Yesterday, while I sat down to write my article a bomb went off in İstanbul. I did not know the details, but the first thing I thought was that the bomb must have been planted by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which wants to show what could happen after the deadline Abdullah Öcalan set forth for “negotiations” between Kurds and the government, namely June 15, 2011.
As soon as I read the news about the bomb I wrote the following: “When Kurds become silent the question is forgotten; Kurds, on the other hand, are only able to talk about their problems through the language of violence. This is one of the most unfortunate realities of this country.”
I am telling you this Twitter story because I received a huge reaction to my statement. I understood from the messages and retweets that so many people think the same things about the Kurdish question and violence. I received many supportive messages and also a lot of insults and curses from Turkish nationalists.
When I wrote this tweet, I did not know that several people were injured and that one lady lost her leg after the explosion. This dimension, of course, makes the story more dramatic and sadder.
Well, we are in a vicious circle as we always have been. When Kurds stop talking, no steps are taken in the direction of a solution. When the PKK starts to talk, they talk quite violently. This violence gives Turkish nationalists and hawks who are staunchly against any solution to the Kurdish question a strong hand.
My regular readers know quite well that I do not like nationalism, whether Turkish or Kurdish. I do not like ideological language and authoritarian tendencies, whether they are exhibited by Turkish or Kurdish leaders. I condemn violence, no matter who exerts it or for whatever reason.
And let me tell you another thing quite frankly. I believe, if the PKK somehow can achieve establishing an independent state, it will be definitely be quite a totalitarian one. The other day Leyla Zana was saying that “Öcalan will soon be together with the Kurdish people and teaching their children.” As a nation that has long suffered under the authoritarian tendencies of the Kemalist regime in Turkey, we know very well what exactly this teacher-leader figure means in practice.
However, things have come to this point unfortunately. The Turkish state has denied their culture, their language and anything that belongs to Kurds. Even their very existence has long been denied. Kurds suffered unimaginable pain and anguish. This problem could have been solved many years ago by recognizing Kurds’ fundamental democratic rights. Kurds are extremely nationalist today and we have an unsolvable Kurdish question on our hands.
The Kurdish problem today has the potential to destroy every step Turkey has taken in the direction of democratization. Either we solve it or it will take Turkey hostage forever. After the elections, a fresh debate will start on a new constitution. The preparation process for this constitution should also be turned into a negotiation process with Kurds. And we should be able to talk about anything in this process. Kurds must have the right to have the final word on their destiny. Even if this means a Kurdish re-interpretation of 1923’s Kemalist regime for the Kurds!
