As the 102nd anniversary of the Treaty of Lausanne approaches, the people of Kurdistan and their supporters are preparing to protest the agreement on July 26 in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The Treaty of Lausanne, which laid the foundation for the genocidal and denial-based regime imposed by imperialist powers on the peoples of the Middle East, is being marked by renewed opposition. On the anniversary of this treaty, which disregarded the national existence and status of the Kurdish people and paved the way for the division of Kurdistan into four parts, Kurds and their allies will once again take to the streets. A preparatory committee, made up of representatives from Kurdish institutions and political structures, has completed the final arrangements for the march and rally.
Signed in 1923, the Treaty of Lausanne ignored the Kurdish nation’s existence and opened the path for the partitioning of Kurdistan. On the 102nd anniversary, the Kurdish people will mobilize once more to oppose this system of denial. The Democratic Kurdish Council in Switzerland (CDK-S), the Democratic Kurdish Community Center of Lausanne, and many other Kurdish institutions have launched a mobilization effort for strong participation in the “Lausanne 2025 March.”
“National unity is an urgent duty”
Speaking to ANF about the preparations, CDK-S Co-Chair Dilan Çetinkaya emphasized that the Treaty of Lausanne is not just a historical document, but the foundation of today’s ongoing policies of denial and destruction. “As the Middle East is being reshaped once again, the Kurdish people must now establish their national unity and secure their political status,” Çetinkaya said. She noted that the march is not just a protest but also a call for unity and freedom.
Çetinkaya stressed that the Kurdish people refuse to live another century without status or identity, adding: “The treaty signed in Lausanne did not only aim to erase the Kurds, but all ancient peoples. Today, national unity has become a necessary duty to resist the continued lack of status for the Kurdish people.”
On behalf of the organizing committee, she called on all Kurdish parties, institutions, and people to participate: “Let’s gather in Lausanne on July 26, unite, and march toward freedom!”
“We will be in the streets against denial and assimilation”
Musa İtah, co-chair of the Democratic Kurdish Community Center of Lausanne, stated:“For 102 years, the Kurdish people have been subjected to policies of denial, assimilation, and genocide. We say: enough. On July 26, the Kurdish people will be in the streets under the slogan ‘Peace and Democratic Society’.”
He emphasized that the march will also serve as a clear message to the international community about the Kurdish people’s right to self-determination.
Aysel Argın, also co-chair of CDK-S, stated that preparations for the Lausanne 2025 March are complete and issued a special call to Kurdish women: “Kurdish women are the leading force of the freedom struggle. Let’s strengthen the resistance under women’s leadership on July 26 in Lausanne. We call on all Kurdish people and their friends to join the march.”
Source: ANF News
