I have just been told that the Turkish quarter in which I live has today become a blaze of red crescent flags, easily outnumbering the smattering of Belgian flags that have popped up in recent weeks defending the Belgian state. Now I would not like to be Kurdish in my area, only a few months ago the local Kurdish social centre was torched in an attack that provoked a few nights of rioting.
This latest outpouring of Turkish nationalism is sparked by the goings on in Eastern Turkey with the Turkish army responding to an ambush by the Kurdish PKK guerrillas.
But hang on, that attack which killed a number of Turkish (edit - thanks Helen) troops, and lead to the kidnap of a number more took place in the early morning of Sunday. What else was happening on Sunday in Turkey. A constitutional Referendum, calling for the President to be elected by universal suffrage, and for elections to take place every 4 rather than 5 years.
Both these measures are seen by the Islamist government as essential in their fight to overturn the secular constitution of that country.
Now it would be wrong to suggest that this Turkey/Kurdish kick off has been created to ensure a favourable result for the Government, but it wouldn't be the first time that such things have happened.
This latest outpouring of Turkish nationalism is sparked by the goings on in Eastern Turkey with the Turkish army responding to an ambush by the Kurdish PKK guerrillas.
But hang on, that attack which killed a number of Turkish (edit - thanks Helen) troops, and lead to the kidnap of a number more took place in the early morning of Sunday. What else was happening on Sunday in Turkey. A constitutional Referendum, calling for the President to be elected by universal suffrage, and for elections to take place every 4 rather than 5 years.
Both these measures are seen by the Islamist government as essential in their fight to overturn the secular constitution of that country.
Now it would be wrong to suggest that this Turkey/Kurdish kick off has been created to ensure a favourable result for the Government, but it wouldn't be the first time that such things have happened.
5 comments:
How do you mean "killed a number of Kurdish troops"? Do you have information the rest of us lack?
It doesn't seem to be good idea to be Kurdish no matter where you live.
It's an interesting conclusion, or is just another conspiracy theory?
It doesn't seem to be a good idea to be Kurdish or Turkish or anything at all anywhere near the PKK. There was a point to my questions.
Turkish troops, my error, Kurdish guerillas were also killed, my information is no better than yours, but my accuracy far worse.
Joliet, it is just that, an odd co-incidence, but it is amazing how many of this sort of co-incidence there are in the world
And why will Turkey still not acknowledge its role in the Armenian Genocide?
Is it surprising that the Kurds are against Turkey, given what happened in the past to the Armenians?
Germany has come to terms with, and atoned for, the holocaust. Hence it is part of the EU and the West. Turkey needs to move forward if it ever wishes to really be part of 'Europe'.
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