Emin Çölaşan: Health to Your Mouth – A State of Being
Secrecy, Stalemate, and a Shadowy Figure: Inside Turkey’s Constitutional Commission
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The recent closed-door briefings by the minister of Interior, Minister of national Defence, and the head of Turkey’s intelligence agency (MIT) to Members of Parliament have cast a long shadow over the newly formed constitutional commission.What was discussed remains shrouded in secrecy – a silence enforced by a decade-long gag order on any publication of the meeting’s proceedings,speeches,presentations,or decisions. But, as columnist Emin Çölaşan suggests, one individual likely possesses a complete understanding of the discussions: Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), known simply as “Apo.”
A Decade of Silence and the Role of Öcalan
The level of secrecy is striking. A ten-year prohibition on disclosing details from these crucial meetings speaks volumes about the sensitivity of the topics discussed. Çölaşan believes that a summary of the proceedings will be relayed to Öcalan during the first visit by Democratic Regions Party (DEM) representatives to İmralı prison, where he is held. According to Çölaşan, even a few carefully chosen sentences delivered to Öcalan will be enough for him to grasp the full context of the meeting and formulate a response. He describes Öcalan as someone who “avoids the draw drawn man like a gin!” – a colorful expression highlighting his perceived shrewdness and understanding.
This reliance on Öcalan as an details conduit underscores the complex dynamics at play.It suggests that, despite his imprisonment, he remains a central figure in any potential resolution to the Kurdish issue, and that his perspective is considered vital by those in power.
A Commission wiht Limited Prospects for Peace
However, Çölaşan expresses deep skepticism about the commission’s potential to deliver meaningful progress on peace, democracy, and freedoms. He anticipates a bleak outcome, largely due to the political composition of the turkish Grand National Assembly. With the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) holding a majority, and ofen acting in concert with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) – referred to as the “Sapa-Mhp duo” – he predicts a continuation of the status quo.
The primary objective, he argues, isn’t genuine reform, but rather to co-opt the DEM Party and use their participation to stall any meaningful progress on a new constitution. “Now their whole aim is to take Dem with them and to be a new constitution stall!” he asserts.
The CHP’s Dilemma and Potential Walkout
The role of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), the main opposition party, is crucial.Çölaşan questions whether the CHP and other opposition parties will allow themselves to be drawn into this perceived strategy. He believes a breaking point is likely, and predicts the CHP may ultimately withdraw from the commission altogether.”The public will already wait for this from the CHP,” he writes,suggesting a widespread expectation that the party will resist being used as a legitimizing force for a stalled process. Remaining engaged,he warns,risks damaging the CHP’s credibility and leaving it “wounded,worn and it is indeed not possible to overcome these complex works.”
A Partnership Built on Self-Interest
Çölaşan is blunt about the motivations of the AKP-MHP alliance. He dismisses any notion of altruism, stating that their involvement in the commission is driven by self-interest rather than a genuine desire for progress.”Sapa-Mhp The partnership did not get into this commission business for his father’s good…” he states plainly.
Currently,the situation is at a critical juncture. The coming weeks will reveal the true intentions of the ruling coalition and the response of the opposition. Çölaşan cautions those who harbor hopes for a positive outcome to brace themselves for disappointment.
A Personal Reflection: Remembering Halil Şıvgın
In a poignant closing note, Çölaşan shares a personal anecdote about Halil Şıvgın, a former close associate of Turgut Özal, a past Turkish Prime Minister. Despite past legal disputes stemming from Çölaşan’s writings, a surprising friendship blossomed through a mutual acquaintance. He recounts a touching story of receiving greetings from Şıvgın through a local barber, highlighting the possibility of