Varto
Encyclopedia
Varto is a town in eastern Turkey (North Kurdistan) occupied primarily by Kurdish people
.
Varto was the site of a major fighting during the Sheikh Said rebellion
in 1924, and the 1966 earthquake
that killed nearly 3,000 people.
In the 1990s Varto was one of the hotbeds of Kurdish militancy led by the PKK. Although the city did not see ongoing battles, it was the hometown of many fighters and leading PKK commanders. The Turkish military garrison stationed in the city is surrounded by barbed wire and sandbags. The garrison patrols the city in armored personnel carriers (cars), though there has been no fighting in or around the city since the 1990s. Most irmancki Kurdish] speakers are Alevis, whereas most urmanci Kurdish language speakers are Sunnis. The communities had a separate and quiet existence until 1980s. The last three decades have seen significant intermarriage, partially aided by the advance of Kurdish nationalism. Varto consists of the main city and 99 villages.
The population of Varto city is around 13,000 with another 17,000 living in the villages. In summer Varto and its villages are filled by expatriates that swell the total population well past the 75,000 mark.
The largest population from Varto in Europe is in Berlin (Germany).
The current mayor is Gülşen Değer (BDP
).
The former mayor of Varto, Demir Celik, a pharmacist, is chairman of the Peace and Democracy Party
(BDP).
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
.
Varto was the site of a major fighting during the Sheikh Said rebellion
Sheikh Said rebellion
Sheikh Said Rebellion was a rebellion of a Kurdish clergy Sheikh Said and a group of former Kurdish Hamidieh soldiers in 1925.-Background:The Azadî was dominated by officers from the former Hamidiye, a Kurdish tribal militia established...
in 1924, and the 1966 earthquake
1966 Varto earthquake
The Varto earthquake of 1966 was an earthquake that occurred on August 19, 1966 in Varto town of Muş Province in eastern Turkey. The magnitude of the earthquake was 6.9 on the surface wave magnitude scale and had a maximum felt intensity of IX on the Mercalli intensity scale. The fatalities...
that killed nearly 3,000 people.
In the 1990s Varto was one of the hotbeds of Kurdish militancy led by the PKK. Although the city did not see ongoing battles, it was the hometown of many fighters and leading PKK commanders. The Turkish military garrison stationed in the city is surrounded by barbed wire and sandbags. The garrison patrols the city in armored personnel carriers (cars), though there has been no fighting in or around the city since the 1990s. Most irmancki Kurdish] speakers are Alevis, whereas most urmanci Kurdish language speakers are Sunnis. The communities had a separate and quiet existence until 1980s. The last three decades have seen significant intermarriage, partially aided by the advance of Kurdish nationalism. Varto consists of the main city and 99 villages.
The population of Varto city is around 13,000 with another 17,000 living in the villages. In summer Varto and its villages are filled by expatriates that swell the total population well past the 75,000 mark.
The largest population from Varto in Europe is in Berlin (Germany).
The current mayor is Gülşen Değer (BDP
Peace and Democracy Party
The Peace and Democracy Party ) is a political party in the Republic of Turkey. It succeeded the Democratic Society Party following the closure of the latter party for its alleged connections with the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by the EU.The BDP has observer status in the...
).
The former mayor of Varto, Demir Celik, a pharmacist, is chairman of the Peace and Democracy Party
Peace and Democracy Party
The Peace and Democracy Party ) is a political party in the Republic of Turkey. It succeeded the Democratic Society Party following the closure of the latter party for its alleged connections with the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by the EU.The BDP has observer status in the...
(BDP).