It’s the Kurdish people, a group of some 36 million people that spreads across eastern Turkey, northern Syria and Iraq, and northwestern Iran. Until the early 20th century, Kurds cared little about owning a country, leading a life of itinerant shepherds of goats and sheep and having as their main identity element their social organization, based on loyalty to clans. However, the greater control of national borders after the First World War (1914-1918) prevented the free movement of their livestock and forced most Kurds to settle in fixed villages and adopt agriculture, giving rise to nationalism and struggle. for the creation of a nation of its own, a project harshly repressed by the governments of Turkey and neighboring countries. But achieving one’s own country is not the exclusive aspiration of Kurds. It is part of the claims of several other peoples – groups of individuals who come from the same region, speak the same language and have customs, habits, history, traditions and culture in common. In general, these peoples today do not have their own country because they are ethnic minorities in the area they inhabit, being subjected to powerful political or military forces, which represent interests contrary to their autonomy.
1. Kurds
POPULATION – 36 million
CLAIMED TERRITORY – 191 thousand km2 (equivalent to Paraná)
WHO THEY ARE – Descendants of nomadic tribes that lived 3,000 years ago in the mountains of what are now Turkey, Iran and Iraq. Despite occupying the same region for centuries, they never had a country, remaining under the political and military domain of other peoples.
CURRENT SITUATION – In Turkey, where the majority of Kurdish people live, their language is banned and around 10,000 of them are imprisoned for political reasons. In the 1990s, thousands of Kurds were killed by chemical weapons launched by former dictator Saddam Hussein in Iraq. After his fall, the situation of the people in the country improved.
2. Tibetans
POPULATION – 6.2 million
CLAIMED TERRITORY – 1.2 million km2 (equivalent to Pará)
WHO THEY ARE – Descendants of shepherds living in the northwest region of what is now China 2,200 years ago, Tibetans used to live in a semi-feudal society dominated by the Buddhist priest class. Since the 13th century, the people have suffered the domination of other enemies. In 1990, Tiberius was invaded by China, being occupied and then annexed. To counteract the region’s demographics, the Beijing government has sent over 6 million Chinese to live in Tibet.
CURRENT SITUATION – China continues to repress political and religious activities in the region, which has experienced sporadic rebellions, always hard fought by Beijing.
3. Palestinians
POPULATION – 5.3 million
CLAIMED TERRITORY – 6 thousand km2 (equivalent to the Federal District)
WHO THEY ARE – The Palestinians are descendants of the Philistines, a people who arrived in the Middle East 14,000 years ago, when the first clashes with Israelis broke out, who also inhabited the region. Submitted to the Ottoman Empire and later by the British, the Palestinians lost their chance of independence in 1948: with Israel, a good part of its territory was occupied by the new country.
CURRENT SITUATION – In 1994 the Palestinian Authority was established, a semi-autonomous government that gained control over parts of the former territory. Moderate Palestinians defend the expansion of autonomy and coexistence with the Israelis. Radicals demand the destruction of Israel.
4. Gypsies
POPULATION – 5 million
CLAIMED TERRITORY – None
WHO THEY ARE – Originally from northern India, where they left around the 11th century, gypsies have spread throughout the world. Today, they inhabit virtually every country in the West. Nomads with no territorial claim, they have been victims of cultural prejudice, political repression and even extermination campaigns. During World War II (1939-1945) the Nazis killed at least 400,000 of them.
CURRENT SITUATION – Resisting to integrate into society, they try to maintain their traditional nomadic customs. Persecutions are a thing of the past in most parts of the world. Cultural prejudice and discrimination do not.
5. Basques
POPULATION – 2.1 million
CLAIMED TERRITORY – 234 km² (1.2 times the territory of the Federal District)
WHO THEY ARE – The Vascones tribe, ancestors of the current Basques, lived in areas that are now part of Spain and France for at least 2,000 years. After resisting several foreign invasions, they were mostly incorporated into Spanish territory and, in the 20th century, suffered intense persecution during the government of the dictator Francisco Franco, whom they even opposed with armed struggle.
CURRENT SITUATION – After the death of Franco and the re-demogratization of Spain, in the 1970s, the bastos obtained more freedom and a certain political autonomy. But that has not appeased the most radical separatist movements, which continue with their attacks.
6. Chechens
POPULATION – 1.2 million
CLAIMED TERRITORY – 15 800 km2 (three times the territory of the Federal District)
WHO THEY ARE – Mostly Muslim, Chechens come from tribes that have lived for centuries in the mountains of the Caucasus region. Between the 1830s and 1850s, they put up fierce armed resistance to Russia’s conquests in that area. With the end of the Soviet Union, in 1991, the region became an independent republic. But in December 1994, Russia invaded Chechnya, causing a war with around 100,000 deaths.
CURRENT SITUATION – Russian troops have control of major cities. But the rebellion against their presence continues with attacks and violence.