HURRIYET- Columnist Ferai Tinc writes on the feelings of the people in southeastern Anatolia regarding a strike on Iraq. A summary of her column is as follows:
I would like to relate the viewpoint of the people in southeastern Anatolia regarding a military operation against Iraq. Even though the messages issued by Washington state that the territorial integrity of Iraq will be preserved, an operation which could very well lead to the founding of an independent Kurdish state is not welcomed by the people supporting HADEP, which is an ethnic political party. The excitement felt in the ‘90s due to an American military operation against Iraq has given way to a reaction. People believe that the bombs coming from both Turkey and Iraq will fall on the Kurds. An operation against Iraq will not be of any use to either Turkey or to Turks of Kurdish origin. This is what the people in the region believe. The word ‘war’ is enough to cause unrest among the people. A society which knows what a war is cannot ask for it. They would like to put enlightenment in place of war. HADEP Mus (a province in southeast Anatolia) Youth Organization is launching a cultural program. Their first aim is to establish libraries in villages, and they are asking for everyone’s support. They have penned a statement for this aim. ‘Science, knowledge and all civilizations emerged in Mesopotamia... They flourished in schools under the ancient Greeks and in Europe during the post-Renaissance era became universal.’ Where are the Arabic and Islamic or other civilizations? There are many issues to debate, an enormous wealth to uncover hand-in-hand. The youth is aware of this and war is not wanted by anyone, wherever they may be.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION