Friday, March 7, 2008 | Mehmet Ali Birand
Some things are changing in Turkey. I am sure it has come to your attention, too. We're witnessing some unusual developments.
I will give a few examples to better explain myself. The aftershocks that followed the big earthquake triggered by the April 2007 presidential elections have lasted until now.
The surprise victory won by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the July 22 elections, despite the famous General Staff statement of April 27, was the first indication of things to come. The military reaction to the nomination of Abdullah Gül to Çankaya caused a landslide of votes in favor of the AKP. Things did not stop there. Gül was elected to Çankaya despite all of the resistance and negative reactions. Then came the freedom to wear the turban in universities.
The constitution was amended accordingly, despite all of the opposition. Now everyone is curious to hear the decision of the Constitutional Court.
The remarkable fact is that this time the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), which reacted with such vigor on April 27, 2007, remained silent.
Then came the land operation into northern Iraq and the famous debate that followed. During this pandemonium, the Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), both fervent admirers of the TSK, almost crossed swords with the general staff. Some very harsh words were exchanged between them.
This incident upset the usual balance and this time the AKP supported the military. These two institutions (the TSK and AKP), which had always been at odds with each other, seemed to become friends.
That's how interesting the recent changes in balance and relationships have been. And they are not over yet.
First of all, the chief of staff will be replaced by his successor in August 2008. That will be followed by the 2009 local elections. Both events will bring about new changes in the power balance.
I was very much affected by the book “Yemin Gecesi” (“The Night of the Pledge”). This book, written by Faruk Bildirici and published by Doğan Yayıncılık, is a must-read for all of us.
This biography of Leyla Zana also brings forward the most significant points of the Kurdish issue. It gives excellent insight into the lives and thoughts and struggles of people who care about Kurdish identity and strive to protect the rights of these people.Leyla Zana is among the most interesting and charismatic personalities of the Kurdish movement. Europeans especially see her as the banner of this movement. Her physique, her attitude and certain of her comments have led them to compare her to Joan of Arc, a symbol of freedom in France. Some segments of Kurdish society look down on her, even though they cannot do without her. The media says that Öcalan sometimes embraces her and at other times tries to remove her from the scene. However, Zana never leaves the stage. Bildirici has not only written the story of a life of ups and downs and of constant struggle. This book also draws a magnificent “road map” of the Kurdish issue. I grew sadder with each page I turned. As I read it, I was sometimes overcome with irritation and at others, with deep disappointment. I realized that while we claim to live with them and see to all of their needs, we really know very little about our citizens of Kurdish origin and even make special efforts not to know them better. In fact, I also realized that we have failed to respect most of them as human beings. “Yemin Gecesi” tells of the sad adventures of a handful of people who carry the banner of the Kurdish issue. It's the story of an era filled with betrayal, misunderstanding and chaos. You almost feel the coarse, harsh attitude of the security forces that overdo the events, as if you were there. You rebel against the efforts to discipline that handful of people through injury. In the end, you are confronted with the complete change of personality of the people who had worked for the acceptance of Kurdish identity. You see how the fight for identity and rights was turned into Kurdism. You realize that it was mostly our mistakes and lack of understanding that brought these people to this point. “Yemin Gecesi” throws light on the relations between the political leaders of the Kurdish issue and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), especially Öcalan. It shows the difficult, complicated and sometimes paradoxical quality of these relations. It reveals a brand new version of the politicians' view of the PKK and their approach to Öcalan. We finally have to grasp what the Kurdish issue is about. We have to understand the relations between Kurdish politicians and the PKK. We finally have to see all of that and make the wise exchange of our harsh attitude for a wiser approach. That's the spirit in which you must read “Yemin Gecesi.” Try not to view these stories as an insight into the “enemy” camp, but try to empathize with their thoughts and feelings. Bildirici has provided us with a valuable treasure trove of information. It is up to us to benefit from it.
The translation of M.A.Birand's column was provided by Nuran İnanç. nuraninanc @ gmail.com