BY FERAI TINC
HURRIYET- Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has a clear stance on the possible closure of the Democratic Society Party (DTP). He said the government's duty is to protect Turkey's democratic foundations. This remark shows that Erdogan is against such a closure. In principle, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is against closing political parties. It has experience with this. As the government's task is to protect democracy, it's also responsible for improving and expanding it. But if a party is determined to get itself closed down, things will get harder for the government. Speeches made by DTP leaders at its rally in Van over the weekend show how it sees politics as getting help from tension-raising tactics. This is what makes recent developments interesting. The government, some of the opposition and the media are arguing against a DTP closure, but the DTP itself wants to be closed.
This threatens recent moves by Erdogan. Maybe his call [for Kurds] to lay down their weapons and enter politics doesn't reflect just his views. It seems this is also his party's stance. I wonder how sincere or determined the government is about this. In principle, making political room for the Kurds is the best choice to counter terrorism, but only if there's follow-through. If there is none, this will bolster those who believe there is no political solution. So how should this opportunity be handled? Probably the first thing to do is take immediate steps to foster the atmosphere of freedom of thought and expression.
When the DTP opens its mouth, this triggers a mob lynch impulse among some. So the call for a political solution would be meaningless, wouldn't it? When soldiers in Diyarbakir march while chanting about a `single language,' wouldn't an invitation to politics be meaningless? This invitation shouldn't remain empty words. At this point, the DTP's deputies in Parliament have certain duties. The government should take this opportunity into consideration and work to improve the atmosphere of dialogue.