Kurds stuck between Syrian rock and Turkish hard place
Kurds arrived in Syria between 1516 and 1922 during the Ottoman period, when the Kurmanji-speaking Kurdish tribe was deported to areas of northern Syria from Anatolia. In 1920, the Treaty of Sevres stipulated the Ottoman Kurdistan to grant autonomy to the areas inhabited by the Kurds (presently in Syria). However, reforms ushered by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk changed everything. Turkey made substantial territorial gains during his time and the Treaty of Sevres made way for the Treaty of Lausanne, which was signed in 1923, and had no mention of a Kurdish state.
Today, the Syrian Kurds represent 15 per cent of the Syrian population (their estimated number is between 1.6 and 2.5 million). They have established a semi-autonomous administration in northern and eastern Syria — territories that are rich in oil, water, and agricultural resources — and they remain committed to Syria. The official statements of the Syrian Democratic Forces have always emphasised on terms such as self-administration but never mentioned secession from Syria.
It is, therefore, important that Kurdish leadership plays smart and strikes an agreement with the Syrian government. It would allow the Kurds regional autonomy while staying under the government’s guardianship. Kurds have everything to gain from this alliance. Most importantly, it will protect them from the Turkish threats of invasion. The Syrian government will benefit by gaining access to the rich oil fields of the Kurdish region.
During the last eight years, Kurds have done their best to avoid any direct clash with the Syrian official army, having foreseen the need to maintain good relations with the Assad regime. In fact, Kurds have helped the Syrian government fight Daesh and weed
Kurds have done their best to avoid any direct clash with the Syrian official army, having foreseen the need to maintain good relations with the Assad regime.
out its presence in all the territories. The world, and the Syrian regime, today are celebrating victory over Daesh and they owe this achievement to the heroic Kurds. Without teh support of Kurds, the extremist group could have continued to advance its caliphate all over the region and spread its tentacles to other countries such as Lebanon and Jordan.
Yet, the Kurds have suffered decades of marginalisation and oppression in the region. They have been consistently demanding recognition of their cultural and political rights. And their demands seem fair. Come to think of it, one million people from Kosovo have the right to decide their own fate, but over 40 million Kurds do not even have the freedom for basic acts such as teaching their language in schools, registering children with Kurdish names, publishing books in Kurdish.
The Syrian Kurds want the right to self-govern. However, there are many external factors that are working against them. Turkey, for instance, fears change in their own country if Kurds gain autonomy in Syria. Its Kurdish citizens would then demand similar rights and ask for change.
After decades of oppression, the Syrian Kurds stand at a crossroads in the region’s history. Their leaders need to make smart strategic moves because any faux pas could cost them dearly.