Turkey's Kurds stand with ultranationalists after campus murder
The murder of an ultranationalist college student reveals how Turkey's peace process with the Kurds and the growing Islamization of politics has impacted Turkish nationalists.
In the midst of the domestic security bill debate Feb. 20 in Turkey's parliament, Nationalist Action Party (MHP) deputy leader Oktay Vural sought permission to make an announcement. Known as a serious and reserved politician, Vural broke into tears as he discussed the murder of college student Firat Yilmaz Cakiroglu, 24.
Cakiroglu was a senior at Ege University in the city of Izmir. This was not a random murder. Cakiroglu was the representative of the MHP’s youth organization Ulku Ocaklari, known as the "gray wolves" on campus. Cakiroglu had told his parents, MHP deputies and the police that Kurdish groups — allegedly affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) — had threatened him several times before his brutal stabbing.
Tears streamed down Vural’s face as he asked parliament, with a trembling voice: “What kind of new security measures can this bill provide to prevent cases like this? Firat waited for 45 minutes for the ambulance. He had sought protection from the police, and we warned the college administration for possible tension.” Cakiroglu died from loss of blood. Seven other students were injured.
Vural’s announcement marked the only few minutes of silence in the parliament.
