Reconciliation is a very magical and mysterious word in Turkey that is frequently used by political figures during the emergence of political disputes.

- 07 / 08 / 2008 08:09

Fatma Disli

Opponents of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), which garnered 47 percent of the nationwide vote in last year's general elections, are asking the AK Party to reach reconciliation with other political parties and the state bureaucracy for each and every step it wants to take. Following the conclusion of a closure case against the party recently, the same circles have begun to resort to their reconciliation weapon in a bid to prevent the party from taking steps of which they do not approve.

Star's Eser Karakaş complains about how the term reconciliation is used randomly in politics without paying much heed to what it really means. "There is reconciliation in the nature of politics; however, reconciliation cannot be sought in law or in relations that should be governed by the principles of state of law," explains Karakaş.

In his view, reconciliation cannot be sought for every issue in politics and some efforts for reconciliation totally contradict with the nature of politics, democracy and law.

According to his own understanding of the term, reconciliation should be reached before the elections; it is a process that should take place before asking the nation to make its choice.

"Reconciliation after the elections is only possible if the distribution of deputies make a coalition government essential," he notes, emphasizing that the important thing for the government is not to contradict universal law in its actions. "Interestingly enough, the issues on which opponents of the government ask it to reach reconciliation in Turkey totally disagree with universal law and fundamental human rights," says Karakaş.

Bugün's Gülay Göktürk dwells on the increasing calls from the opposition circles asking the government to take reconciliatory steps to ease the concerns of some segments of society about secularism following the conclusion of the closure case against the AK Party.

She interprets these calls as meaning that the AK Party should give up its identity and should adopt their values.

 She notes that as long as it fails to do this, the opposition will not feel secure. This is what they mean when they call for reconciliation, she explains.

Göktürk says those who chant slogans asking the government not to interfere in their lifestyles are actually trying to make it acceptable for them to interfere in the lifestyles of those who are in power. "The AK Party will not accept giving up its identity and values, so all the talk about reconciliation will continue," she notes.

Yeni Şafak's Fikri Akyüz thinks what reconciliation means in the lexicon of those who call for it is to surrender, to bow and to lose one's identity. "What reconciliation are you talking about? Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan achieved his successes by resisting reconciliation with the bureaucratic oligarchy not by reconciling with it. Aren't you aware of this?" asks Akyüz.