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Turkey-based Kurdish official for equal rights to all people

Now I can say “happy is the one calling himself a Kurd…”

Hüsrev Kutlu, member of the Justice and Development Party (Turkish: Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi, AK Parti or AKP) and head of the administrative staff of the Grant National Assembly of Turkey, proposed that the Turkish authorities grant equal rights to both Kurds and other national minorities residing in Turkey.

In his interview with Hurriyet, Hüsrev Kutlu, who is of Kurdish descent, addressed the Turkish Government’s initiative of democratization and settlement of the Kurdish problem. In this context, he raised the issue of granting equal rights to all the ethnic groups in Turkey. He stated he does not know to what extent he is a Turk or a Kurd. Nonetheless, Kutlu believes the rights granted to Kurds should be equally granted to all the other ethnic groups. Kutlu pointed out that a ban on the use of the Kurdish language drew great attention. After the ban has been removed, the issue is of no interest any longer. Now, instead of the conventional “happy is the one calling himself a Turk,” I can say “happy is the one calling himself a Kurd.”

“This factor is getting more and more influential. The Kurdistan Workers' Party (Kurdish: Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan or پارتی کار که‌رانی کوردستان Parti Karkerani Kurdistan) can be incriminated with the death of numerous people, but Kurds are being granted numerous rights. Do the other ethnic groups loyal to the Government have to resort to similar steps to get the same rights? All the ethnic groups must enjoy equal rights. Most Kurds are for friendship with Turks, not for separatism. As regards the names of villages, a referendum has to be held. The name of my village was Arun, but it has been renamed Olgunlar. People still call it Arun. If most people demand, the present names should be changed,” Kutlu said.

NEWS.am would like to note that the village of Arun mentioned by Mr. Kutlu is located in the Yerznka district, in Historical Armenia. The pagan temple Atorn Anahit (Thone of Anahit, a pagan Armenian goddess) is located in Yerznka. A gilded statue of Anahit was once standing there as well.