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By Sabir Hasan Birot:
The Turkish historical election has been held and the unprecedented result has been announced. No party has won enough seats to form government unilaterally. AKP is the first winner in terms of the number of seats it has garnered. However, it needs a partnership to be able to form the next government cabinet, as it fell 18 seats short of a majority to form a single-party government. Analysts refer to various possible scenarios for the formation of a coalition government. Of these possibilities, a partnership between the pro-Kurdish HDP and the pro-Islamic AKP would be the best option for the Kurds, for the AKP and for the Turkish nations at large. Here are five reasons why an HDP-AKP coalition partnership would be a pragmatic decision:
1. Kurds have reaped a lot under AKP’s rule: the Kurdish will not, and should not, forget that their God-given rights were denied for decades at the hands of the nationalist secularists for much of the 20th century. It was indeed the AKP that made a drastic shift in the way Kurds are treated in Turkey – a shift that every Turkish intellectual should be proud of. The AKP lifted the ban on the use of the Kurdish language; it launched the first Kurdish media in Turkey; it recognized Kurdish issues in Turkey and started pursuing rational steps towards solving such issues politically rather than militarily. In other words, the AKP silenced the weapons and pursued a peace process that has already proven impactful for both the Kurdish and Turkish nations.
2. The peace process factor: it was hinted above that the peace process strategy was engineered by the AKP to deal with Kurdish issues in Turkey. And the Kurds sincerely welcomed the strategy. If the peace process is subjected to hindrance or miscarriage, all efforts that have already been made towards solving the Kurdish issue will go back to square one. Therefore, for the peace process to continue and come to full fruition, the AKP should stay in power in a coalition government partnered by the HDP.
3. Who are the alternatives? It is always a wise idea to ask who the alternatives are. True that CHP and MHP come the second and third in the elections, and statistically speaking, in partnership with HDP, it is possible to form a government without the AKP. But CHP and MHP’s attitudes towards the Kurdish issues and the peace process are very clear. A partnership of this nature, which is obviously impractical, would be a fatal mistake for the Kurds – it will take them back to a period in Turkey’s history that reminds them of nothing but suffering.
4. Let us not forget Kobané: Kobané is the symbol of Kurdish resistance against terrorism. At a time of severe hardship, when ISIS advanced into the town and took control of two-thirds of the town, and at a time when the Kurdish YPG forces were in short of military support and were isolated from the outside world, a Kurdish Peshmerga force moved from Iraqi Kurdistan through Turkey to provide military back-up for the Kurdish resistance forces in Kobané, after this was given approval by AKP’s government. The military support soon swung the balance of the war to the advantage of the Kurds. As a result, ISIS suffered heavy losses as it was swept out of the area. AKP’s approval for the Peshmerga forces to pass through Turkey should be seen as a positive stance that deserves much appreciation. We should remember Turkey had previously refused to give the US army approval to use Turkish air force military bases during the US invasion of Iraq.
5. AKP’s vision of democratic values and Turkey’s future: Since the AKP first came to power in 2002, Turkey has witnessed a positive shift in terms of democratic values and economic progress. Thanks to AKP, today Turkey is considered one of the world’s greatest economies. This is a privilege for the nation as a whole, including the Kurds, of course. Equally importantly, under AKP’s rule, democratic values have revived in Turkey. It is thanks to this revival that today the Kurds have a chance to educate in their mother tongue, to run freely in the elections and to be able to enter the parliament to fight for their rights politically. AKP’s faith in the democratic values and its clear vision and plan for the economic future of the country are invaluable privileges for Kurds and Turks equally. There is no guarantee that such privileges will be feasible, should the HDP go for a partnership with parties other than the AKP.
Having said that, a partnership with the AKP should not be based on concessions but rather on negotiations to reach a middle ground that will give the AKP enough power to pursue its democratic and economic plans, and will give the Kurds enough power to exercise their lawful rights. More importantly, the peace process should be given the first priority until it will achieve all its aims and objectives. In this way, peace will prevail in Turkey, which is a prerequisite for prosperity.
Sabir Hasan Birot: University of Leeds, UK.
Congrats to All. August 20 set for election. No more qualification for HE President Masood Barzani. In deed, he is the symbol of peace & democracy. Any female candidates? No more fear or threat. Feel free to take part.
I am starting to believe in American democracy. I would love to see some candidates come forward for elections in Kurdistan but I hope they will not be pelted with rotten tomatoes this time.
Looks like Kurds are abused here again. I was listening to an interview on Kurdistan TV. I heard a representative of PDKI say the Islamic Republic of Iran & Syria have not voiced enough interest to come to an agreement with Kurdish Political Parties as far as broadening cultural and political rights for Kurdish minority populations in those countries.
I suggest Kurds in Southern Kurdistan expedite the declaration of independence in South. Of course, KRGs current leadership is not seriousat all about it, nor is the fake US expression of support.
All of your reasons benefit Turkey and very little for Kurds. Kurds should benefit from such a partnership which as a minimum to include 1. Local/autonomous admins, 2. Kurdish thought at govt schools, 3. Release of all political prisoners, 4. Re-write of the Constitution and finally 4. Re-integration of PKK youth into society and disarmament.
Comparing the Idologies of both HDP and AKP party in Turkey ,I do not see any common ideology between HDP and AKP. This obviously would make it difficult to make a partnership and form coalition government.
If any collation is to be fomed between the two parties ,both parties have to equally make sacrifices on agreement and compromises on their different political and economical plans and ideologies. Is this possible? Yes ,but I doubt it that AKP would make such an equal agreement and compromising.
Regards
Kuvan Bamarny/Duhok
Here are five short answers for your false arguments:
“Kurds have reaped a lot under AKP’s rule”. Partly true, thanks to the own power of Kurdish movement though (the only factor you have forgotten to mention in your article).
“The peace process factor”. Again, it was and it is all about the power of Kurdish Freedom movement, not the “willingness” of AKP.
“Who are the alternatives?” Well, it is true, when it comes to Kurds almost all mainstream Turkish parties take the same side, the state’s side. Including AKP. We all know MHP is a fascist party so just eliminate that but remember this, CHP is not MHP. Many CHP supporters are starting to realize the importance of HDP for a healtier democracy and this is important. A CHP government probably carry on the peace process. Why? Because of the same answer, own power and strength of the Kurdish Freedom movement (and for CHP, the supporters of that party supports this process too / which is also important).
“Let us not forget Kobané” Oh, we don’t! How dare you to say AKP helped Kurds during the Kobanê fight? Anyone I mean anyone knows that AKP supported and still supports ISIS, just google AKP and ISIS acronyms together and see the results yourself. Maybe hundreds of articles and news stories published about this by Western media (and Turkish and Kurdish media as well) Are you ignorant, painfully naive or an AKP sympathizer I am not sure. Please, go to Kobanê and share your opinions on this matter with the people, I would like to see the answers you will get.
“AKP’s vision of democratic values and Turkey’s future” Have you read anything about Turkey for the last years? Have you heard Gezi protests, Roboski messacre, thousands of arrests just because they simply oppose your “democratic” government? Have you ever been in Turkey, north Kurdistan or even talked with someone living here?
I will not argue with you, because you are either biased or don’t know anything about the subject you are writing about. I will only say this: If you are this unaware about the policies which your people facing, you should not write about politics. And if you are trying to convince people about how AKP is good for them, you should introduce more clever arguments. “Let us not forget Kobané”, huh?