by hCa
Istanbul, July 2013

The policy of forced migration which has been applied against the Kurds since the foundation of the Republic of Turkey
was considered an instrument/method to assimilate the Kurds. This policy well reflected the nation-state perspective in its
approach to humanitarian issues which is based on the homogenisation of the population. The last and the most
extensive version of this policy was applied by the state in its fight against the PKK (Partiya Karkeren Kurdistan-Kurdistan
Workers’ Party) in the 1990s when the conflict between the Turkish Armed Forces and the PKK reached its peak. In those
years, a considerable part of the Kurdish population was forced to move since their villages were evacuated by the
security forces and village guards. There were also some Kurds who had to leave their territory due to the PKK’s
pressure. Nevertheless, the majority of the Kurds were forced to move since they did not accept to be village guard and
to fight against the PKK beside the state. Within this framework, it is reported that more than one million Kurds have been
displaced.

For the full version of the article: Forced Migration in Turkey