'Does it not hurt your conscience, Ms Gomes?'


If I had had the chance to come across European Parliament (EP) member Ana Gomes on Sunday, this would have been the first question I would have asked, "Do you have any conscience at all, Ms. Gomes?"But thankfully I have a conscience that enables me to avoid asking remorseless questions.On Dec. 7 and 8, a "13th conference" was held in the European Parliament with the participation of members and proponents of the outlawed PKK terrorist organization and its Syrian wing, the Democratic Union Party (PYD).Like similar events organized previously, this conference functioned to endorse the PKK. Members of the PKK, PYD and People's Protection Units (YPG) attended the conference as speakers, and it is not surprising that the radical left-wing parliamentary group, the European United Left (GUE), supported the conference.However, it is sad that the second largest group in the European Parliament, namely the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, also supported the event. The PKK, which is recognized as an outlawed organization by the European Union (EU) and followed by every police and intelligence network across EU countries including Europol, was unfortunately among the hosts of the conference.Some PKK members, wanted by Turkey with warrants issued by Interpol, and the leader of the PYD/YPG were hosted as VIP guests in the European Parliament and delivered terrorist propaganda in their speeches at the event.Portuguese social democrat EP member Ana Gomes, who requested the omission of the PKK from the EU's list of terrorist groups several months ago, frequently appeared in the EP corridors side by side with the PKK members.Two days after the conference, the PKK organized two atrocious attacks outside a stadium in central Istanbul with a car bomb and a suicide bomber. The bombings occurred just after the Beşiktaş-Bursaspor football game was over. Reminiscent of the Daesh militants attack on a stadium in Paris while a France-Germany game was on, the PKK militants were aiming for a massacre.While people were leaving the stadium, they were targeted by the PKK. Some 42 were killed, while 155 were injured, many of whom are still in critical condition. Most of the deceased were police officers on duty for the game but civilians, including football fans and passers-by, were also killed.For this very reason, I want to ask Gomes if her conscience has been hurt or not. Fortunately, Portugal does not like the threat of terror. Then what is the source of a Portuguese EP member's sympathy toward the PKK, one of the most dangerous terrorist organizations in the world?Does supporting a terrorist group responsible for thousands of murders go in line with being a social democrat?Let aside being a social democrat, how can she back the terrorist group as a woman and as a human-being?It is beyond our reasoning.We should not just direct this question to Ms. Gomes but it must be asked to all the social democrats who hosted the PKK last week.Turkey is deeply aggrieved. Young people have been murdered. And the wounded will be carrying traces of the atrocity for the rest of their lives. Turkey is in mourning.Meanwhile, the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), functioning as the PKK's suicide squad, assumed responsibility for the bomb attacks.I wonder what the EP members siding with the PKK wait for. Turks have a saying: It is never too late to mend. Yes, we can reconcile ourselves to it. Turkish citizens have watched the hosting of PKK terrorists in EP corridors with great resentment. But despite that, they are ready to applaud the EP as long as it takes an open stance against the PKK, PYD and YPG, because we need to stand up against terrorism right now. Condemning is not enough any longer.For this reason, Martin Schulz, Kati Piri and other EP members who say that they condemn terrorism without uttering the PKK's name must endeavor to understand Turkey.Condemning their atrocity does not contribute to the anti-terror fight.If they are really against all kinds of terrorist activities, then they must take a stance against the PKK, PYD and YPG.Do not allow the PKK, PYD and YPG members in the EP corridors. Do not give them a chance to disseminate terror propaganda. This is what 78 million Turkish citizens expect from you. Here is a good example from the European Parliament: Czech EP member Tomas Zdechovsky reacted to the latest twin attacks in Istanbul on social media. Stating that dozens were killed at the attacks, Zdechovsky wrote "No more tolerance for terrorists, stop PKK, ISIS [Daesh] and ban them from the EP," on his twitter account. Turkey is applauding Zdechovsky's stance, while Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Turkish social media users hailed Zdechovsky's remark. Speaking to journalists with regard to his tweet, Zdechovsky said that he felt an urge to issue such a remark after he saw the terrorist attack in Istanbul. Emphasizing that the Istanbul attack is no different from the attacks in Paris and Brussels, Zdechovsky also pointed out that the Kurdish people should seek a political solution with the government of Turkey and they would never achieve any of their goals through violent means. He also said, "I made the call for a ban because the PKK is still on the terror list of the European Union and no one took the group off that list." We believe that all the EP members listening to their consciences feel the same way with Zdechovsky and we expect them to display the same stance not for Turkey's sake, but for the sake of human dignity.