Özgür Özel clarifies the issue of Arabic signs that has been occupying the agenda

Addressing important agenda items during a live broadcast on Sözcütv, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel made new assessments regarding the changes of Arabic signs in CHP-run municipalities. Regarding the sign issue that continues to occupy the agenda, Özel said the following:

A few news sites, sites sympathetic to a certain party, reported the entire statement as 'Özgür Özel said do not remove Arabic signs.' The Twitter world is a world like this: One person accepts it as true and writes something. Another reads it, writes something, and so on... After a while, perception replaces fact.

Let me make a mathematical contribution here. The birth rate of Turks living in Turkey has fallen to 1.45. For Syrians, this is 5.65. This means 25 million Syrians in 20 years. This is a very big risk for a country's urban demographics. Precautions must be taken.

"I AM NOT DEFENDING ARABIC SIGNS"

Let's come to what I said about the essence of the matter. I have no changed views. We advocate for dialogue with Syria. Assad must meet with his legitimate interlocutors. Whether I am against Syrian refugees or not, what does it matter? I am against the policies and politicians that create refugees.

I repeat all my statements for and against this issue with great confidence. What I said is this: 'Friends, the image of a mayor tearing down Arabic signs on television is not the right image from our perspective. I am not defending Arabic signs. I don't like those Arabic signs on Istiklal Street, nor do I like them anywhere else. But I don't like English or French signs either. There is a legal regulation regarding this. 'Signs must be in Turkish; if there is a sign in a foreign language, it cannot exceed 25 percent of the main sign.' If this were implemented, a regulation would largely be achieved.

Furthermore, they cannot hang signs that are contrary to the Sign Law at random. But according to the law, you must issue a warning for this method, and the owner must remove it themselves. If they don't remove it, send the municipal police, warn them. Finally, have it removed in accordance with the procedure, but remove the English ones as well as the Arabic ones. I said this. I said, 'Just as a mayor doesn't operate a fire truck when a fire breaks out, and just as a mayor doesn't go and turn off the valve when a water pipe bursts, it is not your job to tear them down. Your job is to give instructions in accordance with the regulation.

"HE USES THE WORD ARAB LIKE A SLUR"

I asked what happens if you tear it down. For example, if someone in my own village of Hacerler finds a piece of paper with Arabic on it on the ground. They take that paper and put it on a windowsill where it won't be stepped on. They don't know Arabic, maybe it's a joke written on it, but they have identified Arabic with the Quran. I am not saying that Arabic is a sacred language. Arabic is the language in which the Holy Quran was written.

People consider Arabic sacred because it is the language of the Quran. I said that you going and tearing it down in a harsh manner would open irreparable wounds in people on behalf of our party. I said, just as you don't drive the city bus, you shouldn't remove that map from there, and I continued.

Furthermore, Arabic is the mother tongue of 6 million citizens of the Republic of Turkey. In Şanlıurfa, Mardin, Hatay, and to some extent in Batman... The disrespect shown to Arabic also hurts the citizens of the Republic of Turkey.

There is a politician, a party leader. He uses the word Arab like a slur. It is not right. If you use the word Arab like a slur, tomorrow you cannot oppose someone when they use the word Turk like a slur."

Özgür Özel clarifies the issue of Arabic signs that has been occupying the agenda. 'Using the word Arab like a slur'https://t.co/CEs58qbyZL pic.twitter.com/TOV0O3yDNK

— 12punto (@12puntocomtr) May 16, 2024

News Source: 12punto