Topic: The Question of Kurdistan
Country: Libya
Delegate Name: Keilyn Broussard
School: Flint Southwestern Classical Academy
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Libya position papers GLIMUN 2014 committees
We, as the country of Libya, recognize the pressing issue of Kurdistan today. Because the country of Kurdistan is not officially recognized because of the failed Treaty of Sèvres, the Kurdish people live between multiple Middle Eastern counties, and have faced oppression in many of them. Laws have been passed to oppress the Kurdish culture in several countries, including the restriction of Kurdish music and language. Recently, Kurdistan has rebelled against the notion that their culture should be repressed, and many Kurdish people call for independence from their previous states. The Kurdish Workers Party, or PKK, is a group "founded in 1978 in the village of Fis (near Lice) by a group of radical Kurdish students led by Abdullah Öcalan. The PKK's ideology was originally a fusion of revolutionary socialism and Kurdish nationalism, seeking the foundation of an independent, Marxist–Leninist state" in Kurdistan. This group is known for its violence against Kurds and non-Kurds alike, in the name of independence.
We support Kurdistan and the Kurdish people. We believe they have a right to declare independence and that humans have a right to freedom. Because we have faced similar issues, we see this as a problem close to all of our hearts, and we completely stand behind Kurdistan's hope for independence.
Although we recognize the fact that it will be highly difficult for Kurdistan to become an independent nation, we strongly believe that the Kurdish people should keep striving for that goal. Until then, Kurds should fight for their rights and citizenship in the countries they reside in. We do not believe, however, the PKK should continue its terrorism and extremism in order to achieve equality for Kurdish people, and people instead should call for help from other countries to aid them in gaining respect, and possibly independence. In fact, Kurdistan may consider asking the United Nations for help with their predicament.
