The Kurdish identity in Syria carries a long history of struggle and challenge. The Kurds have formed an essential element in the fabric of Syrian society, despite the attempts of past Syrian regimes, particularly under the Ba'ath Party and the Assad regime, to erase this identity and impose a repressive policy aimed at marginalizing them politically and culturally. Over the decades, the Kurdish identity has been targeted by various oppressive policies, including a ban on the use of the Kurdish language, restriction of cultural activities, and suppression of expressions of national identity. Despite all this, the Kurds succeeded in preserving their cultural and folkloric identity through resistance, challenge, and ongoing struggle.

Since the Ba'ath Party seized power in Syria in the mid-20th century, the Kurds have faced systematic discrimination aimed at erasing their national identity. These policies manifested in the prohibition of the Kurdish language and stringent restrictions on its use in education, media, and literature, creating a deep educational and cultural gap. Moreover, the Syrian authorities launched an exceptional census project in 1962 targeting Kurdish areas, resulting in tens of thousands of Kurds being stripped of their Syrian citizenship. In the early 1970s, the Arab Belt Project confiscated Kurdish lands in areas known as the "Ten Line," resettling individuals brought in from Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor. Consequently, the Kurds were forced to live in a state of legal turmoil that hindered their participation in political and social life.

In addition to legal marginalization, the Ba'ath regime worked to combat Kurdish political and cultural symbols. Celebrations of Nowruz, an important national, cultural, and identity symbol, were banned, undermining the possibility of organizing activities that promote the cohesion of Kurdish identity, except in secret and at a minimal level.

Despite ongoing repression, Kurds in Syria were not powerless in their struggle and challenge; they engaged politically and formed parties that defended their legitimate rights in Syria. Many Kurdish leaders and intellectuals faced arrest and torture, with some spending years in Syrian security prisons. In 2004, a Kurdish uprising erupted in the city of Qamishli following a sporting event involving the Al-Jihad team from Qamishli and the Al-Fotuwa from Deir ez-Zor. The instigation and sectarian strife fueled by the security authorities in Al-Hasakah led to clashes between the supporters of the two teams, which transformed into mass protests reaching the very heart of the Assad criminal regime in Damascus, shaking the foundations of his throne against its racist and chauvinistic policies that sowed division and racial tensions between Kurds and Arabs. This uprising marked a pivotal moment in the expression of Kurdish popular rejection of exclusion, as thousands took to the streets demanding their legitimate cultural and political rights as Syrian citizens. Despite the Assad regime's violent suppression of these protests, it affirmed the Kurds' rejection of all its unethical policies and practices against them.

Simultaneously, the Kurdish political movement began seeking new alliances with the Syrian opposition and national forces. In 2005, the Kurds, alongside these national forces, contributed to the establishment of the Damascus Declaration, a political coalition aimed at overthrowing the Ba'ath regime and achieving justice for all Syrian constituents. This alliance was an important step toward the Kurds' engagement with other national forces, paving the way for a new phase of political action.

With the outbreak of the Syrian revolution in 2011, the Kurds actively participated in the peaceful popular movement demanding the overthrow of the regime. In the context of the revolution, the Kurds articulated their demands more clearly, calling for the fall of the regime and coordination with revolutionary forces to work in a future Syria on recognizing the Kurdish language as an official language, developing educational curricula that reflect their culture, and establishing independent cultural institutions to promote their identity. Their demands also included political rights, such as granting autonomy to Kurdish areas. This movement highlighted the Kurdish issue as an integral part of the broader Syrian national demands, emphasizing that their rights represent a fundamental component of any comprehensive political solution.

Despite the successes the Kurds achieved in reviving their cultural identity, internal and external political challenges persist. Internally, the Kurdish movement suffers from political divisions among Kurdish political factions, sometimes leading to weak coordination in facing common challenges. Moreover, the Kurds face other challenges stemming from attempts by external parties to exploit ethnic and sectarian divisions to advance their political agendas, complicating the Syrian landscape even further. In this context, there is a pressing need to strengthen Kurdish unity and develop a joint vision with other Syrian national forces to achieve the revolutionary goals of freedom, justice, and a decentralized system that guarantees the rights of all components without exclusion or marginalization.

Reviving the Kurdish identity in Syria is not merely about reclaiming lost cultural rights; it is part of a broader struggle for freedom and dignity for all Syrians. Achieving this goal requires strengthening relations between Kurdish forces and unifying their ranks, alongside building partnerships with other.

By: Azeddine Mulla