The so-called “solution” would only incite conflict and hatred
1. Significant developments on the Kurdish issue have been taking place in the recent days. On the one hand, the statement made by President Gül and on the other hand, the reactions of the government and the parliament mark new developments on the Kurdish problem. The spokesmen of the Kurdish movement, who weighed in with the debate from Mount Kandil, Northern Iraq, gave signals of conciliation through their “commission of wise men” proposal; hence new tensions and debates have accelerated over the issue.
2. One should remember the debates on the Kurdish Conference carried on a few months before. Although the Conference is postponed, each and every party have been silently evaluating and weighting the agendas of the Conference such as the capitulation of armed resistance and general amnesty.
3. The ongoing war on the one hand, and the imperialist siege of the U.S. on the other… The amnesty calls for Abdullah Ocalan on the one hand, and the position of fascist Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) on the other… The Democratic Society Party (DTP), which achieved a significant success in the local elections on the one hand, and the “initiative” brought forward by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) on the other… Although the public opinion has not been informed on different aspects of the so-called initiative, in general, a certain party has started to express the view that this is the best time, both in terms of domestic and external affairs, for a “solution”.
4. However, everyone should know that the most important and “determinant” force in the “solution” to the Kurdish issue is the imperialist U.S. None of the ongoing debates could be evaluated without taking the U.S. into account. Currently, the U.S. has transformed the war and occupation in Iraq to “permanent residence” and resorts to founding a new post-occupation order for the sake of her own interests. For this reason, it is crucial for the U.S. to establish a Kurdish state in Northern Iraq, to render this region secure for herself. A Kurdish state relying on imperialism, however, means a second Israel for the peoples of the Middle East; hence, by no means it could bring freedom to the Kurdish people.
5. The re-arrangement operation launched by imperialism in the Middle East concerns Turkey closely. An imperialist transformation plan for Turkey is being implemented step by step. The imperialist thrust, which is also visible on issues such as the Armenian initiative or the pro-NATO mission in the Caucasus adopted by Turkey, is also stepping in with regard to the Kurdish problem. Collaborationist and reactionary AKP has fully submitted herself to these policies. AKP is endeavoring to cover its submission under the rubric of neo-Ottomanism and to create a sphere of legitimacy by this term. AKP is seeking to have a part in the play staged by imperialist policies.
6. A war has been going on for the last three decades due to the Kurdish problem. The sovereigns of Turkey, who chose violence in Kurdish issue for years, carried out a completely oppressive and destructive policy through evacuation of villages, extrajudicial executions and the bans over Kurdish identity and language. The decision to take the path of denial and destruction has come to mean a deadlock in the current situation, which, unfortunately, pushed the “solution” to the Kurdish issue to the arms of imperialism.
7. Putting it shortly, this procedure has come to mean the vitalization of the U.S. project through the blood bath created over years.
8. The U.S. project has been put into effect step by step. This plan has been adopted by all, ranging from liberals to reactionaries, and even by DTP, which has articulated itself to the picture labeled as “peace initiative”. While MHP has been sustaining its usual decisiveness to make use of certain frictions that would possibly be generated by the process and get strength from the nationalist pulse, which will be created by itself now and then, it proves on every possible occasion that it will not be a hindrance to the entire procedure. The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), in turn, has started to give covert signals indicating that it will not thwart the process. As the United States endeavors to build a new puppet state in Northern Iraq for her interests, Turkey has settled for this “reality” and started to take the steps in the Kurdish issue according to the U.S. interests. The Kurdish movement, on the other hand, wants to become a part of the same picture. Thereby, the pieces of the so-called “solution” have “seemingly” come together.
9. However, the expectations of “solution” based on the influence of an imperialist power would inevitably be upset, since this process will certainly create new tensions and conflicts. Since many agents, from TSK to MHP, liberals to AKP, the Kurdish movement to the Republican People’s Party (CHP), have been included in the procedure with various expectations and under various conditions, the Kurdish issue has the potential to evolve into a full-fledged societal war in Turkey. As imperialism becomes the main determinant of such a vulnerable issue, all kinds of provocations and social conflicts shall be deemed highly possible. The transformation of the procedure, presented as a solution, into conflict is now a more possible alternative. And the conflict will not be one between the state and the PKK, but one between Turks and Kurds. The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) asserts that not only the “imperialist solution”, but also the possible “conflict” that this procedure might give rise to shall be highlighted.
10. The first thing to do under these circumstances is to prevent the “blood bath” to expand. The arms should be silenced. All parties should stop negotiations with imperialist countries. The U.S. and the EU should be abandoned from the procedure. The stance of AKP government and the parliamentary opposition, which often acts as its servant to facilitate the former’s deeds, is hypocritical. While excluding her own Kurds and denying to answer the voices coming from there, Turkey is seeking to save the day with Barzani, who has become the tool of the occupation, and Talabani, who is one of the most inconsistent politicians of the Middle East.
11. TKP unreservedly and decisively advocates all democratic rights of the Kurds. It is our duty to cry out loud that, what will be presented as solution at this new stage will just be a scam as all other policies of AKP. On the other hand, Turkish laborers have to understand well that any people who tyrannize others or allows other peoples to be tyrannized cannot be free. It is even more important today to win Turkish and Kurdish laborers to common struggle waged side by side against imperialism and capitalism. The only possible hindrance to the bloody conflicts that will be caused by imperialist solution plans would be the progress we make through this path.
Constitutional arrangements: AKP is chasing after its own interests
1. The constitutional amendments, which had initially been brought forward two years ago, have come to the agenda once again. Two years ago, the amendment of the entire constitution was debated. It was even said that such an arrangement cannot be made by this parliament, but only a “constituent assembly” could make such a decision.
2. On the contrary, today AKP wants to make amendments or arrangements on approximately 10 issues, rather than amending the entire constitution. While AKP was advocating the thesis that harmonization laws enforced due to the EU negotiation process have elements which do not coincide with the present constitution, hence a constitutional amendment was necessary in this respect, the debates on the constitution adopted by September 12 military coup also came to the fore. Yet, explicitly the political requirements of AKP, rather than the approach based on the theme of “need for amendments”, determine the cause of the arrangements to be made. As a reactionary bourgeois party, AKP is continuing to take steps for entrenching its power. While AKP is creating its own police state, as proved by the Ergenekon process, by means of the constitutional arrangements, it is attempting to abolish certain issues that it perceives as hindrances to its deeds.
3. AKP would like to amend the constitution partially in order to transcend certain matters of crisis in the country. AKP wants to fence off the action of closing, which has been swinging over its head like the sword of Damocles; AKP considers the Constitutional Court as a threat to its power; AKP seeks for means of intervention to the decisions of the Supreme Military Council; these are the reasons why AKP wants to make the abovementioned amendments.
4. The constitutional amendments do not imply the amendment of the fascist September 12 constitution. The impression made by AKP government on the public opinion in this direction indicates nothing but a cover for AKP’s new moves.
5. Turkey should certainly get rid of the “September 12 Constitution”, which was imposed by the fascist coup and helped the order of exploitation, that created nothing but dependency and submission to imperialism, inequality, injustice, poverty, decadence and illiteracy, to sustain for the last 30 years.
6. In this respect, even if the majority of the society thinks that the current constitution should be amended or a new constitution should be adopted, this will not be enough. In order to overcome the problems caused by September 12 Constitution, one shall understand its essence.
7. Besides, the amendments sought by AKP, which has come today by utilizing the means created by the military regime of September 12 and which is the offspring of the coup itself, maintain the essence of the September 12 Constitution all over. AKP is the representative of this essence. This is also proved by the fact that AKP finally resigned to make a few amendments for the sake of its own interests, though it initially created expectations for amending the entire constitution.
8. In the essence of September 12 Constitution, there lies the efforts to eliminate the workers’ rights to organize, do politics and their freedom to claim their rights.
9. Collaborationist and reactionary AKP cannot meet the demands of our people for a new constitution. An egalitarian and emancipatory order, and a constitution drawing the outlines of such order are what our people need.
10. Turkey can become a country, where religion is excluded from the political sphere and from public administration. Turkey can become an independent and sovereign country, where the fraternity of Turks and Kurds is re-established. Turkey can become a country, where unemployment is prohibited by law, education and health services are provided to all equally and freely under state guarantee, man is not exploited by man, basic needs such as heating, power and water are satisfied freely, all live in healthy dwellings, poverty and hunger is eradicated, and illiteracy and reactionism are defeated. An independent and developed Turkey is possible.
11. In order to establish Turkey as such, the Communist Party of Turkey prepared a proposal for a new constitution under the title “Socialist Constitution” and submitted it to the opinion of workers, the youth, intellectuals and peasants.
The Voice of the Communist Party of Turkey
Weekly Bulletin of the Political Bureau