Details of Kurdish initiative emerging

The government announced its new Kurdish initiative last month, saying there will be a change of course in the government's Kurdish policy and a new package based on extending democratic rights and improving freedoms of Kurds will follow. Interior Minister Beşir Atalay, who announced the plan last month, said the government was not offering any immediate remedies, but was open to suggestions as it formed a road map to solve the Kurdish question.

Since the day of the announcement, Interior Minister Atalay has spoken with various civil society representatives, political party leaders, intellectuals and researchers to hear their opinions. According to a government representative who spoke to Today's Zaman on the condition of anonymity, at least 10 items to be included in the Kurdish package are now certain. The interior minister, who is currently working on the main features of the road map, will submit a report for the Cabinet's consideration next month.

There are currently no legal obstacles to realizing the 10 items that have been included in the draft report based on suggestions that were relayed to the minister during his talks. In other words, no constitutional changes are needed to take these steps. The government's Kurdish initiative will include short, medium and long-term goals.

Constitutional changes are considered a medium or long-term goal.

Here are the 10 items currently on the agenda of the Kurdish initiative:

1- Turkey's unitary form of government to be protected

All political parties including the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), civil society groups and academics have expressed their opinion that the Kurdish question must be settled within Turkey's unitary structure, with a few marginal exceptions. The solution will be found inside a unitary structure.

2- Political campaigns in Kurdish to be allowed

As part of the package, the 81st Article of the Political Parties Law on the Prevention of Formation of Minorities, which limits the use of non-Turkish languages in political demonstrations, campaign slogans, signs, brochures and other materials, will be changed, allowing the use of Kurdish.

3- Opportunities for Kurds to learn native tongue

A provision that doesn't allow language centers that teach Kurdish to teach other languages will be changed to prevent these language centers from going out of business. However, no consensus has yet been reached regarding the use of Kurdish in public education. Suggestions include adding Kurdish as an optional language course in schools and offering Kurdish language classes at public education centers. A common demand voiced by all parties Atalay talked to was lifting limitations on Kurdish broadcasts by private television stations.

4- Kurdish to be allowed in prisons

The current ban on speaking Kurdish in prisons and detention centers will be lifted.

5- Place names to be restored

The former names of thousands of towns and villages in the East and the Southeast that were replaced with Turkish names during the republican era will be restored. As a first step, the Kırkpınar area in Diyarbakır -- part of the province's Kayapınar district -- will be changed to its Kurdish name, Çelkaniya. The decision has been approved by the Diyarbakır Governor's Office and is pending approval at the Interior Ministry.

6- Kurdish institutes to be established

The government will ensure that Kurdish language and literature departments and Kurdology institutes are established at the Mardin Artuklu and Diyarbakır Dicle universities.

7- Children are not terrorists

Children from Kurdish families who stone police officers during demonstrations in the East and Southeast have been facing trial in high criminal courts under the Counter-Terrorism Law. The government will put an end to this by changing Article 9 of the Counter-Terrorism Law, which will prevent courts from handing down adult sentences for these children. The government will also make the utmost effort to prevent children from becoming involved in demonstrations.

8- Active repentance law to be put into effect

The partial amnesty law stipulated under Article 220 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) -- known as the “active repentance law” -- will be made effective. This was also a common demand voiced by all parties spoken with. The first person to voice this demand was Chief of Gen. Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ. Giving back this law an effective status will bring more militants who joined the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) back home.

9- Hate crimes will not be allowed

The scope of freedom of expression will be expanded with changes to Article 216 of the TCK. At the same time, the government will take measures to ensure that there are no gaps in the law that allow hate speech or hate crimes.

10- Freedom to Kurdish intellectuals

An important demand raised by most of the individuals and organizations Atalay met with was returning citizenship to thousands of Kurds residing in Turkey. This will be most useful for Kurdish intellectuals who reside in Turkey. The citizenship of Kurds who have not participated in any terrorist attacks will be restored.