A 99-year life spent in prison and exile

Last week, we lost an important figure whose name is frequently encountered in Turkey's political history; Dr. Tarık Ziya Ekinci passed away at the age of 99.

In a book I happened to read, there was an interview in which Tarık Ziya Ekinci recounted his 99-year life; journalist Şeyhmus Diken penned Ekinci's life story in his own words in the book "Diyarbekirlis in Exile."

A medical doctor who remained far from indifferent to social issues, Ekinci's long life was marked by arrests, exiles, parliamentary service, politics, torture, and activism.

Born as the child of a Kurdish family in the Lice district of Diyarbakır, Ekinci earned the right to enter medical school because he graduated from high school with top honors. His youth coincided with the Second World War era, when the CHP ruled the country with an iron fist; while his father was the CHP District Chairman, he contributed to the founding of the Democrat Party, having entered politics even in those years.

He completed his doctorate in Paris in the 1950s.

He was elected as a Diyarbakır Deputy from the Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP), which was established after the May 27 Revolution; he described the parliament of that period as follows:

"The vast majority in parliament was in the hands of the Justice Party; they were trying to isolate us, and they would attack every Workers' Party speaker who took the podium."

It seems that not much has changed even though 60 years have passed, because we just watched the attack on Ahmet Şık last week.

During the March 12 period, Dr. Ekinci was arrested and served two years for 'Kurdish propaganda,' then continued to work in the Workers' Party of Turkey. He was arrested again during the September 12 period, where he was tortured based on a witness's slander that he had 'treated a wounded person.' He was released three months later, but it was whispered in his ear, "Leave Diyarbakır, or they will put you inside again." Upon this, he went abroad and lived in Paris for 7 years.

He later returned to Turkey, but he was always expected to stay away from Diyarbakır; every time he went, trouble would find him, so he did as he was told.

At his funeral, Sezgin Tanrıkulu said, "Ekinci's 99-year life is the history of these lands, it is the history of courage."

Despite all the imprisonment, exile, torture, and threats, Dr. Ekinci says the following in the book:

"To see the establishment of a multicultural, democratic state of law in this country where Turks and Kurds live in mutual respect and brotherhood would be the greatest reward for the suffering I have endured and the hardships I have experienced."

So, will this come to pass?

Dr. Ekinci's 99-year life was not enough to see it, but human life is very short compared to the lives of countries.