WAN - Representatives of the non-governmental organization, which continues the Kurdish Language Day activities in Wan, emphasized that Kurdish must be the official and educational language.

 

Every May 15th has been celebrated as "Kurdish Language Day" in Kurdistan since 2006. The events, which started with a declaration announced on May 9 this year, continue in many cities. Due to the language festival, events such as walks, panels, statements and feasts will be held in many cities today. Representatives of the non-governmental organization leading the activities in Wan want Kurdish to be the language of education.

 

BABAT: KURDISH MUST BE THE LANGUAGE OF EDUCATION

 

Lokman Babat, Organizing Secretary of Education and Science Workers' Union (Eğitim-Sen) Wan Branch, said: "It is a violation of human rights for a language not to be the language of education. There is nothing more natural than a person being educated in their own native language. Even though we are in the 21st century, the fact that Kurds still demand education in their own mother language is the biggest shortcoming and shame of the state." 

 

Stating that the policies of denial and assimilation towards the Kurds continue, "In this process, the Kurds first struggled for existence and nonexistence and got themselves accepted. Now they are fighting for their mother language. We are fighting for education in the mother language and for the language to have an official status. May 15 is not only a celebration, but also an important threshold for the language struggle. Kurds must make their mother language the language of daily life” Babat said.

 

KUTEVİ: THE COURT REJECTED OUR SUGGESTION

 

Wan Bar Association Language Commission Spokesperson, Lawyer Kadir Kutevi, touched upon the problems arising from the lack of services other than Turkish in the courts. Kutevi pointed out that the defenses in Kurdish were made through a translator and said: “These defenses of those who defend in Kurdish are not fully translated into Turkish. There are constantly problems in this regard. Moreover, the court charges an interpreter fee for someone who will defend in the mother language. However, this fee is not charged for an Arab, Persian or Afghan. This is standard and unlawful in one go. The main purpose here is to dissuade Kurds from defending in their mother language and to further deepen assimilation. Courts also pose different challenges for translation. However, defending in one's own mother language is a right."

 

Stating that they, as the Wan Bar Association, wanted to provide training for interpreters and that they reported this situation to the court, "The court did not accept this and also prevented those who attended the course we opened. Our courses were to be completely free of charge. The court's failure to accept this is part of the assimilation of the Kurds that has been going on for a century. As the bar association, we will submit this request to the court again so that the translators can translate the defense well and express it correctly" Kutevi said. 

 

ÇOLAKOĞLU: HEALTH IN MOTHER LANGUAGE IS A RIGHT

 

Figen Çolakoğlu, Co-chair of the Health and Social Service Workers' Union (SES) Branch, emphasized that every patient has the right to receive health care in their mother language, regardless of their language, identity and religion. Pointing out that people have difficulty expressing their illnesses in their mother language, Çolakoğlu said: “We have made repeated applications and statements to solve the problem of the right to health in the mother language. We also worked in this direction. However, we have not received any results so far. But our struggle for its implementation will continue.”