Syria: University of Aleppo threatens 180 Kurdish students with expulsion from the university
RodinRojhilat_KURDISTAN
expulsion from the university
Society for Threatened Peoples05/06/2009 00:00:00
In Aleppo in the north of Syria 180 mainly Kurdish students are
threatened shortly before their examination with a disciplinary action
which can mean expulsion from the University. A letter written in
Arabian characters from the university authorities has reached the
Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) with a list of the names and
faculties of the students who have been instructed to present
themselves at the so-called “Disciplinary Committee”, which can
recommend expulsion from the university. These young people are
accused of causing a disturbance. The GfbV fears that the students are
to be prevented from taking their final examinations because they
belong to the Kurdish ethnic group. The human rights organisation has
written to the embassies of the EU countries in Damascus with the
request that they protest against the discrimination of the Kurdish
students.
“The Syrian authorities constantly prevent members of the suppressed
Kurdish ethnic group from qualifying for better-paid jobs and
professions”, says the letter from the GfbV chair, Tilman Zülch. The
approximately two million Kurds in Syria, which make up the majority
of the population in three regions on the Syrian-Turkish border, are
subject to discrimination and suppression. They are denied rights of
culture and language. In the course of the policy of Arabicisation of
1962 Syrian citizenship was withdrawn from some 120,000 Kurds.
Together with their descendents, who have likewise no rights, their
number has grown to about 300,000. The GfbV calls for the
reinstatement of citizenship for these stateless people in their own
country.
Für Menschenrechte. Weltweit
Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker / Society for Threatened Peoples
P.O. Box 20 24 - D-37010 Göttingen/Germany
Nahostreferat/ Middle East Desk
Dr. Kamal Sido - Tel: +49 (0) 551 49906-18 - Fax: +49 (0) 551 58028
E-Mail: nah...@gfbv.de - www.gfbv.de
Society for Threatened Peoples05/06/2009 00:00:00