Its time to remember shelved reports

But the impact of feudal structure still cannot be denied. It is the fact that honor killing and blood feuds are committed in eastern Turkey for centuries, and they cannot be eliminated totally. Despite sincere efforts to do so, a solid solution other than temporary preventions couldn’t be found so far. A couple of years ago, Turkish politicians, moved by the "Güldünya incident," set up a research commission for the Prevention of Violence against Women and Children, and Honor Killings. The commission conducted important studies and published a report suggesting a series of solutions. What happened to that report? Are suggestions being implemented?

First, let’s look at the report and recall a few things: 1,091 people were killed under honor killings category between 2002 and 2005. Twenty-nine percent of murders were honor killings, 29 percent was due to family problems, 15 percent was about love affairs, 10 percent was about blood feud, 3 percent was rape, 9 percent sexual abuse, 3 percent marriage-related and 3 percent was about others. In the report’s conclusion suggestions for a solution include an action plan should be designed for the prevention of honor killings in the period 2006-2011, male dominance should be changed... It is a long suggestion list.

The massacre in Mardin has shown once again that this key report of Parliament was forgotten on the shelf. Despite a few sincere attempts, a big part of it hasn’t been implemented.

If the report published two years ago had been implemented, there wouldn’t be elegies coming out in Mardin because Parliament’s report was submitted for the solution of a vital issue; perhaps it was the only comprehensive package prepared on the subject.

SECOND ARTICLE

Did Reha Çamuroğlu pay the price for snub in the past?

Some ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, officials were disappointed by the latest Cabinet change. AKP Istanbul deputy Reha Çamuroğlu, who is an Alevi, was one of them. He was appointed by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as the prime minister’s adviser for Alevi issues.

But Çamuroğlu resigned afterwards for not seeing any solid steps for Alevis. He remained distant. Then, Çamuroğlu and the AKP thawed the ice, and he began to work with State Minister for Religious Affairs Sait Yazıcıoğlu. In the meantime, speculations spread that he could be appointed as a minister. Çamuroğlu himself had high hopes. But he was kept out of the Cabinet.

On top, Erdoğan asked the president of the Cem Foundation, Professor İzzettin Doğan, to write textbooks on Alevis. Doğan and Çamuroğlu are not on good terms. Now, the question being asked behind the closed doors is this: "Did Çamuroğlu pay the price for his resignation by not being assigned to a ministry seat?"

The village guard system is on the table due to the latest bloodshed in Mardin. Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Çiçek said, "It could be abolished." But what will some 70,000 village guards do? AKP Diyarbakır deputy Kutbettin Arzu made a suggestion: "Let’s take weapons back and have them work in pastures and planting trees."

This is, in a way, a suggestion to exchange weapons with young trees. It is worth, isn’t it?