BY TAHA AKYOL
MILLIYET- Much like its ideological predecessors, the DTP has two tendencies: moderate, and extreme . Also like its predecessors, the latter is moving to squelch the former. As all these parties were formed at the behest of the PKK and its political elements, moderate members haven't been able to take the party helm or formulate policy.
A recent sign of this is when Ahmet Turk recently gave up the DTP leadership to be replaced, at the PKK's behest, by Nurettin Demirtas.
Now Turk, Sirri Sakik and Aysel Tugluk have all resigned from the party's Central Executive Board, claiming that from now on they'll focus their efforts in Parliament.
Of course they can't admit the PKK's hand in the party or express their opposition to the party's move to the extreme. This statement also shows that they prefer work in Parliament to organizing efforts.
`Things got harder'
The terrorist PKK's political extensions depict this operation in the party as `restructuring under worsening conditions.'
But the party grassroots don't approve of this tougher line. The PKK's political extensions are trying to get people to accept the development, saying, `Things got harder . What could we do?'
But who made `things harder'?
A country which holds free elections . a country implementing reforms in its European Union accession process . a country where ethnic nationalists have seats in Parliament, and have established a group, and many welcomed these developments.
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli even publicly shook the hands of Ahmet Turk and Aysel Tugluk.
So who made things harder?
The PKK itself! And its escalating terrorist attacks!
Fostering hatred, Mahmut Alinak admitted this development is a policy of `deepening the crisis'!
Policy of tension
Ahmet Turk and his colleagues reportedly want to meet with the media. I don't think anyone will refuse them. Of course views can differ, but talks about `democratic procedures' can be held with Turk and his circle.
In the past, the media met with the moderate Murat Bozlak and his colleagues of the (DTP predecessor party) HADEP, and even wrote positive articles about them! Statements and articles by Turk, Sirri Sakik and Aysel Tugluk have all appeared in the media.
But, I don't think that any rational person will meet with these extremists in top DTP positions put there by the PKK.
Can a political extension of terrorism really expect to be treated in a modern way?
The DPT sidelining its moderates won't help efforts to reach a solution, but rather fuel tension and polarization.
Does the public want this? Does the modern world?
Why are EU organizations which in the past gave awards to Leyla Zana now warning the DTP to distance itself from the PKK?!
Why did you lose votes in this year's elections? Will you run in next year's regional elections using slogans of `blood and death'?
Have you ever thought about this?