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

Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro
de la Prensa-Basm Özeti
government, could not benefit from doing so. Consequently, he ~~ught to incr~ase his vote~ by opposing the
government. Deniz Baykal almost seemed to be the main opposItion leader, gIven th.e obvIous end of the Welfare
Party (RP) and the problems currently ~aced ?y the :rue. ~a~ Party (DYP) leader. Havmg noted the success of recent
CHP congresses, Baykal increased the mtensIty of his cntIclSms.
..
Motherland Party (ANAP) Leader Mesut Yilmaz and his staff, in response to these criticisms, abandoned their
approach toward the headscarf issue and made concessions to people ~ho wore or s~PP?rted the wea~ing of
h€'éldscarves, since ANAP also has to consider its potential votes. In VIew of the possIbilIty of an election, ANAP
reconsidered the votes of the former RP and present Virtue Party (FP) and Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz started to
criticize the coercion exercised on the Islamic sector of society in the fight against reactionary movements in
Turkey. Yilmaz accelerated his criticisms to such an extent that he declared in his party's group meeting, "I didn't
direct the military to fight against reactionary movements." Not satisfied with this, he kept on with his tough
speeches during his visits to foreign countries.
Military note and TV rating of Yilmaz's reaction
Following these developments, tension dominated the political and social sphere and, late on Friday afternoon,
the military made pointed statements referring to the Prime Minister. The very tough statements, which mirrored
the tone of Yilmaz's own statements, obviously referred to the Prime Minister.
Political circles instantly became speechless and people started to ask: "What will happen now? Will the
government leave and will Prime Minister Yilmaz resign?" Actually, only "that section of society that deals with
politics" considers and worries about what will happen in Turkey. The night the note was submitted, Mesut
Yilmaz was a guest on Ali Kirca's TV program "Siyaset Meydani" (Political Domain) and only 7.4 percent of
Turkish people watched it then, which indicates the degree of depoliticization in Turkey. The thing that can be
deduced from this is that people want to say: "Do whatever you want." Those responsible for this are the
politicians. It is very dangerous that the Turkish people have became so depoliticized, because it then becomes very
difficult to please them.
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, responding to Ali Kirca's question, "How would you interpret the TSK's
declaration?,' said in a very casual manner that it was a democratic attitude and that the TSK has exercised its
democratic rights. What does that mean? He said that it was a democratic right. After the note on March,1971,
written almost with the same words, Suleyman Demirel (then prime minister) took his hat and left. .. Now the
present prime minister, Yilmaz, said that it was a democratic right.
Prime Minister Yilmaz referred 27 times to "me" and "my government," however he was talking about the
achievements of the coalition government. He works with two older and more experienced partners, Bulent Ecevit
and Husamettin Cindoruk. He talked as if he possessed all the power himself. There is a saying in Turkish, "People
are only beautiful with their environment."
Biting one's tongue
Democratic Left Party (DSP) Chairman Bulent Ecevit expressed his opinion one day after the TSK's declaration. He
said, "These subjects will be considered at the meeting of the National Security Council and a common point can
be reached then." Forty-eight hours after the TSK declaration, the coalition leaders held a meeting after which
Husamettin Cindoruk, Democratic Turkey Party (DTP) chairman, said: "Prime Minister Yilmaz will make the
declaration. During all speeches one should bite one's tongue." Thus, he gave the message that people should
think before speaking. This message is very important.
Presidential system is the solution . .,
Turkey can only eliminate the chaos, the struggle and the deadilld. 111 lurkey by applymg the 'preSIdential sys.tem.
In order to form public opinion for the purpose of establishing a presidential system, the medIa, ~ll democr.atIc
institutions and nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) in Turkey have to start a comprehensIve campaIgn.