CIAO DATE: 10/2009
April 2009
United States Institute of Peace
* Kurds in Syria have been denied basic social, cultural, and political rights, in many cases stemming from the Syrian state's refusal to grant citizenship.
* Kurdish political opposition in Syria is fractured. Though some join Kurds in other countries in calling for the emergence of a separate Kurdish state, many Kurds reject separatism and have generally been committed to peaceful democratic struggle.
* Democratic reforms in Syria that improve the human rights situation for Kurds and non-Kurds could go a long way to alleviate the tension between the Kurds and the Syrian state.
* The problems that Syrian Kurds face cannot be truly solved without an effort both to improve the human rights of Kurds throughout the region and to foster their political inclusion in their states of residency.
* The United States and European Union should use any diplomatic tools at their disposal to promote appropriate reforms in Syria and the region.
Resource link: The Kurds in Syria: Fueling Separatist Movements in the Region? [PDF] - 1.1M