Kurds Kurdistan and the claim of the right of self determination of peoples

Abstract

Background: Since the French Revolution, the concept of self-determination has been inter-twined with international political discourse. Conflicting interpretations of the concept of self-determination have given rise to much international conflict and bloody wars have been fought in pursuit of the exercise of self-determination. The concept of the self-determination of peoples have shaped many state borders in our modem day world and its application is expected to effect even further changes to state borders, political structures within states as well as political relations between different states in future. In what follows, the historical development of the concept of self-determination as well as its development in modem international law will be examined. It is submitted that a clear understanding of the concept of the right of self-determination of peoples firstly requires an analysis of each of the constituent elements, such as: What is a right? Who is the self? Who determines the criteria for the purpose of establishing who is the 'self? What is to be determined?