We should not entice people for a PKK hunt
We slide toward a discomforting environment.
We have been seeing the same sort of news on television newscasts and newspapers. Someone, who is thought to be a PKK member, is cornered and beaten up in a city. A wounded PKK member is attacked even though he has been transported to another city for security reasons. Some members of an association, who are also retired officers, are caught with hand grenades in their homes. Some associations swear on the gun to fight against the PKK. Some small groups openly commit murder, forming groups such as “revenge brigades” with support from some political groups.
It is very interesting that nobody would like to see how common the events have become. Neither the security forces nor the justice mechanism takes it seriously. On the contrary, they almost receive it with sympathy. They do not give the harsh reaction that is needed.
We last experienced it with Elazığ Governor Muammer Muşmal. While talking to forest workers, who had been attacked by the PKK, the governor said in front of the cameras, “You should cut [them]. If you do not, they will cut you. If you see them, you should cut them.”
I could not believe my ears.
A state-appointed governor was openly asking the public to ensure their own justice.
Just as this was going on, the General Staff statement and the call “to show reaction against terror” following the last National Security Council (MGK) meeting, drew attention.
While making this call, both the General Staff and the MGK asked that reactions were manifested in a democratic manner. However, the question, “What will happen if some people misunderstand it, or want to misunderstand it, and go on a PKK hunt?” came to everyone’s minds.
No one should doubt it. The PKK is a terrorist organization and the struggle against it will be carried on until the very end. However, the cost of giving an impression as if the PKK’s punishment was left for the public or that those willing to establish their own judicial system are overlooked will be very dear.
Will we allow the decision of who is a PKK member and who is innocent to be made by the public? Did we not all see what happened at the end of a minor rumor?
This sort of coarse attitude will cause bloodshed in the country. It is then that we fall into the PKK’s trap.
Sarkozy is trying to descend from the tree
The new star of the Turkish-French relations will be the French President Sakozy. In the upcoming period, we will constantly be watching Sarkozy’s words and his policies. We will be going through an important process until the end of this year.
There will be two trials next week.
The European Union will convene and they will be discussing predominantly the constitution. They will try to revive the constitution refused by France and the Netherlands. There are major differences in their points of view. But let us leave this aside and study our own situation. During the series of meeting, whether or not three new headings will be opened for deliberations with Turkey, will also be discussed. Two of these headings are not among the most important ones: Statistics and Financial Control. The third one is the most important one. In other words, the Economic and Financial Policies that will bring Turkey closer to the EU.
It is this third heading that France objects.
The reasoning is quite simple: It does not want to give the impression that deliberations with Turkey continue that might carry Turkey to full membership. It does not want to step back from the view that Turkey should settle for ’special status.’
However, it cannot say this as plainly. It will very likely hide behind an innocent reasoning. For example, it will say that they have not yet completed technical discussions amongst themselves. It will ask that the decision is postponed and that deliberations are carried on under the other two headings. And nobody will object.
What Paris will do on this first issue will be clear next week.
Then the real issue will be handled during the upcoming December summit. France will ask for a decision on the general attitude to be followed toward Turkey. It will ask for a formula to give an impression that deliberations with Turkey continue for special status and not for full-membership.
It would be correct to say Sarkozy is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
He used every weapon he had to take out his opponent Chirac from the race. One of these weapons was Turkey’s full membership. He grew stronger as he assaulted Chirac’s most important project, Turkey. He combined the currents against the expansion of the EU in the French public opinion with opposition against Turkey. He spoke louder as he saw it gained him votes. The more he spoke the more he believed in what he said. And this ascent went on until the elections day.
Once the excitement of the elections died away, it was realized that the situation was worse than expected.
Turkey is not a country to be wasted. It was important for France’s economic and strategic interests. Moreover, a promise was given to Ankara. Now, it could not be claimed that Chirac was responsible and they were not. Most of the EU countries and the EU Commission are against a change to relations with Turkey.
In other words, Sarkozy tries to ascend from the tree he climbed on. The ladders fall too short. If he steps on a weak branch, then cries arise from the bottom that he is afraid.
As I said, he is in a hard a position.