Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's recent comment has been widely cited and has caused controversy in Turkey. He said, "For years, people with different ethnic identities were forced to leave our country. This is actually the result of a fascist attitude."
If this comment is a sign of a sincere wish to change attitudes, then Assoc. Prof. Elçin Macar, lecturer at Istanbul's Yıldız Technical University's Political Science and International Relations department, has the following suggestions: "First, the definition of 'minority' has to be changed. Discrimination has to be abolished and real equality provided. Then we need democratisation. All citizens must have the right to broadcast in their own language, and to learn and develop their mother tongue."
We, too, have thought of further steps which the Prime Minister could take:
Ratify international agreements: International agreements which recognise minority rights need to be ratified and implemented. Turkey must also change its definition of minority, which, since the Lausanne Treaty, only refers to some non-Muslim groups. The most important agreements are the Council of Europe's Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.
Reservations must be lifted: Turkey must remove its reservation on Article 27 of the United Nations' Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, concerned with protecting minorities, as well as its reservation on education in a mother tongue in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
End discrimination: Comprehensive legislation against discrimination needs to be passed. The constitutional definition of equality needs to be amended to include sexual orientation.
Redefinition of citizenship: There should be no ethnic basis of citizenship. You could start by calling people "citizens of Turkey" ("Türkiyeli") rather than "Turks" ("Türk"). Take out the expression, "the nation's indivisible unity". Stop academics like Professors Baskın Oran and İbrahim Kaboğlu from being put on trial for similar suggestions.
Linguistic freedom: Lift the language ban in politics, which forbids political parties to use any language other than Turkish. Stop politicians being tried for that reason.
True laicism: Abolish the Directorate of Religious Affairs, as well as any laws which make it impossible for people to question the institution. Also abolish compulsory religious education classes, which contradict the concept of laicism.
"Turkish letters": Stop trying people for using letters that are not in the Turkish alphabet, specifically Q, W and X. Have you ever seen a company being tried for that offence? Do not allow prosecutors to use that old law, which initially introduced the Turkish Latin alphabet, to restrict the freedom of people writing in Kurdish.
Multilingual services: Instead of "state language", call Turkish the "official language" of Turkey in the constitution. Wherever there is a need, offer multilingual public services. Prevent the trial of local authorities for offering such services.
Rid school books of discrimination: Work on getting rid of obvious and covert discriminatory comments in school books. Remember, this was one of the first things Rakel Dink, widow of murdered journalist Hrant Dink, asked of you when you met after her husband's death.
Religious officials: Do not prevent religious groups from educating religious officials. You could start by re-opening the clerical school on the Heybeliada island.
Compensation: Pay compensation to the foundations of minorities for the property which was taken over by third persons.
Protect human rights activists: Do not allow the restrictions, oppression, intimidation and even deaths which human rights activists face. Rather, protect them, as well as the freedom of expression. Ensure that the organisers of Hrant Dink's murder are identified and punished. (TK/AG)
