Organizing various Summer Activities during referendum process in Turkey’s different cities, the Institution of Strategic Thinking has been active during the referendum process. Moreover SDE prepared a booklet titled “September 12: This Time Democracy”, which plainly explains what the articles in the constitutional reform package are, how it will create a change, and what these changes will cause. And recently SDE has given detailed information to the people by organizing a panel on how the referendum results will affect Turkey, and what should be done as the next step.

“Since January, we have organized some activities about the judiciary system. For this reason, we have organized panels and conferences. In the light of these meetings, we have prepared a judicial report and we have talked about this issue with any political party without making discrimination among them. With the referendum process, we –both our specialists and personnel- have been active not with the aim of supporting the Justice and Development Party, but to support the process and we have tried to make a contribution. The desire for change has not been kept just with the efforts of the AK (Justice and Development) Party; it is also the desire of strategic reason in favor of Turkey and the desire of NGOs and common sense.” said the SDE Chairman Aktay, who was the moderator of the panel and he also mentioned the role of the Institute during the process.

Then, Prof. Dr. Birol Akgün said,” Democracy in Turkey will seriously gain speed in the coming process. The Sept. 12 referendum is a milestone. There were already amendments in about seventy articles of the 1982 Constitution. However, none of the amendments were such comprehensive and content oriented. None of the amendments up to now has been such socially based. But, in the Sept.12 process, the civil politics has entered a period of the realization of a broad amendment.”

Despite All the 1946 Spirit Still Continues

Akgün also talked about the 1946 spirit. Indicating that the 1946 spirit still continues, the distinct difference between the central party and the parties around is still clear, Akgün said “There has been a debate in the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) about being a central party or a party around. After the referendum process, the AK Party got stronger. For the general elections in 2011 it will have more advantages in comparison to other political parties.”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tanel Demirel started his speech by indicating that there should be paid attention to the concepts in the debates on right and left wings, which are very common. He said that the concepts of right and left do not correspond with the political parties in Turkey. During his speech Demirel said :”I am rather satisfied with the referendum results. However, we should question why 42 percent of people –which is a very high rate- said “no” to such a reasonable and democratic package. There was a group of people among this 42 percent of people who might not say “no” to this package. The questions such as how these people could be convinced, why they said “no”, what should have been done, and what should be done need to be focused on.”

There is always a Point to Convince the Opponents

“The referendum process has turned into a struggle of power. However, there is always a point to convince the opponents. There has not been a negotiation on this point. In my opinion, the AK Party should also question why this did not happen.”

“There is always a dilemma in the MHP (the Nationalist Movement Party). I do not see this situation as their personal preference. The parties desiring to be the ruler party cannot keep themselves away from the “opposition to Kurdish nationalism”. Therefore, this issue concerns the political parties in terms of the opposition to it or the support of it. And it is a fact that the MHP cares about this issue. There is a different situation on ‘the opposition to Kurdish nationalism’ which even cannot be controlled by the MHP itself.”

“I think secularism and Kemalism need be defended with a more democratic perspective in the CHP (the Republican People’s Party). The presence of a group of people defending this ideology more democratically is significant at least to keep the dominant ideology under control even this presence cannot be the dominant ideology.”

The most important issue waiting for the AK Party in the coming period is the Kurdish problem. It is not fair to take small steps after creating big expectations. I suppose it will be better for the AK Party if it does not create big expectations, acts realistically, and proceeds with small but firm steps.”

There should be a Move from the Constitution Romanticism

“There should be a move from the constitution romanticism. Preparing a new constitution does not make things all a bed of roses in a minute. This is a goal. However, if the ruling party adopts “the idea of preparing a new constitution” on its own, it may experience a disappointment. Besides, it can encounter various reactions.”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Yayman -from the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences at Gazi University- evaluated the conditions of the BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) and PKK. Yayman said that he partially finds correct the fact that both (BDP and PKK) come from Marxist tradition. He also reiterated that considering PKK’s all the policies during this process, the PKK has nothing to do with its past and it always refreshes itself. Yayman explained:  

“September 12, 2010 is a very imaginary date for Turkey. It is the indication of Turkey’s entrance into new construction and a new history has begun to be written. I believe that these will be better understood in the coming period. I think that the struggle during the referendum period was not between right and left wing, but between reformists and status-quo supporters.”

After the referendum, frequently debated two issues have been at the top of the agenda. The first one is a new constitution which is respectful to human rights, democratic, and civil and the second one is the Kurdish issue.”

“I suppose that people should be careful about the military intervention; yet some steps taken and civil people cause some problems for military intervention.”

“One of the most important results of the referendum is that for the first time it is a good time for the opposing parties to change themselves. When I listened the statements of the party leaders after the referendum results were explained, I observed that the MHP is away from this attitude; yet the CHP is more proper for Turkey’s general structure and it can further adapt to it. Kılıçdaroğlu has two options. Either he will keep the CHP’s opposing system or he will take a step and start to cooperate with the ruling party for Turkey.”

After the panelists’ speeches, the panel ended with the question-answer part.

Reported by Feyzan Ece Çapa.