Kurdish success in Turkeys elections

/05/07/2011
In all reports of the recent Turkish elections (Report, 13 June), why has there been so little coverage in the UK media about the significant success of the Kurds or of their continued repression by the Turkish authorities?

Because of a rigged electoral system, the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy party did not field candidates but stood as independents. Despite widespread "dirty tricks" by the authorities, including intimidation, threats, bribery and fraud, 36 Kurdish politicians were elected, nearly doubling the number of Kurdish representatives in parliament since the previous election.

There has also been little coverage in the UK media of the imprisonment of 151 peace-seeking Kurdish politicians, human rights activists, elected mayors and lawyers, nor of Turkey s denial of the use of the Kurdish mother tongue in education.

It is heartening to see Leyla Zana elected and back in the parliament. Following her election 20 years ago, when she made her oath in Turkish and then repeated it in Kurdish, she was arrested and detained for 10 years in prison. The Turkish prime minister, Recep Erdogan, would do well to read carefully her thoughtful court defences to all the charges that today she still faces.

The UK government has welcomed Turkey s role as a negotiator in any Middle East peace process, and supported its aspiration to join the European Union. It is time our government reminded Mr Erdogan that he needs first to make peace in his own backyard, and that if he continues to deny some 15 million Kurds their basic democratic rights, Turkey will never be accepted in the EU.


John Austin Former Labour MP

Bruce Kent

Lord Rea

Hywel Williams MP

Margaret Owen Barrister and director of Widows for Peace through Democracy

Prof Bill Bowring Barrister and research fellow, Human Rights Centre, Essex University

Christine Blower General secretary, National Union of Teachers

Jonathan Fryer Journalist and broadcaster

Dr Vicki Sentas Research fellow, school of law, Kings College London

Alastair Lyon Human rights lawyer

Joe Ryan Chair of Peace and Justice Commission, Westminster diocese

Dr Felix Padel Anthropologist and author

Nick Hildyard Policy analyst

Stephen Smellie Secretary, South Lanarkshire branch, Unison

The Guardian05/07/2011 00:00:00

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