Şehriban Aslan

 

DİYARBAKIR - This year, the Kurdish language welcomes the International Mother Language Day, first announced by UNESCO in 1999, observed throughout the world each year on February 21 with bans. Language teacher Roza Metina commented on monistic policies of the AKP government, which closed all schools that offered Kurdish language education following the declaration of the state of emergency. “The aim is to raise a generation speaking only a language,” said Roza.

 

The International Mother Language Day, first announced by UNESCO in 1999, observed throughout the world each year on February 21 is welcomed in Kurdistan with bans this year. While peoples in many countries observe this day freely, the Kurdish language is still in the grip of monism and assimilation. The Kurdish language has been ignored in Turkey, where millions of Kurdish people live. The state is mobilizing its entire means to make the Kurdish language to be forgotten.  As the Kurdish language is still written as “X” (unknown language) in court records, the schools opened by the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) with the aim of teaching the Kurdish language to the children in Kurdistan have been closed down. Dibistana Sertayî ya Ferzad Kemanger (Ferzad Kemanger Primary School), the first school offering Kurdish language education in Turkey opened on September 14, 2014, was closed down by the order of the AKP government claiming they don’t have any problem with the Kurdish language. The school had 238 students and it was closed down on October 9, 2016.

 

The teachers working for a kindergarten called “Zarokîstan” that opened by Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality and offers the Kurdish language education were fired. Kurdish teacher Roza Metîna is one of fired teachers. Roza pointed out how the mother language was important for all people and she said, “When we look at the four parts of Kurdistan, the Kurdish people’s mother language Kurdish is under pressure. In Northern Kurdistan, the conditions of the state of emergency put pressure on the Kurdish language. Zarokîstan was opened by Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality and English, Kurdish and Turkish lessons were given there. The Kurds are often facing the difficulties in defending their native language. Zarokîstan also served for the native language. After the appointment of the trustee to the municipality, the teachers working for the Zarokîstan were fired and the children get depressed.”

 

Roza reminded Celalet Eli Bedirxan’s words saying, “Mother language is like water and land for people” and she said, “We should stand up for our water and land.”