The best response to terrorism

Though Kurdish-dominated organizations were not among the demonstrators, the condemnations of the attack by Leyla Zana and the three other former deputies of the pro-Kurdish Democratic Party (DEP) signaled a common stance against violence.

The recent developments remind me of the course of the Basque terrorist group ETA. Not only the Spanish people, but also the Basques themselves were tired of the ETA’s bloody terrorist attacks and weren’t afraid to say it. The ETA lost its political and ideological basis.

The Spanish government has granted extensive rights to the Basque region, but this didn’t help to halt the attacks. The state took the necessary measures against terrorists and used its legal authority against political groups supporting the ETA. As one Spanish observer said, the key factor in the fight against the ETA was the resolute reaction of the Basque people. Terrorists who receive condemnation rather than support have no chance of surviving, even if they linger for some time.”