THE RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION: THE KURDISH CASE IN IRAQ AND TURKEY

Abstract

Peoples¿ right to self determination is a fundamental principle in contemporary international law that recognizes the right of ethnic and national groups to freely determine their political status and pursue their economic, social and cultural development. This right, enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as in many other human rights conventions, represents a cornerstone in the resolution of conflicts and the promotion of peace in multicultural and plurinational contexts. This paper focuses on the right of self-determination of the Kurdish people, the so-called ¿largest stateless nation¿. This ethnic group has an estimated population of between 25 and 35 million people, distributed mainly in territories covering parts of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria and Armenia. Over the centuries, the Kurds have maintained a unique cultural identity, characterised by their own language, traditions and social structures. Despite having experienced periods of intermittent autonomy in the past, the Kurdish people have also faced periods of oppression and marginalisation, particularly under centralised regimes that have sought to assimilate or repress their cultural and political identity.