The Kurdish ConflictBleu Jackson, Sam Brooks, Tiara Hughes,

Micheal Hanna

Kurdish Timeline

7th century- The Kurds conquered by the Arabs, centuries of living under the

rule of others. 1923- Turkey no longer obligated to grant Kurdish autonomy. The Treaty of Lausanne divides the Kurdish region

among Turkey, Iraq, and Syria. 1925- A Kurdish uprising against the

new Turkish Republic is suppressed.

Timeline (cont.)

1946- The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) founded by Iraqi Kurd Mustafa Barzani,

dedicated to the creation of independent Kurdistan.

1961- Kurds of northern Iraq revolt against the government of Abdul Karim Kassim,

continue fighting for decades. 1970- Peace agreement signed between the

Iraqi government and Kurds of northern Iraq, allowing the Kurds some control.

Timeline (cont.)

1974- KDP attacks Iraqi troops after government refuses to give control of oil-rich province of Kirkuk, traditional

Kurdish territory. 1978- In Turkey, Abdullah Ocalan helps

create Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK to seek Kurdish independence.

1979- Iran’s Islamic revolution sparks Kurdish revolt in Iran that is quickly

abolished by Iran.

Timeline (cont.)

1984- Thousands of Kurds in southeast Turkey join revolt, nationalism and

dissatisfaction with living conditions. 1988- Iraq retaliates against Kurds for

supporting Iran during Iran-Iraq war and through “al-Anfal” (“spoils of war”)

campaign, slaughters thousands of civilians, takes 1.5 million from their

homes. Thousands flee to Turkey.

Timeline (cont.)

1991- Iraq’s Kurds rise up against Saddam Hussein, encouraged by the

United States. Iraqi Kurds now control a 15,000-square-mile autonomous region in northern Iraq populated by 3 million

Kurds. 1991- Kurdish remains illegal in

schools, political setting and broadcasts.

Timeline (cont.)

1993- Turkish government grants limited autonomy to Kurds, Kurdish political parties

continue to be banned. 1998- PUK’s Talabani and the KDP’s Barzani

sign peace agreement, ending four-year war between rival Iraqi-Kurd factions.

1999- Abdulla Ocalan captured, convicted of treason and separatism, and sentenced to

death. Immediately spurs rash of bombings, other terrorist attacks both in Turkey and

abroad.

Timeline (cont.)

2002- Iraqi Kurdish regional parliament meets for first time in six years, real sign of unity between Iraqi-Kurdish

factions since four-year (1994-1998) war.

2003- Kurds join U.S. and British forces in defeating Saddam Hussein’s regime.

Location

The Kurd’s struggle for a homeland has been in the recent news.

Originally were pastoralists, nomads living in the mountains of modern-day

Kurdistan. Kurds at one point were Karduchi, an

ancient mountainous people.

The Kurdish Rebellions

Led by Mullah Mustafa al-Barzani, the Kurds revolt against parts of Iraq, Iran,

and Turkey. This causes years of attempting to create an autonomous Kurdish state. Leads to the creation of a Kurdish

nation in northern Iraq and the destruction of the Iraqi regime of

Premier Abdul Karim Kassim.

Mustafa Barzani

Kurdish Flag

There are over 25 million Kurds in the world, all without a state to call their own.

A Kurdish Cartoon

MythologicalLions, like this one in northern Kurdistan, have been thought of as a central piece in the Kurdish mythology.

Map of Kurdistan

Bibliography Newyorktimes.com Middleeasternhistory.suite101.com Abc-clio.com Tel.com Sirs.com Times.com http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/06/12/18426957.php http://www.saradistribution.com/galeri.htm http://www.cool.mb.ca/~kakel/kurds.html http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Kurds.aspx http://www.selenasol.com/selena/struggle/kurds.html http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Kurds http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/k/kurds/index.html http://www.kurdistan.org/ Omniglot.com http://www.answers.com/topic/kurdistan http://www.freewebs.com/rojbas/links.htm http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/325241/Kurdistan http://

www.learntoquestion.com/seevak/groups/2004/sites/zana/images/Kurdish%20flag.jpg

http://www.jawadmella.org/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/contemporarykurdistanmap2005.jpg