Democracy May Solve The Kurdish Question

A group of 12 intellectuals, who were among the 150 to urge for the Kurdish guerrilla group PKK to bury its arms and the government bring a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue, met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday.

Gencay Gürsoy, spokesman for the group of 12, made a public statement after the 3 hour meeting, and pointed out that the intellectuals are not arbitrating in the name of any group, adding "We are just citizens who speak their concerns about the rising wave of violence."

"We have urged that armed actions be unconditionally stopped. Once the arms are buried, security measures will become unnecessary. But, we have yet to receive a positive response from the PKK," Gürsoy said.

The PKK, after 6 years of unilateral truce declared after the arrest and condemnation to lifetime imprisonment of leader Abdullah Ocalan, has resumed armed fighting since June 2004. The total number of losses to the guerrillas and security forces is estimated to be at least 100 in one year.

"Extension of the clashes and increase of losses might harm the brotherhood of the Kurdish and Turkish peoples," says Gursoy, recalling the recent inflagration of ethnic hatred against Kurds across the country.

Gürsoy further underlined the fact that Kurdish problem is not only about public security, and pointed out the importance of civic initiatives to bring about a solution to the conflict

"The 80-year-old conflict cannot be resolved in a short time. Civil authorities should overtly express their will to resolve the problem and the Turkish parliament should come to the fore" he told.

"Relying on anti-terrorism measures alone will not bring about an end to the conflict," Gursoy told journalists. "The conflict can only be resolved by broadening democracy, not by narrowing it," said Gürsoy, urging PM Erdogan repeat his message on resolution of the conflict through democratic means in scheduled visit to southeast province of Diyarbakır, this week.

"Things might have changed for better if a Kurdish Institute had been allowed years ago. Yet it is not too late for such an step," said Gürsoy.

Evaluating the 3-hour meeting with the prime minister as constructive and a meaningful, Gürsoy expressed that they have made important progess. "We exchanged our concerns on the prevailing conflict in Turkey and on the background of our 15 June declaration undersigned by 150.

"We are assured that Prime Minister Erdogan will raise the issues we have discussed in today's meeting and we are also assured that he will signal a message of friendship in Diyarbakır."

"We have conveyed our opinions on the Kurdish problem, that it needs to be solved on a democratic platform comprising economic, social and cultural measures, to the Prime Minister" Gürsoy said, concluding that the meeting resulted with success.

Praising Prime Minister Erdogan's determinedness for a resolution of the Kurdish problem through democratic means, Gürsoy also renewed his call to the PKK to "stop armed action notwithstanding any preconditions."

Ion reply to journalists' questions regarding prospective cooperation and communication between the government and citizens' initiatives, " Mutual wishes of prolonged dialogue were expressed. We hope it becomes true," said Gursoy.

"We have not deliberatively excluded Kurdish friends from the visiting group," Gursoy told in reply to another question. "We are communicating with them, however we acted in the name of the original group of 150.

Parties to the meeting included:

The group of 12: Chair of Istanbul Physicians Chamber Prof. Dr. Gencay Gürsoy, novelist Adalet Ağaoğlu, reporters and writers Ali Bayramoğlu, Ahmet Hakan Coşkun, Oral Çalışlar, Mustafa Karaalioğlu, Nuray Mert, former chairman of Istanbul Bar Association Yücel Sayman, Yılmaz Ensaroğlu, Osman Kavala, Tayfun Mater, and Hakan Tahmaz.

The Government: Minister of Foreign affairs Abdullah Gül, Minister of State Beşir Atalay, Minister of Agriculture Mehdi Eker, Chairman of Turkish Parliamentary Human Rights Commission Mehmet Elkatmış, deputies Ömer Çelik, Hüseyin Besli, İhsan Arslan, Secretary of Prime Ministry Ömer Dinçer, Assistant of Secratary of Prime Ministry Hasan Fendoğlu, Chairman of Prime Ministry Human Rights Commission Vahit Bıçak, Counsellors of the Prime Minister Nabi Avcı, Yalçın Akdoğan and Akif Beki (NG/YE)