Turkey announces “Wise Men” to contribute to domestic peace
On the way to working out the Kurdish issue to establish peace in the country, the government of Turkey has took initiative to put together a bunch of people called “wise people” including artists, musicians, journalists, academics, intellectuals and representatives from non-governmental organizations who are expected to assume the task of persuading public to support one of the most important milestones in the history of the republic.
It was announced yesterday that 63 prominent names forming the group were chosen by Prime Minister Erdoğan, in person.
These people were split into 7 separate groups, each to attend one of the seven geographical regions in Turkey.
Prime Minister Erdoğan is scheduled to meet with the group in Istanbul on April 4th to start consultations and brain-storming.
Celebrities such as Kadir İnanır, Lale Mansur, Yılmaz Erdoğan, Hülya Koçyiğit and musician Orhan Gencebay, as well as business people like Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu (Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges), Arzuhan Doğan Yalçındağ (Doğan TV Holding Chairwoman) and academic persons such as Murat Belge were included in the list.
The government has organized the groups so that each group has a president, a vice president and a secretary and consists of nine people. Among the tasks the commission members are expected to accomplish are meeting with opinion leaders; holding symposiums, panels and conferences; making one-on-one contacts; and getting in touch with local, national and international media.
First comments on the issue
Commenting on the issue experts have said that it would not be easy to accomplish this mission as referred people had been presented as traitors until this time.
Some others have commented that the group is a good combination as it considers all levels of society and they hope this initiative would contribute to peace.
Abdurahman Dilipak, a columnist at Yeni Akit, said the group’s target was mediation. “Hopefully we will contribute to peace,” he said. Muhsin Kızılkaya, a Kurdish-origin writer in the Mediterranean group believes in the benefits of the initiative. “
,” he told the Daily News. Singer-songwriter Gencebay, part of the Black Sea group, said he would do all he could with a positive look. “Of course I said yes when I was invited, because I love my country. I believe that I am a good patriot,” he said.
On the other hand some declared persons have not accepted this assignment dur to several different reasons.
The harshest criticism has come from the main opposition – as usual – which has commented that the group would act like companies or agencies that were running the government’s electoral campaigns. “The group looks like a cadre of public servants, to act like a bridge to carry the prime minister’s views to the public,” CHP spokesman Haluk Koç said.
04.04.2013
SOURCE: MEDIA
