This situation, created by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), must be exactly what those hoping to use terror for political objectives want. Perhaps they hope that a Turkey that utilizes military methods will face difficulties in its foreign relations, be omitted from global stability initiatives and will have a hard time with its allies. There is no doubt that there are some people, both outside and inside Turkey, who expect all this to happen. Besides them, there are some politicians in Turkey whose actions and rhetoric may bring about similar results.
The fact that the prime minister and the chief of General Staff knelt down during their visit to the army trenches along the border has created a strange debate. While one of the opposition parties has used this opportunity to suggest a reintroduction of the emergency rule region (OHAL), another has accused the prime minister of not being brave enough. We don’t know if the opposition would prefer to see a prime minister who would invade Iraq on a horse with a sword in his hand, just like in Ottoman times, or maybe, they were simply hoping that he’d be hit by a stray bullet while he was there.
It’s a mystery how such people will manage to heal the antagonism between different peoples, while they are capable of feeling so much hatred for their own prime minister. Does the leader of the main opposition party consider himself more patriotic because he went down there and stood tall? Does he even notice that his rhetoric and actions make Turkey look like a warmongering nation? His insinuating that the prime minister is fainthearted at a time when the PKK is clearly trying damage the government must have really pleased that organization. The PKK couldn’t manage to disseminate better propaganda on its own.
Terror and terrorism are not partisan matters, and all parties must contribute to an atmosphere of reconciliation to fight against these problems. The Kurdish issue, the PKK and northern Iraq are all fertile ground upon which political parties may confront each other; however, these problems are made more difficult and more complicated because of a politically chaotic situation. In the past, the rhetoric over fallen soldiers or slain PKK militants was useful in influencing voters’ behavior, but today the situation is different, as people are now aware that a policy of killing and being killed does not generate prosperity. They are also aware that a violent political and social atmosphere leads people to accept authoritarian conditions.
A peaceful resolution of the Kurdish issue depends on democratization, which depends on progress made towards solving the Kurdish issue. What is important now is that ordinary people who want to live as equal citizens in a prosperous country, to successfully run their businesses, to benefit from a quality education, justice and good job opportunities are tired of wasting their time, money, energy and especially their children’s lives on a dirty war against terror. That’s why it does not seem that using terror as a vote-catcher will work this time. There may still be politicians who aren’t aware of the disasters violent rhetoric may cause; however, the masses can see it better now.
