The Kurdish Dimension of the “Arab Spring”: American and Turkish Perspectives
by Liountri Christianna
The uprisings in the Arab
world and particularly the one in Syria, has re-opened an issue that was
well-repressed in International Politics: the Kurdish one. The Kurds
[1] comprise the largest nation deprived of its own country, while the
Kurdish minorities in Syria, Turkey and Iraq lack fundamental political
rights and freedoms. The withdrawal of American troops from Iraq in
December 2011 alongside the events recorded in Syria and Iraq after the
Arab Spring have raised well-founded concerns to the Turkish leadership
regarding secessionist movements aiming at the foundation of a new
Kurdish state.
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The fact that Iraqi Kurdistan -the
southeastern part of the Iraqi federation– is financially flourishing,
thus raising within country inequality [2], along with the territorial
proximity of Kurdish parts of Syria and Iran, have led the Turkish
government to the implementation of a different strategy in terms of
both domestic and foreign policy towards the Kurdish issue. On the one
hand, the action of the internationally recognized as a terrorist
organization, PKK and the denial of the Turkish state to recognize the
Kurds as a minority in Turkey, impedes Turkey’s potential to enter the
EU.[3] On the other hand, the economic welfare and autonomy of Iraqi
Kurdistan makes it an alluring destination for the Kurds of Turkey, who
cross the borders on a daily basis. Meanwhile, a possible fall of the
Assad regime – which Turkey hastily condemned the moment after the
risings in Syria started, will most likely result to the recognition of a
constitutional status of autonomy to the Kurdish minority of Syria. [4]
Within this framework, the Turkish
government has decided to alter its strategy: it refuses dialogue with
the PKK but she now considers the Party of Peace and Democracy, which
represents the Kurds and occupies 34 seats in the Turkish Parliament, as
her co-speaker on the issue. [5] Furthermore, the Turkish government
carefully deals with the new Constitution, the first civilian one to be
created following a popular mandate after the referendum of 2010, which
will attribute much greater role to democratic procedures and political
institutions so that the much needed conditions of negotiation be
created. Without a doubt, as a sine quo non is considered the
condemnation of PKK from PPD. As far as it concerns the Kurdish issue,
the Constitution bares a twofold interpretation: firstly, the way that
it will treat the Kurdish minority will be a model for the proper
management of minorities for the other Arab countries that are on the
process of reforming their constitutions; secondly, it will facilitate
the country’s accession to the EU.[6]
more see..
http://www.defencegreece.com/index.php/2012/12/the-kurdish-dimension-of-the-arab-spring-american-and-turkish-perspectives/
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