Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris

REVUE DE PRESSE-PRESS REVIEW-BERHEVOKA ÇAPÊ-RwISTA STAMPA-DENTRO DE LA PRENSA-BASIN ÖZETi
Southeast crisis: Politicalleaders say postponing
March 1994 local elections may worsen conditions
• Parties say Martial Law no solution
for Kurdish problem
• "The state and PKK should not
hinder the elections"
• DEP says ceasefire may be
announced before March 1994
Ismet G.Jmset
Turkish Daily News
DIYARBAKIR- Political party leaders in this
southeastern provincial capital believe that any decision to
postpone the March 27, 1984, local elections will
Jeopardize the future of the region and lead to more
bloodshed.
In interviews with the Turkish Daily News over the
weekend, provincial chairmen of Turkey's four major
parties ha've called on the state and Kurdish separatists not
to interfere in the upcoming electoral contest. They also
expressed concern about possible plans to implement
martiallaw in the region, saying this too would only worsen
the situation.
Main opposition Motherland Party (ANAP) provincial
chairman Mehmet Re~it Seydoglu warned that people in the
region were "waiting In panic" to see what would happen as
a result of "policies based on violence." He cntlcised
Ankara for seeking military solutions to regional problems
and said this would only deepen the crisis.
"When we were in power, there was only one unsolved
murder" he said, referring to the clandestine death-squad
attacks on Kurdish activists. "We were ashamed of that. But
now. we have more than ,no unsolved murders." he added
Despite all of the risks and continuing problems, the
ANAP official said, elections in March had to be held.
"Because, the people need this above everything else, as
much as they need oxygen. One cannot think of any
alternative but to hold the elections ... In conditions when
the guns are doing the talking, even with the risks it brings
along, the elections should be held ... Without the elections,
other dark forces will come out of their places of hiding,"
he said.
Ruling True Path Party (DYP) deputy provincial
chairman Galip Ensarioglu said, on the other hand, that he
expected the elections to be held under normal and
democratic circumstances. His plea, he made clear, was
more to the state than the outlawed Kurdistan Workers
Party (PKK).
In his words: "as in all other world democracies. the
people here should bë able to express their thoughts, to
debate all of their opinions. All opinions should be debated
NEWS ANALYSIS
openly and the good and bad should come into the open.
Then the people will act as referees. This is the principle of
democracy. "
"The people will listen to everyone but elect the
candidate they chose in the end. The state or the other side
(PKK) should not tell them what is right, the people should
decide on this." The DYP official added that it was "a great
mistake to seek military solutions to the ongoing problem"
and said, "the only solution is one which lies in
democracy." Like Seydoglu, he too argued that the "right to
life" was being removed from the region and that unsolved
murders had become a major item on the daily a~enda.
Compla\ning of "the pressures on the people which do
not ~ome from only one side," ,the coalition's Junior partner
SO~lal Democ~atlc Peoples Party (SHP) provincial
chairman Hayatl Kahraman told the TON that problems in
the region had gotten out of hand.
"Every day, someone is killed in an unsolved murder.
The situation is gettin,?, worse,." he. said.
Kahraman added, the regIOn IS at war. Much blood is
being shed. Everyday there are unsolved murders. If
elections are held In an atmosphere of fear l'orthe people,
we are concerned that the results will not reflect the true
political. will of the people."
He Said, however, that there was no other alternative.
. "~o sir," he said. "Postp~ning the process for whatever
time IS nowhere close to solVing the problem.
"Unfortunately, there is a VIcious circle. The elections
cannot be postponed. But without truly efficient measures
the elections cannot be held. I don't know what to do. W~
are in a true quandary. "
Ankara is deeply concerned that the PKK, which has
e~panded its grassroots over the past years, will inevitably
hinder the elections and force the local populace to vote for
its own candidates.
. In .the words of Diyarbakir residents randomly
~ntervle~~d ?,n the st~eets, this is not possible. "At least not
In the CIties, according to one merchant. But in the rural
areas, the only. political alternative to the PKK appears to be
the pro-Islamic Welfare Party (RP) which is growing in
force throughout the country.
According to one source close to the PKK, "the parties
here are nothing but mira?es. Only the RP has a chance
against the PKK. And this, only where it i~
stronger than the PKK." Everyone believe~
that even if the PKK does not "order" 01
"i~struct" t~e voters on what to do, the people
will know who they should vote for. "The
criteria," whispers a local driver, "is that the
~and!dat~ .should be a (Kurdish] patriot"
Until I JOIned the party, It was in shambles.
Now we are strong and confident. But we see
that. democratic .elections are being blocked b)
a dirty war which has not yet been named ,.
says ANAP's Seydoglu. . '
Pr~-J.