Arınç lauds HAK-PAR as example for Kurds

ANKARA

Kemal Burkay, the renowned Kurdish writer and politician who staunchly rejects violence by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and advocates Kurdish autonomy, joined HAK-PAR in February after returning from 30 years of self-exile in July 2011. AA Photo

Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç has praised the Rights and Liberties Party (HAK-PAR), which prominent Kurdish intellectual Kemal Burkay recently joined, as an example of a democratic movement for Kurdish rights, without links to Kurdish militants and violence.

“The strengthening of this party, and maybe the emergence of other similar parties, will lead to the regress and weakening of parties that collaborate with terrorist organizations,” Arınç said on the TGRT television channel over the weekend.

His remarks followed media reports in which anonymous officials announced a new approach on the Kurdish question, under which Ankara would rule out any future talks with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and instead seek dialogue with legal movements representing the Kurds.
Burkay, the renowned Kurdish writer and politician who staunchly rejects violence and advocates Kurdish autonomy, joined HAK-PAR in February after he returned from 30-years of self-exile in July 2011. He quickly fell out with the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), whose members denounced his return as a government project and accused him of being a “puppet” of the Justice and Development Party (AKP).

In further remarks, Arınç denounced the punching of prominent Kurdish politician Ahmet Türk – reportedly by a plainclothes policeman – during violent Nevruz demonstrations last week, but blamed the BDP for stirring up the unrest.

“The hitting of Ahmet Türk by this or that person during the clashes is unforgivable,” Arınç said. “The more the BDP distances itself from the [PKK], the more independent its policies will be. But when they attempt to carry out certain orders unwanted incidents happen.”

Arınç stated that he was unaware of a specific new strategy on the Kurdish problem, stressing that the “democratic opening” process was continuing successfully. “This is not a project. This is a process. The process must continue on the basis of more scientific, result-oriented formulae,” he said.

CHP welcomes BDP talks

In a related development, main opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu lent support to possible talks between the government and the BDP to resolve the conflict.

“There is no obstacle to that. We would be happy if it happens,” Kılıçdaroğlu told reporters in Istanbul, even though he cast doubt on whether such negotiations could bear fruit. “I don’t believe that two-way talks can resolve the problem of terror. Popular support must be sought for a settlement,” Klıçdaroğlu said.

He was reacting to remarks by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who said late March 23 that the military struggle against the PKK would continue simultaneously with efforts at dialogue with the group’s “political extension.”