Dangerous violence: Turkey’s emerging ethnic fault line

Rising social violence between Kurds and non-Kurds in Turkey, with daily incidents occurring, is an unusual, and therefore alarming, phenomenon.

This violence has been spurred as much by the recent Kurdish opening, which has created a backlash against Kurdish nationalism, as it has been by the closing of the Kurdish nationalist Democratic Society Party, or DTP, which has, in turn, triggered a second wave of violence.

How the Turkish government deals with the rising violence associated with the Kurdish problem might make or break Turkey. It will take an individualistic, European approach to deescalate the violence, as well as resolve the Kurdish issue to the benefit of the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, and Turkey as a whole.

Turkey’s recent Kurdish opening envisaged bringing members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, back to Turkey from the organization’s bases in Iraq and cells in Europe through an unofficial amnesty. This approach, however, backfired when 34 returnees who the Turkish government had allowed into the country from Iraq delivered fiery speeches in support of the terrorist group at “heroes welcome” parties thrown by Kurdish nationalists and PKK sympathizers. Speaking at an Oct. 19 rally in Diyarbakır, group members said they had returned to Turkey not to take advantage of the AKP’s amnesty, but rather to represent the PKK. They added that they had no remorse for their past actions, including violence, and made political demands on the government.

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Dangerous violence: Turkey's emerging ethnic fault line
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