Mehmet Atakan Foça, a Turkish journalist and a fellow for Ashoka, a non-profit concerned with inequality worldwide, observed how Kurdish citizens and the Turkish government interact. “They don’t understand the power of the Kurdish movement, actually, and they are always discriminating the Kurds,” said the reporter. According to Foça, the Kurds seem willing achieve their goals by whatever means are necessary. However, this conflict is not something that will be able to be resolved with further discrimination. As seen from previous attempts, it will only drive them apart and may even be worse for Turkey. This isn’t the only way the Kurdish movement for independence has changed Turkey. Foça said, “[The] Kurdish movement helps to democratize the country’s culture.” 

Hakan Duran, a local medical doctor in Iowa City, offers a perspective regarding the US and Turkish points of view. Duran was born and raised in Turkey but also has dual citizenship in America. “America is a richer country and a little more serious compared to Turkey. And, you know, Turkey has a different kind of wealth in terms of culture and human relationships and social interaction,” Duran said. The economic difference between the countries can make the Kurdish conflict be misrepresented in the US news sources. These misrepresentations have hindered progress in resolving the conflict. “There are external influences that keep changing this conflict,” Duran said. “It makes it harder for the conflict to resolve on its own.” Duran concluded, “There is a solution, as long as there is a strong leadership. You know, some kind of initiative to solve this problem.”