WKI President Welcomes Reform Laws in Turkey
Urges Attention to Implementation and Outstanding Issues
August 7, 2002
Press Release
Washington, D.C. – The President of the Washington Kurdish Institute, Dr. Najmaldin Karim, issued the following statement regarding the Turkish parliament’s passage of a reform package (August 3, 2002), intended to move Turkey closer to membership in the European Union.
“I hope that passage of these long-overdue reform laws will mark the beginning of a new era in relations between the Turkish government and it’s Kurdish citizens. For decades, Turkish authorities denied the existence of a Kurdish identity and established legal frameworks which criminalized Kurdish expression of any kind. The reforms acknowledge, for the first time since establishment of the Turkish state, that
Kurds are a distinct and integral component of society. And while this acknowledgement is important, the most critical work lies ahead. Indeed, overcoming mistrust and deeply engrained antagonisms that have fueled Kurdish discontent will require not just legislation, but a sustained commitment to cultural diversity and individual freedoms at every level of society and government.
The rights to broadcast in Kurdish and to teach Kurdish language are essential to the healthy development of Kurdish and Turkish societies and to the full participation of Kurds throughout Turkey in social, economic and political life. Such rights are hallmarks of multiethnic democracies. Yet passage of the laws are only a first step, and their true measure will be revealed in their implementation. I urge European Union members, as well as the United States government, to pay close attention as the laws are put into practice.
Furthermore, I must point out that the use of torture in Turkey remains widespread, laws which restrict free expression remain in force, four Kurdish former Members of Parliament remain imprisoned for expressing their views, and pro-Kurdish political parties still face bans. It is imperative that the international community and reformers in Turkey work to address these deficiencies as well..
The welcome adoption of the EU harmonization laws come at a critical time for Turkey and the Kurdish people. Democratic reforms in Turkey, and the potential expansion of democracy throughout Iraq offer the promise of two democratic, pro-Western societies coexisting in a region bereft of democracy and racked by instability. Kurds can and should play a leading role in supporting democratic institutions and
promoting respect for human rights in both countries.”