Minority rights

Turkey: 'Kurdish Women: Resilience in the face of double discrimination'

The Kurdish ethnic group historically inhabited Kurdistan, an area now divided between the modern states of Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria. Kurds form about 20% of Turkey’s population. Since the formation of the state of Turkey, Kurds in Turkey have faced marginalization and suppression of their cultural identity and a very severe assimilation policy. In 1984 the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) launched an armed uprising against the Turkish state demanding an independent Kurdish homeland.

Kirghizistan: Des milliers de réfugiés fuient vers l'Ouzbékistan et le Tadjikistan

La situation se stabilisait lentement mardi dans le sud du Kirghizstan, a indiqué un responsable de la région d'Och, après quatre jours de violences interethniques qui ont fait au moins 170 morts et plus de 1 700 blessés. "La nuit dernière a été plus ou moins calme dans la région par rapport à la nuit précédente. De nombreux membres des forces de l'ordre (...) assurent la sécurité et le passage de convois humanitaires", a déclaré un responsable du ministère de l'intérieur. "Le grand problème reste la propagation parmi la population de rumeurs provocatrices qui créent la panique et attisent les tensions", a-t-il poursuivi.

Kyrgyzstan: UN experts alarmed by ethnic violence and call for restraint & dialogue

A group of UN human rights experts* today expressed their alarm and deep concern about ethnic tensions that have erupted into violence in the south of Kyrgyzstan, including the cities of Osh and Jalalabad. The violence has reportedly claimed the lives of over one hundred and left many hundreds more injured. A state of emergency has been declared in the region following the outbreak of violence between ethnic Kyrgyz and ethnic Uzbeks. The situation has dramatically deteriorated since 11 June with reports of continuing killings and the burning of residences, shops and other properties.