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Each original is also photographed in one exposure and is included in reduced form at the back of the book. Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6" x 9" black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact U M I directly to order. University Microfilms International A Bell & Howell Information Company 300 North Zeeb Road. Ann Arbor. Ml 48106-1346 USA 313/761-4700 800/521-0600 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with with permission permission of the of copyright the copyright owner. owner.Further reproductionFurther reproduction prohibited without prohibited permission. without permission. Order Number 1358493 Irredentism and the Turks: Movements in Turkey and Eurasia, 1985-1991 Boke, Laurie Kay, M.A. The American University, 1992 UMI 300 N. Zeeb Rd. Ann Aibor, MI 48106 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with with permission permission of the of copyright the copyright owner. owner.Further reproductionFurther reproduction prohibited without prohibited permission. without permission. IRREDENTISM AND THE TURKS: MOVEMENTS IN TURKEY AND EURASIA, 1985 - 1991 by Laurie Kay Boke submitted to the Faculty of the School of International Service of the American University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in International Affairs Signatures of Committ^T Chair: -— 'TV Lnr> oo G<T)<hn^ Dean of the School of International Service Date 1992 The American University 75<W Washington, D.C. 20016 (THE AMERICAN UNITORS ITY UBRAPV Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. To Gulkan Boke Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. IRREDENTISM AND THE TURKS: MOVEMENTS IN TURKEY AND EURASIA, 1985-1991 ABSTRACT One major problem in the field of international affairs is the lack of comparative research on irredentism. The purpose of this study was to examine Turkic groups in the Republic of Turkey and Eurasia to determine if ethnic Turkic movements in this region were irredentist. The methodology included a case study analysis of movements among Turks in Turkey and Eurasia based on writings which have appeared in the general news media, newspapers, and journals which are Pan-Turkist or have a Pan-Turkist slant, from 1985 - 1991, specifically Yeni Forum. TUrkistan, and FBIS daily reports from the Soviet Union and Turkey. Based on these sources it has been concluded that the movements of the ethnic Turkic groups are not irredentist as they are not promoting a political unity at this time. The extent of their cooperations is mainly based on cultural affinities and economic necessity, fostering a return to a Turkistani community. ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank §erif Mardin of The American University and Safari Sayari of the National Academy of Sciences, for their insight, support and guidance. Special thanks is also extended to George Smalley of Lawrence University, for his dedication as a professor and friend, his enthusiasm for exposing students to cultures too often ignored, and for leading the path down the highways of worlds once closed. I would also like to thank Cevdet Seyan of Voice of America for making available on short notice many of the sources necessary for me to conduct my research; and to H.B. Paksoy for granting permission to use the David S. Thomas translation of Yusuf Akgura's, "t)g Tarz-i Siyaset". iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS AB S T R A C T ................................................ ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................... iii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS .................................... vi Chapter I. The Study of Irredentism ..................... 1 Purpose of Study ............................ 1 Terminology .................................. 3 Turkic Identity .............................. 10 Hypothesis................................... 13 Methodology.................................. 14 II. Historical Overview .............................. 15 Early Organizers of Pan-Turkism ............. 16 Early Pan-Turk Organizations and Literature . 20 Pan-Turkism in the Soviet Union ............. 24 The Republic of Turkey and Pan-Turkism 26 III. Movements in Turkey .............................. 32 Alparslan Turke? ............................ 32 Position of the Turkish Government ......... 34 Emigre Movements in Turkey .................. 42 Intellectual Movement and Language Reform ... 44 Summ a r y...................................... 48 IV. Azerbaijan....................................... 51 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Movements in Azerbaijan ..................... 51 Relations With Turkey ....................... 59 Language Reform .............................. 65 S u m m a r y ...................................... 66 V. Uzbekistan........................................ 68 Cultural and Language Reform ................. 68 B i r l i k ....................................... 72 E r k .......................................... 77 S u m m a r y ...................................... 79 VI. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan ............ 80 Kazakhstan................................... 80 Kyrgyzstan................................... 88 Turkmenistan ................................. 92 S u m m a r y ...................................... 94 VII. Conclusion........................................ 96 v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. Map of Tiirkistan 9 vi Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER I THE STUDY OF IRREDENTISM The Republic of Turkey, which has often been described as the "bridge" between Europe and the Middle East, is now also being referred to as the "door" to the Turkic republics of the former Soviet Union. The majority of inhabitants living in the southern arc of the former Soviet Union, namely Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzia, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, are ethnic Turks who speak Turkic languages. Turkey is offering support and assistance to the newly independent republics. And the Republics are looking to Turkey as an example and are hoping to benefit from Turkey's experience and expertise in economic, political, social, and technological fields. Purpose of Study Questions have been raised and speculation continues as to the possibility of a unified Turkic republic. References to renewed Pan-Turkist interests and ambitions in both the Republic of Turkey and the predominately Turkish republics of Central Asia and Azerbaijan are increasing. Can the goals of the Republics be labeled as irredentist, ones of unification based on Pan-Turkist ideals? Or are the 1 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 2 Republics merely basing their cooperation on fraternal feelings? After 70 years of Russian domination the republics may only want to enjoy their new found freedom with no greater political unification objectives. The major problem in the field of international affairs surrounding irredentism is the lack of comparative analysis on the subject. Jacob M. Landau in Pan-Turkism in Turkey (1980) has examined irredentism as an extension of nationalism and the Pan-Turkist movement within Turkey. But Landau admits that there have been "only few (and hardly satisfactory) comparative studies of Pan-movements and fewer of irredentism."1 There is a strong linkage among Turks built on ethnic, religious, historical, geographic and language affinity. All of these components affect the dynamics of irredentism. There has been no major comprehensive analysis of the Pan-Turkist movement in Turkey since 1980, when the military seized control of the government. At that time the Nationalist Action Party, an organization espousing Pan-Turkist ideals, was dissolved and its leader, Alpaslan Turke?, was tried on charges of subversive actions against the government. Even less is known about