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Editorial of august 2002 "The past is of no importance. The present is of no importance. It is with the future that we have to deal.". Oscar Wilde. |
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The last reforms voted by the Turkish parliament for human's righths, that could allow to Turkey to be more conform with the criterions of Copenhagen have been unanimously approved, even if in a second time some reactions make suppose that all the UE state members did not envisage a so such quickness that obliges them to face their own engagements. Because if Turkey has made a real step by changing its laws, it expects in return, before the end of the year, that Europeans hold their promises and set a planning for the negociations of its adhesion, especially while the next regular reapport that will be published in October will notice many meaning progresses. However, we should not forget that if the real willing of its partners disappoint it, Turkey is able to step back quicker than it has advanced. In this situation, it will be more important to make admit to the Turkish susceptibility that it has to give another evidences of ots good will toward Europa, for example by dealing its MP's vote on the ground, and it could be quite difficult considering Ecevit's statements, after he had attempt to refuse anticipated elections with the excuse that they could allow to the Kurds (officially more than 12 millions of Turkish citizens) to have their own representatives in parliament. And it is not only a speech of a prime minister who has few chances to be re-elected and who attempts to keep his power as so long as possible : Let's watch Turkish tourists visiting the South-Eastern area with the behavior of foreign travelers, or the local police who acts as the occupation force in "Kurdistan", and don't hesitate to explain that in this part of the country, there are no Turks. Indeed we can wonder about the real Turkish will of democracy while, under official statements, Kurds are not Turks, while the HADEP is still threatened of banishment : why the Constitutionnal Court that had to state on this file at the beginning of that year has not yet pronounced its decision ? The sword of Damocles who put in danger since 1999 the legal existence of this party, which obtains majority in South-East, is not a factor of stabilization for democracy, especially in this time of election, and this attitude could surprised if we consider that it could advantage the PKK (recently re-called KADEK, but this change of name has had no effect on its policy nor its methods), The official first national ennemy, and that deals constantly to obtain the total control on the Kurdish population. Of course, the vote of certain reforms disconcert a lot the European branch of this party, not really satisfied of these decisions and that has to set quickly a new line : with what then fill their propaganda, that was set essentially on the capital punishment aiming Öcalan, and the prohibition of cultural rights of which it has never care in reality ? Let's examine the embarrased reactions on Media-TV (the Channel satellite of the PKK broadcasting from Europafor example, when a journalist calls the reforms "very short step" adding that they should continue to fight, though they correspond to their claims (at least on paper), or the "Maison kurde d'Alsace", taken by surprise, of which a member said he was "relieved" that Abdullah Öcalan rescue to capital punishment... but worried for his health ! (source AFP). We appreciate at the same time all the irony in the reaction of the Kurdish leader's family, that qui after the news, has promptly celebrated the event - and officially - sacrifying the life of an animal : against the life their own precious "lamb" ? It becomes more and more necessary to persuade people, even by worn down symbols, for moving crowds will be more and more difficult if "Comrad President Abdullah Öcalan"'s head is safe, and cultural rights are officially given to the Kurds. And at the same time, the exactions of this party begin to weary Kurdish politicians - taken as hostages by the PKK from one side and perpetually theratened by Turkish justice from another one, but face constantly the accusation to support the "bad side" - and weary the "masses" who have to live a economical disaster, the collapse of their society and feel they are abandonned by their compatriots and the state. The South-East knows a so such stagnation that it will be soon impossible to manage if measures are not taken quickly for relieving the life of people who begin to distrust their representatives, accused of inertia, though they are no way to do something. If there is no mandated people free to assume their representation and then able to control the situation, the road is opened for any extremist movement : some youths have already joined the guerilla troops (for the moment on defensive position), because they are upset and hopeless, as their elders have done before, for fighting against oppression. Today, unemployment is the main problem and the "happy few" who work 12 or 14 hours all the day in big farms, building or restauration, could not live by their job and make live all a society with less than 2 € per day. The last reforms, aiming to improving democracy, are welcome, of course, but the situation will make them soonly out of time and unusefull, if we consider too that there is a delay between their vote and their application and if we remeber that they don't give any answer to immediate problems. For that reason, it concerns Europa, for the return of refugees in their villages - and it could have a good effect on the economical crisis, allowing to farmers to live in a basic autonomy - is refused by Turkey, which fear that the claimers -most of them live in shantytowns - complain to the European Court because of their damages. The new European frontage of Turkey could crack quickly if nothing is done for strenghening its basis, and it would be a damage for all this country as for its Western partners (1) who could fear a destabilization of the area. Roxane
(1) For July, Turkey is the first debtor of the FMI. |