A chara, – The Turkish ambassador Altay Cengizar (September 20th) is critical of your Editorial on the Turkish constitutional referendum. He feels that “deep and lasting changes that have taken place in Turkey” were not given just mention.
Very many of these changes have been wrought through the sacrifice and struggle of the Kurdish people and their leadership, which has been to the forefront in the drive for democracy, modernisation and social change in Turkey over the past 30 years.
I too share Mr Cengizar’s abhorrence of “anachronisms”and “worn-out clichés”, such as one flag, one language, one nation. Kurdish is not recognised as an official language, there are no schools in the Kurdish language, nor do Kurds exist as a nation in the current Turkish state. Turkey must embrace the new Kurdish reality, recognise the ever-increasing support for the Kurdish Freedom Movement – shown again by the widespread boycott of the referendum by Kurdish voters – and begin dialogue with the true Kurdish representatives, including PKK and its leader Abdullah Ocalan. – Is mise,
Madam, – I welcome the day Turkey becomes a full member of the EU.
I also do not see why the Turkish ambassador feels he had to explain his country because of a misleading Irish Times editorial. Turkey will bring a welcome ethnic and religious balance and harmonisation to the great union of Europe as well as the diverse skills and arts of its citizens. – Yours, etc,