Atalay mainly spoke about the method and style of the initiative the government is working on, suggesting that the main emphasis of the road map will be “democratization” and that this is not solely a Justice and Development Party (AK Party) project, but a state policy.The most striking part of Atalay's historic statement was that the involvement of all social groups will be sought when working out the democratization steps to be taken in the settlement of the Kurdish issue. Minister Atalay, in this context, said they have asked all public institutions for their views and that they will meet with nongovernmental organizations, columnists and other media figures as well as consult opposition parties. Underlining that their intention is to secure the greatest-ever consensus for settlement, Atalay pointed out that they will seek contributions from all political parties, in particular, from the main opposition party.
During the press conference, Atalay spoke of creating a “Turkish model” for the solution and pointed out that the initiative was inspired by a speech Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made in Diyarbakır in 2005. The interior minister also stressed that they are determined to take bold democratic steps as follow-ups to that speech.
All these words are truly exciting. I am sure our Kurdish citizens feel enthusiastic about this new initiative and have started to nurture strong hopes for settlement. Unfortunately, it is difficult to imagine that this process will be an easy one or that verbal and physical provocation will not attack and undermine it. The surest way to counter these potential provocations, which aim to block progress and maintain the blood-stained status quo that has been inflicting pain and tragedy on everyone, is, as Atalay underlined, to secure the most comprehensive participation in the process. Thus, not only Turkish intellectuals, the media, political parties, NGOs and scholars, but also all members of the Kurdish community should sincerely participate in the process and boldly lend it support.
However, at this point, there is a problem. It is crystal clear that Kurdish politics in general, including the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) and Kurdish social/political demands, are under the strict guardianship of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). As Ayşe Karabat, one of the few journalists well informed about Kurds, various aspects of the Kurdish issue and steps taken to solve it, ingeniously put it, Turkey has "on-the-record Kurds" and "off-the-record Kurds." In their on-the-record statements, Kurdish politicians and intellectuals, including the DTP leadership and its deputies, cannot move beyond the red lines drawn in blood by the PKK. Only in their off-the-record statements can these Kurdish politicians and intellectuals voice their real views and approaches to the Kurdish issue and its settlement.
The DTP, which managed to secure up to 60 percent of electoral support in predominantly Kurdish provinces, tends to transfer the responsibility of representing Kurdish demands to the terrorist organization and its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan. In doing so, it betrays the support lent to it by Kurdish citizens who do not endorse the PKK. This mentality is by all means wrong and deprives the DTP of democratic legitimacy. Like all other "on-the-record Kurds," the DTP has given in to the PKK's guardianship. However, the time has come to speak boldly. It is time to raise one's voice in defense of the silent majority and ensure active participation in the process. It is high time for many Kurds to utter on the record what they have until now been telling each other or saying off the record.
In this process, which will put an end to the PKK, there is nothing sillier than surrendering to the PKK's guardianship. For this reason, I call on all "off-the-record Kurds" to speak their minds on the record and make real contributions to the process.
