I was proud to be the first

The word "Kurd" was banned, let alone speaking Kurdish. According to official policy, Kurds were Turks who walked around on mountains making noises such as "Kart, Kurt."

Akbulut, while adhering to the norms of the time would constantly talk of the "robbers in the mountains" and would assure us that "there will be no retreat." He would tell us that the few robbers would soon be taught a lesson.

For the first time (it was either 1984 or 1985) it was I who said: "They are not robbers. It is obvious the era of armed struggle for the Kurds has begun. If we don’t take the necessary precautions it will cost us dear." I stressed that nothing could be achieved by discriminating against our citizens of Kurdish extraction.

And then the 1990s began.

In my articles and television programs, I repeatedly said that in our fight against PKK terrorism we should not treat all our Kurdish citizens as terrorists. For years, I stood against PKK terrorism, but at the same time I maintained that the ban on the Kurdish language was wrong, and that to attract them to our side we had to provide them their basic rights and treat them fairly.

The state mistreated me because of my opinions with numerous cases filed against me in the courts. The state ensured I lost my job at the newspaper I was working for and it openly put pressure on Show TV to shelve my program "32nd day." The infamous Engin Ardic was used to implement a demolition process. The worst murderer of the time, Yesil Green, was ordered to kill me. (Various statements made by Mehmet Agar and Mehmet Eymur prove this). All this was not enough though, Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) trials were planned. Under the guise of corruption, these trials-by-media lasted for years.

My only crime was being the first.

Most of those who now prance around like they are heroes (apart from a few), ignored my persecution. Instead of supporting me, they criticized me and accused me of trying to divide the country between Kurds and Turks. Their articles and interviews are still in the newspapers. Now I observe many politicians, scientists and journalists championing the same opinions I voiced all those years ago.

They praise the latest developments. The state changed its 30-year policy and admitted the existence of Kurds and granted them their basic human rights. They forgot about what they used to say.

What I am left with is the honor of being the first, and the good name I can leave my son.

It appears Ecevit did the right thing
As the Democratic Left Party (DSP) congress on July 25 nears, I believe even more that what the DSP leader Bulent Ecevit did was the right thing.

Such are the names that are being rumored to be candidates to replace Ecevit, his choice in selecting Zeki Sezer as his candidate becomes cleverer by the day.

The first clues about the matter were stated by the Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy Kemal Dervis a few days ago. When asked what he thought about Ecevit’s choice, Dervis said he was the best possible and that Sezer was the best candidate to re-invigorate the party.

I unfortunately do not know Sezer closely. However, as I study him more, it appears that nobody has anything negative to say about him.

Among the candidates that have come forward to date, Sukru Syna Gurel is the individual I know best. As a person he is very honorable, polite and knowledgeable, however, he is so pro-state that I feel like he will fail to take the DSP that one step further.

From this perspective, it appears that the DSP will have a better chance with Sezer at the helm.

French socialists appear to live in space (!)
The French Socialist Party (SP), about 10-days ago while speaking at a joint conference with Armenian Tashnak Party Europe President Murat Papazyan, said: "The European Union should give Turkey a date to start membership negotiations only after Turkey officially recognizes the Armenian genocide." I wonder whether the SP really thinks Turkey will take such a stance, or was such a statement made solely to attract the Armenian vote?

The SP is an important political establishment. It is impossible to understand why they took such an attitude, and impossible to realize. Such a large party should not risk its relationship with Turkey so easily. It appears the SP is living in space. Now we know where the negative atmosphere coming out of France has originated from.

Everyone should know this fact. No one should accept an Armenian criterion.

President Reagan changed our world
When we live through events, it is hard to interpret the way they will affect our lives. We can see their affects only after a certain period of time has passed. Only now do we realize how the meeting between former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev in 1985 affected us.

Everything in our lives was formulated in accordance with the Cold-War principles. Moscow was the enemy and Washington was our friend. Leftists were thrown in prison with leftist thought seen as dangerous.

Suddenly, there was a U.S.-Soviet treaty, the Berlin Wall was pulled down and the Soviet empire collapsed.

Could we have imagined the way the meeting between Gorbachev and Reagan would change our lives to this extent? Their agreement altered our outlook towards the problem in the southeast and the Cyprus issue. The agreement made us think that even the bitterest of enemies could become friends. It made us look at events from a different perspective.

That’s why we should not look at Reagan just as an actor. He was a person that changed our lives.