Əlirza Quluncu (Alirza Quluncu) - February 21, 2013
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| Artum Dinc |
Artum Dinc, a researcher and doctoral candidate in the Department of Sociology at Ankara University, commented on the role and importance of the mother tongue factor in ethnic movements in an interview with Voice of America on International Mother Language Day. "Today, in Iran, there is a systematic, planned, and programmed policy of Persianization and cultural genocide against non-Persian ethnic groups. Non-Persian peoples' languages, cultures, and histories are being erased, and they are being forced to adopt Persian language, history, and identity under the guise of Iranian identity," said Artum Dinc, evaluating the policies pursued by the Iranian government.
The researcher believes that in comparison with other Turkish-speaking communities, including the Republic of Azerbaijan, the mother tongue plays a more significant role in the civil and ethnic rights movement of Southern Azerbaijanis. He emphasizes that the policy of Russification implemented against those living in the Azerbaijan Republic in the past sharply differs from the current policy of Persianization in the South [Azerbaijan]. "The Soviet government's assimilation policy did not prohibit the mother tongue; it provided educational opportunities to non-Russian peoples relative to the Russians. However, the Persianization policy in Iran prohibits Turkish and is aimed at cultural genocide as a whole," Mr. Dinc observes.
The researcher adds that during the Soviet era, language was not the only factor distinguishing Azerbaijanis from Russians; other factors, such as religion and customs, also played a role. In the South, however, these contradictions converge primarily on the difference in language.
According to Artum Dinc, in a totalitarian system like the Islamic Republic of Iran, where non-governmental organizations have minimal capabilities to react to prohibitions, one initiative that people deprived of education in their mother tongue in Iran can undertake is "civil disobedience." He stated that a year ago, he proposed a campaign for a day of fasting in Farsi (Persian) as one such initiative to be implemented once a year, perhaps on the first day of schooling, as a symbolic protest against Farsi-only education and linguistic hegemony in the country.
The researcher believes that in comparison with other Turkish-speaking communities, including the Republic of Azerbaijan, the mother tongue plays a more significant role in the civil and ethnic rights movement of Southern Azerbaijanis. He emphasizes that the policy of Russification implemented against those living in the Azerbaijan Republic in the past sharply differs from the current policy of Persianization in the South [Azerbaijan]. "The Soviet government's assimilation policy did not prohibit the mother tongue; it provided educational opportunities to non-Russian peoples relative to the Russians. However, the Persianization policy in Iran prohibits Turkish and is aimed at cultural genocide as a whole," Mr. Dinc observes.
The researcher adds that during the Soviet era, language was not the only factor distinguishing Azerbaijanis from Russians; other factors, such as religion and customs, also played a role. In the South, however, these contradictions converge primarily on the difference in language.
According to Artum Dinc, in a totalitarian system like the Islamic Republic of Iran, where non-governmental organizations have minimal capabilities to react to prohibitions, one initiative that people deprived of education in their mother tongue in Iran can undertake is "civil disobedience." He stated that a year ago, he proposed a campaign for a day of fasting in Farsi (Persian) as one such initiative to be implemented once a year, perhaps on the first day of schooling, as a symbolic protest against Farsi-only education and linguistic hegemony in the country.