BY MUHARREM SARIKAYA
SABAH- Parliament saw harsh exchanges between party leaders yesterday. This heated debate centered on methods for fighting terrorism. As Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli told his party's group meeting yesterday, disagreement over these methods is continuing in both the ruling party and the main opposition. Bahceli's criticism of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) sprung from the possibility of a terrorists being granted a general amnesty for. An answer to Bahceli was not long in coming. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his own party's group meeting that they had no intention of issuing an amnesty. He also didn't retreat from his stance of `you must choose either weapons or democracy.' So when a terrorist who lives in the mountains lays his down his arms and comes to a city, what will clear him? A general amnesty? AKP deputy leader Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat answered this by saying that Erdogan's call was not directed towards those in the mountains, but those who live in cities and that the armed terrorists in the mountains and those who foment terrorism in the cities with their words are the same.
Firat added that these words were being addressed to people who support the (pro-Kurdish) Democratic Society Party (DTP) or the PKK and that they will either live in cities and not support terrorism and exercise their democratic rights, or they will suffer the consequences. When I asked him about their plans for bringing terrorist group members who were never involved in attacks down from the mountains, Firat said that as a result of diplomatic contacts with the US and other relevant parties, a decision was reached that the PKK would be unable to make a life in Iraq. He added that those who live in the mountains will either lay down their arms and surrender or suffer the consequences there. He added that they will first lay down their arms and surrender, and then things will go from there. Actually what he means about the next stop is clear: a judicial process.
What about the MHP proposal for a constitutional amendment to lift the immunity of deputies who have committed crimes against the state? As Erdogan said yesterday that the AKP wouldn't carry out a political lynching, the ruling party is closed to this initiative. In addition, the view of the Republican People's Party (CHP), which has become the target of MHP criticism, differs from that of the AKP. CHP group deputy leader Kemal Anadol said that an amendment wouldn't cover current deputies and asked, `So are we going to do this soon? Then what's the use of doing it? When all the immunities are lifted, the problem will be solved.' Anadol added that there was another method, that is, if a report on a deputy who has committed crimes against the state is submitted to Parliament, then the Joint Commission on Immunities could convene and address the issue. Then Anadol said in reproach that they haven't been able to convene the commission of late but hope they can this time. Parliament started this week in tension, but I hope it will end this week with a solution.