A break in the immunities issue

TARHAN ERDEM

In recent days as the lifting of political immunities topic was on the rise, I had my heart in my mouth; then there was a two to three month break, and I was able to breathe again.

On the lifting of the immunities issue, we have taken our places according to our ideological obsessions and acceptances within the context of our polarizations, and indeed we spoke and wrote within the boundaries of our acceptances.

The fact that especially the executives of the publishing and political institutions think within this conformism compresses society in a more and more narrow ring.Let’s make a note of this shallowness and narrowness issue of ours and turn to our Kurdish issue which, at the same time, occupies the immunity debates.

Especially in recent days we frequently read and listen to news stories about the lifting of the political immunities in the Turkish media. In most of these stories, the question is what the governing party is going to do about the investigations launched or to be launched against the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) deputies.

In TV debates, try to remember how many times you have been exposed to this wish: “If the immunities are lifted, then the Kurdish issue will further sink into deadlock.” We should try to understand with a coolheaded approach those who use the template, “The BDP deputies who embrace the PKK [outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party] members,” and who they are accusing and with what. You would assume that the BDP deputies get together every day with the PKK leader in a sacred location in their special costumes to conduct a service.

Those left behind would lament for the dead, express their love and only cry without remembering their shortcomings or their mistakes; can you question this? Can you do the math?

We should put certain Kurdish politicians side by side with those who are trying to lift the immunities.

They do not make a small number, those BDP members who facilitate the jobs of those who create a topic good for investigation every two or three months, make them headlines and produce comments over them…

At least, yesterday, it was said, “Wait a minute; let’s think one more time.”

I have some suggestions that I believe are correct, regardless of whether they would be accepted or not. I am not writing these for further debate; I am writing them for a better perception of the situation:

- The Kurdish issue is the integrated name for the social problems of Kurds who want to live inside the borders of Turkey.

- The PKK is not the cause of the Kurdish issue; it is a result of it.

- None of the components of the Kurdish issue correspond to a single actor on the Kurdish side or on the government’s side.

- None of the sides (elements) of the Kurdish issue are sufficient conditions, they are necessary conditions.

- The solution to the Kurdish issue may begin with an open decision, one that builds confidence.
You may insert in each of these suggestions the government, the BDP, the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) or any other components and obtain similar suggestions.

For example, “The BDP – or the government – may begin the solution with an open decision that gives confidence” is just as realistic as “In the Kurdish issue, the government is not a sufficient condition; it is a necessary condition.”

Yesterday’s developments, before the topic of immunities is reheated again, demonstrated how important it was for especially the BDP and the government to review their policies.