Election Campaign in Eastern Turkey - 3

Unemployment and poverty

Van province, for instance, has an unemployment rate of at least 60%, worsened by the continuing rural-urban migration into the city. In the cases of some districts, migration has been caused by army-PKK battles, while in other districts, the lack of profitability of animal husbandry has forced many young men to give up the farms of their fathers. Many of those in Van city who do work, do so on building sites all around the country, leaving their wives and children for most of the year.

Up to half of the province population has "green cards", which entitle the holders to free health care because they have been certified as poor.

"An uncle in Ankara"

In Turkey, and in Van, it is always considered an advantage to know the right people, as is epitomised by the phrase: "Everyone needs an uncle in Ankara". In Van, as in other Kurdish-majority areas, people have long exploited tribal ties as a means of networking.

Despite public denouncement of tribal politics, many mainstream parties are heavily involved in the bargaining for the bloc votes which tribal leaders still represent. It has to be said though, that those promising their votes to a tribal leader often do so with very concrete expectations of repayment in some kind rather than from blind loyalty.

Hereditary seats in parliament

When one takes a look at past MPs and present candidates from Van, the list evokes a hereditary seat in parliament:

* The Kartal family, one of the leading families of the Burukhan tribe, has sent many family members to parliament and has two candidates in the upcoming elections:

Kinyas Kartal- born 1900, died 1988. Widely acknowledged leader of the Burukhan tribe. MP for the Justice Party (AP) for five terms.

Remzi Kartal- MP for the pro-Kurdish DEP in 1991, fled to Germany in 1994 when the party was closed

Nadir Kartal - son of Kinyas, former MP for the DYP, now candidate for the Young Party (GP).

Mehmet Kartal -presently MP for the CHP, but was not placed on the list again

Saim Kartal- standing as an independent candidate supported by the DTP

* The Kursunluoglu family, also of the Burukhan tribe:

Mirza Kursunluoglu -former MP for ANAP

Pasa Kursunoglu - former candidate for the DYP, is now standing for the CHP

* The Bedirhanoglu family, of the Berjeri tribe:

Ihsan Bedirhanoglu - former MP for CHP and ANAP

Serif Bedirhanoglu - son of Ihsan, former MP for ANAP, now standing for the CHP

Judging from conversations with people from Van and from comments on the internet, many people question what any of these MPs have ever done to improve the city. It is suggested that, once in Ankara, the parliamentarians are either not influential enough or not interested in improving the region.

In the worst case, one influential tribal leader is infamous for abusing his power:

Mustafa Bayram, former MP for the ANAP and Virtue Parties, is famous for his influential extended family, his involvement in drug smuggling and other illegal activities. In 2004, he stormed a police station to free his son who had been arrested during a drugs operation. He was arrested, but later set free.

Predicted results

It remains to be seen how effective the campaigns of the different parties and tribal groups are. Nationally, only the AKP and the CHP feel secure in the knowledge that they will pass the 10% hurdle. There are speculations that the current nationalist backlash will benefit the MHP, which in the past sent one MP to Ankara from Van.

However, in Van, most speculations rest on how the seven seats will be shared between the AKP, the CHP and the independent candidates. (AG/EÜ)