Turkish politicians mark day for people with disabilities

CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. DAILY NEWS photo

Turkish governments have not done enough to provide opportunities for its citizens with disabilities, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Friday.

“Over time, our governments have failed to create legal regulations and social equipment for our citizens with disabilities, to give them the necessary opportunities, chances and advantages,” Erdoğan said in a written statement.

Dec. 3 is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, an international event that has been promoted by the United Nations since 1992.

Erdoğan said 12 percent of the Turkish population is currently living with disabilities and that given the opportunity, they often excel in sports, art, management and trade.

The prime minister said his government has, for the first time in the history of the country, passed a Law for People with Disabilities.

“We have used all of our power and energy to bring persons with disabilities into daily life. We declared 2005 the year of people with disabilities. We have headed campaigns and councils. We have encouraged the employment of people with disabilities. We made sure local governments created units that dealt specifically with people with disabilities,” said the prime minister.

Parliament Speaker Mehmet Ali Şahin said the remaining inequalities for the disabled community would be remedied with time.

“Parliament is sensitive on this issue,” said Şahin, noting that the legislature was also responsible for making sure the laws passed are enforced.

The head of the Prime Ministry Administration for People with Disabilities, Bekir Köksal, visited Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Turkish republican founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, in honor of Dec. 3.

Writing in the official guest book, Köksal said efforts to bring people with disabilities into public life with honor and equality were increasing every day.

The Ankara Lawyers’ Association administrative board also released a written statement in honor of the day, stating that the main problem for those with disabilities is the actual physical environment and its obstacles.

A large group of people with disabilities marched from Maltepe to Kızılay in Ankara with slogans such as “The social state should do what is necessary,” “Remove laws that are not enforced” and “We want free education.”