11 May 2001

1. "Turkey guilty of human rights abuse", the European Court of Human Rights has found Turkey guilty of human rights abuses related to its 27-year occupation of northern Cyprus.

2. "Turkish bid to join EU dealt blow", Turkey's troubled efforts to join the European Union received another setback yesterday when the European court of human rights ruled that Ankara had ridden roughshod over the human rights of thousands of Greek Cypriots when it invaded northern Cyprus in 1974.

3. "Death toll reaches 22 in death fasts; lack of dialogue expected to raise figures", Establish dialogue and let the death fasts end.

4. "US trying to squeeze Israel out of tank upgrade deal with Turkey", in a move that further jeopardizes Israel's bid to upgrade Turkey's aging tank fleet, the Pentagon yesterday offered to lease Ankara M1A1 Abrams tanks until it decides on its $600 million modernization program.

5. "Turkey plans to promote defense exports", Turkey, struggling through a fiscal crisis, plans to promote defense exports.

6. "Democratic reaction must unite", Spokesperson for the Citizens' Initiative for Enlightenment Ergin Cinmen, Mazlum-Der Chairman Yilmaz Ensaroglu, and KESK Chairman Sami Evren called for reaction to the massacres in prisons to be turned into regular periodic actions.

1. - BBC - "Turkey guilty of human rights abuse":

The European Court of Human Rights has found Turkey guilty of human rights abuses related to its 27-year occupation of northern Cyprus.

By a vote of 16 to one, the court found that Ankara had violated the human rights of Greek Cypriots living in the north of the island when Turkish forces invaded in 1974.

In a blow to Turkish hopes to join the European Union, the court found that Ankara abused Greek Cypriots' right to life, liberty and to security.

The Foreign Minister of the breakaway Turkish Cypriot Republic rejected the ruling, saying "Turkey has done nothing to be ashamed of in Cyprus".

'Turkey exercised control'

The court dismissed Turkey's assertion that it was not responsible for actions in northern Cyprus because it is an independent state.

The Strasbourg-based judges ruled that Turkey "exercised effective overall control of northern Cyprus through its military presence there".

Only Turkey recognises the Turkish Cypriot administration as independent.
The Cypriot Government brought the claims against Turkey, 14 of which were upheld by the court.

Among other counts, Turkey was found guilty of failing to investigate the deaths of roughly 1,500 people who disappeared in the invasion;

inhuman treatment of the families of missing Greek Cypriots

denying some 180,000 Greek Cypriots the right to return to their homes failure to compensate for loss of property

interference with freedom of religion

The court rejected charges relating to slavery and forced labour, and freedom of assembly. The court has not yet decided if it will impose a fine.

Binding verdict

As a signatory of the European Convention on Human Rights, Turkey is obliged to find ways of rectifying the human rights violations.

But it has failed to act on a previous binding European Court ruling regarding the invasion.
It comes a day after the death from cancer of Nicos Sampson, the leader of a Greek-inspired coup that prompted the Turkish invasion.

Mr Sampson, who campaigned successfully for Cypriot independence from Britain in the 1950s, hoped to unify Cyprus with Greece.

Five days after he briefly took power in the 1974 putsch, 35,000 Turkish troops invaded the north of the island, where they remain.

2. - The Guardian - "Turkish bid to join EU dealt blow":

BRUSSELES

Turkey's troubled efforts to join the European Union received another setback yesterday when the European court of human rights ruled that Ankara had ridden roughshod over the human rights of thousands of Greek Cypriots when it invaded northern Cyprus in 1974.

Concluding that Turkey had violated the European human rights convention on 14 separate counts, the Strasbourg court decided by 16 votes to one that Ankara was in the wrong and should pay a hefty, as yet undecided, fine.

Among the complaints upheld was Turkey's failure to investigate the disappearance of Greek Cypriots after the 1974 invasion, and inhumane treatment of Greek Cypriots.

The charges were brought by the Greek Cypriot government, which controls the southern part of the island, and included general discrimination against Greek Cypriots living on the Karpas peninsula, in the Turkish-controlled north.

Turkey's bid to join the EU has already run into trouble for alleged human rights abuses, dire prison conditions and its poor treatment of its ethnic Kurdish minority. About 35,000 Turkish soldiers are still stationed in northern Cyprus.

3. - Turkish Daily News - "Death toll reaches 22 in death fasts; lack of dialogue expected to raise figures":

Establish dialogue and let the death fasts end

European court Chairman Wildhaber: I can do nothing but hope for the end of the lack of dialogue between prisoners, their relatives, civil society associations and the government
We are leading isolated lives; everyone, the government authorities most of all, should do something to end the death fasts so that life may continue

The voices of those who ask for an end to this obstinacy, of the sensitive people who are 'isolated,' of the democrats, of the intellectuals and of the artists are no longer heard by those who isolate themselves from society and construct 'isolated walls'

The IHD decides to organize a long march to Ankara with intellectuals and artists. In addition, there will be 'Isolation Surpasses Human Beings' marches from the Sincan F-type Prison to the Kandira F-type Prison and from there to the Edirne F-type Prison

ISTANBUL

The government struggling with the economic program ... The search for dialogue starts over Turkish Telecom and the search for consensus continues. Those who "hollow out" banks, defraud the state, the lives of mafia godfathers that continue in jails, the ongoing death fasts in F-type prisons ... The 22nd death on the 200th day of the death fasts ... Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk, who says about the death fasts in F-type prisons, "There is no dialogue" ... Days when we have totally confounded wrong and right as a society ... A month of May when price hikes follow one after another ... The European Court of Human Rights delegation continues its official visits in Ankara.

We look back on the developments. Retrospectively, we ask what the need was for the F-type prisons projected by the Justice Ministry, dubbed "cell-type prisons" or "high-security prisons" by the public. It was initially stated that according to the Anti-terrorism Law No. 3713, Article 16, the sentences of people arrested or convicted on charges covered by this law would be executed in "special penal institutions" made up of one or three-person rooms, that no open visits would be allowed, and communication and exchange of information between prisoners would be prevented. It was later stipulated that the same implementation would apply to charges related to "the law for the struggle against interest-based criminal organizations."

The public in Turkey reacted to the corruption and the lives led by mafia godfathers and gang members in prisons. Convicts who lived in wards where there were even cellular phones, under conditions not even available outside ... That is why it was not too hard for "F-type prisons" to be approved by people who said "this is how prisons should be." Political prisoners knew that the cards would once again turn against them. That is why they publicly announced that they were going on death fasts. They regarded the death fasts as the last chance to make their voices heard. They told their families and the public that no one would know what befell them in isolated places with soundproof walls ...

F-type prisons

Political prisoners were transferred to F-type prisons with "Operation Return to Life" on Dec. 19, 2000. The events during the operation that went on for days were highly dramatic. People arrested or convicted for political offenses had been transferred to F-type prisons, but the death fasts had not ended yet. Death fasts and hunger strikes continue not only in F-type prisons but also in closed prisons and hospitals. According to the Justice Ministry, 203 prisoners are on death fasts and 518 are on hunger strikes. Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said the death fasts continued with the pressure of terrorist organizations. The public missed how the terrorist organizations communicated with the prisoners in F-type prisons. So was it true that even F-type prisons could not succeed in cutting off communication between prisoners?

What was the structure of F-type prisons, an institution which press members could not access? The Turkish press was informed by members of the Turkish Chamber of Doctors who were allowed to enter F-type prisons in order to intervene in the death fasts:

"Kocaeli F-type Prison No. 1 consists of 103 small isolation units (designed for three people) or 64 one-person cells with a capacity for 373 people located on a rather isolated plot far from the city.
"The places where people will stay in one-person isolation units (approximately eight-10 square meters) have a design that will completely block communication. Everything including permission to access the open area as well as electricity, water, heating and central broadcasting will be controlled from outside. Just as there is no common eating hall, even the sections in the cells where the prisoners will take their food from the guards were arranged to prevent face-to-face contact. Because of the high sound proofing in the cells, it is impossible for prisoners to hear what is said outside or to be heard."

The toilet will be used also for washing purposes. The refuse will be in the same place. The Turkish Chamber of Doctors has conducted research on F-type prisons (www.ttb.org.tr) and decided in a nutshell that the project disregarded the human element. The issue was perceived only as a security problem and total isolation starting from the building was projected.
Research in Europe has revealed that social isolation leads gradually not only to emotional and sensory deprivation but psychic and physical problems. Isolated people quickly demonstrate a reduction in sight and hearing abilities, dampening in the nervous system, ringing ears, depression, hallucinations, sleeping disorders, reduction in intellectual capacity and aggressive behavior. Deprived of all kinds of stimuli, they gradually lose their sense of reality.

Amendment of Article 16

As the coffins taken out of the F-type prisons increased with each passing day, Justice Minister Turk announced that Article 16 of the Anti-terrorism Law would be amended. The statement he made at a time when most of the death fasters lost consciousness and could not even get up without assistance could have been a hope for others ...

Justice Minister Turk announced publicly: "Prisoners participate in sports, educational and occupational workshop and other social and cultural activities in the context of rehabilitation and education programs after they are grouped according to offenses, behavior, interests and talents, as long as there are not any security drawbacks. The duration and number of participating prisoners is determined according to the character of the program, security conditions and institutional opportunities. If rehabilitation and educational programs produce adverse effects for some prisoners, the implementation can end and necessary changes can be made. Prisoners who were not only condemned but also punished for disciplinary offenses are not allowed to have unobstructed visiting hours until their punishments are lifted. Convicted prisoners who demonstrate good behavior during at least one-third of their stay in these institutions, or who are covered by Law No. 3419, 'Regarding Sentences Applying to Some Offenders dated March 25, 1988,' can be transferred to other penal institutions." The last one is known as Repentance Law by the public.

Noting that transparency would be obtained in prisons with the legislation of other bills on this issue, Turk said: "No one will be able to say that there is torture in prisons. Prisons will be open to judicial and civilian watchdog committees." Calling on arrested and convicted individuals to end the deaths as soon as possible, Minister Turk said: "I call on families and civic associations. These deaths should end. Everyone should support us. This action should be abandoned before it is too late." Answering a question, Minister Turk said these arrangements were sufficient, and continued: "As the justice minister of the Turkish Republic, I have a free conscience. But no one should expect us to talk and negotiate with terrorist organizations. A return to the ward system in prisons is ruled out. The prison problem in Turkey cannot be solved if the past problems recur."

After amendment of Article 16

The amendment in Article 16 was not seen as a positive development for arrested and convicted individuals and the death fasts did not end. Istanbul Bar Association Chairman Yucel Sayman said the amendments in Paragraphs 2 and 3 were not acceptable for the bars and said: "Article 16 foresees total isolation. The amendment stipulates that doors be open. But there is a major ambiguity. Will the doors be opened as a right or a reward?" Yes, if you reason like I do, there is no guarantee that the amendment to Article 16 will not face the logic of impositions. Are people not free to express their thoughts even in prison? In fact the prisoners who think that they will be pressed to give up their thoughts when they have no chance to change their environment in F-type prisons continue the death fasts.

In the meantime, there is Director General of Prisons and Detention Centers Ali Suat Ertosun. He said that after a meeting between high level officials from the Justice Ministry and the prisoners, the officials conveyed to the ministry the prisoners' demand to "restart the talks." Noting that the legal arrangements were in place, Ertosun said: "It is not possible to have negotiations. We made the necessary legal arrangements. The responsibility is now with those who continue or encourage the death fast," and thus declared that he was of the same opinion as Justice Minister Turk.

Ertosun said that the amendment to Article 16 of the Anti-terrorism Law had gone into effect in F-type prisons and that there was no need to distribute a circular to confirm this fact. He noted that the workshops and libraries in these prisons could not yet be opened because of a lack of equipment, and noted that only sports facilities were open. Ankara Deputy Public Prosecutor Bekir Selcuk pointed out that a common area has yet to be opened in the Sincan F-type Prison, that the preparations continued and they were expecting official notification. As it is seen, as every authority makes different assessments for F-type prisons where there is more than one kind of implementation, the death fasts continue.

Death does not wait

But death does not wait for everyone to understand and intervene. News of deaths are coming from F-type prisons. And as the contacts of the European court start in Ankara, the 21st death in the fasts occurs in Izmir. Huseyin Kayaci, who was tried over the Marxist Leninist Communist Party case and was jailed in the Izmir Buca Prison, died in the Izmir Yesilyurt Hospital. Kayaci had interrupted the hunger strike that he started on Dec. 10, 2000 on Jan. 10, 2001. Kayaci, who was 32 years old, then went on the death fast on Jan. 29, 2001.

News of the 22nd death came from Ankara on the same day. Cafer Tayyar Bektas who was under treatment at the Ankara Numune Hospital died on the 200th day of the action. Bektas, who was under arrest as he was tried for the Turkish Communist Party-Marxist/Leninist case, was on the 200th day of the death fast. The case, where Bektas had received the life sentence at Ankara State Security Court (DGM) No. 2, was appealed to the Court of Cassation. Bektas was reportedly transferred from prison to hospital on April 24, did not accept medical intervention, and efforts to revive him after he went comatose the other night failed.
European court hopes the lack of dialogue will end

European Court of Human Rights Chairman Luzius Wildhaber and the delegation, who came to Turkey on the invitation of the Foreign Ministry, visited Justice Minister Turk in his office. Wildhaber and delegation members conveyed to Minister Turk their concerns over the death fasts and asked for greater "moderation." Following the meeting, where the European court Turkish Judge Riza Turmen and other European court judges were also present, Turk made a press statement and said he informed the delegation about the condition of prisons in Turkey as well as the death fasts and hunger strikes. Regarding the hunger strikes and death fasts in prisons, Wildhaber said: "It is not possible to not be sad. We hope that the hunger strikes and death fasts will end as soon as possible. Steps that indicate greater flexibility represent a positive development." Responding to the questions of journalists over the death fasts, Wildhaber said, "I can do nothing but hope for the end of the lack of dialogue between prisoners, their relatives, civic society associations and the government."

Human beings cannot bear isolation

Human Rights Association (IHD) Chairman Husnu Ondul said they would engage in new kinds of actions to encourage an end to the death fasts. He called on civil society associations, democratic parties, and primarily trade unions affiliated with the Labor Platform to indicate their reaction in a more direct, effective and public manner by also putting to use "the power they gained from production." Ondul expressed his call in the following manner: "Stop what you're doing for 10 minutes to save one life!" Noting that the deaths were a problem for the entire society, Ondul said if activity stopped for 10 minutes in Turkey and even one life was saved, this would have historical significance and humanity would shake off this embarrassment. The Confederation of Public Employees Union (KESK) responded positively to the IHD's call.

Ondul also said the IHD decided to organize a long march to Ankara with intellectuals and artists. In addition, there will be "Isolation Surpasses Human Beings" marches from the Sincan F-type Prison to the Kandira F-type Prison and from there to the Edirne E-type Prison.

Sabri Topcu, chairman of the Turkish Motorized Vehicles Employees Union (TUMTIS) affiliated with the Confederation of Turkish Employees Unions (Turk-Is) stated that they agreed with the IHD and KESK regarding putting to use the power they gained from production and taking a more active stance. "Production should stop not for 10 minutes but for longer to save one life," Topcu said. Noting that the government turned a deaf ear to such calls, Topcu continued: "The Labor Platform, the affiliated unions and its Istanbul Branches Platform should use the power accruing to them from production in order to end this drama." Topcu said the Turk-Is Chairmen's Committee would organize a meeting and express their opinions regarding stopping production.

We hear that people die in the death fasts as we watch with pain. Death has surrounded the bodies emaciated from hunger. The impressions of the Ankara Chamber of Doctors affiliated with the Turkish Doctors' Union are as follows:

"The health condition of people who continue with the death fasts is critical. They are bedridden because of extreme loss of weight, nausea and vomiting. We see in spite of this that the prisoners are shackled to their beds, with the exception of those in the Ankara Numune Hospital Prisoners' Ward. We said hundreds of times that the idea that 'we give serum to people who lose consciousness and the problems is solved' is not viable. The bitter experience unfortunately shows that our warnings are not considered. A number of death fasters have gone comatose. The risk of sudden deaths has increased. There are wounds on their bodies because they have to stay in bed all the time. The health conditions are inadequate. This signals that deaths may occur at any time. This sorry tableau shows that as the solution is deferred, it will gradually be more difficult to obtain results.

"The problem has to be solved immediately before it is even more late. A solution will not be forthcoming if the conception that cuts the problems from their political context and states that 'the state did what it could do, let them quit the death fast' is in place. We, the doctors, are the closest witnesses of this bitter time. We invite all sides to be sensitive and the Justice Ministry to solve the problems to stop the death of young people."

What is the purpose of keeping silent? Even if we accept that "political pressure" has replaced the motive to prevent the deaths of people, are the authorities not approving of the deaths when they oppose this pressure? Did the deaths not become ordinary? When people start dying one by one shortly, will you say that they died not of death fasts but of starvation? Whom will you convince? Turkey is going through a time when it needs more than ever a system of values which are centered around human beings unconditionally and without prejudice.

Recall how children at school are assigned to learn counting in multiples of two, three, etc. Today is 202. This is how we mark time now. It is as though we learn to count as we say 195-196-200 and 17-18-19. Every passing day means the death of one person in the death fast. Every day, every minute, even every second may be the beginning of the loss of consciousness of one person or the harbinger of death. The voices of those who ask for an end to this obstinacy, of the sensitive people who are "isolated," of the democrats, of the intellectuals and of the artists are no longer heard by those who isolate themselves from society and construct "isolated walls." We are leading isolated lives; everyone, the government authorities most of all, should do something so that life may continue.

4. - Jerusalem Post - "US trying to squeeze Israel out of tank upgrade deal with Turkey":

ANKARA

In a move that further jeopardizes Israel's bid to upgrade Turkey's aging tank fleet, the Pentagon yesterday offered to lease Ankara M1A1 Abrams tanks until it decides on its $600 million modernization program.

The US government offer was made by US Defense Security Cooperation Agency Chief Lt.-Gen. Tom H. Walters, who came to Ankara this week, defense sources in Turkey said.
The offer came after a last-minute, competitive bid by a US company to modernize 170 Turkish M60 tanks with Abrams components.

The offer appears to set back a deal which was widely considered to be awarded to TASS Israel Industries. Turkey has been in advanced stages of negotiations with TASS since Ankara announced last year that TASS would be the "sole source" for the M60 modernization program.
Two months ago, Amos Yaron, the director-general of the Defense Ministry, returned from a visit to Turkey where he reportedly said he had sewed up the deal on the tank upgrade, which could potentially be worth $1 billion if options to expand it are taken. Turkish sources said the deal was to be signed in July.

Israel was considered the sole bidder on the tank upgrade in 1999 after it reached an agreement with the US firm General Dynamics, which makes the A1 Abrams, that it would not offer the Merkava in a project by Turkey to procure a new, third-generation main battle tank.

But last year Turkey froze its plan to procure a new battle tank due to an economic crisis. It was one of 32 defense projects worth nearly $20b. that were canceled. At that point, General Dynamics no longer felt bound by the previous agreement with Israel and launched its own bid to upgrade the Turkish tanks.

Claiming their alternatives are cheaper and more developed than the Israeli one, the Turkish FNSS-Nurol company and US General Dynamics have both pushed forward separate proposals for the tender - and the entire deal, once thought awarded to Israel, is being reconsidered.

FNSS-Nurol is known for its experience in producing nearly 1,600 armored combat vehicles for the Turkish army. General Dynamics with its M1A2 Abrams tank is one of the competitors for Turkey's long-delayed $7b. tender to produce third generation main battle tanks.

By leasing the Turkish ground forces the M1A1 Abrams tank, it prepares training and logistics for the newer A2 Abrams it hopes to provide later. In addition, the General Dynamics upgrade would center on the installation of M1A1 turrets on the M60 tanks.

The Turkish government welcomed the two proposals and said it would evaluate the new offers before signing any contract with Israel, Turkish defense sources said.

TASS officials declined to comment on the matter. But one TASS executive said they had never claimed the deal was in the bag.

Defense Ministry officials said that leasing the A1 Abrams was not necessarily attractive to Turkey, since it leaves in question what it will do with its fleet of M60 tanks. These tanks, which were built 30 years ago, have at least 15 more years of use if upgraded now.

He also noted the A1 Abrams is not fuel efficient and is very expensive to maintain. According to the official, the Israeli upgrade would also be done in Turkey, thus providing employment there.
"I wouldn't say leasing the US tanks and upgrading the others to A1 Abrams was necessarily a bargain," the official said.

Industry officials said the negotiations are at a sensitive stage and any comment made in either direction could have severe repercussions on the deal.

5. - Middle East Newsline - "Turkey plans to promote defense exports":

ANKARA

Turkey, struggling through a fiscal crisis, plans to promote defense exports.
Officials said Turkey's military and government have agreed to advance the defense industry and exports. They said the consensus is that the defense industry must be seen as a source of badly-needed foreign currency.

The Turkish General Staff has scheduled a meeting for Friday to plan for a promotion of defense productions. The meeting will include leaders of both the military and government, including President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit.

Military commanders and defense officials plan to discuss new systems that have been developed by Turkish weapons contractors. The defense industry and the military will also exhibit new systems at a fair in Karapinar, Konya.

6. - Kurdish Observer - "Democratic reaction must unite":

Spokesperson for the Citizens' Initiative for Enlightenment Ergin Cinmen, Mazlum-Der Chairman Yilmaz Ensaroglu, and KESK Chairman Sami Evren called for reaction to the massacres in prisons to be turned into regular periodic actions.

MEHMET OZGUL

Labor organizations and nongovernmental organizations are continuing their debates on how to take a more influential stance and unite their struggle against the government's position, which is doing little more than invited more death. The death toll in the hunger strikes against F-type prisons has already reached 22.

Cinmen: Every type of initiative is legitimate

Spokesperson for the Citizens' Initiative for Enlightenment Ergin Cinmen said, "The only place which must take a step in order to prevent deaths is the related state units." Cinmen asserted that the changes passed by Parliament to Article 16 of the Anti-Terrorism Law would allow completely arbitrary actions by prison administration and personnel, and stressed the following: "This much arbitrariness cannot be in a state of law. They must give up using the common areas of prisons like a punishment, allowing use of them in accordance with administrative arbitrariness or whims, and secure that they are opened unconditionally to everyone. In that case, the problem will be solved."

Cinmen continued to say the following: "Every type of democratic initiative to realize this is legitimate. For example, those who are aware about citizenship could organize in a certain way and send faxes, e-mails to the Justice Ministry, Prime Ministry, and Presidency every day at a certain hour until the problem is solved. Even if 2,000 people do this, if the faxes and e-mails of the concerned places are jammed up and unusable, it will be effective."

Cinmen stressed that in order to realize such campaigns as the "One Moment of Darkness for a Brighter Future" or the call of the Human Rights Association (IHD), labor union KESK, and the Istanbul Workers' Union branch platform to "Stop Life for Ten Minutes to Save One Life," "nongovernmental organizations, foremost labor organizations, parties in favor of democracy and modernization, and members of the press with any conscience left must come together and establish unity in strength and action."

Ensaroglu: Civil disobedience must be increased

Yilmaz Ensaroglu, chairman of the human rights organization Mazlum-Der, said that despite the fact that tens of people had lost their lives, there was a horrendous silence and insensitivity that was contrary to humanity from the public. Ensaroglu said that they had made a statement last week together with some nongovernmental organizations which had thus far remained distanced from the issue, and said that the sensitivity and reaction from these segments must increase. "Our efforts and those of the sensitive segments have not been enough," Ensaroglu said, continuing to say the following: "We must increase sensitivity and civil disobedience. Even the deepest and most serious economic crisis cannot be heavier than a person losing his life or the pain that a mother and father feel for their child. There is absolutely something that each person can do."

Ensaroglu said that such suggestions as stopping one's life for ten minutes for one life or actions such as blocking up lines by sending faxes and e-mails at certain hours of the day were right, but said that these types of suggestions should be brought to a platform and debated and a decision reached on them. Ensaroglu said that the efforts of labor and nongovernmental organization and opposition parties could be effective and create a reaction if they worked in alliance and took a joint stance, and stressed that they would take initiative on this subject as quickly as possible.

Evren: Regular public reaction necessary

Sami Evren, chairman of the labor union KESK, said that this issue had not been taken up at the meeting of the Labor Platform the day before and that the platform's actions on matters that concerned it directly were insufficient. Evren said that, in the face of this, it was necessary for sensitive circles to come together and "mix their reactions together in one crucible." Evren continued to say the following: "It could be in the manner of the 'One Minute of Darkness for a Brighter Future' campaign that was realized during the Susurluk affair. What is important is that reactions unite on the point of being single, periodic, and realized at certain hours of the day. They could also be of another type. This can be debated. We must unite our potential and efforts and tell the government to start dialogue and stop the deaths in order to prevent a greater massacre. The media also must take its place in this human duty, as it did in the Susurluk affair."