Diyarbakir district goes bilingual

[Vladimir]

A municipal council decision to offer municipal services in both Turkish and Kurdish has been approved by the Sur district Municipality of the southeastern city of Diyarbakir, reports said yesterday.

The decision is likely to fuel tension in the region, as it is clearly in violation of the Constitution, according to several political commentators.

Sur Mayor Abdullah Demirbas last year faced prosecution for defending multilingual municipal services at an international conference in Vienna. Charges against him were dropped on the grounds of freedom of expression, but the Interior Ministry severely criticized the move by Demirbas.

It is said that the Sur Municipality as well as the Diyarbakir Greater Municipality started multilingual services last year without an official decision to ease transactions by Kurdish people in the city.

Speaking at a press conference organized by the Sur Municipality, Demirbas touted the news while arguing that Turkey, in practice, is not monolingual but multilingual.

He also underlined that the decision was taken by a majority vote. "We don't have only one identity but multiple identities, we have to live considering this fact," he explained. "We'll give services taking all studies and scientific data into account as we aim to contribute to democracy in the region and the country."

Demirbas also said that they took the decision based on the belief that municipalities and local administrations are also "schools for further democracy."

Kurdish politicians in the region, spearheaded by Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir, fiercely advocate further rights for local administrations, which sporadically find support from the government. The ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party had a long-term project to invest further rights to local authorities, reducing the power and authority of the central administration, but it has failed to implement necessary phases of this project during its four years in office.

"I hope this decision will be an example for Parliament," Demirbas said. "I believe that Parliament will regard the multilingual and multicultural structure of Turkey and take a decision that will contribute to peace and democracy in the country. We think that democracy will improve on a local basis."

The mayor added that through their decision, which is a first in Turkey, municipal services will reach the public easier. "Both Turkish and Kurdish have been used in the municipality before. In order to give a better service we'll give Kurdish, Turkish, English, Armenian and Assyrian courses to personnel," Demirbas said.

Sociologist Aslan Ozdemir stated that they conducted a survey upon the request of the Sur Municipality. According to the survey results, 24 percent of the residents speak Turkish, while 72 percent speak Kurdish. "Therefore, the municipal services should be given in various languages apart from Turkish," Ozdemir said.

Source: The New Anatolian

[Diri]

GREAT

I hope they go through with it... And I hope Ankara let's this one slip between the fingers...

[Vladimir]

Don't think so (TND):

A decision made by the southeastern municipality of Sur to provide services in languages other than Turkish has sparked a controversy, prompting the Interior Ministry to appoint an inspector to assess the matter.

Sur Mayor Abdullah Demirbas said municipal services would become multilingual from now on as per the decision. Turkish is not the only language spoken in Turkey. It doesn't have a single religion. It doesn't have a single identity.

He said their services would now be based on the principles of democracy in the region and the country, hoping this would become an example for the rest of the country.

He said they were already using Turkish and Kurdish for providing services to the public and would expand it to include English, Armenian and Syriac. He said Armenain and Syriac services would depend on finding language instructors.

Sociologist Aslan Özdemir told the Anatolia news agency that the municipality had hired them to conduct a survey of the region. According to our studies, 24 percent speak Turkish, 72 percent speak Kurdish, 4 percent speak Arabic and 3 percent speak Armenian and Syriac.

The Interior Ministry said in a statement that they would investigate the matter.

Reports say that Turkish and Kurdish information signs will be hung in the municipality building and that phones will be answered both in Turkish and Kurdish.

Demirbas is from pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP). He was previously tired for an article he had written, calling for street names and internet sites to be done in Kurdish. He was found not guilty.

The assembly decision will be first approved by the Diyarbakir Greater Municipality before being forwarded to the Diyarbakir Governor's Office. If the office objects to the assembly decision, it has the right to lodge an appeal within 15 days.

http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr