CHP Chairman Kilicdaroglu made historic statements during his interview with veteran broadcaster Ali Kirca in Sky Türk 360 channel. He started by commenting on intra-party politics. After the two extraordinary conventions, CHP became a party that people trust commented chairman Kilicdaroglu. With the conventions, intra-party democracy has been established and firmly enshrined in the new by-laws.

He added that the new bylaws opened the way for women to seek elected office without prejudice or hindrance, and allowed the constituency to reflect its will freely to the administration of the party.

Social democracy is not as old inTurkeyas it is in the West, but “The identity of the new CHP is one of a universally accepted social democratic party” he proclaimed.

Kilicdaroglu admitted that there is some truth to the accusations of CHP formerly defending the status quo. He promised that the new CHP has transformed itself into a force that seeks solutions to problems with constructive proposals. He added that from now on the party’s republican and revolutionary heritage adopted during the War of Independence will be harnessed to turn it into a champion of progress.

COMMENTS ON 4+4+4 “EDUCATION REFORM”

Kilicdaroglu continued to break with CHP’s alleged “tradition” by stating that it has no prejudices against imam hatips (clerical schools), he said that the party respects imam hatips, reminding all that it was CHP that first opened these.  He adds that if parents wish their children to receive a religious education, this must be respected.

He added that mandatory Religion and Ethics courses must include chapters on the Alevite faith, emphasizing once again that CHP advanced a motion in the parliament for Alevite houses of warship to be recognized as such (granted official status).

Kilicdaroglu lent his support to Turkey’s controversial Directorate of Religious Affairs, calling it necessary to provide faith-based services to the citizenry, but it must be reorganized to live up to the expectations of the Alevite citizens.

He stressed that CHP fully supports a new constitution which recognizes all ethnic backgrounds, beliefs and freedoms, but warned that the new constitution must be free of”ethnic references”. He said “Citizen of theRepublicofTurkey” must be the common denominator in the new document.

TERROR AND THE KURDISH PROBLEM

Kilicdaroglu put CHP’s mark on the current political debate by his imaginative and feasible suggestions on terror and the Kurdish problem. On terror, he repeated the two previous recommendations made to the Grand Assembly. First, a reconciliation commission must be formed under the aegis of the parliament, to consist of academics and opinion leaders.  Secondly, all talks with entities related to terror must take place through this commission, rather than the clandestine channels that the AKP administration had used in the past.  He added that AKP steadfastly rejected these offers.

Ali Kırca than asked Kilicdaroglu “how much risk would you take to solve the Kurdish problem?” Kilicdaroglu’s answer was astonishing and definitive:  “I’ll take whatever risk it takes.  If the welfare of this nation requires for me to sacrifice my political career, so be it. As long as it serves the furtherance of our welfare and unity and solidarity is preserved. We must work to spread peace through this geography. Conflicts in our neighborhood are not befitting our vision of the 21st Century Turkey. The political establishment of Turkeymust be by now ready to end this problem. If it is not, it should not be in the administration. Those who die are our people; those who bleed are our people. We shall without compromise or hesitation defend the lives of our people.  Only than can we lay claim to being a regional power[1].