Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris

REVUE DE PRESSE-PRESS REVIEW-BERHEVOKA ÇAPÊ-RwISTA STAMPA-DENTRO DE LA PRENSA-BASIN ÖZETi
that he actually approaches urban terrorism
with understanding and sympathy.
A view which DEP Mus deputy Sim
SakIk, who is also the brother of PKK
regional commander ~emdin Saklk, certainly
does not share.
'~Imust say this with certainty: the statements
of the chairman of DEP naturally
concern the party but do not reflect its principle
views. No one in this party approves
A11nak angered
Democracy Party (DEP) Chairman
Hatip Diele was also accused this
week by former DEP Deputy
Mahmut Al1nak. Currently an independent
parliamentarian, Al1nak said the
DEP chairman was a "cartoon hero"
and a "cocktail politician."
"Diele does not have the capacity to
reveal the games and plots of the state,"
he said in a recent statement. "If he
wants, both of us could resign from
Parliament and try our luck in the elections.
Instead of shouting slogans at
five-star hotels, he should come and
take responsibility for the motions in
Parliament. It is easy to be a cocktail
politician at receptions given by
Demirel."
of attacks aimed at innocent peoç;e, Ttiis
party has no intention of dividing the country,"
he said in an interview with the TDN.
"But those who worship violence do not
see this," he added. "We are against every
kind of attack on human life. A political
party certainly does not have the right to
defend such attacks." It is evident that the
DEP is at the crossroads as far as its overall
approach to PKK violence is concerned.
On the one hand, there is Diele and his
group, who approach violence with understanding,
and on the other, there are those
.opposed to such activities. These circles
believe that the DEP should soften its
views and that there is no advantage in
.being provocative. In Dogan's words,
"With both sides becoming more hardline,
the problem is turning intoWa\'icious circle.
There seems to be no solution. This goes
for us as much as for them. Because of this,
in this historical era, we have to send much
more moderate signals, steering clear of
any possible provocation." Saklk argues,
"We have always said that the country's
problems need a peaceful solution. They
never listened to us. But those who worship
violence, those who always ~ive priority to
violence, always tried to stiIJe thIS voice...
Because of the noise of \'iolence and guns
in this country, the \'oiceof common sense
can no longer be heard. Our main wish is
for common sense to be heard more than
gunshots."
Still, observers believe this is not as easy
as it sounds. The DEP is only part 'of the
problem. Th~re is also the PKK cOnstantly
overshadowIng the DEP. A PKK which
often r~rces this political party into a POlitical
CnsIS. Because of the PKK, the DEP is
.now fr~quently being. acc~sed of ~eing "an
exte'Hlnn nf ferrnr],m 1'1 P:1r1':1"'~r" ..
There have been demonstrations against the
DEP in various cities with the slogan:
"PKK out of Parliament," reflecting national
sentiments.
This situation both worries and anaers
DEP moderates. "The attacks are ca~ied
out by the PKK not by us," argues Dooan.
"We neither control the PKK nor do\'e
formul~te their policies. In ~ther words, if
It carnes out activities which cannot be
approved of, we should not be the scap'e-
~oat f?r these." Saktk thinks alon¥ simIlar
ltnes: We always expressed our \'leWs,for
example after the attack on the Çetinkaya
shopping center, or when 33 soldiers were
killed in Bingöl. We feel in our heans the
pain of anyone who is killed. I know what
such a pain is. They killèd my defenseless
brother. I know how those with relatives
killed in Tuzla feel. I feel the pain in my
mind and in my heart."
Despite all this, it appears that those
challenging violence wit&in the DEP do not
know exactly what to do. They are not sure
whether they are strong enough to topple
Dicle. They are not sure wh~ther a "face-
MODERATE OR COMMON SENSE? DEP's two outspoken parliamentarians Orhan Dogan (L) and Ahmet Türk placing a picture of the late
Mehmet Sincar at the convention in which Dicle was named chairman. It is still not clear whether the two are truly "moderates" within the
party of just acting out of COmmon sense. But bolh believe Diele is making a falal mistake,
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