PNA - Racep Tayyip Erdoğans Justice and Development Party (AKP) has won three successive elections in Turkey. Its electoral support has doubled to almost 20 million and 47% of the vote. This is against the background of a booming economy in Turkey in contrast to recession elsewhere in the world and Erdoğan has embarked on some social reform. But although he speaks of a mission of stability for Turkey its real future is bleak and uncertain for one key reason: the Kurdish issue remains unresolved. It is still on the table without tangible progress, and the fighting continues between the PKK and the state. The Turkish prime minister has become the champion of the Palestinian cause and a player on the issue of Syrias future. But at home he still relies on the army to fight the PKK. The man is a lion outside his country but he is a fox in his homeland. Erdoğans model is supposed to combine modernisation, prosperity and Islam. But there is a huge gap between the rhetoric and the reality. How can it be possible for Turkey to show much admiration and concern for the Palestinians while it kills and suppresses 24 million Kurds in the south of Turkey who are asking for basic human rights and dignity? I have no answer other than to say that this is a display of hypocrisy. They are hunting the PKKs fighters from valley to valley and from mountain to mountain in the south of Turkey; this large country with its long history cannot meet the basic demands of all its population. When you visit Diyarbakir or other Kurdish cities in the North of Kurdistan you feel you are walking in a colonised country. To me, Turkey is still ruled by the generals. It is going through a shaky democratic experience. According to the International Press Institute, there are now considerably more journalists in prison in Turkey than in China. Turkey still exudes a climate of fear. Erdoğans attempt to change the constitution is really about his desire to remove the clause that prevents prime ministers from holding office for more than three terms. Western countries realise that Erdoğans Turkey is very difficult to deal with, especially following the break-up of its relationship with Israel over the Palestinian issue. And the US will not easily forget the Turkish parliaments refusal to allow US forces to cross into Iraq from Turkey in 2003. Turkey is coming out of the western club and getting closer to the autocrats in the Middle East. An Iranian diplomat told the Iranian new agency that Turkeys call for a doubling of the trade relationship between Turkey and Iran should be accompanied by more political agreement as well . Turkey has been digging its own grave on two fronts - with Israel and the PKK. First Israel refused to apologise for what happened when the aid flotilla attempted to break Israels blockade of Gaza, leaving nine Turks dead in the fighting. Second, the PKK is every day getting stronger and it is obvious that Turkey cannot defeat the PKK militarily. Turkeys hypocritical prime minister recognises Bosnia as an independent state but refuses to grant basic democratic and human rights to all of his people. Turkey showed further hypocrisy over Libya opposing French and UK intervention but at the same time hailing the Libyan revolution, even though it accepted a human right prize from Gaddafi less than two years ago. The western world knows very well that the attitudes of Erdoğans Turkey are not compatible with EU membership.Turkey cannot be admitted to EU membership while treating its Kurds so badly. The Turkish model is nothing other than hypocrisy. By Mufid Abdulla PNA news
Even though I dont approve of Kurdish Policy of AKP Government.I sometimes find it much better than previous militarists Kemalists Generals and their puppet governments. There too much to be done/must be done. Anyways I have always believed in that EU membership is very useful/beneficiary for Kurds. If Turkey becomes a member of EU.It is sure Kurds will get all their rights just like some Euroıpean minorities such as Catalans and Scottish People have. Can you see EU member who acts against his minorities like Turkey has been doing? To my surprise Most of Kurdish Nationalists are against of Turkey's membership....İt is really strange and diffucult to understand... I dont believe Turkey will be a member I also dont believe EU will survive more than 20 years
i think the general are still pretty much in power , turkey is going through a shaky democratic stage , which can always go back to its previous status depending on EU admittance .
The "Kemalist generals" are no longer in power. If they were they'd wipe AKP governemtn out few years ago. But AKP still is in power. Get your facts straight guys. Blaming all of your problems to them won't solve the problem, nor it will contribute to a solution.
Not really. South Eastern Turkey has many military bases because it has to. This doesn't mean the country is ruled by generals and that they should be blamed for every single issue.
very interesting video please watch guys [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOIHZFM0300&feature=share"]The Stream - Kurds take their struggle online - YouTube[/ame]