Rights through the ballot box
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Gül Demir - Niki Gamm
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Şubat 14, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Would you be willing to risk imprisonment for what you believe in? What if you realized you might be killed for it? Do you care that much about human rights? About your country’s need to respect differing opinions?
The 61-year-old, grey-haired Akın Birdal has never lacked for courage and it certainly takes a lot of courage to take on the Istanbul political establishment in the March 29 local elections. It’s a formidable challenge. This past Thursday Akin Birdal and the Democratic Society Party (DTP) announced his candidacy for the position of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipal Mayor. It doesn’t look like he has much of a chance of being elected. It takes courage and this human rights activist and politician has plenty of that.
Birdal told the Daily News when asked about his chances in the upcoming election, "We can’t boast about anything but we want to get our existence and our message across to the people. Of the three million Kurds who live in Istanbul, more than one million are able to vote. But these will cast their votes in different areas. We’ve gotten some 300,000 votes in previous elections."
Those who aren’t familiar with the Turkish political scene have to understand that political parties with Kurdish and eastern Anatolian connections have been shut down one after the other only to recreate themselves under a new name HADEP, DEHAP, DTP, etc.
Hometown Niğde
Birdal comes from Niğde, a central Anatolian town that is famous for its long history and rich agricultural products. So it isn’t surprising then to find out that he majored in agriculture in university. Early on it must have been clear that he was destined to do something other than farm because he got involved in various organizations and while studying for his master’s degree at Gazi University, he joined KOY-KOOP, an economic, democratic organization that represented poor people in rural areas. It was this that led to his being held without charges in Mamak Prison for a year following the 1980 military coup.
[It wouldn’t be the last time he was in prison because he chose to speak out on September 1, World Peace Day in 1995-1996 in Mersin and Ankara. The result was he served two years in prison from 1999 and 2000.]
In 1986 Birdal joined the Human Rights’ Association in Ankara and served as its general secretary until 1992 when he became its chairman. Then in 1997 he was chosen to be the deputy chairman of the International Human Rights Association and for a total of three terms. Birdal continued with these positions until 2007 after which he became involved in politics; he already was among the founders of at least four political parties. He became a candidate for the DTP in Diyarbakir.
Birdal has also written many articles on cooperatives and human rights. He has three books made up of his journal, memories, essays and short stories. As well, he has many awards for his work in the area of human rights in Turkey and abroad.
As the years passed, Birdal earned himself lots of enemies as he defended human rights, democracy and people who were retired and downtrodden. On May 12, 1998 Akın Birdal was attacked at Human Rights’ Association general headquarters in Ankara. It was 12:25. When masked gunmen entered İHD and shot up the interior. Birdal was shot 13 times and lay bleeding on the floor while police arrived and started processing the crime scene. No security guards below, nobody immediately concerned about Birdal’s wounds and the gunmen brazenly walked out the door with their weapons. He barely survived because he lost so much blood between the attack at İHD headquarters and the ambulance arrived very late after it was summoned.
As more and more information has been revealed about the alleged Ergenekon conspiracy over the past ten months or so, it became clear that this attempted murder was connected to that organization. What is known is that the people accused of being members of Ergenekon were supposedly intending to destabilize Turkey by assassinating prominent people. It seems that Birdal was one of those people. The men who carried out the hit had a connection with the Ergenekon conspirators.
Creating an agenda for Istanbul
Striking among Birdal’s thoughts and the DTP program for his run at being the Istanbul metropolitan mayor is the need to increase the level of consciences of Istanbul residents. For instance he is one of the most supportive of women’s involvement in the political process and believes that women’s organizations will help create a strong work force. Some of the DTP’s party program includes local projects for women in order to end to divergent policies against women. Another very important aspect of this is preventing the destruction of nature, cementing over spaces and the like.
Birdal told the Daily News in the first interview he has given since officially declaring his candidacy , "In my opinion we are thinking of making Istanbul a livable city. The most important problem involving Istanbul is seeing the city as a historical and civilized one that possesses a multi-cultural fabric. It’s necessary to protect this fabric and bring it into the light of day. We give this importance and we want to host the Cultural Capital of Europe in 2010."
Not least of Istanbul’s problems is the continual threat of a serious earthquake and whether or not the current metropolitan municipality has prepared sufficiently for such an event. According to Birdal, "We are preparing a file on the issue. There are several projects in line with the idea that the people can directly participate in governance and in a model democracy. We will create a people’s assembly and protecting the historical and cultural heritage of the city will be important projects of ours.
"We will create a consciousness that will block the destruction of local nature. We’ll take the essential measures at every level. The people’s organizations and assemblies that will be created in the city and the various districts will join with the professional chambers."
Birdal also includes Alevis as compatriots and fellow countrymen, stressing how they would benefit in terms of being able to organize themselves freely and benefit from the DTP to take advantage of the possibilities for the development of their culture.
There will also be developments in the social and cultural sectors while the DTP will benefit areas in which retired people, poor people and the suburbs live. In terms of all projects that concern the urban fabric, these will be done in consultation with the people’s assemblies created. So even the planting of tulips and violets will be discussed by the people affected. They’re expensive but the assemblies will allow people to have a say in the process.
Incomplete democracy
Birdal feels that today’s problems are the result of not completely connecting democracy with the economy. "However much democracy there is, the more economic progress will be made. Right now investments that include the participation of the people haven’t been made and when one looks at large investments, politicians manufactured these."
One can’t help but be curious about Diyarbakir since he is a member of parliament from there. Birdal says that he has received permission to come to Istanbul to run for the mayoralty position. "Perhaps we won’t return there but we’ll be successful in Istanbul. We will administer Istanbul with Istanbulites and we will win with the people of Istanbul.
"I’m apearing in front of the public as a politician. But there’s a different meaning in the sense that we are thinking of establishing a bridge between Diyarbakir and Istanbul, especially to support each other culturally."
Is it surprising that the DTP would bring in a "big gun" to compete for the municipal mayor’s role. It’s not the only political party to do so when you consider that Kemal Kilicdaroglu, Ahmet Ozal and Ahmet Vefik Alp are also in the running. It can’t but help Kadir Topbas because votes will be split.
Birdal told the Daily News when asked about his chances in the upcoming election, "We can’t boast about anything but we want to get our existence and our message across to the people. Of the three million Kurds who live in Istanbul, more than one million are able to vote. But these will cast their votes in different areas. We’ve gotten some 300,000 votes in previous elections."
Those who aren’t familiar with the Turkish political scene have to understand that political parties with Kurdish and eastern Anatolian connections have been shut down one after the other only to recreate themselves under a new name HADEP, DEHAP, DTP, etc.
Hometown Niğde
Birdal comes from Niğde, a central Anatolian town that is famous for its long history and rich agricultural products. So it isn’t surprising then to find out that he majored in agriculture in university. Early on it must have been clear that he was destined to do something other than farm because he got involved in various organizations and while studying for his master’s degree at Gazi University, he joined KOY-KOOP, an economic, democratic organization that represented poor people in rural areas. It was this that led to his being held without charges in Mamak Prison for a year following the 1980 military coup.
[It wouldn’t be the last time he was in prison because he chose to speak out on September 1, World Peace Day in 1995-1996 in Mersin and Ankara. The result was he served two years in prison from 1999 and 2000.]
In 1986 Birdal joined the Human Rights’ Association in Ankara and served as its general secretary until 1992 when he became its chairman. Then in 1997 he was chosen to be the deputy chairman of the International Human Rights Association and for a total of three terms. Birdal continued with these positions until 2007 after which he became involved in politics; he already was among the founders of at least four political parties. He became a candidate for the DTP in Diyarbakir.
Birdal has also written many articles on cooperatives and human rights. He has three books made up of his journal, memories, essays and short stories. As well, he has many awards for his work in the area of human rights in Turkey and abroad.
As the years passed, Birdal earned himself lots of enemies as he defended human rights, democracy and people who were retired and downtrodden. On May 12, 1998 Akın Birdal was attacked at Human Rights’ Association general headquarters in Ankara. It was 12:25. When masked gunmen entered İHD and shot up the interior. Birdal was shot 13 times and lay bleeding on the floor while police arrived and started processing the crime scene. No security guards below, nobody immediately concerned about Birdal’s wounds and the gunmen brazenly walked out the door with their weapons. He barely survived because he lost so much blood between the attack at İHD headquarters and the ambulance arrived very late after it was summoned.
As more and more information has been revealed about the alleged Ergenekon conspiracy over the past ten months or so, it became clear that this attempted murder was connected to that organization. What is known is that the people accused of being members of Ergenekon were supposedly intending to destabilize Turkey by assassinating prominent people. It seems that Birdal was one of those people. The men who carried out the hit had a connection with the Ergenekon conspirators.
Creating an agenda for Istanbul
Striking among Birdal’s thoughts and the DTP program for his run at being the Istanbul metropolitan mayor is the need to increase the level of consciences of Istanbul residents. For instance he is one of the most supportive of women’s involvement in the political process and believes that women’s organizations will help create a strong work force. Some of the DTP’s party program includes local projects for women in order to end to divergent policies against women. Another very important aspect of this is preventing the destruction of nature, cementing over spaces and the like.
Birdal told the Daily News in the first interview he has given since officially declaring his candidacy , "In my opinion we are thinking of making Istanbul a livable city. The most important problem involving Istanbul is seeing the city as a historical and civilized one that possesses a multi-cultural fabric. It’s necessary to protect this fabric and bring it into the light of day. We give this importance and we want to host the Cultural Capital of Europe in 2010."
Not least of Istanbul’s problems is the continual threat of a serious earthquake and whether or not the current metropolitan municipality has prepared sufficiently for such an event. According to Birdal, "We are preparing a file on the issue. There are several projects in line with the idea that the people can directly participate in governance and in a model democracy. We will create a people’s assembly and protecting the historical and cultural heritage of the city will be important projects of ours.
"We will create a consciousness that will block the destruction of local nature. We’ll take the essential measures at every level. The people’s organizations and assemblies that will be created in the city and the various districts will join with the professional chambers."
Birdal also includes Alevis as compatriots and fellow countrymen, stressing how they would benefit in terms of being able to organize themselves freely and benefit from the DTP to take advantage of the possibilities for the development of their culture.
There will also be developments in the social and cultural sectors while the DTP will benefit areas in which retired people, poor people and the suburbs live. In terms of all projects that concern the urban fabric, these will be done in consultation with the people’s assemblies created. So even the planting of tulips and violets will be discussed by the people affected. They’re expensive but the assemblies will allow people to have a say in the process.
Incomplete democracy
Birdal feels that today’s problems are the result of not completely connecting democracy with the economy. "However much democracy there is, the more economic progress will be made. Right now investments that include the participation of the people haven’t been made and when one looks at large investments, politicians manufactured these."
One can’t help but be curious about Diyarbakir since he is a member of parliament from there. Birdal says that he has received permission to come to Istanbul to run for the mayoralty position. "Perhaps we won’t return there but we’ll be successful in Istanbul. We will administer Istanbul with Istanbulites and we will win with the people of Istanbul.
"I’m apearing in front of the public as a politician. But there’s a different meaning in the sense that we are thinking of establishing a bridge between Diyarbakir and Istanbul, especially to support each other culturally."
Is it surprising that the DTP would bring in a "big gun" to compete for the municipal mayor’s role. It’s not the only political party to do so when you consider that Kemal Kilicdaroglu, Ahmet Ozal and Ahmet Vefik Alp are also in the running. It can’t but help Kadir Topbas because votes will be split.