Oktay Eksi: Let's name the problem...

It is first important to name the problem...And in order to find it a name, you must first find out what exactly the problem is: Is there a terror problem in Turkey, or a Kurdish problem? We have always thought that there was never a problem which you could classify as a "Kurdish problem" in Turkey. Which is why we have never characterized it in writing as a "Kurdish problem." But we have always said that there was a growing terror problem in our country's southeastern corner. We of course saw and accepted that the problem was being supported by some part of our Kurdish citizens. But we were always insistent-just as Prime Minister Erdogan has been saying right up until the present-that these people did not represent our other Kurdish citizens. And we of course reserved different judgement for those people associated with the PKK. And until yesterday, we thought that this was one of the few subjects on which we agreed with Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan. One of the reasons we thought this was due to PM Erdogan in Norway, a few months ago, saying in reply to a reporter's question about the situation, "We don't have a Kurdish problem." Based on what we have learned about the meeting Erdogan had in Ankara with a group of "intellectuals" this week, we now understand that the PM doesn't really think this way. He now says that Turkey has not only a terror problem, but a Kurdish problem. And so you might ask: what difference does it make? Let me explain the difference that it makes: When you say that you have a "Kurdish problem," you are talking about a group of our citizens of whom-we believe-80% have nothing to do with the question. Forget about sympathy for the PKK, these people aren't even interested in the PKK. Is it really a wise approach to push this group? And second of all, isn't talking about the "Kurdish problem" just opening a door to those wishing to destroy Turkey's ethnic foundation by discussing the subjects of the "Circassion problem," the "Laz problem," and the "Georgian problem"? The fact is that Turkey's peace and strength lies in the equality, freedom and well-being of Turkey's individual citizens, no matter what their ethnic roots. Not in making easy the work of those who would break apart the republic into Kurdish, Laz, and Circassian peoples. Â