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Today's Zaman, Turkey
Nov 22 2012
PKK's path and PM's language
ETYEN MAHÇUPYAN
e.mahcupyan@todayszaman
Those who observe Turkey might be experiencing ambivalence associated
with different emotions these days.
On the one hand, there is the pain and disappointment in connection
with the insensitive and hurtful language of the prime minister on the
Kurdish issue and the state of despair. On the other hand, there is
also a state of hopelessness because of the inability to offer any
remedy to the inadequacy of the opposition parties. The Kurdistan
Workers' Party's (PKK) strategy to escalate tension and violence since
this summer and the systematic exclusionary response of the prime
minister to this strategy have made politics ineffective. While there
was an agreement that a solution was attainable by negotiation, now it
seems that we are preparing to believe that this will never happen.
The Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party
(MHP) are far from a solution based on negotiations.
The deadlock in the Oslo talks led each party to blame the other. But
it appears that the main reason for the deadlock was the desire of the
PKK to present this negotiation as a process between states. In other
words, it is evident that the PKK wanted to use this opportunity not
only to raise the demands of the Kurdish people but also to be
recognized as a party similar to a state entity with comparable
powers. There is nothing strange in this desire because, like every
other civilian movement or organization, the PKK wants to secure its
survival and sustain its domination and hegemony over the Kurds.
However, it is not realistic to expect that this desire will be
confirmed by a protocol that the state would sign. Such peace
processes make progress through informal channels until they acquire
some maturity; it is only after confidence building that they become
protocols that can be endorsed and declared to the public.
The PKK has wasted the opportunity. If those who argue that they are
defending the rights of oppressed people are referred to as terrorists
by many countries, this only means failure. The PKK could have
addressed this problem by adopting a constructive approach in the Oslo
talks. This failure not only led to escalated violence but also to a
hunger strike campaign. It would have been a wise strategy if the
hunger strikes had been accompanied by a cessation of violence for a
while so that it would have been possible to hold the government
responsible for the probable deaths. Had the PKK tried this method, it
could have led to popular pressure on the government to accelerate the
process for meeting the demands of the Kurds and this would have
attracted support from Islamic circles. It was also obvious that this
would raise the possibility that the PKK would become a respectable
political actor again.
The PKK did just the opposite. It kept employing violent methods
during the hunger strikes; it held more than 40 attacks within a
period of two months. It was obvious that this would politicize the
hunger strikes and undermine the moral base of this protest. Recent
public surveys reveal that nearly 80 percent of the people normatively
support cultural rights but they also adopt a conservative position
and approach vis-Ã-vis the Kurdish issue.
The death penalty attracts a great deal of popular support. Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an's recent statements become meaningful
with this background. There is no political effort in Turkey to
reintroduce the death penalty. The prime minister relies on raising
the bar. He accused the hunger strikers of blackmailing. His language
is disturbing and even Islamic circles have referred to this. When it
comes to conclusive political efforts, support for ErdoÄ?an is not
declining despite this unacceptable discourse because this language
tells the people in essence that the PKK's approach is not humane and
therefore cannot be treated by humane methods. The majority of the
people agree with the prime minister on this matter.
It is not possible to like ErdoÄ?an's recent performance. On the
contrary, it angers those who dream of a democratic society. There is
a government that attracts 50 percent of the people's votes and is
still committed to introducing further reforms. It is still reformist
compared to the opposition. The political administration will not
become more democratic unless the opposition relies on democratic
policies.
http://www.todayszaman.com/columnist-299032-pkks-path-and-pms-language.html
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Nov 22 2012
PKK's path and PM's language
ETYEN MAHÇUPYAN
e.mahcupyan@todayszaman
Those who observe Turkey might be experiencing ambivalence associated
with different emotions these days.
On the one hand, there is the pain and disappointment in connection
with the insensitive and hurtful language of the prime minister on the
Kurdish issue and the state of despair. On the other hand, there is
also a state of hopelessness because of the inability to offer any
remedy to the inadequacy of the opposition parties. The Kurdistan
Workers' Party's (PKK) strategy to escalate tension and violence since
this summer and the systematic exclusionary response of the prime
minister to this strategy have made politics ineffective. While there
was an agreement that a solution was attainable by negotiation, now it
seems that we are preparing to believe that this will never happen.
The Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party
(MHP) are far from a solution based on negotiations.
The deadlock in the Oslo talks led each party to blame the other. But
it appears that the main reason for the deadlock was the desire of the
PKK to present this negotiation as a process between states. In other
words, it is evident that the PKK wanted to use this opportunity not
only to raise the demands of the Kurdish people but also to be
recognized as a party similar to a state entity with comparable
powers. There is nothing strange in this desire because, like every
other civilian movement or organization, the PKK wants to secure its
survival and sustain its domination and hegemony over the Kurds.
However, it is not realistic to expect that this desire will be
confirmed by a protocol that the state would sign. Such peace
processes make progress through informal channels until they acquire
some maturity; it is only after confidence building that they become
protocols that can be endorsed and declared to the public.
The PKK has wasted the opportunity. If those who argue that they are
defending the rights of oppressed people are referred to as terrorists
by many countries, this only means failure. The PKK could have
addressed this problem by adopting a constructive approach in the Oslo
talks. This failure not only led to escalated violence but also to a
hunger strike campaign. It would have been a wise strategy if the
hunger strikes had been accompanied by a cessation of violence for a
while so that it would have been possible to hold the government
responsible for the probable deaths. Had the PKK tried this method, it
could have led to popular pressure on the government to accelerate the
process for meeting the demands of the Kurds and this would have
attracted support from Islamic circles. It was also obvious that this
would raise the possibility that the PKK would become a respectable
political actor again.
The PKK did just the opposite. It kept employing violent methods
during the hunger strikes; it held more than 40 attacks within a
period of two months. It was obvious that this would politicize the
hunger strikes and undermine the moral base of this protest. Recent
public surveys reveal that nearly 80 percent of the people normatively
support cultural rights but they also adopt a conservative position
and approach vis-Ã-vis the Kurdish issue.
The death penalty attracts a great deal of popular support. Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an's recent statements become meaningful
with this background. There is no political effort in Turkey to
reintroduce the death penalty. The prime minister relies on raising
the bar. He accused the hunger strikers of blackmailing. His language
is disturbing and even Islamic circles have referred to this. When it
comes to conclusive political efforts, support for ErdoÄ?an is not
declining despite this unacceptable discourse because this language
tells the people in essence that the PKK's approach is not humane and
therefore cannot be treated by humane methods. The majority of the
people agree with the prime minister on this matter.
It is not possible to like ErdoÄ?an's recent performance. On the
contrary, it angers those who dream of a democratic society. There is
a government that attracts 50 percent of the people's votes and is
still committed to introducing further reforms. It is still reformist
compared to the opposition. The political administration will not
become more democratic unless the opposition relies on democratic
policies.
http://www.todayszaman.com/columnist-299032-pkks-path-and-pms-language.html
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress