15 October 2009 / BUGÜN GÜLAY GÖKTÜRK,
There are two key points to the democratic initiative that by now have become very clear: constitutional citizenship and the issue of Kurdish education.
Yes, as the prime minister has repeated many times now, changes to the Constitution may not take place in the short or even medium term. But this does not change the reality that arguments and the general direction adopted when it comes to these two matters might well influence the ultimate fate of these issues. Any strong pessimism or optimism created in relation to these matters may well either block or clear the way forward for other reforms on the agenda. From this perspective then, the condition set forth by the Republican People's Party (CHP) regarding the “three articles that cannot be changed,” as well as the administration's style in the face of these conditions, is important. As we all know, one of the “unchangeable” articles is the article that imposes Turkishness as a national identity. But this particular debate has begun to spin around and around, with everyone repeating their own theories over and over, using the same words and expressions to state their beliefs. And of course, debates are not really progressing in any real sense on this front.
