A draft bill on ‘you-know-what’

Can you solve a problem by not naming it? That is how the Kurdish reconciliation process has been managed so far. Now, a new draft law on the issue was sent to the Turkish Parliament last week. The name of the draft law is rather telling of how the Kurdish reconciliation process has been managed so far. It is called the “Draft Bill for Ending Terror and Strengthening Social Cohesion.” You might hear an Orwellian bit to this, but it mostly reminds me of something out of the Harry Potter books. Remember Harry’s nemesis, Lord Voldemort, who was referred as “He-who-must-not-be-named?” Or my personal favorite, “You-know-who.” Here in Turkey, we now have our own draft bill on “you-know-what.” The bill authorizes the government to do its utmost in dealing with “you-know-whos” and talking extensively to the “ones-who-should-not-be-named” to bring an end to the “you-know-what.” The latter involves bringing amnesties to “you-know-whos” and absolves government officials who are talking to them of all responsibility.

Turkey needs a little more courage to come to terms with its geography and its past. With chaos brewing on our southern border, Ankara no longer has the space to dither on the Kurdish issue. The Kurdish reconciliation process needs to be addressed head on. Unfortunately, the upcoming two elections in a timeframe of less than a year make it hard for the government to take a firmer stance. Bad timing.

Developments in the region now demand domestic reconciliation; not only with the Kurds, but also with the Alevis and other minorities. Why? I see two reasons, both closely related to the civil wars at our southern borders. With the Islamic State of Iraq and the...