Our Statements

december 06, 2021

We Greet the Protests of the Students in South Kurdistan

Since November 21, the students of South Kurdistan have been protesting for the fulfilment of their legitimate demands and have refused to distance themselves from their demands despite immense pressure and numerous attacks. As the KCK Education Committee we salute the students’ protests.

For centuries, the culture and language of our people have been destroyed and a physical genocide has been committed against it. As in the other parts of Kurdistan, our people in South Kurdistan have never stopped defending their language and culture. In the course of this, it has made heavy sacrifices. Therefore, the right to education in one’s mother tongue, which is valid in South Kurdistan, is one of the greatest achievements of our South Kurdish people. This right was only won through immense sacrifices. For its defense and promotion, it is therefore necessary to remove all obstacles that stand in the way of the education of our children and youth and to prevent the field of education from becoming a fighting arena for the different parties.

With their protests, which have been ongoing since November 21, the students want to achieve the payment of their scholarships, the improvement of the unhealthy living conditions in the student dormitories and, above all, the abolition of the unequal treatment of students who do not support any of the existing parties. With this aim, protests have been taking place in Ranya, Koyê, Halepçe, Hewlêr, Qeladızê, Süleymaniye, Kıfri, Seyidsadıq and many other places since then. Instead of treating them with respect, there were attacks on our youth and future and arrests.

Especially the representatives of the government of South Kurdistan, but also the Ministry of Education, the Minister of Higher Education and the Minister of Finance have had to realize by now that they are dealing with a determined student uprising. They must recognize the ongoing protests as an expression of democratic and legitimate demands, initiate the necessary changes and improvements, and thus fulfill the duties given to them by our people.

The Kurdish youth can look back on a rich legacy of struggle. Ignoring the protests that have been going on for a month and simply remaining silent in the face of the justified demands will not stop the Kurdish youth. Neither will it succeed in covering up all the existing unjustified measures.

We therefore call upon all responsible institutions to use the authority given to them by the people to represent the interests of the people and the youth – the future of all of us – and to promptly meet the demands of the students. Accordingly, we would like to remind the relevant institutions once again that this is both their duty and a necessity.

KCK Education Committee