Turkey’s Kurdish Conflict: An Assessment of the Current Process

November 2013 2 ’s Kurdish Conflict: An Assessment of the Current Process

November 2013

3 Published by Democratic Progress Institute 11 Guilford Street London WC1N 1DH United Kingdom www.democraticprogress.org [email protected] +44 (0)203 206 9939

First published, 2013

ISBN: 1-905592-81-7

© DPI – Democratic Progress Institute, 2013

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4 Turkey’s Kurdish Conflict: An Assessment of the Current Process

Contents

Foreword...... 7 Abbreviations...... 9 Executive Summary...... 11 Introduction...... 14 1. Overview of the Armed Conflict and Responses of the Turkish : The Classical Approach...... 17 2. Background to the current “process” – a break from the past.22 3. The Current ‘Process’...... 30 3.1 Characteristics of “the process”...... 34 3.2 Characteristics of peace...... 49 Transitional Justice?...... 51 3.3 Party political perspective...... 53 3.4 Public Perceptions...... 59 3.5 The Diaspora Community...... 63 3.6 Civil society...... 66 The Gülen Movement and its role in Turkey’s Process...... 74 4. Constitutional and legal issues...... 77 4.1 The Constitutional Reform Process: A Timeline...... 80 4.2 Agreed Articles...... 84 4.3 September 2013 Reform Package...... 87 4.3.1 Content of the Reform Package...... 89

5 Turkey’s Kurdish Conflict: An Assessment of the Current Process

4.3.2...... Language and Identity: The importance of the issue of language rights...... 90 4.3.3...... Political representation and governance 97 4.3.4...... Anti- laws 61 5. Regional context...... 102 6. Conclusions...... 108 DPI Board of Directors and Council of Experts...... 114

6 Turkey’s Kurdish Conflict: An Assessment of the Current Process

Foreword

This report aims to present an examination of the current process that is taking place in Turkey, regarding the resolution of the Kurdish Conflict.

Numerous individuals and organisations were met with in various regions throughout Turkey, and elsewhere, to try to discern public perceptions of recent events in Turkey, commonly referred to as the ‘process’. TheseDevelopments over the last year have included continued dialogue between the Turkish Government and Abdullah Öcalan; the announcement and maintenance of a ceasefire and the beginnings of withdrawal of the PKK from Turkish soil; the formation by Prime Minister Erdoğan of a Wise Person’s Committee in relation to the current process; continuation of the constitutional reform process which began in 2012; and the recent announcement of a ‘democratisation package’ by thethe ruling AK Party.

While such numerous and positive developments have occurred over the last year; the ‘process’ remains fragile, and is by no means without criticism from Turkey’s public. The European Commission’s 2013 Progress Report on Turkey, while highlighting the positive steps that have been taken by the Government over the last year, warns that there is still a ‘pressing need to develop a truly participatory , able to reach out to all segments

7 Turkey’s Kurdish Conflict: An Assessment of the Current Process of society’1 within Turkey, something that is essential if sustained resolution of the Kurdish conflict is to be achieved.

Despite the ongoingse challenges, ho