Response to Bahçeli's "separatism" accusation from KSC and Rawest: "Our research is wrong
The Rastî-Kurdish Studies Center (KSC) and Rawest Research responded to MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli linking their research on Amedspor fandom to "separatism
RastinewsKurdish Studies Center (KSC) and Rawest Research responded in a written statement to MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli's remarks linking their research on Amedspor fandom to "separatism."
The Kurdish Studies Center (KSC) and Rawest Research responded to the harsh criticism from MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli regarding their "Survey on Kurdish Perception and Fandom of Amedspor," which they presented to the public on August 28 with support from the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.
In a joint statement titled "To the Public," the two institutions said the country is going through one of the most important processes in its history regarding the Kurdish issue, and that they have been following this process and trying to contribute to it since it began. The institutions recalled that they had organized various events related to the process and had shared their views by taking part in a Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) commission to which they were invited.
The statement emphasized that the football research conducted showed that sport can contribute to social integration and confirmed that Amedspor is an "important bridge" in strengthening social relations and togetherness. KSC and Rawest said that Bahçeli's statement showed that the research had been misunderstood, contrary to its actual purpose.
What had Bahçeli said?
In a written statement on September 2, Bahçeli claimed that the survey — conducted through face-to-face interviews with 1,471 people in 19 provinces — argued that "Amedspor fandom, by asserting how the line between football and identity intensifies, was trying to keep the treachery of separatism alive," and alleged that the club was being "used as a tool for dirty projects." The MHP leader also called for criminal sanctions against research aimed at misleading the public.
According to the survey, one-third of participants of Kurdish origin support Amedspor as fans; 38% of participants describe the club as a "representative of identity."
KSC and Rawest concluded their statement by saying that, as institutions that have devoted a significant part of their work to social peace throughout the process, they considered it a responsibility to correct this misunderstanding.