Arabisation plan in Syrian Kurdistan

(The Arab Belt)

With the rise of Nasser in 1950s of the last century, Arab nationalism began to take a chauvinistic and racial form especially after the unity between Syria and Egypt. After September Revolution led by the late Mustafa al-Barzani in Iraqi Kurdistan in 1961 and then the separation between Syrian and Egypt in 1961, the Arab nationalism witnessed a rising in chauvinism in Syria in general and in al-Jazzier in particular. That took many forms: arresting Kurdish leaders, accusing Kurds of being separatists, and putting plans for dangerous and racial projects like the so-called Arab Belt suggested by the lieutenant Muhammad Talab Hilal- Head of the political security branch in al-Hasakah governorate. He wrote a book titled: A Study about the Governorate of al-Jazzier from National, Social and Political Aspects first published at the beginning of 1960s and then reprinted on 12/11/1963. That study consists of 160 pages which includes recommendations for melting the Kurdish identity and obliging the Kurds to emigrate. One of the most important suggestions was the one which called for the formation on the so-called Arab Belt as it is now. That was mentioned in article number 8 which states:

"Housing Arabs in the Kurdish regions on borders; those Arabs will be the guarantee for future."

The Arab chauvinists started to carry out the plan and started to confiscate the lands and formed "State Farms". Then they brought Arabs form al-Raqqa and Aleppo governorates to the region and gave them the most fertile lands. The usurped areas of land were about one million acres distributed on 335 villages and inhabited by 150.000 Kurds. In winter 1974/1975 the Arab settlers began to reach to al-Jazzier.

On 24/6/1974 the Regional Leadership of Baath Party in Syria headed by the deputy of the regional leadership issued its disastrous decision no. 521 giving orders to carry out the "Arab Belt" and entitled the concerned people to confiscate the agricultural lands and to distribute them on settlers according to ready forms.

The number of settlements is 39 and the area of confiscated land amounts to 800.000 acres. The number of Arab families that got benefit from that land was 4500. As for the number of Kurdish villages which were affected by that decision amounted to 335 along 275 km length and 10-20 km width from the furthest north-east to the borders of al-Raqqa governorate in the west. The area given to each land was 150-300 acres from the most fertile lands in al-Jazzier.

The number of settlements in Derik (It has been given an Arabic name "al-Malikaya) is 12. And the same number is in Qamishly region. In Ras al-Ein, however, the number is 15.

Those settlers neither consider themselves indigenous people of the governorate nor the real owners of the land. The indigenous Arabs of the region consider them as outsiders, too. There is an aggressive feeling among the original Arabs towards the settlers and wish that they would return to the regions where they came from.

In addition to various kinds of pressure, political intimidation and starvation, economic sabotage and cultural deprivation approach to the Kurdish people. In order to escalate its discriminatory, Syrian government has finally determined to expand the Arab settlement Belt to include also the area adjacent to the Iraqi border. 150 Arab families were brought from the town Al Shaddada 100 km south of Hasaka city to Derik (the old name Derik is changed into Arabic name Al Malikiya) and following villages:

Xirab Resh (Swediye El sharqia) ⁽¹⁾, Girê Resh (Tel Eswed), Qidîr Beg (Qadiriye), Girkê Mîro (Tel Umeraa), Qizcibî (Qeddaa Rageb) and ?îbana. By confiscating 3560 dunums of land from Kurdish peasants who are forced to displacement and migration from their areas into the unknown in Syria and abroad, searching for the means livelihood.

The housing of those Arabs has made a deep cut in the national unity that would not heal unless they go back to their own regions. That has also caused tens of problems in the villages between the settlers and Kurds and because the wrong premise leads necessarily to wrong outcomes.

The lands which were given to the settlers will never become their possession and returning them will always stay the chief concern of the people who are careful about the national unity. The struggle for returning the land should not only be the concern of the Kurds, it should also be the concern of every sincere man who believes in justice. That crime is condemned from all aspects: moral, social and humane. The Arab Belt is really a very dangerous form of persecution that has been practiced against the Kurds in the Kurdistan of Syria.