The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) in partnership with the London School of Economics Middle East Centre held a Joint Forum Debate with speakers veteran journalist and author Mr Cengiz Candar, Dr Zeynep Kaya, LSE Middle East Centre Research Fellow and Mr Robert Lowe, Manager of the Middle East Centre.
The event will take place on Tuesday 19 April 2016, between 7.00PM and 9.00PM in Committee Room 8, House of Commons. This event was hosted by Sharon Hodgson Labour MP for Washington & Sunderland West and Shadow Children’s Minister.
At the 100th anniversary of infamous Sykes-Picot agreement which defined the borders of Iraq and Syria, the peoples of the region whose lives have been affected by this agreement over the last century find themselves again in the middle of a conflict that may have a global effect. Starting from the Iraq War in early 2000s, shattered borders in the region have been reclaimed by the barbaric terrorist organisation DAESH also known as ISIS since their emergence due to intensifying Syrian conflict from 2011 onwards.
The event will tackle the situation with Kurds in Syria who had been denied autonomy at the beginning of the century have become key actors in their fight for survival and for democracy against DAESH. Also, considering, Kurds in Turkey as a result of collapse of peace talks between the Turkish government and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) have suffered gravely with many civilians losing their lives over the last year, reminding many observers of the circumstances in 1990s. As a nation-wide political and security crisis looms in Turkey where many consecutive terror attacks have been carried out by DAESH and the PKK over the last year, Mr Cengiz Candar will elaborate on the 100th Anniversary of Sykes-Picot and Turkey, Syria and the Kurds at the brink of a change. Mr Lowe will share his analysis on the present and future of Rojava in Syria and Dr Zeynep Kaya will analyse the implications of the sudden shift from talks to conflict in Turkey.
