Title: THE SYRIAN KURDS’ RIGHT OF SELF-DETERMINATION IN THE LIGHT OF “ARAB SPRING”.
Author: Azzma Aljurf
Place of publication: Portugal
Publisher: Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Direito
Release date:2019.

Abstract
The Kurds are one of the largest ethnic minorities in the world whose rights of
independence and having an independent state have been questionable and
debatable at many international fronts such as the international politics in the
Middle East region. In 2011, the “Arab Spring” has taken place in so many Arab
countries in which people demonstrated in large number to call for their right to
freedom in all its forms. In Syria, the uprising turned into blood bath and the whole
country was divided under so many fighting groups on the ground. The Syrian
Kurds were largely influenced by the unrest and conflict.
In this research, the Syrian Kurds right of self-determination is examined in regard
to the Syrian uprising in 2011. The aim of the study is to fill the gap in research
about the Syrian Kurds and in the same time, offers an approach to examine their
right to be independent given their common culture, language and traditions
through looking into the Kurds’ history and their struggle from the United Nation
resolutions perspective.
The Kurds historically lived on the Middle East region and never had their own
independent territory. As a result of the World War I, the Kurds were divided in
four neighboring countries Syria, Turkey, Iran and Iraq. Since then, they were
struggling to get their voice heard and been persecuted and denied their right to
self- determine their own regions. Similarly, in Syria they were heavily targeted by
the Ba’athist regime and declined. The Kurds’ right of self-determination has been
in the fore since the Syrian uprising as they had to fight to protect their existence in
the northern regions from one of the extremist groups with low or zero support from
any international support.
After examining the right of self-determination, its implications and applicability,
on the Syrian Kurds, it is evident that they do not qualify for independence from an
international law view for several reasons (see chapter 5). However, in Al-Jazira
and Afrin, the two highly dense Kurdish regions in Syria, the demography and
policies are changing whether by the Syrian state or the Turkish in the Afrin region.
Hence, the Kurds’ right to independence could be seen from different perspective
in the future given the on-going conflict and power dynamic among the neighboring
countries.[1]