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AKIN News - February 1996

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Is Turkey Preparing To Invade The South (North Iraq)?

While the PKK's unilateral cease-fire continues the Turkish army has begun a
troop build up on the south Kurdistan border. This build up brings forth the
question "Is Turkey preparing to invade south Kurdistan before Newroz?" The
day before yesterday almo st 50 military vehicles, 9 coach loads of
soldiers, 13 refrigerated trucks and 3 large trucks carrying equipment
arrived in Sirnak via Nusaybin. Troops are also reported to have been
deployed on the Iraqi border near Cukurca, where troops from the Hakkari
Mountain Commando Brigade and Van Commando Brigade were brought in by air on
8 February.
Ozgur Politika, February 15, 1996
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Is South Kurdistan On The Verge Of Occupation?

(From a front page editorial in Ozgur Politika) At a time when the PKK has
declared a cease-fire the Turkish army is continuing military operations
without a break. Now it is building up its forces in the region generally
and along the South Kurdistan bor der in particular The timing of this
deployment is of great significance. At this time meetings between Iraq and
Syria on the question of water are going on. The two countries have stated
that "they will have to resort to different means." Saddam has ann ounced he
will renew supplies of electricity to the Kurds and called on the Kurdish
leaders to start talks. Iran has announced it will organize a conference in
opposition to the Kurdish summit being promoted by Syria, Jordan, Israel,
Turkey and the U.S. N ow let us return to Turkey's preparations for
occupation. KDP sources say that Turkey is exerting pressure on them to
assist a reoccupation of south Kurdistan that would take place before Newroz
(March 21), and that this time Turkey is planing a long-term stay. It seems
unlikely that the KDP will assist Turkey in its aim, but this does not mean
that certain narrow circles will not help. It appears likely that
developments in the region will be prominent on the agenda in the near
future.
Ozgur Politika, February 15, 1996
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PKK And KDP Meet

On 7 February PKK President Abdullah Ocalan met a high level KDP delegation.
This meeting was a continuation of the process of dialogue launched by the
cease-fire in south Kurdistan announced by the PKK on 10 December 1995. At
the meeting on 7 February th e development of steps towards peace, the
consolidation of national unity and the prevention of provocations that
would obstruct the positive process that has been launched were discussed.
It was decided to include the PUK in endeavors towards national un ity and
to continue the talks in a more comprehensive form. Daoud Baghistani, the
OSCE's south Kurdistan representative at the UN who carried out mediation in
the PKK - KDP cease-fire, was present at the meeting. Baghistani said:
"These developments are e ncouraging and an example of progress that needs
to be made." Ozgur Politika, February 9, 1996
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Calls For Release Of Firat

A broad campaign has been launched for the release of former Erzurum MP
Abdlmelik Firat, who is in custody in Bayrampasha prison in Istanbul. Firat,
who has been remanded in custody after a statement was made by a defector
from the PKK, has heart and eye problems and requires constant medical
attention. The Erzincan State Security Court, which issued the arrest
warrant for Mr. Firat, is demanding he be transferred to Gumushane or
Erzurum prison. The 547 prisoners in Bayrampasha prison are preparing to cal
l on the European Parliament and other international organizations to make
representations to secure Abdulmelik Firat's release. Detainee's doctors
among the prisoners are keeping a 24-hour watch on Firat, who is constantly
passing blood in his urine. La wyers from the Social Law Research Foundation
(TOHAV) have called for Mr. Firat to be given a medical examination to
determine what conditions he needs for medical supervision and treatment.
Meanwhile, Altan Tan and officials from Mazlum - Der (Associatio n of
Oppressed) are collecting signatures on a petition calling for Firat's
release which will subsequently be sent to President Suleyman Demirel.
Ozgur Politika, February 9, 1996
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Yilmaz Visits HADEP

Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz paid a visit to the HADEP
headquarters in Ankara and met HADEP President Murat Bozlak and other party
officials. At a press conference after the meeting, which lasted
approximately 40 minutes, Mesut Yilmaz said they had an exchange of views on
the subject of injustice in the electoral system and the problem of the
"south east", Turkey's biggest problem. Murat Bozlak stated that in order
for the cease-fire to become lasting the state must respond and that ANAP mu
st make efforts on this issue. Bozlak said that the state of emergency in
Kurdistan and village guard system had been launched in the Ozal period, but
that Ozal had realized this had not resolved anything but had not lived long
enough to end these measure s, and asked Mesut Yilmaz to follow Turgut
Ozal's legacy. Mesut Yilmaz did not comment on what Murat Bozlak said. He
said the meeting had been useful and said that ANAP would present proposals
in parliament to change electoral law and ensure just represe ntation.
Ozgur Politika, February 9, 1996
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Former DEP MPs In Court

Former DEP MPs Sedat Yurtdas, Sirri Sakik, Ahmet Turk and independent Mahmut
Alinak have appeared in the Ankara State Security Court (DGM) for a retrial
due to the decision of the Yargitay (High Court) to quash the original
verdict of the DGM concerning t he former MPs. The former deputies, who are
not in custody, were accompanied in court by foreign observers and former
deputy M. Emin Sever. Sedat Yurtdas spoke after the defense lawyers,
recalling that DGM Chief Prosecutor Nusret Demiral joined the MHP
(Nationalist Acti on Party) after retiring adding: "Demiral said to Trkes
'from now on I will call you Bashbug (leader)'. This demonstrates the
mentality that tried us." The case was adjourned to a later date.
Ozgur Politika, February 10, 1996
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Sivas Faces Social Explosion

Reactions to the emptying of villages and detention of villagers in security
operations in Sivas province are increasing. Republican People's Party (CHP)
Assistant Secretary Sinan Yerlikaya stated that state forces were targeting
Alevi villages in particu lar and said: "The people of Sivas are on the
verge of a serious social outburst". The Democratic Left Party (DSP) has a
delegation in the area conducting an investigation. DISK (Progressive
Workers Confederation) General Secretary Kemal Daysal said the t error
experienced in Dersim last year was this year occurring in Sivas. Daysal
said the people were fed up with intensive operations, mass arrests and
village evacuations . "It is the security forces, who should be responsible
for the people's security, t hat are the cause of this," added Daysal, "we
must not allow this to happen. If we remain silent it will encourage the
culprits. We warn all parties and their MPs. The terror created by fanatics
acting on behalf of the state may tomorrow affect you." CHP Assistant
General Secretary Sinan Yerlikaya said at a press conference at the CHP HQ
yesterday that over 500 villagers had been detained, 300 villages blockaded
and harassed. Yerlikaya called on the authorities to change the governor of
Sivas, who he acc used of targeting Alevis and left - thinking people while
protecting Sunnis and rightists.
Ozgur Politika, February 11, 1996
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"Massacre Evidence Points To State"

A delegation comprising Professor Laurence Lustgarten from Southampton
University, British historian-writer David McDowell and Caroline Nolan from
the Kurdish Human Rights Project have completed their investigations in
Siirt, Guclukonak, Van and Diyarbaki r. The delegation visited the region in
order to investigate on the spot the post-election situation and human
rights violations. The delegation met relatives of those who lost family
members in the Guclukonak massacre and said: "The evidence given by the
relatives of those who died points to the state as perpetrator." The
delegation said they had been constantly followed by police and troops and
obtained evidence from people who had been detained that was contrary to
statements made by the authorities." In our report we will ask the Turkish
authorities to answer our q uestions concerning this claim."
Ozgur Politika, February 12, 1996
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MHP Running Erzurum Prison

Inmates in Erzurum prison, which has been the scene of brutality over the
last two years leading to the death of one prisoner and the injury and
permanent disablement of dozens, have made a statement detailing the
influence of the MHP (Nationalist Action Party) on the running of the
prison. The prisoners stated that; "The MHP determine the prison prosecutor,
governors and other officials. It gets rid of those personnel that are not
close to the party. . . The legal authorities should investigate the archi
ves of the local press in which provocative news stories have appeared." The
detainees stated that rights won by hunger strikes had been usurped by
governors and prison officers who did not feel the need to conceal the fact
that they were MHP supporters. The prisoners gave details of repression in
the prison. In one incident "soldiers entered a block on the pretext of a
"circumcision check". When the inmates objected the prison officers said:
'The soldiers just want to find out whether you are Armenians o r not. They
will just have a look. It will only take 5 minutes.' The soldiers then
ripped off the detainees' clothes and checked their genital organs." HADEP
Igdir candidate M. Nuri Gunes, who was recently released from Erzurum
prison, said he had been in the prison for nearly two months with the
political detainees. Gunes said that the prison was like "a bomb ready to
explode at any moment."
Ozgur Politika, February 12, 1996
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Alevis And The Kemalist Reality - By Naim Kili

In Milliyet of 30 January there was an article about a court case involving
100 people being tried for involvement in the incidents in Gazi neighborhood
in March 1995. The Secretary of the Hack Bequeaths Veil Cultural Association
Sucker Cetin saw that th ere was no picture of Ataturk behind the judge
[this is obligatory in courts, classrooms etc. in Turkey] and said to the
judge "I want Attar's photograph to be behind you". The other defendants
expressed the same wish. It is impossible (for those who kno w the reality
of Kemalism) not to feel physically sick to hear such a request. You will
remember that during the Gaza incidents the police, educated to be conscious
of "Ataturk principles and reforms" fired on the crowd consisting mainly of
Alevis, killin g over 20 people. This they did instead of finding the people
responsible for the shooting of three people in a cafe that sparked the
protests. The Kemalist state also arrested and tortured many of those who
protested and is now trying them. These Alevi c itizens, victims of the
police, now want to be honored by a photograph of Ataturk, who inspires the
police. Ataturk and his associates slaughtered tens of thousands of Alevis
in Dersim (1937-38), and his followers killed hundreds in Maras, Corum and
Sivas , and most recently 37 Alevi intellectuals were burnt alive in Sivas
while the police looked on. Despite this some Alevis who claim to be
intellectuals and progressives can still say "We want Ataturk". Ataturk was
declared to be the father of the Turks an d made sacred during the first
decades of the republic, when there were massacres in Genc, Palu, Ararat and
Dersim. In Dersim Ataturk is seen as the saviour of the Alevis. This is the
outcome of the assimilation programme carried out after the massacres. A
cult of obedience built around Ataturk similar to that described by Orwell
in "1984" around the figure of Big Brother has existed in Turkey since the
founding of the republic. The peoples living in Turkey must realize the
reality of the situation. Wh atever Hitler was for the Jews, Ataturk is for
the Kurds. Whatever Hitler and National Socialism was for the Germans,
Ataturk Kemalism is for the Turkish people. One of the most significant
aspects of the growing freedom movement in Kurdistan is its realistic
approach to the question of Ataturk-Kemalism and its correct analysis of
this phenomenon. In order to create a free, prosperous and peaceful life it
is essential to wage a struggle against the monster of Kemalism. This is the
duty of all democratically minded people in Turkey and is something that
must be undertaken without delay.
Ozgur Politika, February 13, 1996
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Kurdish Activists In Turkey Vow To Keep Up Their Fight ...

Kurdish activists in Turkey vowed to keep up their fight for Kurdish rights
despite not getting enough votes to qualify for parliament at general
elections last weekend. "Our struggle. . . will include efforts at the
personal and institutional levels to find a solution to the Kurdish
problem," Sedat Yurtdas, a candidate for the People's Democracy Party
(HADEP) in Sunday's polls, told a news conference. HADEP, which champions
greater rights for Kurds and a negotiated end to an 11-year Kurdish
rebellion, t ook around 30 percent of the votes in the mainly-Kurdish
southeast but failed to pass a national threshold of 10 percent. Political
analysts say the 10 percent barrier meant millions of voters were
disenfranchised. "This system will get more damaged by k eeping us out of
parliament," said Yurtdas, one of 13 Kurdish MPs who were accused of
separatism and thrown out of parliament last year. He said HADEP candidates
regarded themselves as having been elected and would behave as MPs. He did
not elaborate.
Reuters, December 27, 1995
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Bleak Outlook For Turkey

Two weeks ago the European Parliament swallowed its scruples over human
rights and voted to approve the customs union between Turkey and the EU,
which thus comes into force next week. More serious is the expulsion of
HADEP, the party which won the larges t number of votes in four southeastern
provinces by campaigning for a peaceful solution to the Kurdish nationalist
uprising. Many Kurds in that area will see their own preferred candidates
excluded from parliament in favor of others who won fewer votes. T his can
only strengthen the feeling that there is no way to assert a Kurdish
identity in Turkey, except by armed struggle.

Kurdish Priorities

The Kurdish issue, along with inflation and unemployment, is one of the
priorities Mr. Necmettin Erbakan, the Refah leader, says he would like to
pursue in a coalition government. He has not spelt out how he would solve
it, and his economic ideas such as exchange controls and the gradual
abolition of interest on bank loans would hardly improve the economy. But it
is perhaps a pity that he will not be given the chance to try. Instead
Turkey is likely to live through a further period of political instabilit y,
with a divided, fractious and probably corrupt governing coalition whose
only apparent raison d'Ętre will be to keep Mr. Erbakan out of power. To
have a hope of success, the ruling parties must confront the economic
problems that have created the condi tions for Refah's success.

Turks Fearful Of Future After Gains By Islamists

The kind of measures needed to correct the country's chronic economic ills,
including runaway inflation, a huge budget deficit and an inflated public
sector, will in the short term generate the sort of discontent that the
Islamists, as the country's main opposition party, would feed off. To leave
economic decline unchecked could yield the same result. Many political
experts believe that the only way to do the job without strengthening the
Islamists would be to engage them directly in the recovery process. The
logic of checking the rise of political Islam by shutting out Refah is also
flawed in that it assumes that the party is the only propagator of Islamic
ideology. There is also a strong element of hypocrisy in the claims of Mrs.
Ciller and Mr. Yilmaz t o be the great defenders of secularism in Turkey.
Both their parties have their fair share of openly pro-Islamic deputies.
Even the left-wing parties occasionally flirt with the shadowy 'tarikats'
(Islamic brotherhoods), which, despite being banned by Ata turk, continue to
wield considerable political influence. Mrs. Ciller makes frequent
references to Allah and the Koran in speeches - and for good reason. In many
ways the election results show the depth of the identity crisis which Turkey
is going throu gh. Only 13 women will sit in the new 550-member Turkish
parliament after Sunday's legislative elections, which a pro-Islamic party
won by a slim margin.
The Daily Telegraph, December 27, 1995
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Keep The Monsters In Their Box

Hardly a month goes by without an election where the principal concern is
not that voters might be intimidated but that the people might freely elect,
under impeccable democratic conditions, the "wrong party". The amount of
time and effort spent by Wester n nations, far from immune themselves to
such tendencies, in trying to prevent the "wrong" people getting into power
is well illustrated by the European Parliament's decision this week to
approve the Customs Union with Turkey. Basically, we want to bribe the Turks
into not voting for Refah, the Islamist party, in this month's elections.
The vote went through in spite of the fact that the Turks have found no
solution to their Kurdish problem other than military suppression. Europe's
capacity to influence Ankara's policy on the Kurds will probably now
diminish. In effect, we decided keeping Refah out was more important than
what is happening to the Kurds.
The Guardian, December 16, 1995
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Eleven Villagers Burnt Alive

Not long after the pictures of Turkish soldiers posing with the severed
heads of guerrillas had been published in the world's press, another
atrocity has been perpetrated by the Turkish army. According to local
sources, operations have been stepped up in recent days against villages in
the Guclukonak district of Sirnak province. Ali Nas, a former village guard,
and his relative Ramazan Nas, from Cevrimli village, Beytullah Ilhan and
Abdullah Ilhan from Gumusyazi village, Nurettin Baykara (former village g
uard), Halit Kaya and Ahmet Kaya (former village guard) from Yatagankaya
village and Mehmet Oner and three villagers whose names have not been
established from Kocyandi village were detained. They were accused of voting
for HADEP in the recent elections a nd of assisting guerrillas, and then
taken to the village of Taskonak which was emptied in autumn 1995. After
being interrogated by a unit of Gendarme NCOs, the villagers were put in a
minibus belonging to a person called Beshir (surname not known) and se nt
back towards Guclukonak. However, on leaving the village the minibus was
stopped by troops and the villagers were made to get out and were tied to
the vehicle, which was then set alight by the soldiers and the eleven men
were burnt alive. It is reporte d that another minibus driver witnessed the
incident and that when the driver Beshir went to Kocyandi village and
explained what had happened the incident became known. Villagers from
Kocyandi went to Guclukonak and asked the military authorities what had
happened. They were told that "the PKK set up a road block and killed your
relatives," and were sent back to their village. Local sources stated that
cosmetic operations were launched immediately, helicopters being called up
to bombard the area in order to give the impression that there were
guerrilla units in the area. The governor of the Emergency Law region made a
statement claiming the PKK had burnt the 11 villagers. Why This Massacre?
Kurdish sources point to the timing of the massacre, emphasizing that the
atrocity photos had a great effect all over the world. "T he Turkish state
perpetrated this massacre, blaming it on the PKK, in order to deflect
criticism aimed at itself. The aim of this massacre is to distort the
agenda," they said. Kurdish circles pointed out that it was interesting that
such provocations sho uld occur at a time when the PKK has declared a
cease-fire.
Ozgur Politika, January 17, 1996
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Reaction To Savagery Grows

Following the publication of pictures in the British and Greek press showing
atrocities committed by the Turkish army, the Spanish paper El Mundo
headlined a story on January 14 thus: "They displayed the severed heads of 4
Kurdish fighters like a trophy o f war." The British Sunday Times published
the photos under the heading: "Grim Pictures of Army Butchery Deal Blow to
Turkey's EC Hopes", and reported that Pauline Green, leader of the socialist
group in the European Parliament, had written to Turkish Pre sident Suleyman
Demirel to express the group's horror.
Ozgur Politika, January 16, 1996
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Angry Reactions To Atrocity - By A. Kadir Konuk

First the Turkish embassy in London said the soldiers in the picture "were
not Turkish". Then the Turkish General Staff claimed the photographs were
"photomontage", that is the soldiers were Turkish but, according to the
Turkish General Staff, the severed heads were specially added to the photos
later. Anyone with any common sense would find such an explanation absurd. I
can also make such claims: The chief of the General Staff Karadayi is
Erbakan's aunt. They did this with photomontage. In October 1994, the
General Staff made similar claims about the burning of villages in Tunceli,
alleging "separatist circles used pictures purporting to be Turkish soldiers
to give the impression that 'the Turkish security forces are burning
villages'". They forced a village chief to appear on television, but when
asked who had burnt the villages he said: "Soldiers did it". What became of
him I wonder? When Ciller claimed that the PKK had helicopters, I remember
how everyone made fun of her. In fact, it is the Constitution of Turkey and
its laws that are photomontage. Take away the European label and you will
see the brutality of nomadic tribes. Take the American weapons away from the
Turkish army and nothing will remain.
Ozgur Politika, January 16, 1996
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Turkey Threatens Foreign Press

At a press conference in Ankara organized by the Turkish foreign ministry,
spokesman Nurettin Nurkan told foreign press representatives that "the
atrocity photos did not reflect reality" and claimed that "a conscious
campaign of defamation is being carrie d out against Turkey". Nurkan claimed
that human rights violations did not take place in Turkey and left questions
on this subject unanswered. Nurkan added that legal action would be taken
against those foreign news organizations that published articles b ased on
claims that "damaged Turkey's image".
Ozgur Politika, January 17, 1996
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Journalist Beaten To Death In Custody

It has been learned that 'Evrensel' reporter Metin Goktepe, who was detained
at the funerals of Riza Boybas and Orhan Ozen, two prisoners killed in
Urmaniye prison, was in fact, despite the denials of the authorities, beaten
to death by police. Metin Gokt epe went to the funerals on January 9 along
with 'Cumhuriyet' reporter Kerem Ilgaz and 'Yeni Yuzyil' reporter Murat
Inceoglu. Murat Inceoglu explained what happened: "I was present when Metin
was detained. The three of us were going to the mosque where th e funerals
were to take place. Police stopped us at a checkpoint and asked for yellow
press cards. We explained that not all journalists possessed yellow cards
and showed the cards issued to us by our newspapers. However two high
ranking police officers i nsisted on seeing yellow press cards. So we
decided to wait in a cafe. Then I saw that Metin was being taken away by the
police. They also took Kerem but immediately let him go." The police took
Metin Goktepe to Eyup Sports Hall, and according to eye witn esses he was
taken away from the hall where hundreds of people were being held, being
beaten as he went. The next morning someone who had just been released rang
'Evrensel' saying: "I was in detention. Your reporter was beaten to death. I
heard the voices . He was shouting: 'Don't hit me, you'll kill me. I'm Murat
Goktepe.'" One of the newspaper's lawyers, Kamil Tekin Surek, had this to
say: "We rang Eyup police station when we heard our reporter had been badly
beaten. The police said they'd released Metin . Later the police rang us to
say he'd been found dead in a tea garden. The police either took him there
after killing him or when he was on the point of dying." 'Evrensel' editor
Ihsan Caralan made a statement in which he said: "Metin Goktepe was delibe
rately detained and murdered in order to intimidate the opposition
press...This intimidation will not be able to prevent us continuing the
struggle to expose and publish realities." Interior Minister Teoman Unusan
stated that Metin Goktepe had been detain ed along with approximately 1,000
people by the police who took measures in order to stop "persons wishing to
take advantage of the situation" and prevent new incidents occurring. He
said, "There were some people detained but no instances of injury or dea
th."
Ozgur Politika, January 11, 1996
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12-Year Sentence For Journalist

Hasan Ozgun, the Diyarbakir representative of the closed down 'Ozgur Gundem'
newspaper, was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment at a hearing in the
Diyarbakir State Security Court on January 16. Mr. Ozgun was found guilty
under Paragraph 168 Article 2 of t he Turkish Penal Code for "being a member
of an armed gang, the PKK". Hasan Ozgun, who has been in custody in
Diyarbakir prison since December 9, 1993, read an 11-page defense in which
he rejected the accusations made against him. He said :"The charges ag ainst
me are based on materials taken from our office and letters written by the
families of detainees in Mardin prison. These letters are not evidence, they
are material for news stories".
Ozgur Politika, January 18, 1996
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American Kurdish Information Network (AKIN)
2309 Calvert Street NW #3
Washington, DC 20008-2603

Tel: (202) 483-6444
Fax: (202) 483-6476

E-mail: akin@kurdish.org
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