Kurdish population who have migrated in the west Turkey should also be taken seriously and the Kurdish political movement should not be limited to Kurdish geography, said Economist Mustafa Sonmez.
Kurdish problem cannot be handled with economical development and investments.
Speaking to ANF economist and writer Mustafa Sonmez said it is a mistake to consider Kurdish problem as result of mere economical problems. Sonmez also stated that Kurdish problem cannot only be handled with economic precautions such as development and investment. “Kurdish demands for democratic rights and their struggle for these rights deserve to be respected.” added Sonmez.
Sonmez also stated that Kurdish struggle for democratic rights should not be limited to Kurdish cities because in our time Kurds are living not only in 21 Kurdish cities but all over Turkey. He said according to the address-based census of 2009 the number of the persons who were born in 21 Kurdish cities amounts to 18, 5 million which constitutes 25, 6 % of Turkey’s population.
He further added that 7, 5 million Kurds which constitute 40, 5 % of the 18, 5 million Kurdish population are not living in Kurdish cities but in western, central and southern Anatolia where they migrated to. In other words, 7 million of these 7, 5 million Kurds are actually living in 17 big cities in Turkey.
Sonmez also stated that it is significant that 3, 2 million of those 7, 5 million Kurds who are living out of Kurdish cities are based in Istanbul. Therefore, Sonmez agrees on the statement that says Istanbul is the biggest Kurdish city in the world.
After Istanbul, the Cukurova region on the east coast of Mediterranean where the cities Adana and Mersin are have 850 Kurdish population. Including the Kurds in Antep this number reaches 1 million 150 thousand which makes up 23 % of the total populations of these three cities.
750 thousand Kurdish population living in Izmir also makes up almost 20 % of the whole population in Izmir.
Kurdish political movement should not be limited to Kurdish cities
Reminding the population statistics Sonmez also said in many countries ethnic identities are living in a certain area, such as Basque and Catalans in Spain. He however thinks that this situation does not apply the Kurds living in Turkey and therefore the Kurdish struggle should be more widespread. “40 % of the Kurdish population is living in the West which is a fact that should not be ignored. Kurdish problem is not a regional problem. It is problem which interests not only the Kurds but also each part of Turkey, each one who defines himself as a democrat Turk.” added Sonmez.
CHP is denying the Kurdish identity by resorting economical problems
Mustafa Sonmez also says CHP and businessmen consider underdeveloped economy in Kurdish city as the main reason for the Kurdish problem. He also said that these groups think that the PKK is deceived the population suffering poverty and the youth are joining the guerrillas. However, this approach is a result of denying and undermining the Kurdish identity.
Giving Catalonia and Basque regions as example Sonmez said the struggle for ethnic identity does not develop only in poor regions, Catalonia is the richest region in Spain and they have conducted an identity struggle which resulted in autonomy.
He also said, if the Kurds were not originating under-developed South East but developed South Marmara region yet there would be a struggle for national identity which has nothing to do with economical problems.
Seasonal Kurdish workers are considered as potential criminals
Mustafa Sonmez also emphasized the discrimination faced by the seasonal Kurdish workers who are going to out of Kurdish regions to work in the fields and said the attacks and discrimination against the seasonal workers are reaching dangerous levels and getting organised around trade unions can be a solution. “Agricultural workers who are trying hard to earn their bread to are being abused. But what equally grave is that the officials are proposing camps like concentration camps in order to prevent such abuses. These workers are considered as potential criminals and threat. Such an approach is inhumane and is not compatible with brotherhood of the people. However, trade unions can represent these workers, irrespective of their ethnicity, and democratic NGO’s and political parties can also support these unions.” added Sonmez.
ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
