turkey, iraq and the kurds.

the military, politiccal and cultural surpression of the kurds has variated in form and strength during the century.

the turks has exposed the kurds to a brutal assimilation-policy. and has exposed hard surpression of all outer signs of the kurds identity.

in 1991 the kurds language was allowed in the private context. in 1997 the authorities proclaimed the kurds regions under martial law. in the war against the turkish government-army more than 20.000 has died. and 3000 kurdish villages has been completely destroyed, as part of the scorched-earth policy.

in iraq under saddam hussein the kurds also were surpressed. in 1988 for instans 5000 woman and children were gassed. and in 1987-88 more than 4000 villages were completely destroyed.

irac withdrew from northern-irac in 1992. but th western countries did not wish to support the kurds in a self-government-experiment.

the western countries clearly shared in the responsibility for soluting the kurdish problem. lack of will from the world to try to find a political solution to the conflict, has been a problem.

in turkey one, since 1999, has tried to solute the conflict politicaly, but there a still many political prisoners in turkey. and the kurds are still being tortured. it is a question if the turks at all are interested in respecting human rights towards the kurds, and for instans allow their language, publications and schools.