Separatist Movements
Samantha: I’m currently undertaking a journey from Turkey to Spain, countries who have both had their fair share of demonstrations from separatist movements.
Samantha: Having been born in Ireland, I feel I have some appreciation for the beliefs and motivations behind these movements, but it is clear that the topic of independence is complex and multilayered.
Samantha: In Turkey, one of the groups heavily involved in their fight for independence is the Kurdish movement.
Samantha: The Kurdish, as an ethnic group, have had to contend with a lot of misrepresentation of their wants and the means in which they try to reach their independence from Turkish, Iraqi, Syrian, and other governments.
Samantha: Many Kurdish people, and I personally, pray that independence can be reached in a peaceful and non-violent way.
Samantha: However, all too often the Kurdish people are misrepresented by pro-government media as being violent people who are trying to stoke the flames to get what they need.
Samantha: Non-violent protests should never be questioned as a means to express your wants and needs.
Samantha: I still cling to the hope that Kurdish people will see at the very least the kind of independence experienced by the Kurdish in Northern Iraq.
Samantha: In Barcelona, and other parts of the former semi-autonomous Catalan region of Spain, tensions are increasing.
Samantha: In a referendum on October 1 2017, approximately 90% of Catalan voters voted for independence (unfortunately with only a turnout of 41%). However, this referendum was deemed illegal by Spain’s Constitutional Court.
Samantha: One of the issues many Catalan people are no longer willing to tolerate are the high taxes imposed on their region to help other less wealthy parts of Spain.
Samantha: This call for Catalan to be made independent once more also stems from the region’s pride in their customs, language, and laws.
Samantha: What is clear from these two examples of separatist movements is that there’s a sense of revenge and a feeling that both sides have mistreated the other.
Vocabulary:
undertaking a journey – making a trip or traveling from one place to another, usually over a long distance, “The family is undertaking a journey across Europe by train this summer.”
fair share of – an amount of something that is a lot, or as much as expected, “Our town has had its fair share of rainy days this month.”
separatist movements – groups of people who want their region to separate from a country and become its own independent nation, “The history book details various separatist movements that changed the borders of the continent.”
multilayered – having many different levels, parts, or complicated details, “The movie has a multilayered story that makes you think about it long after it ends.”
contend with – to have to deal with a difficult situation, problem, or obstacle, “The runners had to contend with strong winds and heavy rain during the race.”
stoke the flames – to make a bad situation, angry feeling, or argument even worse, “Sharing unverified rumors online will only stoke the flames of the argument.”
cling to the hope – to hold onto a belief or wish that something good will happen, even when it seems very unlikely, “Despite the delays, they continue to cling to the hope that their lost luggage will be found.”
semi-autonomous – having the power to make some of its own laws and decisions, but still being under the control of a larger government, “The island operates as a semi-autonomous region with its own local police force.”
referendum – an official vote where all the citizens of a country or area can say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to a specific public question or law, “The citizens voted in a referendum to decide if the town should build a new park.”
turnout – the total number of people who actually show up to attend an event or vote in an election, “The election had a very high turnout because the weather was beautiful.”
stems from – starts because of or comes from a specific reason, root, or cause, “Her love of cooking stems from the time she spent helping her grandfather in the kitchen.”