If the Governor of Şırnak is responsible for the Barzani show, what happened to the Governor of Tunceli?!

A few days ago, when it was alleged that Erdoğan and Mazlum Kobani, the head of the Syrian PKK who is on Turkey's red notice list, had agreed to meet, the Presidential Communications Directorate stated that the claims were untrue, declaring, "There is no initiative or planning regarding this on our President's agenda."

Prior to this, some DEM Party figures also said—though they did not mention a meeting with Erdoğan—that he could come to Turkey.

For example, Cengiz Çandar, whom MHP leader Bahçeli once counted among the "12 bad men" but with whom he posed during budget negotiations in Parliament the other day, said the following on November 19 after meeting with Kobani and Ilham Ahmed at a conference in Duhok, where the Barzanis hosted Mazlum Kobani under the title of "SDF Commander-in-Chief" and had him call for the "recognition of the Rojava Kurdish administration":

"Their being hosted at the highest level in Duhok was perceived as a preparation by the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq to make diplomatic overtures to both Damascus and Turkey. They are waiting for an invitation from Turkey. It might not be surprising to see them in Turkey after a while."

On November 20, DEM spokesperson Ayşegül Doğan called for "Mazlum Abdi to be hosted in Turkey."

Finally, Cengiz Çandar, on the day Mazlum Kobani's right-hand woman Ilham Ahmed participated via Zoom in a conference organized by the DEM Party in Istanbul and the Presidential Communications Directorate issued that denial, said, "The fact that [Ilham Ahmed] will participate, even via teleconference, raises the thought that we might see both Ilham Ahmed and Mazlum Abdi in Turkey in the not-too-distant future."

Looking at this picture, I remembered where the rapport with the Barzanis started and where it has come to.

Masoud Barzani, who could once only meet with a captain, rose over time to a position where he dealt first with a colonel, then a general, and finally with prime ministers and presidents.

The year was 2007; when Masoud Barzani said in a speech at the European Parliament, "The PKK is a political issue. We are not involved in military intervention," then-Prime Minister Erdoğan declared, "I will no longer talk to them through the media. We have said what we had to say to them. For us, they should not even be at the point of being an interlocutor right now."

The year was 2011; when Masoud Barzani came to Turkey and met with then-President Abdullah Gül and Prime Minister Erdoğan, Bahçeli reacted as follows:

"Wherever there are treacherous intentions waiting for Turkey's destruction and fragmentation, they have met in the same frame as the AKP. Within this frame are the preparers and the tender authority of the Greater Middle East Project (BOP). There are the owners of centuries-old hatreds that have been waiting patiently since the Crusades. There is the peshmerga disgrace that protects and shelters the Qandil sedition. What a coincidence that the peshmerga coming from northern Iraq has been treated with kid gloves today, hosted in mansions, and their advice listened to. Everyone from the President to government officials has hung on the peshmerga's every word. While the Prime Minister was warning his European friends about terrorism and criticizing the support given during his trips to Germany and France, the number one patron and protector of the bloody gang was hosted and complimented in Turkey. Moreover, he expressed opinions and gave interviews to the press regarding the separatist terrorism of which he is the perpetrator and instigator. He was not in the least bit ashamed to make arrogant statements for the sake of integrating and digesting separatism into the social fabric. It is impossible for our nation to accept this humiliation. It is out of the question for it to approve of this degradation or remain silent. Prime Minister Erdoğan should turn his head to the dirty figure he hosted in our country before the culprits in Europe, and if he has even a shred of national honor, he should grab him by the collar."

The year was 2013; as part of the PKK resolution process, Barzani met with Erdoğan in Diyarbakır, and "megri megri" folk songs were sung.

The year was 2017; when Masoud Barzani held an independence referendum in Barzanistan, Erdoğan said, "The moment we close a valve, it's over. All the revenue and everything disappears... We didn't think Barzani would fall into such a mistake until the last moment; it seems we were wrong. This decision, taken without any prior consultation or discussion at a time when our relations were at their best level in history, is frankly a betrayal of our country."

WHILE SEARCHING FOR THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR CİZRE

And the year is 2025, today is November 29; Masoud Barzani showed off in Cizre with his peshmerga, wearing berets, carrying long-barreled weapons, and flying the "Kurdistan" flag.

You know what happened next; Bahçeli reacted with the words, "It is a disgrace. The sovereignty rights and law of the Republic of Turkey have been violated. It is a premeditated attack on the reputation of the Republic of Turkey." While the Barzani side emphasized that "they came with the approval of Turkey's relevant institutions," they declared Bahçeli "racist and chauvinist"... Erdoğan demanded that this statement from the Barzani side be corrected, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded that the necessary action be taken against those responsible... However, the Barzanistan government merely said, "unwanted comments and evaluations that exceeded their purpose."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior launched an investigation into the peshmerga footage and assigned two inspectors, while there was complete chaos within the AKP.

While some argued that such images should be ignored and unheard for the sake of a terror-free Turkey process, using the analogy that "Turkey also has armored tanks in Duhok and Amadiya," others blamed the Minister of Interior or local administrators and demanded that Şırnak Governor Birol Ekici be dismissed immediately.

Others claimed that the peshmerga entered Turkey in this way after Şırnak MP Arslan Tatar, who showered Barzani with praise at that symposium saying, "You are my uncle. You are the light of our eyes... If we have seen Kurdishness, we have seen it from you," requested that the protocols be relaxed. Additionally, Deputy Minister of Interior Münir Karaloğlu, who attended the symposium, was also blamed.

WHO PREVENTED THE PERSON WHO WANTED TO DO THEIR JOB?

In short, while it is obvious that someone in Cizre did not or could not do their job, and while the person responsible for the disgrace is being sought now, shouldn't we remember what happened to the person who wanted to do their job?

We are talking about Governor Bülent Tekbıyıkoğlu, who was asked to be dismissed after a commemoration ceremony was held in Tunceli for two PKK members on May 17.

Governor Tekbıyıkoğlu said, "I will not allow a commemoration ceremony for PKK members." However, the instruction came from Ankara: "They will hold a religious ceremony, allow it." After seeing the disgraces under the name of commemoration, he resigned and requested to be withdrawn to the center.

But some accused this Governor, who only and solely wanted to do his job, of "wanting to hollow out the terror-free Turkey project" and even of "provocation."

Anything else?

It was alleged that the terrorist leader said the following during a visit to Imralı after the incident:

"Now we talk about the law of brotherhood. Look, Ibrahim Bey came here. There was a governor who opposed the commemoration of Ali Haydars, the Dersim governor. He said, 'I fired him immediately.'"

Governor Tekbıyıkoğlu responded to this claim by saying, "No one fired me. The person/office mentioned is not a person/office that can fire me anyway. Without even receiving any suggestion in this direction, I submitted my request to be removed from my Tunceli Governorship duty to our Ministry on May 19, 2025, of my own free will. If it is true, the statement mentioned in the record in question is a baseless remark made to win the appreciation of the interlocutor."

Noting that the then-Tunceli Police Chief Hakan Duman, who, just like Governor Tekbıyıkoğlu, did not look favorably on that commemoration, was also taken to the center last September, let us return to the Cizre disgrace.

After Bahçeli, his Chief Advisor Ruhi Ersoy also showed the following reaction:

"In the process management of the emergence of images that reflect on public opinion and disturb the national conscience, especially on the occasion of the symposium in Şırnak, and in many similar discussions, including the security problems of recent days, the appearance of being an object of events has been given again. Even if those who cannot manage the process find a low-level culprit and close the subject, the truth will continue to stand there!"

In the New Turkey, while all officials from A to Z start their sentences with "With the instruction of our President," while even a fire is intervened with Erdoğan's instruction, and while what happened to Governor Tekbıyıkoğlu is obvious; how realistic can the expectation be that local administrators in Şırnak will be blamed or that a low-level culprit will be found?!

Let alone finding someone responsible, it would be good if the Police Chief, whom the DEM members targeted on the grounds that he prevented the co-mayors of Cizre Municipality from attending the symposium, is not dismissed!..

Müyesser YILDIZ

December 10, 2025