Kurdish MP Ahmet Türk said, “They are spreading the propaganda that Kurdish is freely spoken. We wanted to see whether this was true.”
This led to Türk speaking Kurdish in a party group meeting of the Democratic Society Party (DTP), of which he is co-chair, in parliament. The state TRT 3 channel which broadcasts live from parliament was ordered to halt broadcasts by Parliament Speaker Köksal Toptan when it was realised that he was speaking Kurdish.
Following the speech made on 25 February, Türk’s press advisors handed out a Turkish translation of the Kurdish text. It has here been translated into English:
“21 February is International Mother Language Day. Language is very important in Kurdish history. Because the Kurds who did not know any languages apart from their own were put under a lot of pressure. During the military coup, the state arrested many people and put them in prison. I was also arrested. Our families came for visits, and they wanted to talk Kurdish, because they spoke no other language. But because they knew that if they spoke Kurdish it would create problems for us and them, and that we were beaten for it, they could not speak. Sometimes we defied the ban and said ‘how are you mother?’ because we wanted them to go home without their hearts broken. Later we paid for it and were beaten. At that time I promised myself that one day, I would speak my mother tongue at an official meeting.”
“The Prime Minister is praising his party and their projects on TRT 6 (the newly set up state channel broadcasting in Kurdish). But when members of the DTP greet others in their own language, they are taken to court. They are investigated. When a mayor speaks to his people in his own language, he is taken to court. But when the Prime Minister speaks Kurdish, no one says anything. We find this wrong, hypocritical. What has the Prime Minister done to make the language free, we wonder.”
“8 March is approaching and I want to extend my congratulations to all women for this day. The DTP is an important step towards Kurdish women and women all over the world participating in political, cultural and economic life. Kurs have long valued women highly. Our Kurdish ancestors said this years ago, ‘A lion is a lion, neither male nor female.’”
“21 March, Newroz, is also approaching. Newroz stands for enlightenment and peace. It is the rebellion of people against oppression. Our people will celebrate Newroz with great joy. I wish our people success for that day.”
“Not much time is left until the local elections on 29 March. These elections are very important for us and for providing peace. I believe that our friends and our people will make appropriate efforts.”
“The honourable Erdoğan was in Diyarbakır a few days ago, together with the honourable Kutbettin Arzu (Diyarbakır AKP MP). Erdoğan called Arzu an ‘atom ant’. I wonder what Arzu has done for the Kurds. He only went to the parliamentary podium once, when he was sworn in. How then can he be an ‘atom ant’? I think he is at most a quiet bug.”
“Here I would like to read you part of a poem by the Kurd Cigerxwin:
If you never sit side by side
If you never look on conversations with a smile
If you never add pleasure
If you do not build dialogue
If you do not understand each other
Then there is no beauty left in life.”(AT/TK/AG)
