KURDISH INITIATIVE

Dr. Mahmut Ortakaya from Diyarbakır evaluates the parliament's special agenda on the Kurdish question as a sign for a new era in Turkey.

Ortakaya is a member of the High Honour Committee of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB). He said that the steps the government has taken are marked by a different approach than before. For the coming period of time he expects human rights to take up a more important place on the agenda.

Ortakaya explains, "It is very important that the parliament initiated a discussion about the Kurdish question within the people. I see this as a begining, I hope it will not be damaged. All ethnic groups living in Turkey should contribute to this discussion. This is not a process that can be carried out by the government, and by the [ruling] Justice and Development Party (AKP) respectively, on its own. The people and the people's organizations should also participate", Ortakaya suggests.

"Bound to work on Kurdish politics"

In Ortakaya's opinion, the Kurdish political movement has to be studied more closely during this process.

 "So far, a democratic approach was impossible in an armed environment, and it was the official policy to reject the Kurdish question. This was also an excuse. But now the difficult part of the work begins. We will really start to talk about a solution. We are bound to learn more about Kurdish politics. This will also be good for a solution", Ortakaya emphasizes.

"Onur Öymen got ahead of the initiative in Diyarbakır"

However, Ortakay draws attention to the fact that people in Diyarbakır are preoccupied by the words of Republican People's Party (CHP) member Onur Öymen, who commented on the Dersim massacre of 1938. Öymen described the massacre as the suppression of a riot.

 "Öymen's words are like carved in stone for the people in Diyarbakır. When we said we will talk about the details of the initiative, Öymen's issues emerged. The furious reactions in the city go on". Ortakaya said. (TK/VK)