Gesture (just barely) better late than never
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Şafak Timur
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Ocak 07, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Regardless if it is a political move to catch the left unawares, to gain liberal votes, or prove its democratic stance, the Cabinet’s decision to restore communist poet Nazım Hikmet’s citizenship is belated, but welcome, according to admirers.
"This is a bittersweet joy," said poet Ataol Behramoğlu. "This means the acceptance of a right that was already won in the hearts of people."
Journalist Refik Erduran, who helped Hikmet leave the country, said it was a positive step. "However, at the same time, it makes one think why he was expatriated and why this has been corrected so late," he said.
"It is positive, despite being so late," said Kıymet Coşkun, the deputy chair of the Nazım Hikmet Culture and Art Foundation, who did not question whether the Cabinet’s decision was political or not. "A mistake has been corrected. Rather than asking why now, I am glad it has happened."
Ahmet Hakan, a columnist for daily Hürriyet also welcomed the decision. "Whatever it is, a political message or not, it is a beautiful move," Hakan said. "I wrote, ’This government will forcefully make me an AKP (Justice and Development Party) member,’ as the headline for my column today."
Academic Murat Belge said the decision was a positive step for the state rather than for Hikmet. "Turkey raised a global poet like Hikmet. That is why it is not that important for Hikmet... However, it shows the Turkish state wants to be forgiven for its history. And that is a positive step."
Many aspects of political parties’ moves are political investments, Erduran said. "Even this is something to find favor in people’s eyes, it is not damaging. I wish every party would do things like that as a political investment."
Behramoğlu did not regard it as a political step, but a gesture. "I do not believe that the AKP will expect votes from those circles that will be happy by this decision," he said.
The first application to restore Hikmet’s citizenship was made by his sister, Samiye Yıldırım, on June 3, 1988, on the 25th anniversary of his death, daily Milliyet wrote yesterday. However, Yıldırım did not receive an answer. Turgut Özal was prime minister at the time. In 1993, the Council of State, the top administrative court, rejected another application made with the same request. In 2001, the culture minister at the time, İstemihan Talay, from Democratic Left Party, or DSP, prepared a decree but the Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, objected. It was a coalition government of the Motherland Party, or ANAP, the DSP and the MHP. Lastly in 2006, Hakkı Ülkü from the opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, made another proposal to restore Hikmet’s citizenship, but the parliamentary sub-commission rejected it.
"[The delay in restoring citizenship] is a shame for the Turkish left," Erduran said. There were times they had the opportunity to fix this, he said, however, no one had taken it seriously. The strange tension Turkey has felt could have been the reason for the delay, Behramoğlu said. "The opportunism of politicians and unfortunately the imprudence of social democrat parties," were other reasons for the delay, Behramoğlu said.
Journalist Refik Erduran, who helped Hikmet leave the country, said it was a positive step. "However, at the same time, it makes one think why he was expatriated and why this has been corrected so late," he said.
"It is positive, despite being so late," said Kıymet Coşkun, the deputy chair of the Nazım Hikmet Culture and Art Foundation, who did not question whether the Cabinet’s decision was political or not. "A mistake has been corrected. Rather than asking why now, I am glad it has happened."
Ahmet Hakan, a columnist for daily Hürriyet also welcomed the decision. "Whatever it is, a political message or not, it is a beautiful move," Hakan said. "I wrote, ’This government will forcefully make me an AKP (Justice and Development Party) member,’ as the headline for my column today."
Academic Murat Belge said the decision was a positive step for the state rather than for Hikmet. "Turkey raised a global poet like Hikmet. That is why it is not that important for Hikmet... However, it shows the Turkish state wants to be forgiven for its history. And that is a positive step."
Many aspects of political parties’ moves are political investments, Erduran said. "Even this is something to find favor in people’s eyes, it is not damaging. I wish every party would do things like that as a political investment."
Behramoğlu did not regard it as a political step, but a gesture. "I do not believe that the AKP will expect votes from those circles that will be happy by this decision," he said.
The first application to restore Hikmet’s citizenship was made by his sister, Samiye Yıldırım, on June 3, 1988, on the 25th anniversary of his death, daily Milliyet wrote yesterday. However, Yıldırım did not receive an answer. Turgut Özal was prime minister at the time. In 1993, the Council of State, the top administrative court, rejected another application made with the same request. In 2001, the culture minister at the time, İstemihan Talay, from Democratic Left Party, or DSP, prepared a decree but the Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, objected. It was a coalition government of the Motherland Party, or ANAP, the DSP and the MHP. Lastly in 2006, Hakkı Ülkü from the opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, made another proposal to restore Hikmet’s citizenship, but the parliamentary sub-commission rejected it.
"[The delay in restoring citizenship] is a shame for the Turkish left," Erduran said. There were times they had the opportunity to fix this, he said, however, no one had taken it seriously. The strange tension Turkey has felt could have been the reason for the delay, Behramoğlu said. "The opportunism of politicians and unfortunately the imprudence of social democrat parties," were other reasons for the delay, Behramoğlu said.