Kurds Opposing Erdogan
Recently the Prime Minister of Turkey, has been lobbying in Van, an eastern region in Turkey. Van, being a city with prominent Kurdish population, has not greeted Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a hospitable manner. He was advised to wear a bullet proof vest and have a convoy of four cars, which is an unusual number for this Middle Eastern country. One might ask; what is the reason for all of this confusion? Is Erdogan perceived as Anti-Kurdish? The answer is very subjective. However the Democratic Society Party (DTP) is a Kurdish nationalist political party in Turkey. The party considers itself social-democratic and has observer status within the Socialist International. It is considered to be the successor of the Democratic People’s Party (DEHAP) and has been protesting and fueling violence against Erdogan and his entourage. Protesters have been camping in front of the AKP building, cars have been set on fire and it is clear that Erdogan is making a mistake in his decisions; whether it is going to Van, or having the wrong policy choices. The future is unknown for Van, and for the rest of the Turkish Republic.
Aylin Cicek
