Turkey enters new era

Politics has shifted into high gear in Turkey these days. Important developments like the extraordinary congress of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the parliamentary approval of a bill stripping members of the Parliament of immunity from prosecution have created quite a buzz around the globe.

The parliamentary move has been widely commended in Turkish political circles. Most political parties have welcomed the decision. However, the only exception is the People’s Democratic Party (HDP), a party supported by the PKK rather than the Kurdish population of Turkey. In addition to the HDP, the European Union has also expressed some concerns over the passage of the bill.

Now, let us discuss those reactions with regards to the EU, which stands for freedom and democracy. Kurdish people are engaged in every aspect of politics in Turkey. They constitute the majority of the ministers and MPs in the Turkish Parliament. There have been many Kurdish prime ministers in the history of Turkey. For that reason, no discrimination is made between Kurdish and Turkish people in the world of politics. 

The reason to lift the immunity of MPs is not the presence of a Kurdish party in the Parliament. Actually, that party is supported directly by the PKK, which is a terrorist organization and the members of the party are reportedly involved in some shady affairs in this regard. For instance, a member of the HDP attended the funeral of a PKK suicide bomber, who had killed 29 people in Ankara bombing. The co-chairman of the same party issued a statement that “we rely on the PYD (the PKK).” Furthermore, being members of the same party, some mayors allowed the PKK to dig ditches on the roads and refused to dispatch ambulances to the people wounded by the PKK. A number of that party’s MPs also spread misinformation against their own country in support of the PKK. We all know that Turkey is fighting terrorists and in such a situation extraordinary measures are required to effectively check the activities of the terrorists and their backers. We cannot rule out that many MPs may be carrying out such activities under duress. The lifting of immunity will not only help fight terror but it will also help protect those MPs who are forced to get involved in anti-state activities.

The introduction and the subsequent passage of the bill in a transparent fashion indicate the respect for democratic values in Turkey. Europe’s discomfort over this issue is beyond comprehension.

To better understand the European behavior, I would like the readers to go through the last week’s article. Some European countries on the pretext of “protecting the rights of the Kurdish people” facilitate the PKK in various ways. Those countries know that by taking such strict measures, Ankara is effectively preventing the PKK and its sympathizers from manipulating the Turkish Parliament to their advantage.

What should Turkey do in order to counter undue foreign criticism? Kurdish people are brothers and sisters of Turkish people. The progress that has been made, especially in the recent years, to reinforce their value is commendable. To avoid undue criticism Ankara should take all possible measures to further protect our Kurdish brothers by creating more education and employment opportunities for them. Civic infrastructure in the southeastern parts of the country, where the Kurdish population is concentrated, should be further developed. 

Europe is aware of the fact that the PKK does not represent the Kurdish people and this terror outfit has always exploited the Kurds. As a matter of fact, the PKK has only caused harm to the Kurdish community throughout its history and our Kurdish people despise the PKK.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim is a gem in many aspects like his predecessor Ahmet Davutoglu. In his first official statement as the new premier, he vowed to eliminate the PKK. Yildirim should show no leniency in the fight against the PKK and he should also make efforts to expose the true nature of the PKK. As an apt answer to the PKK and some European countries, it is crucial to make a policy of affection, bestowing a privilege upon our Kurdish brothers, dominant in Turkey. It will be, for sure and above all, a necessity and an indication of our brotherhood.

At this point, let us remind that the transition to the presidential system presents a great danger as well. As we have expressed many times before, the presidential system is a great risk for Turkey. The system leads to a federal system, which will serve the PKK in any case. Therefore, the matter of the presidential system should not be raised while we are struggling against terrorism. 

Adnan Oktar's piece in Arab News:

http://www.arabnews.com/node/930996/columns