The Syrian Kurds: Minority - Majority Relationship

Following the start of clashes between the state, salafi and Kurdish forces in Syria and the resulting intensification and prolonging of the civil crisis (2011-2013), the role and approach of the Kurds in the Syrian political equations has attracted substantial attention. The Syrian Kurds have gained control of the majority of the Kurdish areas of the country and pursue their freedom and civil rights through the two movements of “Kurdish National Council” and “People’s Council of Western Kurdistan”. Practical examination of the future of the Kurdish demands in relation to the Kurds’ capabilities and weaknesses is of great importance. The reality is that in the aftermath of the Iraq war in 2003, Syrian Kurds’ demands for protection of their identity rights have increased dramatically. But the path to realization of such demands, including local administration of their areas and creation of federal regions, is impeded by a number of domestic, regional and international obstacles. Regional complexities and international necessities have turned the Kurdish subject into a problem. In the present article, the likely solutions to this problem are examined and the focus will be placed on the question, given a number of hard power and soft power capabilities and difficulties the Syrian Kurds have, which of the three options of integration, autonomy or independence is available to them? Examination of these scenarios needs proper models and also new data. On this basis, we will use the “ethnic minorities weight measurement model” to test the hypothesis that the soft power and hard power potentials of the Syrian Kurds, along with the security considerations of the powers involved in Syria, have served as an obstacles on the way to independence for Syrian Kurds, diminish the possibility of their autonomy and driven them towards becoming a powerful cluster in the framework of the Syrian Arab Republic”.