Ertugrul Ozkok: I wish I had been with Turkey's PM in the southeast

I felt the same way as I watched news of the Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday evening.

He was making a speech in Turkey's southeastern province Hakkari, while at the same time, street demonstrators were taking place.

The administration of the Pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) was challenging the prime minister, saying: "Don't come here. If you do, something bad will happen."

While they say this on one hand, on the other, they were the ones inciting the incidents.

Journalists were pelted with stones.

However, Erdogan was there.

At exactly that moment, I wished I was there.

Was that a journalistic reaction?

No, because experienced correspondents from Hurriyet daily and Dogan News Agency were already there.

As a journalist, there was nothing more I could do or contribute had I been there.

So I asked myself this question again. I realized that this feeling was not a journalistic reaction, but one of citizenship.

This feeling emanated from a sense responsibility of standing beside in support my country’s prime minister as he stands alone to challenge a terrorist organization.

* * *

I have been angered by the prime minister recently.

He has instigated some injustices directed towards us.

I also think his attitude, after being elected for a second term, is not democratic.

I also find his actions in the face of an economic crisis and his "Thank God" politics wrong.

I have not changed my mind on this issue.

Despite my anger, I must confess I look favorably on his visits to the southeastern provinces and on the statements he made.

I see in him the same bravado that was shown by deceased former Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit.

This is why I also support the call* made yesterday by deputy prime minister and government spokesman, Cemil Cicek.

I agree. Turkey’s political parties should not avoid or ignore the country’s southeast.

* * *

There is no doubt that the prime minister’s efforts are mostly an investment for the coming local elections.

This should not be regarded as strange.

At the end of the day, this region is also a part of Turkey and local elections will also be held there.

Both the terrorist PKK organization and the DTP, who does not hide their connection to the group, are working to bring this election to an ideological point.

Those currently governing municipalities in the region are unsuccessful.

Virtually all the municipalities of the region have spent the past four year holding funeral ceremonies for those killed in the mountains.

Even with just five months remaining until the local election, nobody speaks of the issues related to the infrastructure, water supply, garbage collection, and roads in the region’s towns.

Therefore, they are afraid of any political parties speaking about the region’s welfare and roads.

They are trying campaign for the elections by supporting the PKK and brandishing posters of the organization’s leader, Abdullah Ocalan.

What a shame for the residents of this region.

Support for the PKK is what the DTP offers them for the next five years.

It does not matter that the streets are full of garbage making everyone ill.

* * *

Turkey's political parties should break this vicious cycle and release the residents of this region.

Everything that needs to be done should be done to achieve this.

Whatever the political sacrifice, it should be done.

From my perspective, I support the prime minister on this issue, despite all the anger I harbor against him.

*Cemil Cicek called on the leaders of all of Turkey’s political parties to join hands on a visit to the country’s southeastern regions and present a united front, a move he says, would give morale to residents in the region.