Mr. Denis Baykal has been CHP’s party leader since the early 1990s. Even though CHP is a full member party of the Socialist International, a worldwide organisation of social democratic, socialist and labour parties, Mr. Baykal still support the current Turkish Constitution; a chauvinistic political heritage of the military coup d’état of 12 September 1980. Mr. Baykal also strongly oppose to constitutional changes in favour of the Kurds. AKP’s proposal for the new Constitution contains no real changes for the Kurds. The BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) has made several amendments to a new Constitution, but so far they have not been taken seriously by the AKP. In the further work on the Constitution, and in order to build peace and democracy in Turkey, the suggestions of the Kurds should be implemented.
Under Deniz Baykal’s leadership the CHP seems to work against a political solution to the Kurdish question in Turkey. On this ground one can seriously question why CHP still holds membership in the Socialist International.
EUTCC calls on the Socialist group of the European Parliament to remind Mr. Deniz Baykal of the dangerous political development in Turkey and the still unsolved Kurdish question. As a full member of the Socialist International, CHP and its leader, bear a strong commitment to work for a peaceful and democratic future in Turkey, a commitment that presupposes constitutional changes for the Kurds.
Kariane Westrheim, PhD, Chair of EUTCC, Bergen – Norway
Hans Branscheidt, Board of Directors EUTCC, Frankfurt – Germany
Professor Michel Gunter, Secretary General, EUTCC, Tennessee, USA
Contact: Kariane Westrheim – Menneskerettighetenes plass 1 – 5007 Bergen, Norway.
Telephone: +47 976 42 088, www.eutcc.org, www.rafto.no
12. April 2010
