Kurdish state

Does a Kurdish state exist?

  • The Kurds are one of the world’s largest nations without their own recognized state.

  • They have inhabited vast areas of the Middle East for hundreds of years, mainly in areas of Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria.

  • The Kurds’ quest for self-determination and the creation of their own state is a topic with a long and turbulent history that is still ongoing.

Did the Kurds have their own state?

Over the centuries, the areas inhabited by the Kurds have passed under the control of various empires and states. Although there was no shortage of attempts to create an independent Kurdish state, none of them lasted permanently.

One of the more famous developments was the attempt to establish Kurdistan after World War I, when the 1920 Treaty of Sèvres provided for the creation of a Kurdish state in the area of former Ottoman lands. Unfortunately, the treaty never entered into force, and in its place came the Treaty of Lausanne (1923), which drew new borders without including a Kurdish state.

Another significant attempt was the establishment of the Mahabad Republic in 1946 in what is now Iran, which was the first Kurdish state on modern maps. Although it had the backing of the Soviet Union, the republic lasted only a few months, and was quickly dismantled by Iranian troops after the Soviet withdrawal.

Where do the Kurds live?

urds primarily reside in four countries: Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. There are an estimated 30 to 40 million of them, making them one of the largest stateless nations in the world. The areas inhabited by the Kurds are often referred to as Kurdistan, even though they are not a unified political or geographic unit.

In Turkey, where most Kurds live, they make up a significant portion of the population, especially in the southeast of the country. In Iran, Kurds live mainly in western provinces such as Kurdistan, Kermanshah and West Azerbaijan. In Iraq, the Kurds enjoy a relatively high level of autonomy through the Kurdistan Region, which is officially recognized by the Iraqi government. In Syria, meanwhile, Kurdish forces control areas in the north, forming autonomous units that gained greater independence after the civil war broke out in 2011.

How do the Kurds organize themselves?

The Kurds’ quest for autonomy or independence takes different forms, depending on the political situation in the country where they live.

Turkey

In Turkey, Kurdish independence aspirations are among the most intense, but also among the most severely repressed. For years, Turkish authorities pursued an assimilationist policy toward the Kurds, and their language and culture were banned. The situation began to change in the late 20th century, but the conflict between the Turkish government and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) continues, despite various attempts at a truce. The PKK is a political and military organization that fights for greater rights for Kurds in Turkey, and for autonomy or independence.

Iran

Kurds in Iran experience restrictions similar to those in Turkey. Their aspirations for autonomy are heavily controlled by Iranian authorities, and any attempts to organize politically or militarily are suppressed.

Iraq

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq is the most developed form of Kurdish autonomy. Since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime and the establishment of a new political system in Iraq, the Kurds in Iraqi Kurdistan have gained autonomy, have their own parliament, armed forces (Peshmerga) and control many resources, including oil.

A referendum on Kurdistan’s independence was held in 2017, with an overwhelming majority of voters supporting separation. However, the Iraqi government, as well as the international community, did not recognize the results of this referendum.

Syria

The armed conflict in Syria has given the Kurds the opportunity to take control of the northern areas of the country, which have been dubbed Rojava. Although not a state in the full sense of the word, Rojava is a de facto autonomous area with its own governance structures.

The Kurds in Syria have established a democratic system there, based on the principles of equality and cooperation between different ethnic and religious groups.

A nation without a state, but not without hope

The absence of a formal state does not mean that the Kurds are devoid of identity or national aspirations. Through various forms of political and social organization, as well as through culture, language and national solidarity, the Kurds continue their struggle for rights and recognition.

Each of the four countries is responding differently to Kurdish aspirations, and the Kurdish situation remains one of the most important and complex political issues in the Middle East.

Graphic sources:

  • Salar Arkan – سالار ارکان, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Goran_tek-en, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Dûrzan cîrano, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Fars Media Corporation, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Levi Clancy, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
  • BijiKurdistan, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Hevaldenizkaya, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons