Those who support the reforms are analyzing the issue above and beyond politics and are focusing on it in terms of democratization. Unfortunately, mistakes in tone and style inhibit us from debating the matter with democratic maturity. It is a democratic right to vote “no,” as it is to vote “yes.” The constant bickering between those who support the reforms and those who oppose them reveals just where we stand in terms of maturity. Our democratic upbringing prevents us from engaging in serious debate. Why can’t we discuss an issue without insulting, belittling or denigrating the other person? I have been writing about why I will say “yes” for several weeks. I also believe that the outcome of the referendum will be a “yes.” I predict it will be at least 55 percent. Every additional five points will have a serious impact on the morning of Sept. 13. An affirmative outcome of 65 percent will shake politics. You can guess which parties will be rattled the most. I think the morning of Sept. 13 is very important. People will continue living their lives from where they left off. We know that those who have lost their positions and those who have spent their lives supporting tutelage are bothered by democratization. That’s why it’s not odd that they see the morning of Sept. 13 as the day of unrest when polarization will split the country into two like a watermelon.
What they deny is this: If there is an effort to cause a Sunni-Alevi, Turkish-Kurdish or secular-religious conflict in society, it is not because society desires such a thing. On the contrary, these kinds of conflicts have not crossed our minds in years.
People have been forcibly incited against each other. First a flame ignited between Turkish people and Kurdish people, starting with the massacre in Dersim. Then the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) was set up. The innocent children of innocent people were killed in treacherous traps. As the funerals of fallen soldiers spread from villages to towns and then to big cities, the flames of unrest spread to every part of the country.
They stirred trouble between the nation and the state by carrying out thousands of mysterious murders in the Southeast. The flames of the fire grew even bigger with the provocations in Çorum, Kahramanmaraş, Sivas, Başbağlar and Gazi.
Fear was implanted in the secular segment of society with the assassinations of Abdi İpekçi, Savcı Doğan Öz, Çetin Emeç and Uğur Mumcu. Hundreds of thousands of people were provoked to yell “damn shariah” at Mumcu’s funeral. The murder of Hrant Dink and the attack on the Council of State were the last acts of this ferocity. The flames of unrest were heightened to increase fears. Meanwhile, military tutelage became reckless in showing its cruel side. It hanged prime ministers and state ministers. It watched as thousands of young university students were killed so the conditions for a coup could be prepared.
Those who want to make it seem like Sept. 13 will be a day of unrest are those who either stood by as the real unrest happened, covered it up or added fuel to the fire. The morning of Sept. 13 is important to end the real unrest. It is important in terms of patching up wounds. There is only one solution to the Kurdish issue, polarization and conflicts and that is having a true democracy that will expand rights and the freedom of thought and expression, that will make everyone accountable and that will foster tolerance and compromise. The solution is having an advanced democracy instead of a militaristic democracy. The referendum on Sept. 12 will open the door to this kind of a democracy. It is the first time that the dark and disruptive spirit of coup constitutions will be affected. This is the only reason why those who support tutelage are upset. Is there any other reason why some people in the high judiciary would step out and say, “We need PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan now more than ever to make sure the referendum results in a ‘no’,” or, “The CHP needs to hold the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) by the hand”? Is there any other reason they would disgracefully say, “If there is complete chaos, I will benefit from it,” or panic that if the outcome is a “yes” it will be the end for them?
On the morning of Sept. 13, Turkey is going to have a new beginning. In spite of those who expect unrest, the rational majority of this country will not reprimand those who voted “no” and will make stronger appeals for peace with the belief that conflict can be prevented if everyone shows respect for each other.
If you don’t do what’s necessary in the field at the right time, then when the time comes to harvest you won’t be happy. Those who are working today with the awareness that a “yes” vote will benefit our democracy will be very happy on the morning of Sept. 13 when the time comes for the harvest of democracy.
