Interpreting the latest move by the ruling party to start a Kurdish TV channel as a move towards strengthening its position in the coming elections, the Democratic Society Party (DTP) submitted a bill to the Parliament expand publishing and broadcasting in Kurdish.

The Turkish Radio and Television (TRT) increased the Kurdish Broadcasting that has been half an hour everyday since June 7, 2004 to twelve hours by setting up a separate channel.

The TRT 6 began broadcasting yesterday (January 1) with songs by Nilüfer Akbal and Rojin. Thus the new Kurdish TV channel became official.

Moreover, the DTP directed a question at the Prime Minister regarding the constitutional and legal fate of the Kurdish letters.

Kaplan: If they accept the proposal then the problems will disappear

The DTP says the problems the Kurdish language is facing cannot be removed simply broadcasting in Kurdish from the state TV. They launched an initiative to remove all the constitutional and legal obstacles before the Kurdish language.

Hasip Kaplan, DTP’s Şırnak deputy, prepared a bill for the inclusion of the letters x, w, q in the alphabet and the removal of all the obstacles before the Kurdish language. In addition to it, Gültan Kışanak, DTP’s Diyarbakır deputy, prepared a bill that will enable the Kurdish language to be used in the public space.

According to yuksekovahaber.com from the province of Hakkari in the eastern Turkey, Kaplan thinks that if these bills are passed then these problems will go away.

Finally İbrahim Binici, DTP’s Şanlıurfa deputy, directed a formal question at Prime Minister Erdoğan to find out if the legal obstacles before the Kurdish language will be removed. (EÖ/TB)