Dicle Demhat 

 

KOBANÊ - Emphasizing the importance of the struggle for the Kurdish language, Fırat Region Ministry of Education co-chair Peyman Ebdirehman said: "Everyone should have education in their mother tongue". Kobanê University co-chair Şirin Müslüm said that her biggest dream came true, pointing to the role of the university in the development of language.

 

May 15, the day when Celadet Alî Bedirxan's first Kurdish journal to be published in 1932 with the Latin alphabet, ‘Hawar’ started its publication life, is celebrated as the Kurdish Language Day every year. The Kurdish language, which has historical importance in the Middle East and includes Kurmanjî, Soranî, Kelhorî, Lekî, Kirmancikî and Hewramî dialects, has faced assimilation, genocide, corruption, and different policies.

 

Language campaigns from time to time have also been included in the struggle for the Kurdish language, which includes TV channels and radios, in the face of oppression.

 

Peyman Ebdirehman, co-chair of the Ministry of Education of the Fırat Region, and Şirin Müslüm, co-Chair of Kobanê University, evaluated their education systems and the importance of the Kurdish language against the assimilation policies that have survived to preserve the language due to the May 15 Kurdish Language Day.

 

Saying, ‘Every people is known for their language and culture,’ Peyman said that people who do not speak their mother tongue live far from their culture and traditions. Peyman said: "Language is an identity for peoples. As in all states, the Kurdish people faced oppression and assimilation in these lands because of the Ba'ath regime in Syria. Just as speaking Kurdish is now prohibited in Turkey and other states, it was also in Syrian territory at that time. In today's era, speaking Kurdish is forbidden in Turkey and other countries. Neither in schools nor public places, the public cannot speak Kurdish in their language. Many politicians were arrested for speaking Kurdish in the parliament and it was written as an unknown language in the minutes. It shows Turkey's opposition to the Kurdish people and language. It is also the case with the Iranian regime. Today, dozens of people are arrested and tried by execution. Zera Muhemed is also on trial for teaching Kurdish in Iran today."

 

Assimilation continues

 

Saying that the schools in Serekaniye, Efrîn and Gre Spî are given Turkish education and the names of the schools are Turkish, Peyman said: "They are trying to politicize a people with a single language and a single identity. Before these areas were occupied, peoples were educated in their mother tongue" and drew attention to assimilation policies.

 

‘Kurds have an identity in their language’

 

Noting that another issue that developed with the Rojava revolution is the Kurdish language, Peyman stated that Kurds in Northern and Eastern Syria now have an identity in their language. Peyman said: "We started lessons in Kurdish from primary education. We have universities now. During the Syrian regime, we had difficulties because we read Arabic. But since the language we use at home and school, we do not have difficulties."

 

‘Language is identity’

 

Saying that Kurdish lessons have started to be given to the people, especially children, in Kobane since 2011 under the leading of Viyan Amara, Peyman continued: "With the education that started with one person at that time, a language institution was opened with the participation of thousands of people today. Our first teachers are students trained by Viyan Amara. Currently, we have 6000 students and 3500 teachers. It started with the first letters of the Kurdish alphabet. General Kurdish lessons are given in our high schools and universities today. Since there are both Kurdish and Arab people in the Fırat Region, everyone has an education in their native language. Our schools are in Kurdish or Arabic, depending on the fields. We can say that it is half and half. Since the people living in Kobanê are Kurds, Kurdish education is given in our schools. But there are very few Arab people and we have opened two private classes for them, they take Arabic lessons. As we said at the beginning, language is identity. Because of this, everyone should have an education in their mother tongue."

 

‘There will be celebrations this year as well’

 

Noting that they will organize some actions and activities this year due to the May 15 Kurdish Language Day, Peyman shared these events with the following words: "I congratulate all the Kurdish people, students, teachers and writers on the Kurdish Language Day in the first place. We celebrate this day with different events every year. For example, we organize seminars and distribute brochures to emphasize the importance of the Kurdish language. We have special celebrations both in schools and academies. This year, we will distribute brochures to all institutions and councils. At the same time, according to the North and East Syrian Ministry of Education, the school reports of the students should have been distributed on May 9. But for the meaning and importance of today, to announce the existence of Kurdish education, we will change the date of May 9 and give the school reports of our students on May 15, and there will be special celebrations in all schools."

 

‘The main language we use in education is Kurdish’

 

Saying that she had the opportunity to study in their mother tongue together with Kobanê University and thus her dream came true, Şirin Müslüm summarized the work done since the opening of the university as follows: "Kobanê University was opened on October 12, 2017. She started with the departments of Kurdish literature and ecology at that time. This year is our fourth year and we will have our first graduates. This is a great source of morale for us. While our only dream is to know a Kurdish letter, we have universities today and they will be their first graduates. This is part of the revolution. Over the years, we have been taught in different languages everywhere. It was very difficult for us, the Kurdish people. This university has become an experience and a source of strength both for the Kurdish people and for us. The first and main language we use in education is Kurdish. We see our education and training in Kurdish. To some extent, we gathered as a university and met the needs of our students. Of course, we had difficulties when it first occurred. While our teachers struggled to teach in Kurdish, they were not at the university level. But over time, these gaps were filled. 315 students are studying at Kobanê University in 2020-2021. Since they read in their mother tongue, they have reached a certain and desired level. As the Kurdish people, it has been our greatest source of strength that our universities provide education in their mother tongue."

 

‘Students attend classes with great interest’

 

Emphasizing the importance of the Kurdish Language Day, Şirin finally said: "Hawar journal has made a great contribution to the development of Kurdish Language and Literature. Our students also attend classes with great interest. Last year we were going to accept 30 student applications, but we accepted 35 students with the intensive demand of the students. Applications are very intense. We have 100 students studying Kurdish Literature. Due to the conditions we live in, our teachers will now take part in our schools with their university degrees. On this basis, we celebrate the May 15 Kurdish Language Day every year with great enthusiasm. Our preparations have been incomplete this year due to the pandemic. But we are making our preparations for this day with a committee we have formed. We will have a celebration, we will have knowledge contests. We congratulate all Kurdish people, writers, and students on May 15 Kurdish Language Day."