Speakers

Mr. Robert Lowe, Research Fellow, Manager of Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House

Mr. Amed Semo, Independent Researcher and Medical Doctor

Chair:Mr. Janroj Keles, Research Fellow, London Metropolitan University

Date: October 8th, 2009 at 7:00pm

Venue: Room V111, Vernon Square, SOAS University

School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
Vernon Square
Penton Rise
London
WC1X 9EW

Abstracts of the seminar

Robert Lowe of Chatham House

The Serhildan: narrative and identity among Kurds in Syria

The Kurdish political and cultural movement in Syria has lacked prominent historical reference points. Compared to Kurds in Turkey, Iraq and Iran, those in Syria have a shorter ‘national story’. The violent events of 2004, described by some Kurds as the ‘serhildan’ (uprising), have given sharper definition to the movement and provided a new potent symbol of victimhood. The serhildan has provided a new narrative which has altered the language and nature of the movement and has given Kurds in Syria a major reference point which is specifically theirs.

Mr. Amed Semo, Independent Researcher and Campaigner for stateless Kurds in Syria

Stateless Kurds in Syria” buried alive” a case of a cultural and identity Genocide.

The suppressive Syrian regime, in flagrant breach of human rights and international law, developed the racist, discriminatory Census Article 93, issued on 23/08/1962 and implemented on 05/10/1962, limited to Al Hasakah and Kurdish regions, which initially resulted in more than 150,000 and now increased to more than half a million, Kurds, who had been living in their own homeland, being stripped of their Syrian nationality certificate, thereby depriving them of the basic human right of surviving and prospering in their own country. Those whose nationality was withdrawn, and henceforth considered as foreigners in their own land, have no right to work in formal government departments, nor to own property, nor can they have access to education and health facilities. They cannot register their marriages and neither are they allowed to register their children in the state civil records. They cannot travel abroad as they cannot obtain a passport. They have no rights to practice some freelance professions such as medicine, law and teaching, which require a nationality certificate. In conclusion, they have no birthright to live in their own homeland. This racial and cultural genocide still continues today, after more than four decades….

Abstract of the seminar

The Serhildan: narrative and identity among Kurds in Syria

The Kurdish political and cultural movement in Syria has lacked

prominent historical reference points. Compared to Kurds in Turkey, Iraq

and Iran, those in Syria have a shorter 'national story'. The violent

events of 2004, described by some Kurds as the 'serhildan' (uprising),

have given sharper definition to the movement and provided a new potent

symbol of victimhood. The serhildan has provided a new narrative which

has altered the language and nature of the movement and has given Kurds

in Syria a major reference point which is specifically theirs.

Over the coming months the UK Kurdish Studies and Student Organisation will be announcing its programme of events for the 2009/2010 academic year.

In October KSSO will host three events starting off with a seminar on statelessness titled “Citzenship and Statelessness in Syria” given by Robert Lowe, manager and research fellow for the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, and Alan Shamoson. Mr Lowe is an expert on Kurdish issues with a special focus on Syria. The date of the event is October 8th at SOAS University, starting at 6pm in the Khalili lecture conference room.

On October 22nd Dr. Maja Cederberg of Oxford Brooks University will be holding a seminar on “Presences and absences in stories about racism and disadvantage.“ This seminar will take a broad look at issues of racism and disadvantage including the case of Kurdish communities.

KSSO will announce the times and exact room locations for these events closer to the event dates, but please do make a note in your diaries.

We welcome all new and old Kurdish and non-Kurdish students, as well as non-students, and hope to make 2009/2010 another successful year for KSSO.

For future events please see our new events calendar at the bottom of the page.