TESEV Announces Its Report About The Kurdish Problem

The Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) has announced its report on the subject of the Kurdish Problem. The report is based on the opinions of close to the thirty people made up of academicians, jurists, politicians and business people who work on the Kurdish problem. The report is titled “A Roadmap for the Solution of the Kurdish Question: Policy Suggestions to the Government from the Region”.

“Destroying the PKK will not solve the Kurdish problem”

One of the first conclusions of the report was “The Kurdish problem existed when there was no Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK); even if  the PKK is destroyed completely, the problems and demands of the Kurdish problem will continue to exist.”

The report consists of sections categorized as political steps, constitutional and legal reforms, economic reforms, social politics, mandatory migration, strengthening local administrations, and some of the solutions suggested by the report are as follows:

Disarming the PKK: The operations must end. The mediation of the Kurdish non-governmental organizations and parties must be sought. The PKK militants should be offered the chance of amnesty without the obligation to state their regret. There should be works to ease the integration of the PKK militants back to society.

Dialog with the parties: The Democratic Society Party (DTP) is isolated. There should be communication with this party and the organizations that put the Kurdish party to its agenda.

Do not just meet with the employers: In order to solve the Kurdish problem, not only the professional organizations and the representatives of the employers, but the human rights associations, the women’s organizations, the unions and all the non-governmental organizations, even the most radical opinions should be taken into consideration.

New constitution: The Kurdish problem cannot be solved without a new civil and democratic constitution.

Use of Kurdish: The Kurdish language should be either the second or the optional language in education. The language bans should be removed. The original place names should be restored. The Kurdish speaking public workers should be able to work in the areas of education, health and judiciary. The National Theatre should be able to perform Kurdish plays and there should be Kurdish language institutes.

Economy: The Southeastern Development Plan should cover all the state of emergency provinces. Investment in this area should be encouraged The credit opportunities for the women should be provided.

Social Policy: There needs to be an emergency plan to fight with the poverty. There should be special policies for children, women and seasonal workers.

Mandatory migration: The practice of village guards must end. The guards should be rehabilitated. The victims of the mandatory migration should be helped, the compensation period should be prolonged, and the mine fields should be cleaned and farmed. The victims of the mines should be assisted in the matters of employment, education and health.

The state owes an apology: An independent and non partisan commission and a new law to investigate the human rights violations in the process of mandatory migration. It should not be forgotten that the state owes an apology to the Kurdish people.

There are suggestions in the report regarding strengthening the local administrations.(TK/TB)