The stance of the Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet on the Kurdish refugee camps situated in Merdin, Diyarbakır, and Muş

Abstract

The Cumhuriyet newspaper is one of the oldest unofficial newspapers in the history of Turkish journalism. It has gained widespread popularity among readers and features a group of renowned writers. While examining the pages of the Çumhuriyet newspaper from the latter part of the previous century, it becomes evident that the newspaper covered foreign political developments and neighboring countries. However, South Kurdistan despite being a neighboring border region, received limited attention and discussion in the newspaper’s pages.

The 1988 Anfal campaign against Iraqi Kurds was a catastrophic event that resulted in the displacement of thousands of Kurds to Turkey The Turkish government initially accommodated them in temporary camps before relocating them in permanent camps in the cities of Merdin, Diyarbakir, and Moş. The Çumhuriyet newspaper devoted a considerable amount of its coverage to the topic of immigrants and the services provided in the camps between the years 1988 and 1991. 

The newspaper has played a significant role in conveying the voice of Kurdish immigrants to Turkey  and the world. In addition , itfacilitated the exchange of regional and global viewpoints, commentaries, and speeches about the Kurdish camps in Turkey. The newspaper has consistently highlighted pertinent events and emphasized the inadequate conditions faced by refugees in areas such as education, healthcare, and general services.