Young people and children rushed into the streets. Six people, two of whom were children, died during the events. The tension started in Diyarbakır and other cities. Events spread to Istanbul and more people died.
All these events are taking place at a time when Turkey must fulfill requirements to become a EU member. During March 11-12, the Helsinki Citizens Association and Empathy Group held a conference entitled "The Search for Civil and Democratic Solutions -Turkey's Kurdish Problem" at Istanbul's Bilgi University.
The conference was a meeting where people who understand each other by talking and listening gathered to discuss the Kurdish problem in a legal and respectful environment.
In an exclusive interview, publisher Ümit Fırat, who was one of the organizers of the conference, discussed the incidents with TDN. "A few days before the incidents in Diyarbakır when the Kurdish problem was mentioned, people might have talked about the views discussed at the conference," said Ümit Fırat.
"Because our conference addressed the Kurdish problem, it was appreciated by people who have common sense and think that the Kurdish problem must be discussed in this kind of environment," he said.
"During the conference we exchanged views about the Kurdish problem and solutions to it. The general view at the meeting was that there is a need to discuss the Kurdish problem more. It is wrong to have conflict, to use weapons and to use violence.
"There is no Kurdish problem today. There were incidents in Diyarbakır, Batman and Siirt rather than a Kurdish problem. That is to say the Kurdish problem is not a Kurdish problem anymore. It turned into revolts and incidents.
"A bus was burned and a woman died under it, a 3-year-old child was shot, etc. In short, the Kurdish problem went beyond the civil platform and turned into violent incidents. As conference organizers, we wanted to show our position. Armed powers tried to say that it didn't make sense to discuss the societal problems at the table. They said that that was their job. This may create some difficulties in our program but we will continue to discuss these issues."
The image of the PKK was highlighted after the Şemdinli incidents
Fırat noted that he didn't agree with the view that the incidents in Diyarbakır occurred after the bodies of PKK members were given to their families.
"The bodies of the dead have been given to their families many years before. There is a scenario that was written a long time before the funeral ceremonies. After arresting the perpetrators of the Şemdinli incidents, the image of PKK was highlighted."
Ümit Fırat thinks that the protests against the Şemdinli incidents did not create an environment of conflict because the demonstrations were held to sustain justice. According to Fırat, the reason why Abdullah Öcalan's health was highlighted right after the protests was to make people forget the Şemdinli incident. He said that it was a political show.
Fırat said that they wanted to create enmity through the funerals and that even if their ideologies were not the same the funerals were propaganda tools of the parties. He asked how children, who were in the front row during the incidents in Diyarbakır, could even have political demands.
"A 13-15 year old child cannot have a political demands regarding the fate of Turkey or any country. A child can only have demands to have a better education and to have better nutrition. He could ask for a bicycle. He doesn't join a political movement to play with the fate of the country where he lives. We all saw that those children were carrying molotov cocktails and stones. They threw them at the police. These children and women were in the front row during the incidents. Others hid themselves behind these women and children," said Fırat.
Provocations are a part of a scenario
Fırat said that the PKK lost blood and was politically renewed between 1999-2004 as a result of Turkey's normalization. "This situation was not of value to either the PKK or other factions that did not want the renewal of militarism. They wanted to drag Turkey into abnormal conditions and to stop normal developments."
Fırat said that the Diyarbakır incidents were part of a scenario that fits into this contemporary political context.
"A former guerilla who left the PKK and lived in mountains for many years has a very interesting statement on the Internet. He says that the region where the 14 people were killed is covered with 2-3 meters of snow and guerillas cannot live there in winter. He also said that you couldn't even hide an egg there although the region is covered with snow. How do guerillas hide themselves there? Also, how do these guerillas appear on Roj TV with their photos and then resume right after an operation? Wasn't there anybody who survived? Some people can send them to die and prepare the ground to start some other actions. Accordingly, these guerillas were not hidden, they were used a bait there. At the same time, on March 19 a website, which is close to the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), almost denounced the incidents and warned that there will be some murders and some people will be seized. Incidents will occur during their funeral ceremonies, innocent civilians and children will be killed. Under this pretext, incidents will grow worse. This is an indicator that the scenario was written before."
Power that you can't control is not power
Ümit Fırat said that there is a common understanding in Turkey that those who have arms are powerful. "Accordingly, we are at a point where we must accept the view imposed on us rather than ask for more democracy and work for it. There is an advertisement slogan 'power that you can't control is not power.' The heads of the DTP cannot control the ground. We can't expect them to control all the ground."
Fırat said that Diyarbakır mayors were considered to be regional representatives and that Osman Baydemir was using this identity.
"Baydemir wants to receive the support of the people of Diyarbakır and radical factions. He doesn't want to receive the support of the group, which is not close to the DTP in Diyarbakır, but he needs the support of the other. If he loses their support, he will lose the next elections. This is why he takes populism into consideration. The Diyarbakır mayor said that they were sorry for 14 deaths but now it has increased to 16. I didn't hear this personally, but the media reported it. I don't think that he estimated reactions against this statement. He doesn't come from a diplomatic culture. But he made this statement for populism Of course, the other side did not like it."
Intellectuals cannot be human shields
Fırat stated that the course of events was extremely negative after the incidents in the region. "As intellectuals, we can neither become human shields nor can we have the last word for the organizers of these incidents."
"Intellectuals can go to Diyarbakır with good intentions but this remains like a missionary visit. When they go there, Kurdish traders who suffered from the incidents talk about their losses and say that incidents were very bad. You already know this before going there. I think going there can have an emotional meaning but we cannot get results. It makes more sense to organize passive demonstrations to persuade people to stop their policy of lynching each other in Istanbul, Ankara or other cities. Turkish and Kurdish intellectuals should persuade some people to discuss these issues in different environments. This problem cannot be solved with an egocentric approach. It cannot be solved by thinking that if you don't exist, then a solution cannot exist either. Relations can be established with people who organize these events. At least they can be persuaded with different methods."
Turkey should have normal conditions
Ümit Fırat said that these problems necessitated help from the EU but, on the other hand, there are increasing problems in the EU as well.
"Naturally, instability in a EU member country necessitates the consideration of this Kurdish problem. But the EU is not as strong as it was two years ago. There have been problems in the EU too. There have been violent demonstrations and protests. A new leftist movement is growing. We see the results of this in Germany, France and Netherlands. The EU will express proposals, as it always does, in the areas of human rights, democracy, freedom, justice and priority of the law. Turkey will take stricter security measures. The EU will not be concerned about it because it is doing the same things. Also, they won't consider it important because they won't accept Turkey in short term."
Fırat expressed that the policies of Turkish state towards the region and Kurds should be normalized, and said the effect of the PKK would be reduced in the region if Turkey had normal conditions. "If Turkey reinstates the State of Emergency Rule (OHAL) and maintains repressive policies, the PKK will remain as a problem." (TDN/YE)
