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

Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Baszn Özeti
Southeastern politicians' election debates
• The PKK has been inspired by Britain, which found a solution to the problem of the Irish
Republican Army (IRA), using Sein Fein as a mediator. Ocalan, in a declaration on illegal TV
channel-in-exile, MED TV, said that if the Kurdish candidates can participate in the elections
without facing any obstacles, the problem of the mediator would automatically be solved
MUSTAFA
ERDOGAN
Ankara - Turkish Daily News
An agreement reached between the parties in the government on a new "election government" to be
established during the next parliamentary term as well as an election date of March, 1999, has activated
politicians interested in southeastern issues.
After the clarification of the election agenda, the Republican People's Party's (CHP) attempts to make an
election alliance with the People's Democracy Party (HADEP) started discussions within Kurdish circles.
Kurdish candidates on the list
00
0\
0\
-'-.-
I-<
~
If)
N
The Kurdish politicians in the CHP and HADEP are trying to become candidates for the approaching
elections. Part of these groups are attempting to approach the CHP administration while others are hoping
to benefit from the existence of a power vacuum in HADEP because of the fact that most of its
administrators are currently in jail. Meanwhile, a group in HADEP's Istanbul branch are preparing to join
the CHP.
On the other hand, the recent resignations of Sedat Yurttas, Sirri Sakik and Ahmet Turk's from HADEP's
central administrative board still occupy the core of the discussions within Kurdish circles. The process
which led to their resignations went back to the days when Hatip Dicle was elected as banned Democracy
Party (DEP) chairman. It is known that when Dicle become the party's chairman representing the so-called
"falcon branch" within DEP, he had an argument with Yurttas, Sakik and Turk. The Dicle group had
accused the other side of making soft-liner and reformist politics while Yurttas, Sakik and Turk had
accused .the falcon group of preparing the closure of DEP and making a political solution impossible. Both
groups, having accused the newly established HADEP chairman, Murat Bozlak, of conducting passive
politics, distanced themselves from HADEP.
Meanwhile, reactions are getting stronger against these groups within HADEP. Partyadministrators
criticizing Sakik, Turk and Yurttas, claim that they fled from their duty and are trying tocompletely exclude
them from engaging in politics in HADEP. There are claims that the three clashed with party administration
because the administration halted the internal party education which previously had resulted in the arrest of
HADEP's leading figures. Yurttas, Turk and Sakik, after the administration's action regarding the
education issue, had ironically criticized the administration, saying that education should fIfSt be given to
partyadministrators.
Background
of Turk, Yurttas and Sakik
Ahmet Turk has been in politics for many years. A CHP deputy before the 1980 coup, he was reelected in
1989 from the former Social Democratic People's Party (SHP). Turk then established the banned People's
Labor. Party (HEP) with a group of friends and became its first chairman. He continued his political career
in the banned DEP and HADEP parties. Turk, who was a deputy candidate from Mardin in the last
elections, could not become a deputy because HADEP could not pass the 10 percent country threshold,
although it received a majority of the votes in Mardin. Turk is known, within Kurdish circles, for his
compromising attitude and political experience.
Sedat Yurttas first became deputy in 1989 from the former SHP. In the last election, like Turk, although he
received enough votes in Diyarbakir, the country threshold did not permit him to become a deputy. Yurttas
is known in HADEP for being critical in his approach.
Sirri Sakik engaged in politics within Kurdish circles both in the SHP and HADEP, and he is perhaps the
114