Possible but very difficult. What makes it possible as well as difficult is not Turkey's current situation. Because the successful conclusion of the negotiations would mean changing the current situation. The main points in space for possibilities and impossibilities are where negotiations do not cover. Above everything else, the Turkish and Kurdish populations living Europe. I mentioned last week that Euro-Turks should not be neglected. The Euro-Kurds report published by Aksiyon Magazine last week also drew attention to the fact that the Euro-Kurds should not be disregarded.
This is the summary of the article: While the third generation Kurds living in Europe are softening their ideological rhetoric on the one hand, they are undergoing a clear identity crisis by alienating themselves from their own cultures on the other hand, and within this identity crisis, they are embracing Turkish instead of Kurdish. If I may add my personal observations, I can say that European Kurds have begun to support Turkish soccer teams (not just an imitation of Ocalan supporting Galatasaray), they watch Turkish television channels and accept Turkey's agenda as their "own agenda." Briefly, Euro-Kurds are undergoing a clear Turkification process in addition to a Europeanization process, at least linguistically. Appreciating this transformation urgently is necessary in winning over this Kurdish population, which could be both a catalyst and a wedge in Turkey's EU process.
In my opinion, the current situation of European Kurds is a natural reflection of the social isolation and "homesickness" psychology. The diaspora psychology had made European Turks as well fight over the "return home myth" and "ghettoization disease" for a long time, but still Turks consider themselves as being included in a "social and legal norm chain" with a "there is a village away" feeling. The European Kurds have not conformed to Europe's cultural and legal norms and because they have not accepted any "nation-state" norm that they would depend upon in case they return, they have begun to live as a society devoid of time and space.
The lack of a "homeland" they would accept as a reference legally, ethically and religiously has pushed European Kurds into social anarchy and identity crisis. In this aspect, the situation of European Kurds might be likened to that of the European Jews during the Enlightenment era. The European Kurds, who have lost the "homeland reference" of religion and culture and are facing an identity crisis, might turn either to an armed militancy, just like the Armenians once did, or a line, which accepts Turkey as their homeland through moderation just like the Turkish communists, who once took refuge in Europe, did. Linguistically, Turkification does not mean a convergence of Turkness or Turks, at least not right now. The possible occurrence of this depends on Turkey looking after the Kurds in Europe in spite of the fact that they might have invented a thousand and one lies against Turkey in seeking asylum. What is needed or should be needed is not the emergence of a neo-leftist generation, which is Turkified, but yet anti-Turk, but a European Kurd generation, which remains Kurdish, but recognizes Turkey as its "homeland" and Turks as its best friends.The critical "vanishing" turn, in which European Kurds stand, makes education volunteers from Turkey both possible and obligatory, just like Euro-Kurds at the same turn. It might be too late tomorrow when obligation turns into impossibility.
I don't know, but is it necessary to mention that the evaluation concerning Euro-Turks and Euro-Kurds is also effective for the Syriacs and other ethnic groups that live in Europe and perceive Turkey as their homeland?
December 27, 2004
