Rojava Parties Call for Constitutional Recognition of Kurdish Language in Syria

ANHA

Rojava parties call for constitutional recognition of Kurdish language in Syria.

Thirty-eight political parties and movements in Rojava or West Kurdistan [Northeastern Syria] affirmed during a press conference that any national project in Syria cannot be based on marginalisation and exclusion, but must instead be founded on genuine participation and mutual recognition among all components of the country.

In a statement read during the conference, which was obtained by PUKMEDIA, the parties called for the cultural and national rights of the Kurdish people to be guaranteed in the Syrian constitution.

The statement described the Kurdish language as one of the oldest languages spoken in the region for thousands of years, representing the spirit and collective memory of a people who have preserved it despite decades of attempts at erasure and denial.

The signatories stressed that recognising Kurdish as an official language alongside Arabic would not threaten Syria’s unity, but would instead strengthen national cohesion and reinforce the principles of justice and equal citizenship for all communities.

The parties and movements also condemned what they described as attempts by the interim administration to remove Kurdish text from the sign of the Hasakah courthouse. They said such practices reflected a chauvinistic mentality incompatible with Syria’s national and cultural diversity, and argued that they contradicted Resolution No. 13 concerning the protection of Kurdish rights, as well as the terms of the 29 January agreement.

The statement further emphasised that respecting the cultural and national rights of the Kurdish people — particularly the right to use their mother tongue in institutions and public spaces — is not a privilege, but a legitimate right guaranteed under the principles of justice, human rights, and coexistence.

In conclusion, the signatories called for constitutional recognition of the Kurdish language and the full rights of the Kurdish people in accordance with international laws and conventions. They stressed that any project aimed at building a democratic, pluralistic, and decentralised Syria cannot succeed if it is based on policies of denial and exclusion.

The removal of the Kurdish language from the Justice Palace sign in Hasakah city recently and replacing it with another sign containing only Arabic and English, sparked widespread outrage among the Kurdish population, who viewed it as an attack on the Kurdish language and its cultural identity.

Hundreds of residents of Hasakah city protested and condemned the removal of the Kurdish language from the signboard of the courthouse, stressing that targeting the Kurdish language amounts to targeting the identity and existence of the Kurdish people.



PUKMEDIA