From the 'Wise People' to Erdoğan: 'Then you did not want to make peace with the Kurds'

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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan used a mocking term when talking about the "Wise People" group, appointed by the government of the time, during the Peace Process of 2013-2015 on a live TV program that he participated in last night.

Prof. Baskın Oran, Prof. Kezban Hatemi, Oral Çalışlar, and Prof. Vahap Coşkun who were members of the group talked to bianet today (May 26) about what they thought and how they felt about Erdoğan's words.

The president and the then prime minister in the period of the peace process had named them "entel-dantel's", a term used in Turkish by people for making fun of intellectuals. 

Prof. Oran, called Erdoğan's words a "shame," and Hatemi said it was a cause of "astonishment." 

While Oran said he found Erdoğan's talking odd, Coşkun stated that "Although Erdoğan used an insulting term, his intention was not to insult." 

Oran: "In that case using us, he wished to prepare for his future position"

Baskın Oran said, "It is a shame. Totally. I am telling this because "entel-dantel" is a term used to insult. Then Erdoğan did not want to make peace with the Kurds at the time, he wanted to prepare his future position using us."

He also said, "Even if the devil had come to me for peace with the Kurds, and said that they were bringing together a group of wise people, I would not hesitate a second. But I don't know if the devil would say "we brought together entel-dantels, I do not know what to say!"

Hatemi: "Neither those in power nor the opposition liked us"

Kezban Hatemi: "I do not think that this is an insult. There is despisement. Since it was them who invited us, it was a cause for "astonishment" rather than for offense.

"We accepted the invitation for service to our homeland. And it was very beneficial. For two and a half years no blood was shed, neither of our Kurdish children nor of our Turkish children. We had great achievements. 

"In that period the opposition had a similar attitude. We were called "mine donkeys." So nobody liked us, neither them nor the others."

Çalışlar: "We wanted the Kurdish problem to be solved"

Oral Çalışlar told bianet, "The President was the one who started it, but we were in this process willingly. We wanted the Kurdish problem to be solved and we did not keep away from participating in this process. 

"We participated in it thinking that these problems will be solved in Turkey. I really found it strange that he used a term such as "entel-dantels." 

Coşkun: "His intention is not to insult but it is a wrong term

Vahap Coşkun also talked to bianet about how he evaluated Erdoğan's expression. 

"The President is not using this term in order to insult or criticize the people who were among the "Wise People." He continues his sentence by saying "opinion leaders", after saying "entel-dantels." In fact, there is not any defaming or spotting. 

"He is trying to say something positive but he has used the wrong term. The term itself is insulting but when we listen to the whole speech, the intention of the President is not to insult, he is not saying anything bad." 

While entel is short for "entellektüel" (intellectual) in Turkish, "dantel" means lace, and the expression "entel-dantel" is used to mock those who are either well-educated or who write or express their opinions in different ways, especially on political or social issues and problems. (RT/PE)