The responsibility of the government

Before turning to recommendations on this subject, it needs to be made clear that throughout the 13 years of AKP rule, between 2002 and 2015, the party signed up to major new policies for the Southeast, policies which had never been implemented previously. In summary:

• The state of emergency was lifted.
• Obstacles to citizens giving Kurdish names to their children were lifted.
• Party closures were made more difficult.
• The ban on Kurdish-language broadcasting was lifted.
• Kurdish-language courses were permitted.
• Radio and TV broadcasts in different languages and dialects were permitted.
• Advertising in different languages and dialects was permitted.
• TRT 6 began 24-hour Kurdish-language broadcasting.
• The name TRT 6 was changed to TRT Kurdi on 10 January 2015.
• Private TV and radio organizations were permitted to broadcast 24 hours a day in foreign languages.
• Universities were permitted to open departments, institutes and elective classes in foreign languages. Departments of Kurdish language and literature were opened.
• Universities were allowed to establish Kurdish studies libraries.
• The decision was taken to support cultural activities in different languages. Kurdish-language films were supported.
• Detainees in prisons were allowed to enjoy mother-tongue family visits.
• Call centers were allowed to provide services for non-Turkish speaking citizens.
• Settlements were allowed to readopt their former Kurdish names.
• Political propaganda in different languages was permitted.
• Various important Kurdish-language works were published by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
• Mountain pastures were reopened for use, and people began returning to the villages.
• The Kurdish language appeared in parliamentary documents for the first time.
• A commission of inquiry was set up to look into incidents in Diyarbakır Prison.
• Permission was given for Kurdish-language stage plays to be performed.
• Kurdish-language music albums were brought out.
• Local religious figures were allowed to be employed by the state.
• Defendants were allowed to present their defenses in their mother tongue.
• The Turkish Language Institute published a Turkish-Kurdish dictionary.
• The Anadolu News Agency began publishing in Kurdish.
• On March 8th, 2015 the government announced a Southeast Anatolia Project (GAP) action plan. The plan involves 115 projects with a budget of 26.7 billion aimed at regenerating the Southeast, in fields from agriculture to tourism and from education to health.
• The Holy Qur’an was published in Kurdish.
• Large numbers of dams, airports, hospitals and schools were built in the region.
• Dozens of laws were amended in terms of democratization and the Peace Process.

These matters alone make it very clear that historic progress and major advances were made.

A beautiful view from the city of Şanliurfa.

The current government has adopted very different measures than the governments that have gone before it, made major steps toward improving the well being of our Kurdish brothers and stood up for Kurdish rights. These advances apply not just to the Kurds, but also to all other ethnic groups living in Turkey, as well as Alawites and other minorities. These are all sources of pleasure and pride. They are also a requirement of greater democratization. In addition to all this progress, efforts also need to be made to fill a deficiency inherited from the past; that deficiency is love. Alawites, Greeks, Armenians, Jews, Christians, in short all ethnic and faith groups that were once neglected, must be included in this policy of love in order to make up for the past. Since our subject here is the Kurds, however, we shall be looking at this matter separately.

It is crucial to dignify the people of the Southeast with their due worth. A policy providing all the means to expedite their living in peace and welfare in the region should be implemented firmly.

The building of roads, airports and bridges in the Southeast of Turkey of course represents important progress. It is even more important, however, to win the hearts and minds of the Kurdish people. Activities based on a policy of love must be arranged for that purpose, and our Kurdish brothers must be made to feel they are both protected and loved by the state. As can be seen from the steps taken by the Turkish government concerning the rights and liberties of our Kurdish brothers, we fully believe that this policy of love will be put into operation as a matter of urgency. However, the priority issue on this subject is for PKK terror and terrorists to be eliminated from the region. Although various measures are being taken today, all the terrorists in the region need to be caught and detained through a more wide-ranging and organized campaign. This is essential for the security of the people of the region.

We also need to pay attention to another important point; great care must be taken that the governors and officials appointed to the provinces of the Southeast by central government are not arrogant, proud, haughty, loveless or lacking in empathy. Such people must not be appointed, and if any are identified they must be immediately removed from their posts. Governors who reflect the love and affection of the state, who smile and are respectful and full of love, who are wise and driven, who are well-mannered and high-quality, who know how to praise beauties and do not look down their noses at the person in front of them must be appointed. The government must engage in a range of activities in these regions in order to weld the population together. It must contribute to their education and in such areas as art and science, and it must make the people feel the love and backing of the state at every moment.

The idea of Kurdish governors for Kurdish regions must also be abandoned, and any impression of isolating the Kurds as an ethnic group must be eliminated. Care must be taken to weld everyone together in a single nation by also appointing Kurdish governors to other parts of the country and governors from other parts of the country must be appointed to the Southeastern provinces.

It would also be a good thing for the government to support various civil society organizations in the region so they can act freely and effectively, as well as local religious leaders, tribal leaders, local radio and TV stations and intellectuals who advocate Islamic Unity against the communist and the fascist philosophy with a language of love.

This mass grave showing the persecution implemented by the Saddam regime represents only a portion of the nightmare that our Kurdish brothers have passed through. When the whole world turned their back to refugees, Turkey was the first country that opened its hearts and gates to our refugee brothers amongst whom there were Kurds. Turkish soldiers welcomed our Kurdish brothers with true compassion.

It is important for conferences, films and documentaries to be held and produced concerning national unity and brotherhood with the help of that backing. Policies encouraging people to think about God, the Qur’an, signs leading to faith, the miracles of the Qur’an, science, art, quality, culture and love must be adopted, rather than cultural bigotry. A major mobilization by way of the internet and media is needed for that to happen.

Mobilization aimed at encouraging the idea of a Great Turkey and Islamic Union must take place in the social media, through love and a peaceable, modern, high-quality vision. There must be no room for lack of quality, lovelessness, hatred or fanaticism, nor for nonsense and later fabrications.

All TV and radio channels affiliated to The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK) must take part in this mobilization.

When Saddam was persecuting the Kurds, when al-Assad was committing slaughter or when the PYD was suppressing them, it was always Turkey that stepped in to protect them. All their needs were met in an honest and proper manner. Our Kurdish brothers from Kobane have been given a proper welcome in Turkey. All these facts must be set out in detail with full supporting historical information and documentation. People have to be told persistently that the loveless attitude of the past toward our Kurdish citizens derived from the twin scourges of the Ergenekon terror organization and the PKK, with their very different aims. Our Kurdish brothers need to feel that they are always under the protection of the Turkish state and nation.