"This action plan is a planned offensive by the government against Kurdish university students".

Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Şırnak Deputy, Hasip Kaplan, brought the "Action Plan for Separatist Activities" prepared by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) to the parliament. The plan was sent to the universities by YÖK on 17 March.

Worrisome plan

bianet talked to deputy Kaplan about the plan. "This confidential action plan is being applied against Kurdish university students every year". Kapaln continued:

"The plan suggests watching students who are involved in 'separatist' activities such as attending Newroz celebrations or requesting education in Kurdish as their mother tongue. There are outrages statements like saying that the students misused the rights provided by the European Union. The investigation and monitoring reports about the students should be sent to the deanery every four months. Recent attacks against Kurdish students in Muğla, Ankara, Manisa, Rize, Tokat and Instanbul were based on theses directives. It even gets worse since the document is meant to be a 'Five-Year Medium-Term Plan'. This is a plan to systemize arrests and detentions of Kurdish students", Kaplan indicated.

"We will constantly bring this up at the parliamentary agenda and we will keep it updated. We do not accept to subject students to separation due to their identities. It is dreadful that this kind of issues can be found in an official state document. We will reveal that the AKP [ruling Justice and Development Party] government is insincere regarding the constitution and that they are false democrats", Kaplan said.

"The minister lies, the document does exist"

Kaplan vehemently criticized National Education Minister Nimet Çubukçu for officially describing the death of Şerzan Kurt, student at the University of Muğla (Aegean coast) as the result of a "bar fight":

"Mr Çubukçu denied the existence of the document when he was reminded to the attacks and action plan. I sent the document to the National Education Ministry and to parties represented in parliament. I disclosed the document of which Minister Çabukçu denied its existence. How is he going to explain a scandalous situation like this? I invite the minister to bravely remain behind the decisions taken related to the 'democratic initiative'. On one hand you are saying 'we are advocates for freedom', on the other hand you are ignoring Kurdish students and the Kurdish identity. We do not accept that". (SP/VK)