BY NASUHI GUNGOR
STAR- In the midst of discussion of next year's local elections and the 2009 budget, there's another development that shouldn't be ignored. We've started an important countdown. On January 1, state broadcaster TRT will start a new channel in Kurdish. This 24-hour channel comes at the end of long, hard work and much debate.
Let's say a few words about TRT General Director Ibrahim Sahin. When Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan nominated him for the post, many people questioned the decision. Views of him have been varied. Some said he lacked media experience and wondered if he was a 'typical bureaucrat.' But Sahin defied expectations. When I had the chance to talk with him a few times, I was very surprised to see his calm and determination, as on the issue of broadcasting in Kurdish.
Let's look at the TRT's move. Some people see broadcasting in Kurdish on a state TV channel as separatism and contrary to Turkey's indivisibility. Others say that new channel will only make thing worse. Some see it as a worthy project that can never succeed, because it has no staff and certain forces won't let it.
It's hard to explain anything to those who fall in the first category. Obviously, they have played a role in the process of bringing the issue to its current state. But we must recognize that they have a certain amount of power both in the state and public. That's why they should be told insistently and carefully what the project really means. Here, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has a lot to do. But equally important are the people who claim the Kurdish issue as their own and exploit it to enrich themselves. We all know that for 25 years now, those who consider themselves the political and cultural owners, leaders and friends of Kurds have helped make our country a bloody place. Now they're uncomfortable about this channel, as it will deprive them of a trump card they have used to deceive their 'own' people. Those who say the TRT is trying to corrupt our culture have only destroyed the values that the Kurds have owned for many years on this land.
Now let's write about those who consider this project positive. Yes, the project faces many hurdles. It's hard to find staff, and in making programming decisions many sensitive balances have to be considered. But there are some advantages that can solve these problems. Besides Sahin, the channel also has coordinator Sinan Ilhan, and Kamil Kayali and Sadik Yalsyzucanlar, who helped him at every stage. I believe they will overcome these hurdles. Moreover, the channel wasn't just the decision of a single person. This important step, taken under the leadership of the government and Erdogan, also convinced the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and other security institutions. Just as with the Iraq issue, the 'state mindset' is working here. Actually, as I will write about some other day, we can't consider this issue apart from the Iraq issue.