Ertugrul Ozkok: Why did 411 hands raise in unison our Parliament?

Apparently, the Prime Minister and many top akp leaders were angered by this headline.

And of course, seeing that they were angry, many newspapers and writers close to the akp administration moved into action. There was nothing that they didn't accuse the Hurriyet of in the wake of that headline.

* * *Yesterday morning I looked at the newspapers. Complete chaos at the gates to our universities. Some were accepting turbaned students, while others were turning them away at the door. Most of the universities were not, though, taking in the turbaned students.

And at some of the universities, students supporting the entrance of turbaned female students were attacking television reporters covering the situation.

In the meantime, some were intoning "We can't implement these changes until article 17 is taken care of," while others were saying "We need to wait for the Constitutional c\ourt's decision."

All the while, the opposition MHP is leveling criticism at the ruling AKP: "You promised, come on, let's change article 17."

And some factions of the akp are saying: "Seeing as though we've already changed the Constitution, nothing else is necessary."

* * *      Now, looking at this general tableau before us, let's ask:

"Why did 411 hands raise in Parliament?"Was it really to solve a problem?

Or was it to create this chaos that sits so clearly before us now?

Yesterday I looked at the newspapers.

Many of them are characterizing the situation we have now as "chaos."

But if that's the case, what was the reason for the anger with the Hurriyet, which perceived the situation earlier?

It's actually clear why.

Because what Hurriyet said was the truth.

* * *But how will this chaos be solved?The eyes of everyone are on the Constitutional Court right now.

But in fact, we should have found the path to a solution without loading this onto the Constitutional Court.

This I definitely believe:

No matter what decision comes out from the Constitutional Court, this problem will not be solved.

But as far as I am concerned, it is still possible to come to a solution that will not harm all sides of society.

There could have been a compromise signed off on wherein turbans could be allowed in the university, while it could have been settled as a definite ban in primary schools, high schools, under the roof of the Turkish Parliament, and state offices. Or the akp could have announced that it would stop opening up the issue of the ‘imam hatip’ high schools.

Unfortunately at this point, people in Turkey have a serious "trust problem."

Such a compromise is not something that could come about with the kinds of statements made regularly by the Prime Minister and the President.

What is needed are assurances offered by state institutions, by written orders.

Up until today, on this subject, there have not been any convincing statements of reassurance made by the administration.

To the contrary in fact, every day different voices rise from the chorus of the akp, pressing on this subject.

* * *And so, let me finish this column with the reassertion that we need to overcome this chaotic atmosphere. The turban problem has become something that politicians will not be able to solve. What is even worse, it has also moved beyond being something that laws can solve.

Which is why turning it over to the Constitutional Court is unfair to this great institution.

I believe that this is a subject on which all citizens, including the chp, need to come to a foundation of compromise.

And the solution, whatever it is, must not be perceived as a victory for one faction of society, and a defeat for another.

We must find a solution w