02 KEYS_ANUARI_2016_EN.indd 63 * Tur in question Kurdish to the solution democratic of sort any hindered long and 40,000 than more killed has that movement guerrilla aseparatist led has 1984, organization the since rebellion: demic tan ( Party Workers’ the of founding The Turkish government. central the against rebelled regularly has population this of Part (1923). Republic Kemalist the of founding the since assimilation forced of to a policy subjected been 12 or have who to population, 15the people million 15 of 20% between and for accounts “minority” ous numer this that estimated is It region. the in country any of population Kurdish largest the has Turkey: Hindered Solution a Political own? their of astate to claim able being of To interlocutor. point the essential an as themselves have established they them of all in but country, the on depending differently out fate plays their tation, to confron Turkey: negotiation , from , , East. Middle the of theatres multiple in organizing politically and fighting now are tor today, the Akey ac decade. last the of course over the strides significant made has cause Kurdish the century, last the in lot common their indeed was oppression fordesire recognition and Although emancipation. their in thwarted everywhere and East, Middle the in countries several across spread people to million 60 40 some of a group Kurds, to the refers often most world the how is that by history: forgotten A people French InstituteforInternationalRelations(IFRI), Paris Director ofthe Turkey/Middle EastProgramme Schmid* Dorothée The New Kurdish Presence Turkey at aCrossroads

This article was finalized in April 2016 (Editor’s note). 2016 (Editor’s April in finalized was article This , PKK) in 1978 marked a turning point in this en this 1978 in in point aturning , PKK) marked Partiya Karkerên Kurdis

------extended a hand to the PKK: a peace process with with process apeace PKK: to the a hand extended guage), Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s lan Kurdish the of use the on restrictions relaxed Kurdish, in network television (a public Kurds the to rights cultural symbolic of ahandful granting By growth. economic and values Muslim combining clusive social vision on based common interests, Kurdish conservative electorate by proposing an in the of over part to win able proved indeed AKP The ve Partisi Kalkinma ( Party Development and Justice islamist the of to power rise The agreement. political ceptable ac amutually reaching Turks from the Kurds and This deadly, dead-end dialectic has long prevented PKK. to the proximity their to due by Turkish authorities dissolved cessively have since emerged the 1990s, but most were suc Jacobinic tradition. Pro-Kurdish political parties ahyper- to with aTurkish state acceptable be would that platform negotiation apolitical to create gling liberation The Kurds struggle. are obviously strug PKK’s swayed by the openly less or more activists, Turks, staunch the and with compromise to ready legitimists, both include they by fighting, ravaged have been which of some regions, veloped unde in located Mostly identity. particular own their within recognized to be wish still Kurds Anatolian over time, turkified been have largely they Although EU. the and US the both by organization aterrorist as listed is PKK the pora, dias Kurdish the Turkey’s through beyond borders spread having movement, atransnational and state Turkish the of enemy amajor Sweden). Both and gration to EU countries (mainly, Germany, awave mi of as well as country, the of west to the displacements from the eastern Kurdish provinces population massive in resulted has which conflict, this of victims primary the have been key. Civilians , AKP) in 2002 changed that. that. changed 2002 in , AKP)

government finally Kurdish Kurdish Adalet ------09/09/2016 11:38:11

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IEMed. Mediterranean Yearbook 2016 64 Turkey at a Crossroads Keys minorities, LGBTminorities, etc. rights, other of rights the justice, social environment, the as such issues, new for support to mobilize seeks tants, mili non-Kurdish include ranks whose party, new This “de-ethnification.” of aprocess in engaged less neverthe is pro-Kurd, staunchly whilst which, HDP), Democratic ( Party prochement gave rise to a new party, the People’s rap This Turkish left. the of forces the of some and movement Kurdish the between to reconciliation 2013 in movement Gezi to the road linked the paved protests large the Third, Turkishto authorities. the Demokrat Yekîtiya ya 1 2 way. the along observers western of number over a large winning cause, Kurdish the of up opening the towards astep marks It sition. oppo anew, with credible landscape political ish Turk the endowed has HDP the of emergence The in the summer ofwith 2015 the PKK end of the process peace official political dialogue coincided with the not long; last the breakdown in the and the pro- AKP fragileThe honeymoon the between ( Party Union Democratic the party, sister PKK around a autonomous organization Kurdish political an of Syria in emergence the Second, reboots. metic produced only disappointment, despite several- cos life, civilian in fighters PKK the of reintegration and disarmament the for plan aclear of lack the and cess, pro peace the of stagnation complete the First, fold. riorated. The for reasons the breakdown were three dete rapidly have since Turkish government the and community Kurdish the of part between relations 2015 in down broke However, the and negotiations centralizing the government. de partially of possibility the and citizenship of cept Turkish con the to reform need the on begun was adiscussion and atime for ceased 2013. Hostilities March in launched officially was party separatist the Turkey, Early Parliamentary Elections, 1 November 2015: Final Report, www.osce.org/odihr/elections/turkey/219201 Report, 2015: Final 1November Elections, Parliamentary Turkey, Early OSCE, D enizeau , Aurélien. “Le HDP , PYD), is of increasing concern concern , PYD), increasing of is Halkların Demokratik Partisi Demokratik Halkların , un nouveau venu en quête d’ancrage.” IFRI, Note franco-turque IFRI, d’ancrage.” quête en venu nouveau , un Kurdish party did Kurdish party 1 Led by Selahat Parti ------, dogan. Clashes and attacks followed,dogan. Clashes setting the Tayyip Er to President attack the of authorship rect ofaccused attributing indi collaborating with IS, they whom officers, Turkish police two killed tants for day, Thenext it. responsibility claimed mili PKK never (IS), State which to Islamic dead, people 33 ish government attributed the explosion, which left Turk The Kurds. Syrian with solidarity to show a rally at border, Syrian the near Suruc, in bomber suicide Islamist by an 20 July on attack an following sumed re radicals Kurdish and forces Turkish security the in PKK the with process peace the of end official the with coincided dialogue political the in down break the long; last not did party pro-Kurdish the and AKP the between honeymoon fragile the Thus, PKK the with War” “Dirty the of Return The Parliament. in it to keep enough still was that to although 10.8%, vote the slipped of share HDP’s Turkish army. the The and PKK the tween observers, by OSCE unfair deemed and violent particularly was which campaign, election The November. for called were elections new failed, they when and at all, talks the in participate not did HDP The government. tion acoali to form opposition the with into talks forced was AKP the majority, aparliamentary of prived HDP. the De marginalizing of effect paradoxical the This remarkable electoral success nevertheless had Partisi ( Party Movement Nationalist ( ple’s Party theparties, centre-left Kemalist Republican Peo alternative to the flagging traditional opposition unexpected an as emerged party the votes, the of 2015. June of to 13% close With elections mentary 10% of parlia vote the the of in threshold midable for the to 2014, cross gust managed HDP the and Au of election presidential vote the the in of 9.8% got Demirtas surprise, AKP. to widespread Thus, previouslychessboard strongly controlled by the aTurkish on success electoral with met party the a charismatictin forty-something Demirtas, lawyer,

the summer of 2015. The confrontation between between 2015. of summer confrontation The the , MHP). MHP). , 2 was marked by renewed clashes be clashes by renewed marked was Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi , No. 16, January 2016. 16, January , No. Milliyetçi Hareket , CHP) and the the and , CHP)

------09/09/2016 11:38:11 02 KEYS_ANUARI_2016_EN.indd 65 3 state.” “deep the of volvement insistentincreasingly of rumours in the possible tors question the origin of relaying the violence, sec Pro-Kurdish 100 than dead. more leaving kara, An in rally at apeace 9October on struck gime, re by the to IS attributed again explosion, Another motion. in war acivil of start the for gears relentless involving government officials (the , the affair and major trials of military personnel under the AKP) have gradually gradually have See: AKP) the under connotation. amafia idea personnel the lent military of trials major and affair Ergenekon the scandal, Susurluk (the affairs shady officials some government regarding involving maintained mystery the and imaginary theorist conspiracy The instability. great of times in State the of tutions organization,” a general expression used to sanction to sanction used expression ageneral organization,” imprisoned and tried for “complicity with a terrorist fired, investigated, been have also academics and journalists of Dozens circles. liberal and dialogue of and activists pro-Kurdish themselves, those in favour to Kurdish addition in affects, that Turkishon society terrorism laws has led to a widespread clampdown anti- broad-spectrum of use the But chaos. against Tayyip Erdogan now presents himself asa bulwark and terrorism, against fight the of name the in tion The Turkish government is continuing the confronta more. thousands of tens of displacement to the led and civilians of hundreds killed to date, has, lence vio the belligerents, to the addition In fighters. PKK thousand several out to have taken claim thorities Turkish au the whilst began, offensive the since ties casual hundred several have suffered Turkish forces 2016. March and The February in downtown in injured 200 and dead 60 than more left attacks jor Turkish institutions but also strikes civilians: two ma targets which Hawks, Freedom Kurdistan the zation, organi akindred and PKK by the out carried attacks by are compounded deadly theclashes increasingly Direct fighting. by the destroyed been has city, ish Diyarbakır of centre nerve ism tour and pride Sur, of historical the neighbourhood ancient The weapons. first its making is to it, ing belong formally without albeit PKK’s to the demands tion of radicalized resistance, which makes similar genera anew where centres, city in have appeared and trenches Barricades militant neighbourhoods. of heart the in operations to facilitate cities several on imposed have been Turkey and Curfews Iraq itself. in positions movement’s the bombing are aircraft ish Turk east. the in fighters Kurdish the against fensive whilst conducting a of veritable armed supporters civilian its down tracking PKK, the to “eradicate” sire The Turkish government has since proclaimed its de refers to a supposed clandestine organization tasked with defending by all means possible the insti the possible means all by defending with tasked organization clandestine asupposed to refers state” “deep the of notion Turkey, the In , Turkey’s largestKurd S 3 c

h m id Le Un Le profond’,” ‘l’État sur “Réflexions , Dorothée, ------another front. Indeed, the PKK’s spontaneous rein spontaneous PKK’s the Indeed, front. another on up shored been has legitimacy combat PKK’s the that fact by the uncomfortable even more made tonomous Kurdish entity he leads. His position is themaintain equilibrium fragile of political the au to trying whilst positions PKK on Turkish strikes izes author he today Tayyip of Erdogan, ally (KRG). An president of the Kurdistan Regional Government laisser-faireble-geometry of Barzani, Massoud varia the from benefit Mountains Qandil the in base who soldiers withdrewchaos. The PKK to their Iraqi regional growing by the strengthened been also have Turkey, “subsidiaries” its and Outside PKK the state” involvementpossible of the “deep increasingly insistent of rumours the the origin of the relaying violence, sectorsPro-Kurdish question and, especially,and, militarily. politically ground the on revolt the on to capitalize how knows organization the as long as PKK, the join to pushing is violence, extreme daily and prospects economic bleak with faced youth, abandoned the AKP. of the Asegment have supported never who encouraging separatist nationalism amongst those by community Kurdish the cleaving further situation, againstlence is civilians polarizing the dangerously Turkey vio of level In Turkey the itself, abroad. and ever, in than both likely less seems organization the against victory total that given worrying even more is PKK the with process peace the of rupture The in Combat Kurds The 2015 November the in elections. HDP the of rout relative the explains partially rallies campaign at safety to ensure inability the and activists of rests ar mass The PKK. to the ties alleged or real their , No. 80, 28 October 2015. October 28 80, , No. ------09/09/2016 11:38:11

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IEMed. Mediterranean Yearbook 2016 66 Turkey at a Crossroads Keys its avatars, see: see: avatars, its 6 5 4 found elsewhere in the East. Middle rarely are that emancipation for spaces women fers of that society Kurdish secular ademocratic, of age im the to spread helped has combat in involvement their units: female YPG’s the for admiration particular have expressed Journalists Kurds. Syrian for pathy border. This pivotal battle sparked considerable sym the crossing from reinforcements PKK the to prevent anxious especially Turks, were the of who hostility ing ongo the braving time same at the whilst weapons, rudimentary with IS of barbarism the on took ers 2014, autumn in fight Kobane of YPG siege the the In too complex. become has that aconflict in heroes positive essential the as opinion, public Western in them, established has Syria in resistance Kurds’ The their or ties to alleged real the PKK to used expression general sanction with aterrorist organization,” a imprisoned and tried for “complicity have investigated, also been fired, Dozens of journalists and academics merged. partially still are wing tary mili PKK’s the and leaders its Syrian, are troops Parastina Gel ( Units People’s Protection the PYD, ian Syr the of units armed Kurdish the of training and likewise played a decisive role in the establishment leaders military Its Yezidi of refugees. thousands to save possible it making Sinjar, Mount of retaking the in showing aremarkable made PKK The feat. Kurdish forces were on the verge of de 2014, autumn in KRG’s Daesh the when against forcements provided decisive in Iraq support l’épreuve du quotidien also become friendly with the Russian army, which army, which Russian the with friendly become also however, late 2015, since support; have they ground invaluable provide indeed they to whom Americans, the of mainly and coalition, anti-Daesh Western the of ally leading the as Today, perceived are Kurds the a documentary by by a documentary filles,” des guerre la “Kurdistan, See: Z 2016. March Paris, laboratory, MIGRINTER researcher, CNRS Roussel, Cyril with Interview a m an , Amberin, “Iran’s Kurds rise up as their leaders remain divided,” Al-Monitor divided,” remain leaders their as up rise Kurds “Iran’s , Amberin, G ui , YPG). Although most of the YPG YPG the of most Although , YPG). ll e , m dans la diaspora kurde de Turquie et Quand discours et pratiques ne font pas « bon ménage » : le mythe des rapports sociaux de sexe égalitaires à à égalitaires sexe de sociaux rapports des mythe »:le ménage «bon pas font ne pratiques et discours Quand , Sarah, 4 5

Yekîneyên S

(2000-2014) au l oy , Mylène, ARTE, 2015. To qualify the idyllic vision of the feminism of the PKK and and PKK the of feminism the of vision idyllic the 2015. To qualify ARTE, Mylène, ------,” memoire for a Master of Social Sciences, Sciences-po Bordeaux, 2015. Bordeaux, Sciences-po Sciences, Social of a Master for ,” memoire exchange for that concession, the Iraqi constitution constitution Iraqi the concession, that for exchange own; in their on region the in resources hydrocarbon the to exploit right have not the do Kurds the theory, bil’s fate tied to financially remains Baghdad’s. In Er separation, of prospect the raises regularly ers, fight resistance of family alarge of scion and (KDP) Party Democratic Kurdistan governing currently the ever-present Barzani, Massoud leader of the whilst For independence. to full leap the yet making without government Arab Iraqi central the against politically out to hold managed far thus has KRG the federation, afragile in identity astrong with gion devastatedcountry by civil war. A homogeneous re a in calm relative of area an considered been has Kurdistan Iraqi autonomous the decade, last the For competitors. be to appear thus might and models political different have Rojava and KRG the of units regional spective however, Syria; re the and Iraq in established well today are stability Kurdish of pillars dual the box, bursts of protest. of bursts out sporadic been to have, date, what to repress continues regime the where Iran, in except East, dle Mid the throughout seen be thus can minorities ish The strengthening of the political status of the Kurd Opportunities Unequal Kurds: the of and Divisions Weaknesses Syria. of map the within shape taking right, own its in entity apolitical of name the now activists, Kurdish of vocabulary the in Kurdistan, Rojava of Republic new the anchor Now, must they quickly. to “Kurdify” striving are they a separate Kurdish political project in territories that to pursue order in regime, Syrian to the ties biguous am maintaining time same at the whilst IS, cluding fighting against various jihadist groups there, in are YPG the fact, In theatre. Syrian the of confusion extreme the of all, above indicative, is Kurds, the of favour in plays which powers, major the of interests regular army. This unprecedented convergence of al-Assad’s Bashar to support Syria in intervened , 11 2015. May 6 Whilst eastern Turkey eastern a tinder is Whilst – or Western Western or ------09/09/2016 11:38:11 02 KEYS_ANUARI_2016_EN.indd 67 considers the PYD to be the local equivalent of the the of equivalent local the to be PYD the considers which Ankara, of concern great to border, the Syrian spreading along almost the entirety of the Turkish- gradually is Kurdistan Syrian to unify: seeking are fighters YPG the which and Syria in fighting the of outbreak the since into sanctuaries turned conscientiously have been that territories in located is 2016. entity generis March in sui This entity” eral fed a“democratic became Jazira) Kobane, (Afrin, governing zone,” three cantons comprises which “self- The mess. Syrian the of context the in dented unprece democracy participatory of aform encing experi are contrast, in areas, Kurdish Syrian The late 2015. since bankrupt but all been has Erbil and paid being longer no is budget tional na the of share The Baghdad. with disagreements repeated the and war to the due falters economy the as especially pressure, power,in faces now to stay desperate Barzani, Massoud influence. nian Ira under and east the in installed (PUK), Kurdistan of Union Patriotic the and Ankara, and Washington of ally an remains and strongholds western its from KDP, the power won which between rivalry the sion: divi old an through always KRG, the undermines also today Iraq plaguing tiny. chaos Yet political the des their have in Erbil in authorities the confidence the 2014. to reflect seem would play power This spring in a shot firing without reserves, oil its with along Kirkuk, of city disputed the to seize thorities au Kurdistani the allowed Iraq in Daesh’s offensive have political models different regional units of and Rojava the KRG and Syria; however, the respective todayare well in Iraq established the of pillars dual Kurdish stability Whilst eastern Turkey isatinderbox, Tayyip Turkey. with Erdogan’s alliance expected un and remarkable the forging including diplomacy, incipient in to engage begun has it state, to-rentier apro structures; administrative its consolidate and development economic to pursue KRG the lowed al has windfall year. This each to them allocated be will 17% that budget federal guarantees the of ------taking the time to build a viable political future. political aviable to build time the taking without reputation their have built they which on flex re warrior the to perpetuate Kurds the for be would now trap The diasporas. European by the relayed effectively is rights Kurdish for struggle the for too, chessboard political regional the on own their of aplace have earned they training, talize on the chaos, their resilience and their combat to capi ability their for everywhere: a reality is Kurds more than a distant spectre, the of emergence the no be may independence of dream the Although states. Kurdish more or one of emergence the to support key Iran or Tur than willing more no are they East, Middle the in alliances tactical to develop nationalities of map the play marginally might Russia or US the whilst independence makes external powers squeamish: Kurdish of idea the case, any In reflection. political over prevails again once resistance of prestige the restore the supremacy logic of everywhere: military Turkey, now and to tends Iraq, moreover too, Syria, in conflicts armed of dynamic current The splitting. of threats and currents own its with deal must tion KDP. fac Iraqi Each the of management liberal the PYD), and and (PKK tradition aMarxist with parties persist betweenMajor ideological differences the PYD. the of leader the Muslim, Saleh and KRG, the on grip his to keep struggling is who Barzani, soud Mas , in cell prison his from PKK the to lead includingleaders, Abdullah who Ocalan, continues regional order. Competition is fierce between the Kurdish anew of prospect the hinder and merous nu remain indeed tribal, or partisan whether ties, communi different the between divisions The state. a pan-Kurdish of dream old the to achieve much so not serves Syria and Iraq of regions Kurdish tural resources. agricul and oil Jazira’s of exploitation by the sured as partially be could entity an such of future nomic eco The federation. Syrian afuture of part be could which regionalization, facto ade preparing is PYD the talks, peace Geneva the from Excluded mascus. and maintaining a gentlemen’s agreement with Da plurality of illusion to the give order in parties Arab marginal co-opting time same at the whilst force, by including zones, Kurdish the from forces litical po Kurdish Syrian other the to oust managed has practice belies these democratic proclamations: it political recognized PYD’s the case, any In PKK.

The gradual emancipation of the the of emancipation gradual The

–

and well beyond it, ------09/09/2016 11:38:11

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