'Greater Kurdistan': The history of Kurdish independence | Dr Zeynep Kaya | The Big Picture EP10 |

Kurdish political groups and militias have been fighting for independence for more than a century, pitting them against the governments of four countries: Turkey, Iran, Syria and Iraq.
These groups rallied around the idea of a ‘Greater Kurdistan’, though critics say this romanticised homeland never really existed, and that modern Kurds should accept their place in their adopted nation states.
In this episode of The Big Picture, we speak with international relation scholar Dr Zeynep Kaya about the ‘Kurdish question’, the upcoming Turkish elections and how war, terrorism and economics have changed the way Kurds see themselves.
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[@Berxwedan.]

As a Kurd I’d Say this video was an amazing explanation on the Kurdish people.

[@dgrszkyp]

As a Turk, I support giving land to the Kurds and parting ways. I'm fed up with this.

[@PIXELGamerzXvlogs]

Thank you for being open minded ❤

[@drizztdourden7502]

Atatürk bu yorumu görse tekrar ölürdü

[@mikeriley3556]

Finally a sensible turk, it’s 1 out of a million

[@furkankaymaz1952]

As a Turk i don't give up on sivas, şanlıurfa, gümüşhane, malatya, gaziantep, erzincan, erzurum, muş, gaziantep, kilis, hatay since they don't give up on me. The so called kurdistan map is a lie.

[@PIXELGamerzXvlogs]

@@furkankaymaz1952 you do realise not every map is the same, eastern parts of sivas in imranli and Zara are Kurd, slight majority of sanilurfa is Kurd, only a few villages in gumushane Kurd, 40% of malatya is Kurd, Kurds are a large minority in Antep, Kurds are a majority in erzincan, Kurds are the majority in the southern parts of Erzurum, Kurds are majority in mus, and Hatay doesn’t have many Kurds. Also you don’t get to keep certain provinces just because you’ve turkified, assimilated them and make them forget their origins and language. Your turkification was a deliberate attempt to culturally genocide Kurds.

[@Ishmaelites.Rabeeah]

All the love and respect from southern Iraq to the Kurds and Kurdistan biji kurd ve kurdistan ☀️❤️🇮🇶

[@mustafanas4434]

As a Turk, I want to see a Independent Kurdistan

[@karzankarem3198]

❤❤❤

[@LoannaFaskioti]

Ben türküm batı Trakya Kerkük Musul adalari istiyorum

[@mustafanas4434]

@@LoannaFaskioti boş yapma

[@mustafanas4434]

@@LoannaFaskioti boş yapma

[@LoannaFaskioti]

@@mustafanas4434 sen de boş yapma

[@thebesttruth4659]

May Allah protect innocent Muslim Balochistan family😔 and other innocent Muslim family😔 too in Pakistan Pakistan stop kidnapped and killed innocent family😔 Free Balochistan

[@moshemizrahi1133]

🤢🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

[@sirat_ul_jannah57]

Kali tati ki shakal wala Hindu 😂😂😂😂😂

[@peshangjaafar8469]

As kurds we just want our basic rights! We are NOT turk, arab, and fars... We were/are kurd and you have to question yourself why those government don't accept it?!! Give us our rights and deal us with 1# people of the country then we don't want anything else. That easy. After we got our region in iraq the peace is been taking and we see arabs as brothers not invaders ... Turkey has to change its extrimism rasism hates against kurds.

[@curiouscat5229]

Don't fall for trap of the deceiver.

[@gamzesoysal7414]

As a Kurdish individual in Türkiye, i identify myself in two identities, Turkish and Kurdish. If i prefer just one, it seems incompatible for me

[@emandas5640]

International media ignoring Kurdistan independence

[@emandas5640]

@Ευαγγελος Αγγελος but who condemn Turkish occupation

[@emandas5640]

@Mr Ñ it's Turkish occupation

[@assyrianbetnahrian9574]

You all need to learn history...Kurds well never get independent in assyria ..

[@emandas5640]

@Salamah Channel Al-Maliki Quran&Hadith 4 countries Name

[@Unknown-wk3bh]

​@@emandas5640 turkish occupation? When was Kurdistan a recognized country? There would've been a Kurdistan if there was no PKK/YPG which killed more than 45.000 civilians (mostly kurds) in turkiye.

[@salman8722]

Great info about the Kurdish question. Thanks a lot to the presenter and to Dr Zeynep . Spas!

[@georgegaitanidis2161]

GREECE LOVE KURDISTAN

[@a.g.5983]

How about Northern Cyprus?

[@Tacticalerth]

​@a.g.5983 why r u so mad? It is like u always waking up and remembering kurdish insurgency exists

[@georgegaitanidis2161]

@@Tacticalerth KURDISTAN FREEDOM

[@NoFriendsButTheMountains]

We love GREECE 🇬🇷. Kurdistan & greece ❤️

[@georgegaitanidis2161]

Freedom Kurdistan@@NoFriendsButTheMountains

[@romanhama5377]

Biji Kurdistan ❤☀💚

[@helinkoi]

Thank you so much!

[@ShivamsinghRajpoot-jc5pd]

Free Kurdistan 👍

[@ShivamsinghRajpoot-jc5pd]

​@Ευαγγελος Αγγελος no way 😅😊😂 Why you not support Kurdish they are Muslim

[@666rayoflight]

What of some one says free kashmir. What are you going g to say.

[@ShivamsinghRajpoot-jc5pd]

​@@666rayoflight from who? So stupid question Jammu Kashmir belongs to india go and read history don't watch biased media Pakistan illegally occupied Kashmir and some parts your abbu jaan China illegally occupied Ok

[@ShivamsinghRajpoot-jc5pd]

Why you not support Kurdish people This channel always lecture what is muslim condition in non muslim country But why you opposing Kurdish people Such a nonsense people Double standard 😅

[@rizvikhan6397]

@ShivamsinghRajpoot Free IOK

[@digitalslowmadblog]

Thanks for sharing and your clear explanations - great questions too!

[@salwakayfi7935]

Im kurdis Love kurdistan 2+2=1💚🌝❤✌💪✊🌍🔥

[@V10SUNRINbaseballsupporters]

쿠르디스탄의 아름다운 독립국가! 세계 모든 자유민들의 꿈과 목표 입니다! 이제 더이상 핍박과 착취, 차별과 전쟁이 없는 세상은 반드시 실현될것입니다! 저희 조국 🇰🇷 대한민국은, 쿠르디스탄의 독립국가 건국을 적극적으로 지원할것입니다! 평화와 자유와 존엄의 쿠르디스탄! 최후 승리까지, 쿠르디스탄을 위하여 축복하며 기도합니다! 아멘!

[@tarakadir9259]

Thank you 🙏🏻 ❤️

[@666rayoflight]

Fighting for rights and basic human rights its fine. But to get independence from 4 countries let alone one country is impossible. If you kurds think the west will help now in thia time of histroy were the west is the weakest, not possible.

[@history_repeats8201]

This is exactly what they said about Israel 100 years ago. They said the jews were mad to think that 3 million Jews can create a state in a sea for 200+ million Arabs. Guess who is crying now? Turkey and Iran are Jihadi nations that need to be controlled. The West needs the Kurdish people as a buffer between Jihadis and the West

[@ibrahimk.3227]

The west want to but can’t decide on one thing, Turkey. The only nation in the east they like and do business with. If Turkey was not tied with the west, they would make a Kurdistan and turn it into Israel 2.0, so all that is missing is the acceptance of the Turks. Which is slowly happening…

[@watup3494]

100 years ago the seperated us and was possible and now we get back together and those fake countries made by West will fall. Everything is possible

[@nazmisheikhahmed8512]

Impossible? Look at the progress the kurds made in syra and in iraq. To built a country it take time.

[@greeneck]

Thanks for the video. I got confused by ”It’s up to Kurds to define who they are” - isn’t dr. Zeynep Kaya Kurdish?

[@kanalkurdistan]

Kurdistan is composed of four parts. Southern Kurdistan, Northern Kurdistan, Southwestern Kurdistan, Eastern Kurdistan and Central Kurdistan are Mesopotamia. Kurdistan city Mosul is Mesopotamia capital.

[@Arkagdyni]

RIP CEYLAN OZALP ,SIS!. BI JI YPG!!!❤❤❤❤❤

[@Arkagdyni]

Nie rozumiem,,ni w ząb,, jezyka Kurdów. Nie znam kuramandżi,somani,ani innego. Jednak mówię,,support,,dla wolności Kurdów i plemion wokół niech!❤

[@nickmatatyahu9464]

Free ,Free Kurdistan

[@PIXELGamerzXvlogs]

Bijî Kurd û Kurdistan ✌️✌️

[@zakijawa5778]

the separation of Kurds Poliitical movement from Turkiye's leftist groups...is this also happening in Arab's Party in Israel ?

[@tekadabanegewo2445]

I am Oromo love KURDISTAN

[@irani544]

Are you even sure all Kurds want "independence"? When we say independence we are basically talking about giving power to parties that cannot solve their slightest inner problems without exchanging bullets.

[@nazmisheikhahmed8512]

Iran is also independent while their govermant are dictators en radical terrorist and dont even care about their poeple. "Inner fighting" show me the inner fighting in the recent time.

[@jonathanbarone4708]

God bless you dear sister

[@user-jg9vy3ux5b]

It is very interesting that there is no mention in the video of how and on what date the Kurdish lands were occupied by whom. Since when were the Kurds taken captive, they need to be independent. This issue was never mentioned. As long as these questions are not asked and answered, this term of Kurdish independence will never be anything more than a fabrication of western imperialism.

[@Hellodarknessmyoldfriend26]

Bro even my great grandfather's family were killed by the ottoman empire just for being Kurds they will always be racists because it has been integrated in their heads for a hundred years my great grandfather started collecting guns and he faught back that's how he survived otherwise I wouldn't be here and they say Kurds are fighting for no reason like are you kidding me this is an old game that our ancestors have suffered from and we are suffering from the same thing

[@user-jg9vy3ux5b]

@@Hellodarknessmyoldfriend26 There is always an excuse to rebel and betray.

[@Alexdorio-kc9yf]

The some can told about Palestine. Until 1948 people there even weren't called Palestinians and nobody there requested a Palestine arab nation. Its disgusting how the world connmden Israel and meanwhile allow the murder of Muslims in Kurdistan and other places. China torture and puts Muslims in concentration camps and nobody cares

[@Berxwedan.]

So true, your comment really shines from the other comments.

[@Berxwedan.]

@@Hellodarknessmyoldfriend26yeah, I have an uncle that was a Soldier of the Ottoman Empire he was talking about that the language of the Turks were Arabic in old days and stuff but the most thing I notice is that his family were escaping from turkey to Syria because of they wanted to capture him dead or alive, and all of that is just because he was a Kurdish.

[@karaoglan4085]

Even this program is about Kurds I feel mentioned when the topic chances in the direction of Turkey. To call this land Turkiye tens of million Turks had fought and died. So there a red line wich dream by blood not words.

[@karaoglan4085]

@Israel_Kurdistan13 Oglum bu akilin sonucu Afrin ve elbab. Cuhmurbaskan mi degilmi bilemem burasi Türkiye gerikerse yeri Menderesin yaninda.

[@jonathanbarone4708]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@paragraph339stgb3]

What about the turkmen, arbabs and more ethnies in this area...there not all kurds in this area

[@PIXELGamerzXvlogs]

The majority of people in Kurdistan are Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen are minorities and they have rights in their respective countries anyways

[@peshangjaafar8469]

You just ethnicity cleansing kurds from turkey and still say kurds have no rights to claim their own land !!!!

[@Miguel99171]

​@@peshangjaafar8469 the problem is you can't just take parts of turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran, you talk about ethnic cleansing yeah that's funny because we see how kurds are treating Arab woman and children on those concentration camps in Syria. Don't play victim card.

[@mikeriley3556]

Typical turk, no respect for Kurdish rights

[@ibrahimk.3227]

They have countries😂 there is many Turkic and Arabic nations, not a single Kurdish nation. Stop with the ignorance…

[@nikoskousparis5171]

BIJI AZADI..BIJI KURDISTAN..BIJI SEROK APO...

[@V10SUNRINbaseballsupporters]

쿠르디스탄의 아름다운 독립국가! 세계 모든 자유민들의 꿈과 목표 입니다! 이제 더이상 핍박과 착취, 차별과 전쟁이 없는 세상은 반드시 실현될것입니다! 저희 조국 🇰🇷 대한민국은, 쿠르디스탄의 독립국가 건국을 적극적으로 지원할것입니다! 평화와 자유와 존엄의 쿠르디스탄! 최후 승리까지, 쿠르디스탄을 위하여 축복하며 기도합니다! 아멘!

[@Spiin02]

Bakûr❤Rojava☀Rojhilat💚Başûr🦅

[@oyunkrali0734]

Seni görmek beni çok mutlu etti.Urgup Mehmet Diker ilkokul arkadasim 🙂

[@xxxxandercage7455]

Any platofmr where one csn publish book on kurdish freedom

[@samankucher5117]

i am he too read angry turkish comments.... they come off very passive aggressive :3 . all love to my turkish brothers this is a joke .

[@plo8920]

Edogab lifts ban on kurdish language by kemalist,erdogan gave kurds language tv

[@k-1m-230]

😂😂😂 Allah gave Kurds their language, Turks prohibit what Allah made lawful…

[@Based556]

@@k-1m-230turks are pagans

[@b3rfinnn]

Oh wow, a politician gave back Kurds their basic human rights whilst bombing them in the east. Don't make me laugh.

[@ibrahimk.3227]

😂😂😂 mf said Erdogan

[@abubakarshafiullah1912]

We are one as one ummah, period! Arab, non arab,black, white, whatever you are if you're Muslim you're my brother.

[@watup3494]

Then remove all Arab, Fars, Turkish borders and be all one nation and don't have countries. Why is there 22 Arab countries and multiple Farsi speaking and Turkish speaking? Hypocrites

[@V10SUNRINbaseballsupporters]

쿠르디스탄의 아름다운 독립국가! 세계 모든 자유민들의 꿈과 목표 입니다! 이제 더이상 핍박과 착취, 차별과 전쟁이 없는 세상은 반드시 실현될것입니다! 저희 조국 🇰🇷 대한민국은, 쿠르디스탄의 독립국가 건국을 적극적으로 지원할것입니다! 평화와 자유와 존엄의 쿠르디스탄! 최후 승리까지, 쿠르디스탄을 위하여 축복하며 기도합니다! 아멘!

[@jameshodgetts5594]

Don't know about West Asia, surely you mean North West Asia 😊😊😊

[@zazakikirdi4316]

#FREEKURDİSTAN💚❤️💛

[@karzankarem3198]

❤❤❤ ❤☀💚 krdistan 45 miluon

[@cdean2789]

The British screwed up Palestine too.

[@Kazi-Sanaul]

First viewer and commentator

[@5yfgh7hcbbg]

❤ from Mumbai

[@Ashr-hv8xy]

1. Corrections: Claiming to be original to a whole geography and being nowadays dominant in certain areas do not make Kurdish communities indigenous to the whole geography. Precision is important! The speech around 7” is prejudicial to indigenous communities such as Assyrians.

[@Ashr-hv8xy]

2. Around 13”, the speaker refers to the join forces of Kurdish individuals with newly established Turkish nationalists against western forces. By this, in reference to the events having started and continued during this time, the joint forces conveyed genocides against Assyrian communities, among others.

[@Ashr-hv8xy]

The rest of the video was informative and the discussion setting is very comfortable acoustically.

[@a.g.5983]

I say this as a Turk. I'm thinking about whatever you're thinking about. What does this mean? This is if You are a Spaniard, whatever you think about the Basques, I think the same for the Kurds. Are you a White American? I think the same way you think about black people. Are you an Israeli, I'm thinking exactly what you think about Palestine, too. There are more examples than I can name yet. Be a little honest and see for yourself what you consider to be your right.Otherwise, a lot of refugees will come to you from here, just like refugees from countries such as Africa and India, whose lands you are playing with.

[@abcdefgh-fd6wl]

Kürdlere yaptığınız bütün zulümler ve baskıları bütün dünyaya görecek

[@history_repeats8201]

So you are threatening the civilized world with an invasion of refugees to prevent the Kurdish people to have their natural rights to be independent? This is exactly the reason why Turks I met in the West are ashamed to say they are Turks!! Join the civilized world. Give Kurds their well deserved freedom!!!!

[@nickmatatyahu9464]

Please don't compare Kurdish people with the fictious "palestinian beople"

[@a.g.5983]

@@history_repeats8201 i hope a Kurdish person treats you like a real kurd. Berdel tries to do something like that, then maybe he'll come to his senses?

[@a.g.5983]

@@nickmatatyahu9464 You Israelis are in a position to understand us the most. Someone is coming and bombing your house, your soldiers. And the whole world thinks otherwise?

[@Moon-bt3re]

But why do they only want a part of Turkiye?! Come on! The ottoman empire has already given so much to everyone. Why doesnt Iraq want to give a part to them, or Syria! No only Turkiye 🤦🏽‍♀️

[@andregeitzenauer8892]

Da gibt es eine tolle Dokumentation von ARTE die lautet : Kurdistan, Schatzkammer Mesopotamiens|DokuARTE2020

[@LisandroMunez]

let's educate ourselves with stamps

[@mb-sc3el]

You can have independance. But you can not take even 1 inch of the Turkey our ancestors died, starved, struggled and strived to protect. As a Kurd i am disgusted at how my people believe the promises made to them by scum imperialism and lead them to fight against their closest neighbours in the region.

[@Unknown-wk3bh]

I'm turkish and I believe that if there was no PKK/YPG Rats which killed more than 45.000 civilians in turkiye, there would've been an Kurdistan already. A free Kurdistan, not a US led one.

[@mikeriley3556]

I think your fascist Turkish mindset from years of brainwashing by the Ataturk school of genocide and massacres has led you to make stupid comments like this. Turkey is occupying Kurdistan, from Amed to Van to Dersim, eventually it will be a free Kurdistan. Don’t forget Turkey is only 100 years old, Kurdistan has been here way before the mongol invasion

[@PIXELGamerzXvlogs]

“Disgusted that they’re fighting their closest neighbours in the region” I’m disgusted you don’t know what your own people have been through. Kurds have been massacred, assimilated and brutally oppressed in Turkey but you are disgusted when they fight back against their oppressors? Not very bright, are you

[@aminrodriguez4707]

Dude, the British destrpyed rge Ottoman Empire (who also had the Kurds under their foot, and created Irak and Syria, the Kurds make the mmistake of giving themselves t9 being proxies of US/UK....

[@abcdefgh-fd6wl]

​@@mikeriley3556Dest xweşşş 👏🏻👏🏻

[@ramatgan1]

I think they could have found a better person to interview. She talked and talked without saying anything.

[@furkankaymaz1952]

As a Turk i don't give up on sivas, şanlıurfa, gümüşhane, malatya, gaziantep, erzincan, erzurum, muş, gaziantep, kilis, hatay since they don't give up on me. The so called kurdistan map is not accurate. Also there are too many armenian origin cities that kurds migrated to. So they will remain our minorities. Maybe we can negociate 2 or 3 cities near to the ıraqi border and than part the ways. The kurds who wants to stay in Turkey after seperation, we give them some linguistic rights and get over with it.

[@PIXELGamerzXvlogs]

Half the provinces you mentioned have a lot of Kurds who are assimilated and turkified, also cities in Anatolia were Greek origin cities before Turks came from Central Asia and immigrated to, so that means Turks shouldn’t control any of those cities? You can’t support East Turkestan, South Azerbaijan and Palestinian independence but then make excuses when it comes to Kurds.

[@furkankaymaz1952]

@@PIXELGamerzXvlogs We the Turks are not doing micro etnicism Arab(hatay), Laz, Circass, Boshniac, Albanian, Pomak, Roman, Tracian, Caucassian by being muslim we all accept the upper identity name of Tukish. Under the ottoman empire our cultures and races are mixed. So we cannot claim only one side and deny the other one. East Turkestan is USA games, South Azerbaycan i cannot support because i don't want iran to become another syria. I am out of it. Lastly for palestinans i don't support violance but i don't like palestinian govt. I like israelis because they helped us all the time whereas palestine stabbed us in the back. Today they still do acts against Turkey.

[@PIXELGamerzXvlogs]

@@furkankaymaz1952 I would accept the upper identity of Turkish if minority cultures were protected in Turkey but unfortunately they are not, today half of Kurds (millions) cannot speak their mother tongue and Turkey today is not the Ottoman Empire. But I appreciate you not being a hypocrite (not supporting independence for another nation due to bias) and being fair and just with yourself unlike other Turks who are often hypocritical and prejudiced👍🙂

[@furkankaymaz1952]

@@PIXELGamerzXvlogs When i was in military for my obligatory service i was almost start to speak kurdish like "hudişte razi be".etc.etc. Kurds speak all the time kurdish if they want to. Even in the military. If Kurds somehow feel insecure or unprotected, there is a parliament to discuss about that. But first seperatist-terrorist kurds should stop killing no matter what. pkk should stop that they are the authority in the region. road controls, check points, kidnapping personnels and teachers. Planting bombs under the military personal cariers. Outpost ambushes. Taxing the local people. All should never repeat again. Because the soldiers that pkk kills is mainly the civillians doing military service. Kurds are amongst them. All these things caused a trauma. Turks also got traumatized. Why no one see this. So the pkk terror must end soones. The fire sould extinquished. I respect every nation. I believe no one can exterminate any identity. But i also deeply despect people who is also assimilated to other culture. Because if the weather is sunny everone should shelter under a tree. Whatever this tree is. I support life. If assimilation brings more life than death i support it.

[@beserman181]

@@PIXELGamerzXvlogsits not up to u its kurdish lands

[@ahmetdagdelen6180]

All talks from Dr Zeynep Kaya start with it depends it depends it depens. Funny. İf it all depends. That means nothing will happen

[@Azadte]

Free kurdistan

[@GaganDeep-wh3ew]

You spread fake propoganda against BHARAT Why don't you talk about HINDUS AND SIKHS of Pakistan and Bangladesh

[@666rayoflight]

How much did u get paid for writing this lunatic message of yours

[@Lea-rp3fz]

❤☀💚🦅Kurdistan is 8000 years old. ☀Meder☀Arier☀Mesopotamier☀Ayyubiden☀Zand☀Yezidentum🦚

[@Kuppasy]

As long as Kurds work for European colonial imperialists, I am against any Kurdish independent state! Kurds will live as equal human beings in the existing states.

[@burakayan3360]

Haha lol. They show a map, and it just automaticly becomes their land. How beautiful. West of euphrates doesnt belong to kurds. They migrated towards west during ottoman era, as ottoman citizens. Check out the poll boxes. Where hdp gains more than %60 percent is where they belong. Baren and desolete places. The reason why we hold on in the region, is because that region act as a barrier against eastern powers. Like a neutral wall yo

[@history_repeats8201]

Anatolia dosnt belong to Turks. They migrated there from central Asia. That logic works both ways

[@burakayan3360]

@@history_repeats8201 lol. My ancestors didnt apply for a visa, nor they had a passport of byztanine. They took it by blood and wars. İ hope you get the difference

[@history_repeats8201]

@@burakayan3360 of course we get the difference. You are a Turko-jihadi living on stolen land. For how long?

[@history_repeats8201]

@@burakayan3360 BTW you still need a visa to go anywhere in the civilized world. Too bad the old method of killing the natives doesnt work. Now you have to be a guest worker for others. lol

[@b3rfinnn]

"my ancestors" who? the greeks n Albanians who got kidnapped and assimilated and conquered land for an empire? or how turks only had progressed into Anatolia because the Kurds permitted them to under the name of Islam. or the sultans of the ottomans have the lowest "turkic DNA" who were ashamed to be called turks. who are your ancestors?@@burakayan3360

[@sinnyawesome7037]

Kurdistan is going to be the new Phalestine. That is all!

[@ibrahimk.3227]

No it’s going to be Israel 2.0… Get your facts straight

[@jameshodgetts5594]

Except they have not raped And murdered innocent people and are not Arab

[@bijikurdistanss]

Long live kurdistan long live kurds