That was really some coincidence when there was a cheering crowd from Cizre listening to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s weekly parliamentary group talk on Tuesday [June 25]. “Cizre is here,” one shouted out. “He is now saying Cizre is here,” responded the prime minister right back. “Inshallah we will soon be in Sirnak, because the (construction of) Sirnak airport is completed, and we will be at its opening.”

But right before this exchange, Erdogan drove attention again to the Gezi Park protests, which started on May 27 with about 500 people who wanted to counter the government’s proposal to build a replica there of an Ottoman artillery barracks constructed in 1870 and demolished in 1940. Although Erdogan tried to portray these protesters as being violent, the majority of his party members have remained silent on this issue. It’s no secret in Ankara’s beltway that many ruling party members are disappointed with the way this issue has been handled.

That’s not the point, however. The point is that Erdogan continues with his effort to link the Gezi Park protests to the resolution process he initiated to bring an end to the country’s chronic Kurdish issue. “From the very beginning, my Kurdish brothers who have seen the racist dimension of the protests in Taksim, Ankara and Izmir, who felt that these protests targeted Turkey, our unity, our brotherhood, (and) especially the national will, have not fallen into this game,” the prime minister said. “All the 81 provinces, almost all the 76 million people have united with one heart against this dirty game and have acted with caution and patience to spoil it.” 

“Cizre is here,” someone from the audience shouted out.