Batman University opens Kurdish language department

k98nights · January 30, 2012

30/01/2012 15:49

VAN, Jan. 30 (AKnews) – Kurdish language studies have become a third option for students at Turkey’s Batman University with the opening of the Department of Kurdish.

The University reported on its website that they have obtained approval from the Turkish Higher Education Ministry to open departments for Kurdish and Syriac language studies.

With the Kurdish and Syriac languages, Batman University now offers degrees in five languages: Turkish, Arabic, Persian, Kurdish and Syriac.

There are approximately 20 million Kurds in Turkey who have been struggling to keep their native language and ethnic identity, or have them recognized by the Turkish state. About 10 years ago speaking the language was prohibited by law.

Since the accession of the current ruling party, the Justice and Development Party, restrictions on the language have been eased, with some private schools teaching in Kurdish, a state-run TV station which broadcasts in Kurdish and Kurdish departments opened at a few universities.

However, the use of the language is still prohibited by law in the state institutions like the parliament, courts, government offices, and public schools.

Kurds in Turkey have been exposed to violence due to their ethnicity and different language. In December last year, a Kurdish man was several times stabbed and then shot dead by a group of Turkish men after he requested a Kurdish song be sung by a music group in one of the night clubs of Izmir in western Turkey.

By Kamal Harmanci

RY/JS/AKnews

http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/1/287254/

This is for real? HAHAHA!