Turkish newspaper The New Anatolian wrote the 18th September about the difficulties what Turkish companies have in South Kurdistan as the tension between Turkey and the Kurdish Regional Government increases. According to the newspaper Turkish companies do not have difficulties with the government officials of Nechirvan Barzani but the lower echelons of the Kurdish bureaucracy put up meaningless obstacles for them.
Turkish businessmen should target their complains to their own government and demand it to find a political solution to the Kurdish question. This would benefit them much more than blaming local Kurdish administration.
The New Anatolian represents the Turkish perspective. Kurdish news agency Peyamner had Kurdish view when it quoted Eurasia Daily Monitor the 15th September. According to its analysis the situation of Turkish businessmen has become more difficult because the Turkish government refuses to engage politically with the Kurdish leadership. During the last six months around ten countries have opened a consulate in Hewler but the sole Turkish diplomat operates from a hotel room.
The problems of Turkish companies with Kurdish administration on the local level would be solved if there would be better cooperation on the higher political level. For example Turkish oil company Petoil could export oil if Turkey would sign an agreement about the use of the Kirkuk-Yumutarlik oil pipeline. But according to Eurasia Daily Monitor Turkey does not want to do it because it fears that it would be a de facto recognition of the Kurdish political entity in North Iraq.
There are tens of thousands of Turkish soldiers on the boarder ready to occupy Kirkuk. How Turkish people can expect to be treated friendly in Kurdistan when their army threatens Kurdish political leaders? I give again an example from my country Finland. More than sixty years ago there was a war between Finland and Soviet Union, which is nowadays Russia. This war still affects the public opinion in Finland. People do not have a warm attitude towards Russia. Finland buys oil and gas from Russia, and Finnish construction companies build houses in Russia. But it is not many Russian companies which operate in Finland. No one would buy their products.
Good economical cooperation is based on other good relationships. Turkish companies made a good start in South Kurdistan when the UN sanctions ended. Now they are losing their positions because of the aggressive opinions of the Turkish government and army. The base of the economical structure in the Kurdish autonomous area is designed now for the coming decades. Due to the UN sanctions there was absence of normal infrastructure, many things are being built almost from point zero. If the Turkish companies leave now South Kurdistan companies from other countries take their place. They invest for the future and make later good profits.
Kurdistan will be a rich country when Kirkuk will join the Kurdish area. If Turkish companies lose now their positions in South Kurdistan they will not be able to get them back in the future.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Semdinli trial. Once again.
Advocate Murat Timur in Semdinli with local kids. October 2005. Photo: Kristiina Koivunen
So TSK has got its will through. The Semdlinli bomb attack will be investigated in a military court instead of the Van 3rd Penal Court.
Here is picture of Murat Timur whom Bianet interviewed the 17th September. He is one of the victims’ advocates. I took the picture about two weeks before the bomb attack.
So on the other side there are young but very talented Kurds. On the other side there are retired Turkish generals and other people near the retirement age. Funny isn’t it? No, it is not funny. It is very sad. Not only for the sake of the Kurds but also because of the Turks. It is also their right to know what happened in Semdinli the 9th November 2005.
* * *
There are now some technical problems in blogspot so I can not add a link. But you find Bianet's information about Semdinli trial here:
http://www.bianet.org/english/kategori/english/101806/semdinli-trial-in-military-court
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Busy week at Turkish courts
Trials against journalists and writers and other issues related to freedom of expression. Thanks for the friends who sent me this information from Turkey.
* * *
Accused :Erdal Dogan
Court and Date of Hearing : Beyoglu 4th Legal Court of First Instance – 18 September 2007 at 09:37 am
Introduction : Retired general Veli Küçük filed a suit against the lawyer of Hrant Dink over him saying ¨Hrant was feeling nerves about Küçük¨. Küçük, claime 10 thousand lira compansation. The case is handled by Beyoğlu primary court.
* * *
Accused : Umur Hozatli
Court and Date of Hearing : Beyoglu 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, 19 September 2007 at 09:00 am
Introduction : The case is against writer and director Umur Hozatlı over his article published in ¨Ülkede Özgür Gündem¨ daily. Hozatlı wrote ¨Turkish Police Organisation has a reputation of intimidating people without distinguishing between criminals and the innocent, working for petty personal interest¨. Hozatlı is charged with ¨insulting the police¨.
* * *
Accused : Umur Hozatli, Nurettin Akalp
Court and Date of Hearing : Beyoğlu 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, 19 September 2007 at 09:00 am
Introduction : 12 September is a good day to kill a boy in Diyarbakır (meaning Fevzi Abık). Good kids of 12 September coup have become known under the names of ¨TİT¨, ¨JİT¨ or JİTEM¨. Hozatlı is charged with insulting the security forces.
* * *
Accused : Yilmaz Celik
Court and Date of Hearing : Ankara 11th High Criminal Court, 19 September 2007 at 09:15 am
Introduction : The case is opened against Yılmaz Çelik, Hizb-ut Tahrir´s Turkey rep. with the charge of ¨being an executive member of a terrorist organisation¨. Despite the fact that in the records of the security department there has not been any violent act by the organisation, prosecution defined the organisation as a terrorist group. Çelik´s sending postcards to some people with that signature during Ramadan was one of the justifications of the charge.
* * *
Accused : Siman Kara
Court and Date of Hearing : Beyoglu 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, 19 September 2007 at 09:30 am
Introduction : The case is against journalist Sinan Kara over his report criticising the army published in ¨Ülkede Özgür Gündem¨ daily. He is charged with ¨insulting the military organisation of the state through press¨.
* * *
Accused : Ahmet Alper Gormus
Court and Date of Hearing : Bakırköy 2nd Criminal Court of Fisrt Instance, 19 September 2007 at 09:30 am
Introduction : A case was opened against the chief editor of Nokta magazine Alper Görmüş with the charge of insulting and slandering against the former commander of the Navy Özden Örnek. Nokta published diaries claimed to belong to Örnek. Magazine reports qouting the diaries argued that there were military coup plans in 2004. Görmüş faces imprionment upto 6 years and 8 months.
* * *
Accused : Ahmet Onal
Court and Date of Hearing : İstanbul 11th High Criminal Court, 19 September 2007 at 09:50 am
Introduction : Istanbul 11th High Criminal Court referred the case to Kadikoy
Criminal Court of First Instance. The case against Onal under TPC article 220 will be continued under Fighting Terror Law article 7. Article 7 carries 5 years prison sentence and fines for “propagandating terrorism.”
* * *
Accused : Halil Savda
Court and Date of Hearing : Istanbul 1st Criminal Court of First Instance, 19 September 2007 at 10:00 am
Introduction : Savda has been charged with “alieanating people from military service” over reading out a press release insupport of the two Israeli soldiers Amir Paster and Itzik Shabbat who were imprisoned for 28 days over refusing to take part in operations against civilians in Lebanon.
* * *
Accused : Irfan Ucar, Hasan Bayar
Court and Date of Hearing : Beyoglu 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, 19 September 2007 at 10:00 am
Introduction : The case was opened against journalists İrfan Uçar and the responsible editor of Gündem daily Hasan Bayar over an article ¨number 301¨ by Uçar published on 13 December 2005 dated issue of the paper. The complainant is Ministry of Justice. Uçar and Bayar are charged with humiliating the government, the justice system, police and the military forces of the state.
* * *
Accused : Sinan Kara
Court and Date of Hearing : Beyoglu 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, 19 September 2007 at 10:00 am
Introduction : The case is over an article by Sinan Kara published in the website www.memleketinsesi.com on 25 January 2005. Kara wrote Datça´s district administrator (kaymakam) Savaş Tuncer turned a blind eye to and favoured the smuggling of historical artifacts.
* * *
Accused : Serpil Koksal, Ibrahim Kizartici, Sevket Murat Dusen
Court and Date of Hearing : Ankara 4th Criminal Court of First Instance, 20 September 2007 at 09:45 am
Introduction : Serpil Köksal from Conscientious Objection Working Group, İbrahim Kızartıcı carrying a placard “Don’t be a soldier” and Şevket Murat were arrested as they demonstrated in front of Human Rights Statue on 12 April 2007 demanding the release of conscientious objector Halil Savda. Ankara Security Department filed a complaints against them which led to a case. They are charged with “alienating people from military service.
* * *
Accused : İbrahim Guclu, Neval Barlas, Enis Mazhar Tayman
Court and Date of Hearing : Bagcilar 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, 20 September 2007 at 10:25 am
Introduction : The case is against reporter of Tempo magazine Enis Mazhar Tayman and responsibe editor Neval Barlas over an interview with former vice president of Rights and Freedoms Party (Hak-Par) İbrahim Güçlü who is also the spokeperson of Diyarbakır KURD-DER association.
* * *
Accused :Erdal Dogan
Court and Date of Hearing : Beyoglu 4th Legal Court of First Instance – 18 September 2007 at 09:37 am
Introduction : Retired general Veli Küçük filed a suit against the lawyer of Hrant Dink over him saying ¨Hrant was feeling nerves about Küçük¨. Küçük, claime 10 thousand lira compansation. The case is handled by Beyoğlu primary court.
* * *
Accused : Umur Hozatli
Court and Date of Hearing : Beyoglu 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, 19 September 2007 at 09:00 am
Introduction : The case is against writer and director Umur Hozatlı over his article published in ¨Ülkede Özgür Gündem¨ daily. Hozatlı wrote ¨Turkish Police Organisation has a reputation of intimidating people without distinguishing between criminals and the innocent, working for petty personal interest¨. Hozatlı is charged with ¨insulting the police¨.
* * *
Accused : Umur Hozatli, Nurettin Akalp
Court and Date of Hearing : Beyoğlu 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, 19 September 2007 at 09:00 am
Introduction : 12 September is a good day to kill a boy in Diyarbakır (meaning Fevzi Abık). Good kids of 12 September coup have become known under the names of ¨TİT¨, ¨JİT¨ or JİTEM¨. Hozatlı is charged with insulting the security forces.
* * *
Accused : Yilmaz Celik
Court and Date of Hearing : Ankara 11th High Criminal Court, 19 September 2007 at 09:15 am
Introduction : The case is opened against Yılmaz Çelik, Hizb-ut Tahrir´s Turkey rep. with the charge of ¨being an executive member of a terrorist organisation¨. Despite the fact that in the records of the security department there has not been any violent act by the organisation, prosecution defined the organisation as a terrorist group. Çelik´s sending postcards to some people with that signature during Ramadan was one of the justifications of the charge.
* * *
Accused : Siman Kara
Court and Date of Hearing : Beyoglu 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, 19 September 2007 at 09:30 am
Introduction : The case is against journalist Sinan Kara over his report criticising the army published in ¨Ülkede Özgür Gündem¨ daily. He is charged with ¨insulting the military organisation of the state through press¨.
* * *
Accused : Ahmet Alper Gormus
Court and Date of Hearing : Bakırköy 2nd Criminal Court of Fisrt Instance, 19 September 2007 at 09:30 am
Introduction : A case was opened against the chief editor of Nokta magazine Alper Görmüş with the charge of insulting and slandering against the former commander of the Navy Özden Örnek. Nokta published diaries claimed to belong to Örnek. Magazine reports qouting the diaries argued that there were military coup plans in 2004. Görmüş faces imprionment upto 6 years and 8 months.
* * *
Accused : Ahmet Onal
Court and Date of Hearing : İstanbul 11th High Criminal Court, 19 September 2007 at 09:50 am
Introduction : Istanbul 11th High Criminal Court referred the case to Kadikoy
Criminal Court of First Instance. The case against Onal under TPC article 220 will be continued under Fighting Terror Law article 7. Article 7 carries 5 years prison sentence and fines for “propagandating terrorism.”
* * *
Accused : Halil Savda
Court and Date of Hearing : Istanbul 1st Criminal Court of First Instance, 19 September 2007 at 10:00 am
Introduction : Savda has been charged with “alieanating people from military service” over reading out a press release insupport of the two Israeli soldiers Amir Paster and Itzik Shabbat who were imprisoned for 28 days over refusing to take part in operations against civilians in Lebanon.
* * *
Accused : Irfan Ucar, Hasan Bayar
Court and Date of Hearing : Beyoglu 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, 19 September 2007 at 10:00 am
Introduction : The case was opened against journalists İrfan Uçar and the responsible editor of Gündem daily Hasan Bayar over an article ¨number 301¨ by Uçar published on 13 December 2005 dated issue of the paper. The complainant is Ministry of Justice. Uçar and Bayar are charged with humiliating the government, the justice system, police and the military forces of the state.
* * *
Accused : Sinan Kara
Court and Date of Hearing : Beyoglu 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, 19 September 2007 at 10:00 am
Introduction : The case is over an article by Sinan Kara published in the website www.memleketinsesi.com on 25 January 2005. Kara wrote Datça´s district administrator (kaymakam) Savaş Tuncer turned a blind eye to and favoured the smuggling of historical artifacts.
* * *
Accused : Serpil Koksal, Ibrahim Kizartici, Sevket Murat Dusen
Court and Date of Hearing : Ankara 4th Criminal Court of First Instance, 20 September 2007 at 09:45 am
Introduction : Serpil Köksal from Conscientious Objection Working Group, İbrahim Kızartıcı carrying a placard “Don’t be a soldier” and Şevket Murat were arrested as they demonstrated in front of Human Rights Statue on 12 April 2007 demanding the release of conscientious objector Halil Savda. Ankara Security Department filed a complaints against them which led to a case. They are charged with “alienating people from military service.
* * *
Accused : İbrahim Guclu, Neval Barlas, Enis Mazhar Tayman
Court and Date of Hearing : Bagcilar 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, 20 September 2007 at 10:25 am
Introduction : The case is against reporter of Tempo magazine Enis Mazhar Tayman and responsibe editor Neval Barlas over an interview with former vice president of Rights and Freedoms Party (Hak-Par) İbrahim Güçlü who is also the spokeperson of Diyarbakır KURD-DER association.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Gulan: Holidays in Kurdistan
The text in Kurdish.
Usva Auer, a young Finnish woman, travelled to Kurdistan last March. Her travel experiences were published some weeks ago in Voima -magazine. This magazine is very popular among young people in Finland. It is published 60 000 copies, which makes it a big magazine in Finland where population is five million. The story has ten pictures. There are pictures of a restaurant, mountain landscapes, Kurdish flag and teenagers playing foot boll.
How did Usva Auer experience Kurdistan? Travel guide books and the internet page of Finnish Foreign Ministry tell people to stay away from Iraq. She did not know what to expect - at least not people who speak Finnish language! Some refugees had returned from Finland back to their home country. Everything was easier than she had expected, no need even to get a visa. She did not feel that she was in Iraq - she did not even see the flags of Iraq.Auer visited Hewler, Lalesh and Sulaymania. The conclusion of her journey is that Kurds are the most friendly people in the world. The places she visited were like any other towns in the Middle East. It was difficult to believe that the war was so near by. She warmly recommends also other people to spend their holidays in Kurdistan.
She believes that Kurdistan will be soon a popular target for young backpackers who want to experience some adventures. Unfortunately the situation has changed in half a year. There has been problems with flights to Hewler. Many people travel to South Kurdistan via Turkey. But this means that they must meet the unfriendly Turkish customs officers who check their luggage at the boarder. But hopefully the problems with flights will be soon over.
Another thing what makes it difficult to travel to South Kurdistan is that ordinary travel insurances are not valid in Iraq. Insurance companies consider Iraq to be in the highest war risk category so the travel insurance costs about 500 euro per month. Despite South Kurdistan is peaceful compared to other parts of Iraq, the price is the same for every part of the country. Usva Auer thinks that the most difficult thing in travelling in Kurdistan is to get information about it. She had found some information in internet and printed it.
I have written a travel guide book about North Kurdistan in Finnish language. It was published last year. I and the publishing company LIKE agree that when this book is sold out and it is time to make a new edition, there will be information also about South Kurdistan. I am sure soon there will be travel guide books also in English.
Malia Group and Rotana Hotels plan to build a five star hotel in Hewler. I hope that also backpackers are welcome to Kurdistan. They do not bring so much money but some of them will help Kurdistan in other ways.I myself visited North Kurdistan with a small budget the first time in newroz 1997 and lost my heart to the country. After that I have written four books about Kurdistan.
* * * * * *
This is column which I wrote to Gulan . I wanted to add that despite I hope that young backpackers are welcome to South Kurdistan, I also hope that it will not turn to a Middle East version of Goa. But as most of the readers most probably do not know what is Goa and what things are not so good in Goa tourism, I should have explained also this back ground. And the space is limited (little bit more than 500 words). Now the most important thing was to inform Kurds how a Finnish tourist has experienced their country. But this is important topic which needs more attention.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Gulan: Jitem in South Kurdistan and Iraqi delegations in Finland
Because of some technical reasons my last week’s post about Jitem in South Kurdistan was published in Gulan only this week.
The text is in Kurdish here.
As the publishing was delayed I edited a little bit the end of the text. There was new information about the closed seminar for Iraqi delegation in Helsinki:
At the beginning of this month the former president of Finland, Martti Ahtisaari, hold a meeting for representatives of various Iraqi groups. All the details of the meeting were kept secret. Mass media found out only that some Iraqi people arrived to Helsinki on Friday the 30th August by a private aeroplane from Jordan. But no one knows who they were and whether there was also representatives of Kurdistan Regional Government.
It was a good starting point if they came in the same aeroplane. Also in Turkey there is a need for peace negotiations and political solution to the crisis. But no one knows when it will be reality. At the moment I doubt if any aeroplane would be big enough for the Turkish negotiators to travel with the PKK negotiators. So hopefully the Iraqi negotiators used also the flying time for discussions.
When the seminar was over on Monday the 3rd September the office of Martti Ahtisaari gave a press release. According to it the people who participated the seminar agreed about a set of recommendations to start negotiations to reach national reconciliation. They agreed of principles of power-sharing and a commitment to stop use of violence.
But what is the value of these words if we do not know who agreed about the targets? Anyway, let's hope there will be good news about peace negotiations, not bad news about Jitem's operations in South Kurdistan!
The text is in Kurdish here.
As the publishing was delayed I edited a little bit the end of the text. There was new information about the closed seminar for Iraqi delegation in Helsinki:
At the beginning of this month the former president of Finland, Martti Ahtisaari, hold a meeting for representatives of various Iraqi groups. All the details of the meeting were kept secret. Mass media found out only that some Iraqi people arrived to Helsinki on Friday the 30th August by a private aeroplane from Jordan. But no one knows who they were and whether there was also representatives of Kurdistan Regional Government.
It was a good starting point if they came in the same aeroplane. Also in Turkey there is a need for peace negotiations and political solution to the crisis. But no one knows when it will be reality. At the moment I doubt if any aeroplane would be big enough for the Turkish negotiators to travel with the PKK negotiators. So hopefully the Iraqi negotiators used also the flying time for discussions.
When the seminar was over on Monday the 3rd September the office of Martti Ahtisaari gave a press release. According to it the people who participated the seminar agreed about a set of recommendations to start negotiations to reach national reconciliation. They agreed of principles of power-sharing and a commitment to stop use of violence.
But what is the value of these words if we do not know who agreed about the targets? Anyway, let's hope there will be good news about peace negotiations, not bad news about Jitem's operations in South Kurdistan!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Appeal by four NGOs on the Military Coup Anniversary
Association of Armenian Democrats in Belgium, Associations of Assyrians in Belgium, Kurdish Institute of Brussels and Info-Türk Foundation gave this appeal:
The New Parliament Should Eradicate All Remnants of the Military Regime
Communiqué by four organizations issued from political emigration coming from Turkey:
September 12, 2007 is the 27th dark anniversary of the 1980 Military Coup.
For 27 years, despite all protests and demands of democratic forces, parliamentary powers have always passed under silence this criminal putsch committed by the commanders of the Turkish Army. The constitution imposed by the Junta has remained in force. Successive governments have ruled the country always under the threats and blackmails of the military hierarchy.
The elections of July 22, 2007 created an exceptional chance to break this yoke and to eradicate all the remnants of the repressive regime founded by the military.In fact, for the first time in the history of the Republic of Turkey, the Turkish Army and its militarist allies in the political world underwent a heavy defeat at the legislative elections in spite of the threats, pressures, obstructions and blackmails exerted for months.Today, the Justice and Development Party (AKP), issued from Islamist movement, is the only power holder of the country after the election of its N°2, Abdullah Gül, to the presidency of the Republic. There are no more excuses to justify delays in fulfilling the promises for a true democratization in this country waiting at anti-chambre of the European Union.
Moreover, despite all obstructions set up unanimously by the non-Kurdish political parties represented at the preceding National Assembly, 20 Kurdish deputies entered this Parliament and set up a political group of the Party for a Democratic Society (DTP).Having so a legitimate Kurdish interlocutor, the current power composed of a President of the Republic, a single-party government and a parliamentary majority has now a historical chance to find a peaceful and honorable solution for a friendly coexistence and solidarity with the Kurdish people and with all the ethnic and religious minorities of the country.
In spite of this progress favorable to democratization, the illegal and provocative declarations of the chiefs of the Army continue. This is an inadmissible interference in the political life.This is why the new Parliament must immediately make null and void the constitution imposed in 1982 by the military junta and adopt a new constitution worthy of the universal and European democratic standards.
One of the first things to be made in the process of demilitarization is to subject the chief of staff to the authority of the Minister for national defense, to cut off the excessive authorities of the National Security Council (MGK) and the Higher Military Council (YAS).It is also vital to decrease considerably the budget of military expenditures used to oppress the Kurdish people and to threaten the neighboring countries, in particular Cyprus, Iraq, Syria, Armenia and Iran.
Black balance-sheet of the 1980 Military Coup
Today, at the 27th anniversary of the September 12, 1980 Military Coup, it is necessary to recall once more the crimes committed by the putschists who still remain untouched and unpunished:
- The coup d'etat of September 12, 1980 was the second phase of a process of militarization in al fields of the country. Previously, the coup d'état of March 12, 1971 already had abolished or destroyed many democratic rights and institutions by the application of a repression without precedent.
- The Constitution imposed in 1982 by the military junta abolished the last remnants of the freedoms recognized by the Constitution of 1961. The 1982 Constitution denies the basic rights of the Kurdish people and the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek minorities of Turkey. Articles 3, 42 and 66 preach the superiority and the monopoly of the Turkish race and language. Article 4 declares that Article 3 can never be modified, even the modification of this article can never be proposed.
- The Army's domination on the country's political, economic and social life was guaranteed by the privileges recognized by this constitution to the National Security Council (MGK).
- Within two years, more than 650,000 people were taken into custody and subjected to torture.
- Thousands of people were left disabled.
- 210,000 political cases were opened in military courts.
- A total of 98,404 people were tried because of their "thoughts."
- 6,353 people were tried under the menace of capital punishment.
- 21,764 people were sentenced to heavy prison terms.
- Fifty people were executed at the end of political trials.
- Many convicts lost their lives in prison due to maltreatment and hunger strikes to protest this maltreatment.
- Files were opened on 1,683,000 people.
- Universities were placed under the discipline of the Higher Education Council (YOK), depended on political power.
- 15,509 people were ousted from their university posts under Law No. 1402.
- 18,000 public servants, 2,000 judges and prosecutors, 4,000 police officers, 2,000 army officers and 5,000 teachers were forced to resign.
- All political parties were closed down.
- The activities of 23,667 associations were halted.
- The press was censored.
- 4,509 people were sent into exile by the martial law
- 113,607 books were burned.
- 39 tons of books, magazines and newspapers were destroyed by the State's paper mills.
- 937 movies were banned.
- 2,792 authors, translators and journalists were tried.
- Journalists and writers were sentenced to a total imprisonment of 3,315 years and three months.
For a true democratization worthy of European standardsIn spite of the return to the parliamentary system, the violations of the humans right continue, intellectuals and defenders of the human rights are always subjected to the threats of legal proceedings, physical aggressions and death.
Even after the last elections, the new Kurdish members of Parliament and the mayors of the Kurdish cities undergo political lawsuits one after other. Provocations and attempts multiply in order to prevent them from exerting their functions.
This is why, at the time of the 27th anniversary of the 1980 coup d'état, we call the current political power with its three components (Parliament, President of the Republic and Government) to eradicate all the remnants of the militarist regime by adopting the following measures:
1. Full modification of the current constitution imposed by the military; suppression of Articles 3, 4, 42 and 66 preaching the superiority and the monopoly of the Turkish race and language.
2. The electoral system imposing a national threshold of 10% to the detriment of the political parties representing different opinions, in particular Kurdish and left-wing, must be radically modified.
3. The persons responsible for the coups d'état in the past should be brought in front of the justice for having committed crimes against humanity.
4. The interference of the military in the political, social and cultural life of the country must be definitively prohibited, the commanders continuing their threats and provocations must be ousted from their posts.
5. A general amnesty must be declared for all political prisoners or detainees.
6. Not only Article 301 but also all undemocratic articles of the Turkish Penal Code, the Anti-Terror Law and other laws must be abolished; the legal proceedings against journalists, writers, artists, and teachers must be stopped.
7. The fundamental rights of the Kurdish people and the Assyrian, Armenian, Greek minorities must be recognized without exception and restriction.
8. The genocide committed at the beginning of the century against Armenians and Assyrians must be recognized by the Turkish State.
9. Any interference of Ankara in the political and social life of the countries hosting Turkish nationals must be stopped.
If the AKP power, as it did in the past, remains satisfied with certain cosmetic reforms without carrying out above-mentioned major changes, it will be impossible to talk of a true democratization in Turkey.
Brussels, September 12, 2007
Association of Armenian Democrats in Belgium
Associations of Assyrians in Belgium
Kurdish Institute of Brussels
Info-Türk Foundation
More information:http://www.info-turk.be
http://www.kurdishinstitute.be
The New Parliament Should Eradicate All Remnants of the Military Regime
Communiqué by four organizations issued from political emigration coming from Turkey:
September 12, 2007 is the 27th dark anniversary of the 1980 Military Coup.
For 27 years, despite all protests and demands of democratic forces, parliamentary powers have always passed under silence this criminal putsch committed by the commanders of the Turkish Army. The constitution imposed by the Junta has remained in force. Successive governments have ruled the country always under the threats and blackmails of the military hierarchy.
The elections of July 22, 2007 created an exceptional chance to break this yoke and to eradicate all the remnants of the repressive regime founded by the military.In fact, for the first time in the history of the Republic of Turkey, the Turkish Army and its militarist allies in the political world underwent a heavy defeat at the legislative elections in spite of the threats, pressures, obstructions and blackmails exerted for months.Today, the Justice and Development Party (AKP), issued from Islamist movement, is the only power holder of the country after the election of its N°2, Abdullah Gül, to the presidency of the Republic. There are no more excuses to justify delays in fulfilling the promises for a true democratization in this country waiting at anti-chambre of the European Union.
Moreover, despite all obstructions set up unanimously by the non-Kurdish political parties represented at the preceding National Assembly, 20 Kurdish deputies entered this Parliament and set up a political group of the Party for a Democratic Society (DTP).Having so a legitimate Kurdish interlocutor, the current power composed of a President of the Republic, a single-party government and a parliamentary majority has now a historical chance to find a peaceful and honorable solution for a friendly coexistence and solidarity with the Kurdish people and with all the ethnic and religious minorities of the country.
In spite of this progress favorable to democratization, the illegal and provocative declarations of the chiefs of the Army continue. This is an inadmissible interference in the political life.This is why the new Parliament must immediately make null and void the constitution imposed in 1982 by the military junta and adopt a new constitution worthy of the universal and European democratic standards.
One of the first things to be made in the process of demilitarization is to subject the chief of staff to the authority of the Minister for national defense, to cut off the excessive authorities of the National Security Council (MGK) and the Higher Military Council (YAS).It is also vital to decrease considerably the budget of military expenditures used to oppress the Kurdish people and to threaten the neighboring countries, in particular Cyprus, Iraq, Syria, Armenia and Iran.
Black balance-sheet of the 1980 Military Coup
Today, at the 27th anniversary of the September 12, 1980 Military Coup, it is necessary to recall once more the crimes committed by the putschists who still remain untouched and unpunished:
- The coup d'etat of September 12, 1980 was the second phase of a process of militarization in al fields of the country. Previously, the coup d'état of March 12, 1971 already had abolished or destroyed many democratic rights and institutions by the application of a repression without precedent.
- The Constitution imposed in 1982 by the military junta abolished the last remnants of the freedoms recognized by the Constitution of 1961. The 1982 Constitution denies the basic rights of the Kurdish people and the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek minorities of Turkey. Articles 3, 42 and 66 preach the superiority and the monopoly of the Turkish race and language. Article 4 declares that Article 3 can never be modified, even the modification of this article can never be proposed.
- The Army's domination on the country's political, economic and social life was guaranteed by the privileges recognized by this constitution to the National Security Council (MGK).
- Within two years, more than 650,000 people were taken into custody and subjected to torture.
- Thousands of people were left disabled.
- 210,000 political cases were opened in military courts.
- A total of 98,404 people were tried because of their "thoughts."
- 6,353 people were tried under the menace of capital punishment.
- 21,764 people were sentenced to heavy prison terms.
- Fifty people were executed at the end of political trials.
- Many convicts lost their lives in prison due to maltreatment and hunger strikes to protest this maltreatment.
- Files were opened on 1,683,000 people.
- Universities were placed under the discipline of the Higher Education Council (YOK), depended on political power.
- 15,509 people were ousted from their university posts under Law No. 1402.
- 18,000 public servants, 2,000 judges and prosecutors, 4,000 police officers, 2,000 army officers and 5,000 teachers were forced to resign.
- All political parties were closed down.
- The activities of 23,667 associations were halted.
- The press was censored.
- 4,509 people were sent into exile by the martial law
- 113,607 books were burned.
- 39 tons of books, magazines and newspapers were destroyed by the State's paper mills.
- 937 movies were banned.
- 2,792 authors, translators and journalists were tried.
- Journalists and writers were sentenced to a total imprisonment of 3,315 years and three months.
For a true democratization worthy of European standardsIn spite of the return to the parliamentary system, the violations of the humans right continue, intellectuals and defenders of the human rights are always subjected to the threats of legal proceedings, physical aggressions and death.
Even after the last elections, the new Kurdish members of Parliament and the mayors of the Kurdish cities undergo political lawsuits one after other. Provocations and attempts multiply in order to prevent them from exerting their functions.
This is why, at the time of the 27th anniversary of the 1980 coup d'état, we call the current political power with its three components (Parliament, President of the Republic and Government) to eradicate all the remnants of the militarist regime by adopting the following measures:
1. Full modification of the current constitution imposed by the military; suppression of Articles 3, 4, 42 and 66 preaching the superiority and the monopoly of the Turkish race and language.
2. The electoral system imposing a national threshold of 10% to the detriment of the political parties representing different opinions, in particular Kurdish and left-wing, must be radically modified.
3. The persons responsible for the coups d'état in the past should be brought in front of the justice for having committed crimes against humanity.
4. The interference of the military in the political, social and cultural life of the country must be definitively prohibited, the commanders continuing their threats and provocations must be ousted from their posts.
5. A general amnesty must be declared for all political prisoners or detainees.
6. Not only Article 301 but also all undemocratic articles of the Turkish Penal Code, the Anti-Terror Law and other laws must be abolished; the legal proceedings against journalists, writers, artists, and teachers must be stopped.
7. The fundamental rights of the Kurdish people and the Assyrian, Armenian, Greek minorities must be recognized without exception and restriction.
8. The genocide committed at the beginning of the century against Armenians and Assyrians must be recognized by the Turkish State.
9. Any interference of Ankara in the political and social life of the countries hosting Turkish nationals must be stopped.
If the AKP power, as it did in the past, remains satisfied with certain cosmetic reforms without carrying out above-mentioned major changes, it will be impossible to talk of a true democratization in Turkey.
Brussels, September 12, 2007
Association of Armenian Democrats in Belgium
Associations of Assyrians in Belgium
Kurdish Institute of Brussels
Info-Türk Foundation
More information:http://www.info-turk.be
http://www.kurdishinstitute.be
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Time to open Kurdology Institute in Turkey
Kurdish-info.net quotes to Sabah and tells about a discussion about opening a Kurdology Institute in Turkey. According to Kurdish-info.net the chairman of the Turkish History Institute Yusuf Halaçoğlu stated that out of the country's 80 universities, it is necessary to establish a Kurdology Institute and an Armenian Research Institute amongst them.Yes, there is a need for a Kurdology Institute - one in each town of the Southeast. And also to open many new universities there. For example in Batman there is no university. As Batman is the centre of oil production in Turkey it would a perfect place for a technical university.
There is neither any university in Dogubayazit. The first Kurdology Institute should be opened in Dogubayazit as Ehmede-i Xani, the first Kurdolog, lived there.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
The foreign policy of Jitem?
Foreign minister Abdullah Gül visited Finland November 2006. Photo: Kristiina Koivunen
During recent days there has been shocking rumours that Turkish intelligence agencies were involved in the bomb attacks in Sinjar. I do not know whether this is true or not but it would be interesting to know what the staff of seventy people is doing in the Turkish consulate in Mosul.
If the Turkish Deep State network is involved in the bombings against Yezidis it would be an international version of its atrocities in Southeast Turkey. While the government led by Recep Tayyip Erdogan has spoken about a political solution to the Kurdish question, Jitem, the intelligence service of the gendarmerie, has run its own policy. For example Jitem arranged the the Semdinli bomb attack November 2005. As prime minister Erdogan and AK party have not accepted to attack South Kurdistan, the Deep State might have started its own foreign policy behind the back of Erdogan's government.
If the Deep State is involved in the Sinjar bomb attack the timing is not a coincidence. Already before Abdullah Gül was chosen Turkey's new president it was clear that the army can not hinder it. After the parliament elections last July the generals have understood that they can not any more force the government to act according the will of the army.
A few days before Gül was chosen to be the president eleven PKK guerrillas were killed in Uludere. Pro-Kurdish newspaper Gündem accuses that the army used chemical weapons. Why these news sound familiar? When there were similar news? March 2006, three days after newroz, fourteen PKK guerrillas died in Bingöl, and also at that time there were claims about chemical weapons. March 2006 the funerals of the guerrillas turned into violent riots in Southeast Turkey and almost twenty people died. One consequence was that the reform law proposals which Erdogan planned to give to the parliament turned into the opposite, the strengthening of the anti-terror law 3713. Now nothing like that has happened.
When I write this post in Helsinki, our former president Martti Ahtisaari holds a seminar for representatives of various Iraqi groups. All the details of the meeting are kept secret. Mass media has found out only that some Iraqi people arrived here in the night between Friday and Saturday by a private aeroplane from Jordan. But no one knows who are these people and whether there are also representatives of KRG.
It is a good starting point if they came in the same aeroplane. Also in Turkey there is a need for peace negotiations and political solution to the crisis. But no one knows when it will be reality. At the moment I doubt if any aeroplane would be big enough for the Turkish negotiators to travel with the PKK negotiators.
So hopefully the Iraqi negotiators have used also the flying time for discussions. Hopefully there is soon more information about the Helsinki meeting. Let's hope there will be good news about peace negotiations, not bad news about Jitem's operations in South Kurdistan!
If the Turkish Deep State network is involved in the bombings against Yezidis it would be an international version of its atrocities in Southeast Turkey. While the government led by Recep Tayyip Erdogan has spoken about a political solution to the Kurdish question, Jitem, the intelligence service of the gendarmerie, has run its own policy. For example Jitem arranged the the Semdinli bomb attack November 2005. As prime minister Erdogan and AK party have not accepted to attack South Kurdistan, the Deep State might have started its own foreign policy behind the back of Erdogan's government.
If the Deep State is involved in the Sinjar bomb attack the timing is not a coincidence. Already before Abdullah Gül was chosen Turkey's new president it was clear that the army can not hinder it. After the parliament elections last July the generals have understood that they can not any more force the government to act according the will of the army.
A few days before Gül was chosen to be the president eleven PKK guerrillas were killed in Uludere. Pro-Kurdish newspaper Gündem accuses that the army used chemical weapons. Why these news sound familiar? When there were similar news? March 2006, three days after newroz, fourteen PKK guerrillas died in Bingöl, and also at that time there were claims about chemical weapons. March 2006 the funerals of the guerrillas turned into violent riots in Southeast Turkey and almost twenty people died. One consequence was that the reform law proposals which Erdogan planned to give to the parliament turned into the opposite, the strengthening of the anti-terror law 3713. Now nothing like that has happened.
When I write this post in Helsinki, our former president Martti Ahtisaari holds a seminar for representatives of various Iraqi groups. All the details of the meeting are kept secret. Mass media has found out only that some Iraqi people arrived here in the night between Friday and Saturday by a private aeroplane from Jordan. But no one knows who are these people and whether there are also representatives of KRG.
It is a good starting point if they came in the same aeroplane. Also in Turkey there is a need for peace negotiations and political solution to the crisis. But no one knows when it will be reality. At the moment I doubt if any aeroplane would be big enough for the Turkish negotiators to travel with the PKK negotiators.
So hopefully the Iraqi negotiators have used also the flying time for discussions. Hopefully there is soon more information about the Helsinki meeting. Let's hope there will be good news about peace negotiations, not bad news about Jitem's operations in South Kurdistan!
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