'Signs' of Democratic Initiative in Diyarbakır

The DTP-controlled Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality has replaced signs near roads that lead to villages with new signs that feature their Turkish and Kurdish names together.

The Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality, controlled by the Democratic Society Party, or DTP, has replaced signs near roads that lead to villages with new signs that feature their Turkish and Kurdish names together.

The move comes amid the ongoing debate over the "Dersim" gaff by Onur Öymen, deputy head of the Republican People's Party, or CHP, and suggestions that the province of Tunceli return to its Kurdish name, the Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality has jumped ahead on the issue.

Beşir Atalay, minister of internal affairs, also made a statement recently about the government remaining positive about displaying the Kurdish names of villages. The letters of "x", "q" and "w," which are not featured in the Turkish alphabet, can now be seen on the signs.

Residents of the villages are content with the signs in both Turkish and Kurdish. They said they had been using the Kurdish names among themselves, regardless of what was written on the signs. Halil Yıldız, resident of Gömmetaş (Sirim) Village, said: "It is good that the municipality made the signs in both Turkish and Kurdish. We use the Kurdish name, anyway. Most of the time we don't even know the Turkish name. If a state television channel is broadcasting Kurdish 24-hours, it is only natural that the names be in Turkish and Kurdish."

İbrahim Altın, head of Diyarbakır municipality's Transportation Office, also said citizens always referred to the villages with their Kurdish names. Altın said: "The democratic initiative is being discussed in Turkey. It includes using Kurdish names of locations as well. There are statements by Mr. Minister of Interior Affairs and there are decisions by the provincial administration board as well. So while preparing the new signs, we included the Kurdish names of the villages under the Turkish ones as well. We have received very positive reactions until now. What we did was add the already used names to the signs, actually. Everyone knew them by their Kurdish names."

Some of the signs were written as follows: Yeşildallı (Hewarê xas), Talaytepe (Gırbelık), Çölgüzeli (Gozeliyeçolê), Cücük (Cucuk), Körtepe (Kortepe), Çiçekliyurt (İngici), Develi (Develi) Kabahıdır (Qubaxıdır), Pirinçlik (Qırxali), Gömmetaş (Sirim), Topraktaş (Heste Qa Bahrê), Kolludere (Qud).

Source: www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=8216signs8217-of-democratic-initiative-at-diyarbakir-2009-11-26