Opposition reacts against Kurdish politician’s idea

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Kurdish politician from the Peace and Democracy Party, Leyla Zana was quoted to as saying Turkey ought to hold a referendum on self-determination for its Kurds who will no longer be content merely settling for autonomy. DAILY NEWS photo, Selahattin SÖNMEZ

Politicians from the opposition have reacted to Kurdish politician Leyla Zana’s comments saying Kurds will no longer be content to merely settle for autonomy.

In response, Oktay Vural from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) said it was Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç who paved the way for Zana’s words.

Reminding journalists of Arınç’s remarks on meeting Kurdish people’s demands on language and identity, Vural said Arınç and Zana aimed to create ethnic polarizations. “Both of them have the same mentality but should know their limits. This is not a geography that was created so easily. They are trying to divide this country,” he said.

Muharrem İnce from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) also reacted harshly to Zana’s statement, saying Turkey was established after big wars and if they want to change it, they should pay the price.

Self-determination for the Kurds

Zana, a deputy from the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP, was reported as saying Turkey ought to hold a referendum on self-determination for its Kurds who will no longer be content merely settling for autonomy. 

“Iran, Turkey, Syria and Iraq want to make sure the Kurds remain under their authority. These countries can fall into disagreement over many issues, but they are always on the same page when the Kurds are in question,” Zana said in an interview she gave to Rudaw, a Kurdish news portal, while attending a conference in Germany. 

The people of Quebec in Canada go to the ballots once every four years to determine their own future. Some vote for independence while others vote for autonomy or federalism, she said. It is high time for the Kurds to follow suit, she added. 

“Some of the Kurds in Turkey desire autonomy. So, how many of them want that? There ought to be debates about this. In the beginning, we used to be after autonomy, but the Kurds in Turkey no longer believe this to be adequate,” she said, according to the CNN Türk website. 

Zana also suggested the establishment of a federal system in Turkey along similar lines as Germany. Ankara could make decisions on a federal level and Kurds could decide upon regional matters, she said. 

“The United Nations bestows upon nations the right to determine their own future. Policies of intimidation toward the Kurds ought to stop. They should be able to decide upon their future on their own lands,” Zana said.

Meanwhile, the BDP announced Zana’s views do not reflect those of the party and are purely her own opinions.