Finding Truth and Justice
Finding Truth and Justice
In a piece published on Yeni Ozgur Politika, member of KCK Executive Council Musafa Karasu, evaluates journalist Cengiz Candar report on Kurdish question. Candar prepared his report, "Leaving the mountains: How the PKK may lay down arms?" for the TESEV (Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation).
Journalist Cengiz Candar has prepared a report, Leaving the mountains: How the PKK may lay down arms? However, the report is founded on the ending of violence and end to the guerrilla struggle. Initially it is important to highlight the fact that this is a wrong approach because problems are not solved without demands being met. When demands are met then problems will be solved and there is no more need for resort to armed struggle. Cengiz Candar also concedes that “we didn’t touch upon the subject of demands and a solution,” however this does not justify him.
The source of the problem is neither the PKK nor the guerrilla forces. When the Kurdish issue is solved in the political arena, the problem of arms and ending the guerrilla struggle can be solved immediately. Nobody is insistent on continuing their existence in these different conditions. Great beliefs and ideals are needed to endure these conditions. Therefore Cengiz Candar has begun the argument from the wrong perspective.
It is important that he has said that the problem will not be solved without the PKK and Kurdish Peoples' leader Abdullah Ocalan. However,this can only be achieved by being in control and exercising political will.This is why it is meaningless to speak of an end to the armed struggle without first setting out the political road map to a solution.
Candar has said that he had to balance many things in the report, that he took a balanced approach. However we must protest: where there is a problem you cannot reach a solution by taking this route. You must be on the side of justice. And there are universal measures to achieve this. Problems cannot be solved without expressing this honestly. This is why we must act according to our conscience and moral outlook. Cengiz Candar needs to approach this issue impartially; how would he approach it if he was writing about another people numbering 20 million and living in the conditions that Kurds live in, in another country? Not much is being asked for; we only want the approach atypical democrat would show.
On the other hand there are things in the report which do not belong there. Whether they are correct or false, these types of reports need to have a certain level of quality. The report leads readers to believe that thePKK is involved in drug smuggling. The report creates the perception that rebel groups traffic in narcotics. This claim against the PKK is founded on a report by the USA; if this is true then don’t the Turkish authorities need to have a document proving this? These types of insinuations are not befitting of Cengiz Candar.
There are interesting evaluations, comments and quotes regarding the inner-workings of the PKK. In the section where Candar covers an end to violence, he questions the existence of those that are preventing it. Rather than saying that the Turkish state’s policy of deadlock is the reason for the continuing violence, he has connected it the supposed ‘warlords’ within the PKK. Although he does this with quotes from other people and sources, the fact that they are in the report is significant and done deliberately. As if the conditions for a peaceful solution have developed, the state has taken important steps in solving the issue and there have been people in the PKK who have prevented this! What can using quotes to create this type of interpretation mean?
We cannot claim that Cengiz Candar is an inexperienced journalist. It is impossible that he does not know the function of the magazine ‘Aksiyon.’ It is not a secret that this magazine is in direct contact with the state’s intelligence services and instigates psychological warfare against the PKK. It is interesting that Candar has used this magazine, which lies and manipulates knowingly, as a source for his report. In places Candar says,“certain approaches will block a solution, attempting to divide the PKK orcreate the perception of a divided PKK will not work,” but he is also careful to add quotes from magazines like ‘Aksiyon.’
The most shameful and ugly part of the report concerns the Alevi identity of certain PKK members and Candar’s analysis that they act in certain ways because they are Alevi’s. Certain prejudices have been expressed and comments made regarding this issue. This approach is neither scientific nor objective and damages the respectability of the report. Candar continues this shameful and obscene analysis in his recent reportage with the ‘Taraf’ newspaper. To speak of such things at a time when an historical issue such asthe Kurdish issue needs to be solved is at best superficial.
During the elections the Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan referred to CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu’s Alevi identity in a derogatory manner. He used it as a political weapon. This is what we call dirty politics,below the belt politics. The policies of the CHP and Kilicdaroglu can be criticised heavily, but to attack them using the religious identity of its leader is unacceptable and will not resolve any problems. I find the things in Candar’s report as poor as this. I suspect Cengiz Candar saw this as an Achilles’ heel. Others are trying to further manipulate what was said in the report and then reportage.
We know why AKP supporters within the press try to manipulateand use these issues. It has become difficult for the AKP to use religion as a weapon against the Kurdish people since the people began praying behind their own imam’s during Civil Friday prayers. The Kurdish people are no longer listening to the prayers of the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Now that the Kurdish people’s religious sensibilities are no longer being manipulated by theAKP, the press supporting the AKP have embraced Cengiz Candar’s comments regarding Alevism and the PKK.
What can be said! Cengiz Candar continues to serve the AKP and its supporters. We excuse him. It is difficult for Candar to take sides against the AKP and its supporters. This time he will be warned in a different way ifhe doesn’t. In fact he may even be discarded in a more brutal manner. This iswhy he is taking a balanced approach; because if he is criticised by the AKP,then criticism of the PKK is a way out for him.
Cengiz Candar has the right to take a balanced approach. This is his choice. However this does not make a person consistent. When Oya Eronat(AKP MP who took the place of imprisoned Hatip Dicle after he wasn’t barred from the right to take up his seat) was given her mandate Candar criticised her heavily to demonstrate his democrat credentials. He accused her of having nomorals and rightly so. Following the reaction from AKP supporters Candar retreated and began criticising the BDP. He even took it as far as claiming that the boycotting of Parliament by the BDP meant that they were taking the same side as the Ergenekon supporters. These words by Candar were expressed in return for his criticism of Oya Eronat.
We do not think things should be done in this manner. This inconsistency is not acceptable. To see-saw between your democrat conscience and the desire to please the AKP and its supporters is a difficult art. It must be tiring and also spiritually destabilising.
Cengiz Candar accepts that the KCK trials are unjust. However,when the BDP reacts against this injustice he evaluates the party as standing on the same side as the Ergenekon. This is neither right nor just.
Candar says that the BDP need to partner the AKP! This is very wrong. What is needed is a democratic AKP who comprehend the BDP and have the political will to solve the Kurdish issue. The appeal by Candar is the wrong way round. If an appeal needs to be made it should be made to the AKP. They are not the victims of an injustice.
It is easy to criticise the BDP, but difficult to criticise the AKP, especially in the current climate.
Turkey needs courageous journalists to criticise the AKP at this point. Democratic willed intellectual writers need to criticise the AKP just as they are criticising the CHP and MHP. If this deficiency is not rectified then it will be very difficult for democracy and freedom to take root in Turkey. An AKP that is Muslim and democrat only to itself will create a Turkey that is also only Muslim and democrat to itself.
From all this it is clear that Turkey has not overcome this culture of consecrating the powerful. When one sovereign is replaced by another, this consecration continues unquestioned. The culture of democratic politics still has not taken root. A Turkey where the powerful is always deemed right continues. Political forces such as the CHP and MHP have been uncovered and there mentalities regressed. If this happens to the AKP, who are now the new state party, then the road to democracy will be opened in Turkey.
We will continue with our evaluation of Cengiz Candar’s report.
Journalist Cengiz Candar has prepared a report, Leaving the mountains: How the PKK may lay down arms? However, the report is founded on the ending of violence and end to the guerrilla struggle. Initially it is important to highlight the fact that this is a wrong approach because problems are not solved without demands being met. When demands are met then problems will be solved and there is no more need for resort to armed struggle. Cengiz Candar also concedes that “we didn’t touch upon the subject of demands and a solution,” however this does not justify him.
The source of the problem is neither the PKK nor the guerrilla forces. When the Kurdish issue is solved in the political arena, the problem of arms and ending the guerrilla struggle can be solved immediately. Nobody is insistent on continuing their existence in these different conditions. Great beliefs and ideals are needed to endure these conditions. Therefore Cengiz Candar has begun the argument from the wrong perspective.
It is important that he has said that the problem will not be solved without the PKK and Kurdish Peoples' leader Abdullah Ocalan. However,this can only be achieved by being in control and exercising political will.This is why it is meaningless to speak of an end to the armed struggle without first setting out the political road map to a solution.
Candar has said that he had to balance many things in the report, that he took a balanced approach. However we must protest: where there is a problem you cannot reach a solution by taking this route. You must be on the side of justice. And there are universal measures to achieve this. Problems cannot be solved without expressing this honestly. This is why we must act according to our conscience and moral outlook. Cengiz Candar needs to approach this issue impartially; how would he approach it if he was writing about another people numbering 20 million and living in the conditions that Kurds live in, in another country? Not much is being asked for; we only want the approach atypical democrat would show.
On the other hand there are things in the report which do not belong there. Whether they are correct or false, these types of reports need to have a certain level of quality. The report leads readers to believe that thePKK is involved in drug smuggling. The report creates the perception that rebel groups traffic in narcotics. This claim against the PKK is founded on a report by the USA; if this is true then don’t the Turkish authorities need to have a document proving this? These types of insinuations are not befitting of Cengiz Candar.
There are interesting evaluations, comments and quotes regarding the inner-workings of the PKK. In the section where Candar covers an end to violence, he questions the existence of those that are preventing it. Rather than saying that the Turkish state’s policy of deadlock is the reason for the continuing violence, he has connected it the supposed ‘warlords’ within the PKK. Although he does this with quotes from other people and sources, the fact that they are in the report is significant and done deliberately. As if the conditions for a peaceful solution have developed, the state has taken important steps in solving the issue and there have been people in the PKK who have prevented this! What can using quotes to create this type of interpretation mean?
We cannot claim that Cengiz Candar is an inexperienced journalist. It is impossible that he does not know the function of the magazine ‘Aksiyon.’ It is not a secret that this magazine is in direct contact with the state’s intelligence services and instigates psychological warfare against the PKK. It is interesting that Candar has used this magazine, which lies and manipulates knowingly, as a source for his report. In places Candar says,“certain approaches will block a solution, attempting to divide the PKK orcreate the perception of a divided PKK will not work,” but he is also careful to add quotes from magazines like ‘Aksiyon.’
The most shameful and ugly part of the report concerns the Alevi identity of certain PKK members and Candar’s analysis that they act in certain ways because they are Alevi’s. Certain prejudices have been expressed and comments made regarding this issue. This approach is neither scientific nor objective and damages the respectability of the report. Candar continues this shameful and obscene analysis in his recent reportage with the ‘Taraf’ newspaper. To speak of such things at a time when an historical issue such asthe Kurdish issue needs to be solved is at best superficial.
During the elections the Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan referred to CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu’s Alevi identity in a derogatory manner. He used it as a political weapon. This is what we call dirty politics,below the belt politics. The policies of the CHP and Kilicdaroglu can be criticised heavily, but to attack them using the religious identity of its leader is unacceptable and will not resolve any problems. I find the things in Candar’s report as poor as this. I suspect Cengiz Candar saw this as an Achilles’ heel. Others are trying to further manipulate what was said in the report and then reportage.
We know why AKP supporters within the press try to manipulateand use these issues. It has become difficult for the AKP to use religion as a weapon against the Kurdish people since the people began praying behind their own imam’s during Civil Friday prayers. The Kurdish people are no longer listening to the prayers of the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Now that the Kurdish people’s religious sensibilities are no longer being manipulated by theAKP, the press supporting the AKP have embraced Cengiz Candar’s comments regarding Alevism and the PKK.
What can be said! Cengiz Candar continues to serve the AKP and its supporters. We excuse him. It is difficult for Candar to take sides against the AKP and its supporters. This time he will be warned in a different way ifhe doesn’t. In fact he may even be discarded in a more brutal manner. This iswhy he is taking a balanced approach; because if he is criticised by the AKP,then criticism of the PKK is a way out for him.
Cengiz Candar has the right to take a balanced approach. This is his choice. However this does not make a person consistent. When Oya Eronat(AKP MP who took the place of imprisoned Hatip Dicle after he wasn’t barred from the right to take up his seat) was given her mandate Candar criticised her heavily to demonstrate his democrat credentials. He accused her of having nomorals and rightly so. Following the reaction from AKP supporters Candar retreated and began criticising the BDP. He even took it as far as claiming that the boycotting of Parliament by the BDP meant that they were taking the same side as the Ergenekon supporters. These words by Candar were expressed in return for his criticism of Oya Eronat.
We do not think things should be done in this manner. This inconsistency is not acceptable. To see-saw between your democrat conscience and the desire to please the AKP and its supporters is a difficult art. It must be tiring and also spiritually destabilising.
Cengiz Candar accepts that the KCK trials are unjust. However,when the BDP reacts against this injustice he evaluates the party as standing on the same side as the Ergenekon. This is neither right nor just.
Candar says that the BDP need to partner the AKP! This is very wrong. What is needed is a democratic AKP who comprehend the BDP and have the political will to solve the Kurdish issue. The appeal by Candar is the wrong way round. If an appeal needs to be made it should be made to the AKP. They are not the victims of an injustice.
It is easy to criticise the BDP, but difficult to criticise the AKP, especially in the current climate.
Turkey needs courageous journalists to criticise the AKP at this point. Democratic willed intellectual writers need to criticise the AKP just as they are criticising the CHP and MHP. If this deficiency is not rectified then it will be very difficult for democracy and freedom to take root in Turkey. An AKP that is Muslim and democrat only to itself will create a Turkey that is also only Muslim and democrat to itself.
From all this it is clear that Turkey has not overcome this culture of consecrating the powerful. When one sovereign is replaced by another, this consecration continues unquestioned. The culture of democratic politics still has not taken root. A Turkey where the powerful is always deemed right continues. Political forces such as the CHP and MHP have been uncovered and there mentalities regressed. If this happens to the AKP, who are now the new state party, then the road to democracy will be opened in Turkey.
We will continue with our evaluation of Cengiz Candar’s report.
