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As Turkey commemorated the 71st anniversary of the death of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk yesterday, the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government brought its Kurdish initiative, which aims to resolve Turkey’s long-standing Kurdish problem, to Parliament.
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Opposition parties reacted negatively to the decision to discuss this issue on the anniversary of Atatürk’s death, saying it would be wrong to present such a sensitive issue to Parliament on this day. Now that Turkey’s most important problem has reached Parliament, the institution that represents the will of the nation, many hope that Parliament will not miss a historic opportunity to solve this problem and call on the opposition parties to act with common sense. “It is certain that tension will rise in Turkey today. No, it is not because of the commemoration of the anniversary of Atatürk’s death; it is because the Kurdish initiative is coming to the floor of Parliament today,” says Bugün’s Ahmet Taşgetiren. He explains that for the opposition, this move is a betrayal of the spiritual legacy of Atatürk and they have been angered by the argument that discussing this issue in Parliament on the day of Atatürk’s death would serve his principle of “Peace at home, peace in the world.” Fearing rising tension in Parliament on Tuesday because of the strong opposition of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) to the peace process, he says that if these parties really consider Turkey’s best interests, they would be careful not to escalate the public’s anger regarding the initiative. “Unfortunately, the discourses of these two parties lack this consideration, and they help the public’s anger grow. When I look at today’s Turkey, I would very much wish to see politicians who discuss Turkey’s problems using common sense. What do you think about granting a medal to Turkey’s most gentlemanly politician today?” asks Taşgetiren. According to Star’s Mustafa Karaalioğlu, the discussion of the Kurdish issue in Parliament on the day of Atatürk’s death is a twist of fate because Atatürk was the first Turkish leader to notice the existence of such a problem in Turkey and make an effort to solve it. He warns that Parliament is the only institution that can solve this problem and if the opportunity to solve this problem in Parliament is missed, Turkish democracy will be at risk. In other words, Karaalioğlu says that if Parliament fails to show the determination to find a solution to this problem, the issue will be transferred to the military, which would employ its own measures to solve it. “There is no need to remind anyone what those measures are. Those who take a look at the past 30 years will understand what I mean,” remarks Karaalioğlu.
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| 11 November 2009, Wednesday |
| FATMA DİŞLİ ZIBAK |
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