Turkey's Ezidis in Diaspora: Re-Strengthening Ties with the Homeland and Its Possible Implications

Year 2022, Volume: 6 Issue: 2, 79 - 92, 31.12.2022

Hakan Samur Merve Öztürk

Abstract

Ezidis are one of the ancient ethno-religious communities of Mesopotamia. Until a few decades ago, southeastern Türkiye was among their main settlements. Almost all of the Ezidis had to migrate to Europe because of the socio-economic difficulties they faced due to belonging to a different religious belief. Most of the Ezidis migrated to Germany. While some were better-off some were worse-off with the new lives they established in a completely different political and social climate. Meanwhile, when serious democratisation steps were taken in Türkiye in the early 2000s through the reforms for harmonisation with the European Union, the Ezidis also tried to strengthen their ties with their former homeland through various channels. In this study, based on interviews largely with Ezidis, the conditions and possible effects of the Ezidis' further strengthening of their ties with their former homeland are analysed.

Keywords

Ezidis, Türkiye, Democratisation, Ethno-Religious Community

Türkiye’nin Diasporadaki Ezidileri: Anavatanla Bağların Yeniden Güçlendirilmesi ve Muhtemel Etkileri

Abstract

Ezidiler, Mezopotamya’nın kadim etno-dini topluluklarından biridir. Birkaç on yıl öncesine kadar, Türkiye’nin güneydoğusu da onların esas yerleşim alanları arasındaydı. Farklı bir inanca mensup olmaktan dolayı maruz kaldıkları sosyo-ekonomik zorluklar nedeniyle neredeyse tamamı Avrupa’ya göç etmek zorunda kalmıştır. Büyük çoğunluğu Almanya’ya giden Ezidiler ve orada doğan nesilleri, bambaşka bir politik ve toplumsal iklimde kurdukları yeni yaşantılarla bazı kazanımlar ve kayıplar yaşamışlardır. Bu arada Avrupa Birliği’ne uyum reformları vasıtasıyla Türkiye’de 2000’li yılların başlarında ciddi demokratikleşme adımları atılınca, Ezidiler de eski yurtlarıyla bağlarını yeniden ve çeşitli kanallardan güçlendirmeye çalışmışlardır. Bu çalışmada, çoğunluğu Ezidilerle yapılan röportajlara dayanarak, onların eski yurtlarıyla bağlarını daha fazla güçlendirmelerinin koşulları ve muhtemel etkileri analiz edilmiştir.

Keywords

Ezidiler, Türkiye, Demokratikleşme, Etno-Dini Topluluk

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