Kurdistan Observer

The recent statements by the Turkish Defense Minister, Sabahattin Cakmakoglu, on "Turkish rights in Mosul and Kirkuk, and the Turkish responsibility over the Iraqi Kurds” was provocative, irresponsible and alarming. The people of Southern Kurdistan- Iraq have not yet recovered from Saddam Hussein’s chemical attacks of 1988, destruction of their villages, placement in concentration camps, ethnic cleansing in Kirkuk and Mosul, and eleven years of economic sanctions. Turkish military leaders are behaving in a reckless manner with no regard for their peaceful Kurdish neighbors.

Since 1991, Turkey’s army has taken the liberty of frequent border crossing and shelling of Kurdish villages in pursuit of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighters. Under the same pretext and despite strong Kurdish protests, Turkey has maintained some 5000 well armed Turkish soldiers in Southern Kurdistan in order to remind the Kurds that they are being closely watched and that they should not even dream of creating a Kurdish entity in north Iraq.

It is time that Turkey grows up and starts acting like a mature state. While Turkey claims to be heir to the Ottoman Empire, its leaders lack the wisdom of elder statesmen. They should remember that the Kurds are the indigenous people of Kurdistan and have dwelled in these areas well before the nomadic Turks descended on them from Central Asia in the middle ages. They should also remember Turkey is a remnant of a decaying empire, which has very shallow historical roots in West Asia. For this reason, those who claim to be Turks still associate themselves with the Turks of central Asia and not the people of the Middle East. Turkey’s superiority complex is reflected in the way its leaders deal with its neighbors. If not because of the allied national interests during World War I, Turkey’s destiny would not have been any better those of White South Africa, White Namibia, or White Rhodesia. The need for the creation of a buffer zone between the west and Russia saved the remnants of the Ottoman Empire from total disintegration.

The arrogance shown by Turkey towards its neighbors has created considerable anxiety, tension and distrust in the region. Its dispute with Greece during 1974 led to the occupation of Northern Cyprus and the creation of the so-called "Turkish Republic of Cyprus", which has a total population of only 150,000 Turks. Yet, Turkey has denied some 15-20 million Kurds in its own backyard of self-rule/local administration. It is not only that Turkey denies the Kurds of Turkey self-expression within the framework of its so-called pluralistic democratic system, but it also makes all out effort to suppress the rights of the Kurds in the neighboring countries.

The present system of government in Turkey is no better than that which existed in Iran under the former Shah, Mohammed Riza Shah, during the 1970s`, which terrorized Iran`s own population and those in the Persian Gulf. With the American help, Iran created the strongest army in the Gulf. However, disrespect for the Iranian public opinion led to an uprising and the creation of the Islamic Republic of Iran with all its shortfalls.

Do the Turkish leaders ever think that the balance of power within the Turkish army may one day shift in favor of the Islamic movement in Turkey? How could Turkey be called democratic while its military leaders continuously meddle in civilian politics by ousting this government or that government which they do not like?. It is no secret that the Turkish army has so far brought down three legitimately elected governments in Turkey since the 1960s. Do the military leaders and government politicians understand that these acts are against the very democratic principles cherished by the European Union which their country aspires to join?

The militaristic nature of Turkey and its expansionist ambitions have not only destabilized the Middle East but has devastated its own economy. Maintaining and equipping some 400,000 soldiers with sophisticated military hardware is a burdensome affair. This policy has diverted considerable amounts of resources from the mainstream Turkish economy to unproductive military build up. Turkey is at present suffering not only from rampant unemployment and double digit inflation, but the interest paid on foreign debt has grown out of proportion. The pretext for military build up during the Cold war was justified by fighting communism and now they claim to be fighting Islamic fundamentalists and Kurdish insurgents.

It is time that Turkey stops saber rattling and threatening the peace-loving Kurdish community in Turkey as well as those Kurds in Iraqi-Kurdistan. Real democracies do not fear citizens` participation in domestic political processes. Turkey cannot cage some 20 million Kurds in Turkey and keep a similar number of Kurds in the neighboring countries under continuous military threat.

Turkey should not be so paranoid about the Kurds, who could become its strongest and reliable allies in the future. Granting greater freedom and self-rule to the Kurds of Turkey will certainly make Turkey much stronger and the region more stable and prosperous than now. For the same reason, Turkey should show more courage and greater statesmanship by joining the United States in helping the Iraqi Kurds to eliminate the root causes of their suffering. Creation of a Kurdish entity in Southern Kurdistan-Iraq is the only way out of the present dilemma.

Just like the Turks, the Kurds deserve to be given an opportunity to safeguard and practice their cultural heritage without fear of repression. To this end Turkey should reassure the Iraqi Kurds that they will maintain peaceful and good neighborly relations with them regardless of the form of the form of government they create.