Ertugrul Ozkok : National meditation

I don't know whether that person is alive or not and where this person is now. We trusted each other so much that we used to leave each other to take care of our kids. My friend was proud of her origin as a Kurd and politically close to Turkish Labor Party.  Â

My ideas on Turkey's Kurdish question never changed since then. We used to discuss and talk about this issue easily. We used to agree on some issues and disagree on some. We lost contact after I left Paris.  Â

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Last week, I wrote a column about the discussion which Bulent Ersoy started, and I said wouldn't speak then about it, but I would in the future.

Now it is the right time to do. I will speak very frankly. Even I am going to try to be a bit provocative. Because now it is time to talk about this issue clearly. Even it is getting late. Because of that, i think all of us should be a bit brave and be able to say something different.

Some of you may get angry with me for what I will say. I ask for only one thing. Please believe in my sincerity.

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First, let's ask ourselves a question and try to find a sincere and realistic answer. Please don't block yourself and listen to the first thing your gut says. What do we want?

A fight without caring what the price will be? Or a war? How long we should continue this 24-year old war? Please note that I am not saying '' can we continue''. Because we can continue to do that if it’s really necessary.Â

But we need to give the realistic and sincere answer of that question too: Should we continue? Can terror be finished only with military solutions?

If you say '' Yes we should continue'' and '' It can be finished'', there is no need for other questions.
But even our commanders say that the bloodshed can't be stopped and the Kurdish question can't be solved only with military means. Then let's come to other questions.

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What would be the harm to call those people that we lived, fought and had fun together for hundreds of years in this country, as "Kurd" and let them pursue their lives as "Kurdish citizens of Turkish Republic".

It is said that they want ''federal system'', ''federal structure''. What would be the harm to discuss this given the fact that Turkey's Ex-President Kenan Evren had mentioned  ''federal system''?

Who knows, maybe Kurds can convince Turks or maybe Turks can convince Kurds.

I am not saying what my opinion is on this issue, but asking the questions. I don't care about PKK. I always call them as "baby killers". And I still see them as killers and I don't think this will change.

But there are people who we lived together for centuries. The people carrying this country's passports, doing his/her military service, paying taxes, working, dying and being buried in this country.

This is the century in which Pandora's boxes were opened. Ours was also opened.

Therefore we should now start talking about this issue without fear, worries or anger but with saying what we think. Nobody should be scared. Turkey will be stronger after such a face-off.