Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Kurds, numbering somewhat 40 million, are the largest stateless nation worldwide.
As smaller minorities, they are mainly spread in Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey in the
Middle East. The Kurdish claims for self-determination have been a century-long
struggle, and at the moment only the Kurds in north-Iraq have achieved the establishment
of the semi-autonomous territory of Kurdistan, and the Kurds in Syria have autonomous
control over the Kurdish region. Iran and Turkey with their significant Kurdish
communities have not been successful in addressing the Kurdish claims of selfdetermination
in an efficient and structural manner. This thesis assessed the possibilities
of a successful implementation of a federal model in Iran and Turkey in order to address
the Kurdish claims for self-determination. The main finding of this thesis is that the
current political atmosphere in each country is not ready to make the necessary
accommodations, as the transition to a federal system requires, and consequently will not
be successful in addressing the Kurdish claims of self-determination. In Iran, it is found
that the union between religion and politics, and consequently, the controlled nature of
the theocratic system, will not accommodate for a society along federalist principles in
which rule is divided amongst groups in society. In Turkey, it is found that while the
political rule in Turkey is different from that in Iran, it is however believed that not even
a possible transition to a direct Presidential system will change the governments fears of
separatism, or the constitutional constraints which further hinders a federal transition. As
seen from the assessment of the case studies, a federal implementation is not foreseen in
Iran and Turkey within the nearest future, and will subsequently fail in addressing the
Kurdish claims of self-determination. A transition of this manner requires dedication and
willingness, and this research presents recommendations for the road towards a federalist
political arrangement and greater Kurdish self-determination in order to reach a peaceful
solution to the century-long Kurdish issue. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Koerde wat 40 miljoen lede het is die grootste staatlose nasie in die wêreld. Hulle
word hoofsaaklik in Iran, Irak, Sirië en Turkye in die Midde-Ooste aangetref. Die Koerde
se aanspraak vir selfbeskikking is ‘n eeue-lange stryd: op die oomblik het slegs die
Koerde in Noord-Irak die vestiging van die semi-outonome gebied van Kurdistan terwyl
die Koerde in Sirië outonome beheer het oor die Koerdiese gebied. Beide Iran en Turkye
het aansienlike Koerdiese gemeenskappe, maar was onsuksesvol om die Koerdiese se
aanspraak op selfbeskikking aan te spreek. Hierdie tesis assesseer die moontlikheid vir
die suksesvolle implimentering van ‘n federale model in Iran en Irak om die Koerdiese
aanspraak vir selfbeskikking aan te spreek. Die hoof bevinding van hierdie tesis is dat die
huidige politieke klimaat in elkeen van hierdie lande ongunstig is: hierdie lande is nie
gereed om die oorgang tot ‘n federale sisteem te maak nie, en sal gevolglik onsuksesvol
wees in die aanspreek van Koerdiese aanspraak op selfbeskikking. In Iran is daar geen
onderskeid tussen godsdiens en politiek nie: die streng beheerde teokratiese sisteem sal
nie die ontwikkeling van ‘n samelewing langs federale beginsels toelaat waar mag tussen
verskillende groepe in die samelewing verdeel is nie. In Turkye waar die politieke
sisteem verskil van dié van Iran, sal ‘n moontlike oorgang na ‘n Presidensiële sisteem nie
die vrese van separatisme verander of die grondwetlike beperkings verander wat ‘n
federale oorgang verhinder nie. Soos uit die gevallestudies blyk kan ‘n federale sisteem
nie in die nabye toekoms in Turkye en Iran voorsien word nie en sal hierdie lande
gevolglik misluk in die aanspreek van die Koerdiese aanspraak op selfbeskikking. ‘n
Politieke oorgang van hierdie soort benodig toewyding en bereidwilligheid, en hierdie
navorsing stel aanbevelings voor vir die pad na ‘n federale politiese ooreenkoms en
groter Koerdiese selfbeskikking. Dit is nodig indien ‘n vreedsame oplossing vir die eeuelange
Koerdiese kwessie gevind moet word.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/96122 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Sharifi, Sirwa |
| Contributors | Lambrechts, Derica, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | iv, 103 p. : col. maps |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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