish Language Network launched a campaign on February 21, World Mother Tongue Day, demanding that Kurdish be the official and educational language. In addition, with the same demand, the Kurdish Language Movement (HezKurd) also drew attention to the importance of mother tongue with a petition they started.

 

HezKurd also applied to UNESCO to have Kurdish as the language of instruction, and UNESCO replied, "We warn the states, the demand for education in mother tongue is legitimate". While thousands of people sign the ongoing petition campaign, this number is increasing day by day.

 

Political prisoners held in Sincan Women's Closed Prison wrote a letter to the European Union (EU) to support the ongoing mother language campaign.

 

The letter sent by prisoner women to the EU is as follows:

 

"The reason why we write to you is that you focus on the assimilation policies on the Kurdish language and that Kurdish is the official language in the international arena.

 

Language is the existence of a people

 

One of the main problems we have as the Kurdish people today is the assimilation policies on the Kurdish language. As you know, language is emotion, thought, morality, identity and the existence of a people. This world heritage is the responsibility of all humanity. Because language is the world cultural heritage. The understanding of the nation-state wants to destroy our language, but the more we protect our language, the more we will prevent the understanding of the nation-state. The biggest policy carried out on the Kurdish people is assimilation and destruction policies on their language and culture. Especially in the age of capitalist modernity, these policies continue to be carried out by the nation-states with the heaviest methods.

 

You have to deny yourself and your language to get status

 

It is known that there are more than 40 million Kurds in the world. 40 million Kurds spread across four parts of Kurdistan and the world. Today, not all Kurdish people live together. Kurdistan or Mesopotamia has a very important place in human history. The first shaping of human history takes place in Mesopotamia. Hundreds of peoples live on these lands due to the richness and productivity of its geography. All culture, religion, identity, and languages were created here, and the development of humanity began in this land. The Kurdish people have about 15,000 years of history and maybe more. These people live on the borders of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria. Therefore, the Kurdish people are known by their identity and speak, write, and read in their language. To live, develop and gain status, he must first deny himself and his language. This is what is ordained for us.

The nation-state understanding is on monism. Like one state, one nation, one religion and one language. However, like many languages, our language and identity are not accepted. Today, the sign of wealth in developed countries such as Europe and America are the coexistence of different colors. Like Babylon, known as the "homeland of 72 nations".

 

Yes to integration but no to assimilation

 

20 million Kurds live in Turkey alone. Being a Kurd is being denied day by day in Turkey, and the tyranny and cruelty of the Turkish state is increasing day by day. The only policy that has been officially carried out in the last century is the Eastern Reform Plan. The Eastern Reform Plan, implemented in 1925, is being implemented as an assimilation especially on the Kurdish people and their mother tongue. Articles 14 and 17 highlight the pressure on language. It says in its content, "Speaking Kurdish is completely prohibited and those who speak Kurdish have been punished in an inhumane way." This plan continues from that day to the present. Also in 2008, the Turkish Prime Minister said "Yes to integration but no to assimilation" in Germany. In the same year, he said "Assimilation is a crime against humanity" in Berlin. While the same Prime Minister defends the rights of Turkish in European countries, he also assimilates Kurdish in his own country. In this way, we can list many persecution practices. Resisting language assimilation is the truth of the peoples.

 

Do not ignore this truth

 

The right to education in the mother tongue is also included in international law. This right is blocked both openly and covertly in this country. The Kurdish people have an honorable struggle to keep their language alive. As the EU, do not ignore this truth any longer. This is your duty for conscience, science, and social. We want our language to be recognized and formalized internationally."