Rights, not cash Are Needed, Those Who Say Otherwise Are
Just Lying
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
The economic package promoted by the government as key to solving the Kurdish
problem once and for all appears less than promising to the region’s leaders and
people, who believe any solution has to include major political reforms
GOKSEL BOZKURT
DIYARBAKIR - Turkish Daily News
In one of the squares of the Kurdish city of Diyarbakır, a conversation taking
place between two people provided a general pointer at the ambiguity felt about
a massive investment pledge for the region by the government.
A tall young man turned and said, “the prime minister will send $12 billion to
the region and the Kurdish problem will be solved immediately.” Another man next
to him dismissed the economic package Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
promised for the Southeast and said, “his was the only government who had not
come up with a package,” implying that the Justice and Development Party's (AKP)
package was destined to fail like many others because such packages lacked a
crucial ingredient.
Diyarbakır is the most political city in the Southeast (Turkish-occupied
Kurdistan). Almost 650,000 people out of a total population of 1.5 million have
green cards that provide them with free state health care. Unemployment stands
at more than 30 percent, reflected in the coffee houses full of young people.
Diyarbakır Chamber of Trade and Industry Chairman Mehmet Kaya said the city had
attracted serious migration from the surrounding region in recent years and the
average household contained eight to 10 people.
“There is not a single industrial enterprise with a workforce of more than 500,”
he said. The marble sector covers 25 percent of the industry while textile 23
percent. Kaya said the region has the potential to develop a viable agriculture
and mining sector, but the lack of investment precluded such a development. On
the promised package, Kaya said, “the region got 12 such packages in the past.
None were truly implemented. If this package is implemented it will be good, but
economic measures should be backed by political ones,” echoing the opinion of
many in the region.
A book and the license plate:
Sezgin Tanrıkulu, the Diyarbakır Bar Association president, is breathing heavily
after having just returned from one of the endless cases at the court.
The one he just witnessed was on the book published by the Diyarbakır
Municipality that included stories by 37 local writers. It was published in
Kurdish and Turkish.
Mayor Osman Baydemir immediately faced charges based on the law that protects
the Turkish alphabet.
“Laws changed but there are problems in the implementation,” he said. Tanrıkulu
said the ban on Kurdish broadcasts was lifted but private Kurdish television was
still not permitted. “Economic packages are good but without political reforms,
the problem will remain,” he said.
The sign of the problem being solved would be when locals didn't fear putting
the region's license plates on their cars, Tanrıkulu said.
Nothing that the license plate number of Diyarbakır is 21, Tanrıkulu said, “when
people don't fear seeing this license plate number, it means the problem is
solved.”
When one looks at the cars around the city, the number of license plates
starting with 06 or 34, Ankara and Istanbul, is striking.
“I went to Istanbul with my car that has a license plate starting with 21.
People looked at me like I'm a freak,” said Yılmaz, a driver.
“Some created a society gripped by fear. They say they will invest $12 billion
in the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP). The money spent for war in the past
30 years is $400 billion. If peace was given a chance, do you think the region
would still have had a problem with just a portion of that money?” Tanrıkulu
said.
A mass rehabilitation:
Around 650,000 people with green cards reflects both the poverty in the region
and the state of the health system. Diyarbakır Doctors' Association Chairman
Adem Avcıkıran said economic measures would be welcome, but doesn't hide the
fact that he has little hope about it doing any good.
“What the region needs is democratization. The identity of those who die doesn't
matter. There has been war here for the past 30 years,” he said.
The trauma caused by this constant war is reflected in the psyche of the people,
he said and added, “what we need is a mass rehabilitation with political and
economic measures.”
Diyarbakır politics:
The recent elections have shown that the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party
(DTP) and the AKP are the ones with any political influence in the region and
local elections slated for 2009 are expected to feature a tough contest between
the two.
The DTP's bureau in Diyarbakır is buzzing with people. The provincial head of
the party, Necdet Atalay, has been in the post for only 50 days but still the
problems he is faced with are normal by DTP standards.
“I have received two 10-month sentences in these 50 days for making Kurdish
propaganda. I also face three other investigations,” he said.
He accuses the government of introducing economic incentives in order win votes
in the local elections, expected to be held early next year.
“The constitution should recognize the Kurdish identity. There should be a
democratic, autonomous government in the region. There should be a general
amnesty. Kurdish should be introduced in the school curriculum as a language of
education. Social and cultural rights should be granted,” Atalat said and added
that they are the bare minimums.
While the AKP's provincial chief, Abdurrahim Hattapoğlu, believes the economic
package will do plenty of good, he also noted the importance of political
measures.
“People have waited for this package for a long time and I believe it will
improve the current employment problem,” he said, but noted the importance of
political reforms. “If this government can't introduce political reforms, no
government can. Political reforms will be part of the new constitution. This
will take time. First will be the economic initiatives and then will come
political reform.”
Charges for organ donation pamphlet in Kurdish:
The stances of political parties reflect the general mood of the province. For
ordinary people, politics comes before economics.
Apart from a few retired people who say more jobs will cure all ills, the youth
drenched in poverty still want political, cultural and social rights.
Municipality worker Irfan Ucar dismissed the government package and said, “this
is no package. They say there are no bans imposed on the Kurdish language but
then the Sur Municiaplity is charged for printing organ donation pamphlets in
Kurdish.
Despite the general pessimism about the government's economic package, it would
be incorrect to say all people have lost hope.
Tea shop manager, Hasan Birsen, believes $12 billion will solve all the problems
in the region, while tradesman Nevzat Fındıklı believes the AKP has the will to
solve all the problems.
Rock till you drop:
A theme-shop with focus on rock music in the center of Diyarbakır's commercial
district is a common hang out for Kurdish youth.
The manager, Idris Tosun, is pessimistic. “This package will not amount to
anything either. People are hungry. They can't speak their own language. Freedom
will solve everything,” he said.
Tosun said rock music reflects their own rebellious nature and call for more
rights.
Eylem Guneş, 25, a regular at Sanat Café, is unemployed, like many of his
friends. He doesn't really expect much from the package. “Economic initiatives
may scratch the surface, but it won't delve into the heart of the problem. I am
very unhappy that I have to live in this city,” he said.
His friend, Ibrahim Polat, agreed with Guneş, but added, “the state needs to
face its past and Kurds should be respected as human beings. Turkey's problems
cannot be solved without solving the Kurdish problem. I support some of the
AKP's policies but I am against its current attitude. Violence will solve
nothing in this day and age. Science and knowledge will. The AKP should follow
science and knowledge.”
Repeated failures cause pessimism:
The Southeastern Anatolia Journalists' Association President Faruk Balıkçı is an
experienced journalist with Kurdish roots. He believes the numerous government
packages over the past decades and their eventual failure has made the region's
people pessimistic
“$12 billion will be invested in GAP, but this will not affect the welfare of
the people on the street,” he said.
He said Kurdish education in schools, lifting of all bans on Kurdish broadcasts
and granting of cultural, social and political rights are key to solving the
issue. “Those who say they will solve the problem without mentioning these are
just lying,” he said.
