The two-day conference held on March 11-12 was an earnest attempt to end the conflict that has plagued the Turkish nation for 22 years. Although, critics cynically argue that the government?s prime motivation is to gain the European Union?s confidence, as their entry to the union is potentially impending, open discussions, such as the one that took place over the two-day period, are indisputably welcomed as they bring hope for a future settlement.
In the late 1990s Turkey managed to achieve a cessation of hostilities effectively leading to five years of unruffled peace. In their effort to conciliate, the government granted some economic concessions; ended the emergency rule that had been in place in the southeast Kurdish-dominated vicinity; and also lifted the ban against the Kurdish language being taught in private schools and spoken on media broadcasts. Noted though, was the insistence in not allowing Kurdish to be spoken in government institutions as well as, more severely, the Turkish government’s alleged continuing of human rights violations. The tranquil epoch accordingly came to an abrupt end in June 2004 when the rebels of PKK abruptly terminated the truce. The Kurdish rebels were unsatisfied with the concessions made until this time declaring the dispensations apathetic and insufficient. The violence has since hastily escalated, causing the government to angrily repudiate further compromises.
With Western European democratic standards and the regional stability in mind the EU has increased the pressure on Turkey. The country will not be eligible for acceptance into the union until they do away with the ongoing human rights violations and bring the volatility to an end. Thus, Turkey is keen to make the necessary compromises to attain a peaceful settlement with the Kurdish minority. However, as TRC has reported previously, yet another complexity confronts the Turkish government. Tensions between the government and the military are bound to further hinder the negotiations with the Kurdish population, the reason being the military?s nationalist standpoint and reluctance to concede more rights to the Kurds. The military maintains a strict agenda of a secular government and emphatically protect the constitution, which includes the disallowing of distinct cultural sub-groups in Turkey. The military?s vast power may restrain the government?s ability to freely negotiate concessions unless done so with their blessing. They technically also have the power to intervene and/or seize power of the government if they view the constitution as being violated. Therefore the leaders of the government must exercise diplomatic prudence and try not to avert excessively from the constitutional doctrine. It is unquestionably a delicate situation that may take quite some time to navigate; however there are some crucial amendments that should be feasible to approve sooner rather than later, beginning with the cessation of human rights violations in the country.
As the ambition of a EU membership grows more and more alluring for the forward-thinking Turkish government, debates and conferences such as this one should carry on in order to advance a healthy dialogue between the parties.
