17 Dec 2009

Who represents the Kurds?

It seems the Turkish constitutional court's decision to ban the pro-Kurdish party - the DTP - has only made the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) stronger.

Many Kurds now believe Prime Minister Tayeb Erdogan - the man who promised more rights for Kurds - wasn’t serious and his aim had more to do with regaining popularity lost to the DTP in the southeast. There is a growing sense of frustration and disillusionment in the Kurdish heartland - but at the same time anger.

kurds

Saban Karakas, resident in the city told Al Jazeera that the Kurdish question cannot be solved without a fight. Many lost faith in the democratic process.

"We hoped that by sending our representatives to parliament we would find a peaceful solution but the government doesn’t care about us," Enver Toktas said. There is no doubt where loyalties lie here – the majority of Diyarbakir is behind the now banned DTP. The leadership was given hero's welcome when they arrived

They came to their stronghold to take a crucial decision - either continue its struggle for Kurdish rights in parliament or take its fight to the street.

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