The initial stance after the elections raised the hopes, indeed. The early attitudes properly fit the requirements of political course. The DTP MPs were acting according to the parliamentary rules and political principles. Talks seemed to be politically compatible after all. It was as if politics would defeat violence, sense would overcome anger and buncombes would give their places to reasonableness and wisdom. However, hawkish names like Leyla Zana and Hatip Dicle, did not wait too long to dent the normalization process, which was sustained despite several interruptions during the election time.

Various international actors like the EU and the US as well as Turkish decision makers have shown efforts to facilitate things for DTP. The calls for distancing  the party from the terror organization has not yielded results, either. Members within the party, however, do not always give hopes toward a thriving future. Those destructive challenges from the party itself raise questions, indeed. What do those DTP members plan to achieve through smashing the party? 

PKK Threatens the Political Course

The politicization processes of PKK and Kurds seem to provide the clearest answers to the current issues. Through choosing such a combat, PKK attempted to separate Turks and Kurds and break up a social cohesion, which has been existed for more than thousand years. That, the success of such plot depended on creating a new history on armed attacks is not surprising. Accordingly, the main actors are those who use the guns, most influential actors are those living under the shadow of armed attacks and leaders are those deciding under the shadow of violence.

Being a terrorist organization, the PKK ideology has built a Kurdish political movement solely based on violence. The usual political course appears to be the severist challenge to the existence of the terrorist organization. Destructing bridges was far more important than constructing them for PKK. Tactics like attacking and destroying schools and hospitals, ruling out possibilities for economic development and persisting underdevelopment have long been abused by the PKK strategy. In fact, there are no sings showing the discontent of the terrorist organization due to this gloomy environment.

It goes without saying that the political order has a quite different agenda from terrorist groups. Politicians seek answers to the problems of the individual and are interested in wealth of the society. Unlike a political movement, seeking a better life for the Kurdish people, PKK has never put answering demands of the Kurds on its agenda. PKK rather appears to sustain the existing predicament and put forth its armed combat as the only way to guarantee its existence in the long run. Hence, neither the rising economic prosperity nor the progress on social and cultural rights changes the mind of PKK. That is why PKK tries to overshadow political opportunities under armed conflicts. Just like all the other citizens of Turkey, citizens of Kurdish origin deserve to seek solutions in the usual political course. It is almost needles to say that such a happy end turns into a nightmare in the eyes of PKK.

A more democraticized Ankara is not an opportunity for answering the complaints of the terrorist organization. Rather than benefiting from the advancing democracy PKK has chosen to increase its armed attacks in this regard. PKK is quite aware of the fact that the rule of politics and the supremacy of democracy will overwhelm the command of violence and the power of anger. The initiative power is no more in the hands of the actors of violence. The terror organization loses its plausibility more and more. When looked from the PKK perspective the greatest trump seems to be erasing DTP from political scene rather than killing innocents.

Under the Shadow of Ocalan

Forming a group in the parliament after the elections on 22 July, DTP has reached the possibility of putting itself across within a democratic frame. The party, however, seems having difficulties in this direction. PKK does not only warn but also threatens the DTP MPs in every such attempt.

DTP came forth with the promises to find a solution to their complaints of inequality, as well as being the answer of their claims on cultural, social and economic problems. The party carries a significant social responsibility, indeed. What DTP has been doing so far, however, did not go beyond marginalizing itself.

PKK has never been a Kurdish political movement. What PKK has been doing so far is to gain ground on violence. DTP will continue marginalizing itself until the DTP MPs resist the PKK oppression. The party does not seem to be an enduring actor if things continue like this.

On the other hand, it is hard to regard DTP convincing as for the benefit of Turkey and its citizens instead of supporting PKK. DTP sympathy towards PKK and its detained leader, Abdullah Öcalan, brings things from bad to worse. DTP affiliates do not always hesitate going beyond the rules of law when it comes to praising the terrorist organization. The latest DTP praises for terrorists do nothing but weaken its legitimacy. The Tunceli Mayor, Songül Erol Abdil, adressed the suicide-bomber, Zeynep Kınacı, who killed 7 soldiers and wounded 33, as a leader in the way towards emancipation. The list can be further extended. 

DTP was supposed to be the Party of Turkey  

Turkey needs a DTP, having the willingness and self-reliance for being a part of the Turkish parliament more than ever. Prior to elections, Aysel Tugluk claimed to be the party of Turkey. This is the wish of every wise man.

DTP seems to be far from introducing policies and utilizing political instruments. The party has not given any signs towards improving Turkish democracy and developing social and cultural rights. Yet, hopes are not shattered. DTP and similar Kurdish movements still have the potential of contributing towards a more liberated Turkey.

Still There is Room for Hope

The first condition towards success is to adopt the principles of Ankara instead of persistently referring to the Kandil. Those who consider their positions in the parliament as a PKK reward are bound to leave the same parliament under the suppression of terrorists. MPs will not find the ability to make policies with their own values and norms under the shadow of terror.

Several opportunities were missed during the first experience in 1991. It is hard to regard the following process as successful when the numerous murders are taken into consideration. Turkey needs democratic and conscientious DTP MPs who are able to show a self-respecting stand not to repeat the same mistakes. DTP caries a significant burden of overcomming the ill-wills that want to confine DTP to the terrorist organization and abolish it in the end. No one, but particularly not a single Turkish citizen of Kurdish origin, deserves such a representation.

Translated by Nermin Aydemir, USAK-ISRO