Despite the never-ending destructive efforts of the opposition, the government had been keeping up with the democratization initiative quite well, and it seems it had learned some lessons from the past. It is for this reason that what had happened to the PKK members who had surrendered 10 years ago did not happen to those who returned this time. As you may remember, 10 years ago, the government -- which was close to the security-oriented state in the freedom versus security dilemma -- had scorned this great opportunity and hurriedly arrested the surrendering PKK members, sending them to jail. Today, we understand from statements of those formers militants that those arrests were masterminded by the shadowy deep state network which has been recently disclosed to be the Ergenekon terrorist organization. It should be noted that some of those militants who were jailed at that time are still serving their prison terms.Now that there is less room for maneuver for deep state activities conducted mostly through illegal methods, thanks to the extensive Ergenekon investigation being conducted today, the surrendering PKK militants can get maximum tolerance. In order to accelerate this process of coming down from the mountains, even some penal code provisions that lack the flexibility of the day may be ignored by judges. In other words, the state's wisdom has the courage to take direct steps to boost the settlement process without being distracted by procedures, legislation and conventions that are incapable of meeting today's requirements. Seen from whatever angle, it should be appreciated that the government is leading a historic process with courage.
When the terrorist organization PKK sent its 34 members to Turkey for surrender in line with a call made by its leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is serving life imprisonment on İmralı, it aimed to use this group as a test. If the state had repeated the mistake it made 19 years ago, the organization would have quickly abandoned this method and revised its support for the democratization process. But, the state thankfully acted in a very mature manner, showing that it has the will to take the process to completion and that it is acting with sincerity in this process. Now the PKK is supposed to encourage new groups to surrender, thereby dropping terrorism and violence from the agenda once and for all. The fact that the arrival of new groups of PKK members is expected was expressed by Interior Minister Beşir Atalay, who is coordinating the process of the democratic initiative.
All of the surrendering PKK members were released, triggering a positive process. However, we should note that the PKK members or sympathizers who are expected to return to the country are not restricted to those in the Kandil Mountains. If the process can be maintained in a healthy way without succumbing to provocations from those that are disturbed by this process, the number of people who will return from different countries and from Europe is expected to reach 15,000. All democrats who have concerns for the future of the country expect the state to show the due understanding and compassion to those who will return.
Today, by persuading its members to surrender, the PKK is making a gesture supportive of the democratization process, but no one expects these acts of surrender to erase the bad memories and sorrows of the past or the organization's image in people's minds. The sentiments of thousands of relatives of martyrs who lost their sons, brothers, spouses or other relatives in the region should also be taken into consideration. In this regard, the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), which has played an important role in the delivery of militants and mediation services, should be more careful in the celebrations. As we have said above, there is no winner to this conflict, with many losers. Therefore, there is no victory, no defeat, no winner or defeated. Keeping celebrations at a certain level is vitally important for the future of the country and the democratization process. DTP members and PKK sympathizers should not turn a blind eye to the possibility that their enthusiastic celebrations may trigger negative nationalism in the central or western parts of the country.
In my article "Step by step toward days without the PKK" dated March 25, 2009, I had expressed my predictions about the future of the PKK and the settlement of the Kurdish issue. Now, I am perfectly happy on behalf of my country to see that my predictions held true. While the PKK is today having exercises for bidding a farewell to arms, the task that befalls all of us is to encourage not only the PKK, but also the state to take this new situation to completion.
Of course, someone should give a bit of advice to the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and its small partner the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) that new conditions have emerged in Turkey and a new Turkey is rising. This is because the leaders of these two parties insist on maintaining their usual, exhaustive pro-conflict discourses. They continue to label every step toward settlement as treason. It would be better if someone tells them that they are accelerating the loss of their ground as they continue to show this pathological attitude. Otherwise, CHP leader Deniz Baykal and MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli will find no opportunity for voicing their existing rhetoric of hatred and hostility in this new Turkey that is in the making, with no room for violence or arms.
