'Kurdish has to be recognized with its name in the Parliament'

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Linguist and translator Zana Farqînî applied to the Green Left Party (GLP) for candidacy in the parliamentary elections on May 14. Farqînî is known for his books and his academic work in Kurdish.

Farqînî talked to bianet about the reasons why he decided to run in the parliamentary elections, and what he wishes to do in the parliament.

'People have expectations from me'

Farqînî said that his relations knowing his academic work insisted that he should apply for candidacy and that people have expectations from him, concerning the problems related to the Kurdish language.

If he is elected, Farqînî wishes to carry out research and studies on Kurdish in the Parliament. "Lifting of the articles that ban the use of Kurdish in the legislation, and making legislation in favor of Kurdish will be what I will work for," he says.

"For Kurdish to be recognized officially"

Farqînî also commented on Kurdish being noted in the minutes of the Parliament as an "unknown language" in the 1990s and early 2000s, and as "a language other than Turkish" after December 29, 2008. This is a problem that we should overcome he believes.

"TRT Kurdish is broadcast in this country. If Kurdish is an "unknown language" then we should ask Mustafa Şentop, the Speaker of the Parliament, on the grounds of which law is TRT Kurdish broadcasting. There are universities and institutes in Turkey working on the Kurdish language, and they have post-graduate programs. This language has to be named and if there is such a reality it has to be approached with its own name.

People are always discussing with him the problem of taking Kurdish under legal protection, Farqînî tells bianet and says that if he is elected he will be working for Kurdish to be recognized officially with the support and in line with the principles of the party.

About Zana Farqînî

Zana Farqînî was born in Diyarbakır (Amed) in 1967. He graduated from the Sociology department of İstanbul University. He has books in Kurdish. He wrote for the Rewşen magazine, Welat newspaper, and Welatê Me newspaper. He was one of the founders of the Azadiya Welat newspaper. He assumed various duties in the İstanbul Kurdish Institute which was closed later on.

His works: Ferhenga Tirkî-Kurdî. (Turkish-Kurdish Dictionary), Ferhenga Kurdî-Tirkî. (Kurdish-Turkish Dictionary)

His translations: Mamosteyê Sêyemîn Xanî, H. Mem (Third Teacher Xanî) from Turkish, Rastiyên Destana Memê Alan, H. Mem (Facts about the Memê Alan Tale) from Turkish, Xanî û Newroz (Xanî and Newroz) H. Mem from Turkish, Xanî û Memzayên Wî (Xanî and Meza's), H. Mem, from Turkish. (SH/AÖ/PE)