6 June 2002

1. "Government will overcome EU rift, Turkey's Ecevit says from sickbed", Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, resting at home after two hospital admissions in a month, said Wednesday that he was confident his three-way coalition would overcome a rift over reforms required under Turkey's bid to join the European Union.

2. "Islam makes political push in Turkey", Turkish Prime Minister Ecevit missed a key meeting with generals last week, spurring calls for elections.

3. "Turkey's far-right party presses for vote on Ocalan execution", Turkey's nationalist leader said Tuesday that parliament should vote on whether or not to execute Abdullah Ocalan after a European court delivers a verdict on the imprisoned Kurdish rebel leader's appeal.

4. "Military says it didn't reveal its stance on death penalty", Turkey's powerful military issued a press release on Wednesday saying that it didn't reveal its stance on abolishment of the death penalty and education and broadcasting in mother-tongue.

5. "IHD calls on party leaders to lift death penalty", ahead of the political party leaders meeting to be held at Cankaya Palace this Friday, Human Rights Association (IHD) Chairman Husnu Ondul called on the leaders to lift the death penalty.

6. "NGOs give ultimatum to politicians", in the common EU notice, which was issued by 175 civil society associations, it is said 'Turkey deserves the EU. The public supports the EU membership. It is only needed a political will which will take brave steps'

1. - AFP - "Government will overcome EU rift, Turkey's Ecevit says from sickbed":

ANKARA / 5 June 2002

Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, resting at home after two hospital admissions in a month, said Wednesday that he was confident his three-way coalition would overcome a rift over reforms required under Turkey's bid to join the European Union.

"The European Union is not a dream for Turkey. It is an objective that should be definitively accomplished," Ecevit said in a written statement from his private flat, a day after his far-right coalition partner reiterated its opposition to key EU-sought reforms.

"I am confident there will be no problem within the government on this issue," he said in the statement carried by the Anatolia news agency. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer has called a summit between government and opposition leaders on Friday in the face of mounting concerns that Turkey, the laggard among the 13 EU hopefuls, will fail to get a date for the start of accession talks by year-end.

Ecevit's deputy and senior coalition partner Devlet Bahceli of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) warned Tuesday that some of the democracy reforms demanded by the EU could jeopardize Turkey's unity. The MHP is opposed to fundamental EU norms such as the abolition of the death penalty on the grounds that it will save condemned Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan from the gallows.

The party is also reluctant to support the legalization of broadcasts and education in the language of the country's sizable Kurdish minority, another key EU demand, fearing that it could fan Kurdish separatism. The MHP's resistance has added to already widespread fears of political instability triggered by the ill health of Ecevit, 77, who spent the past month either in hospital or at home, suffering from a neuromuscular disease, a cracked rib, spinal problems and an inflamed leg vein. In response to doubts over whether his ailments would allow him to attend the Friday's summit at the presidential palace, Ecevit said: "I hope I will be able to participate."

He added that, "My health is rapidly improving." Government stability is vital for Turkey at a time when it is battling a severe economic crisis with multi-billion-dollar loans from the International Monetary Fund, which pulled the country back from the brink of a financial collapse in February. The battered markets fear that Ecevit's departure from office could result in the collapse of the coalition and early elections and wreck the economic recovery program.

2. - Christian Science Monitor - "Islam makes political push in Turkey":

Turkish Prime Minister Ecevit missed a key meeting with generals last week, spurring calls for elections.

ANKARA / 6 June 2002 / by Andrew West

Turkey, a key Western ally, is experiencing an Islamic revival that some Turks see as a threat to this officially secular nation.

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's steadfast refusal to resign or call early elections, despite a recent illness, has many analysts suggesting that the secular establishment fears the religious parties now leading in opinion polls.

In a recent survey by the German polling company ANAR, the Justice and Development Party (known as AKP) scored up to 23 percent of the vote in a hypothetical election. The governing socialist-nationalist coalition received 9 percent.

"Modernization – and with it secularization – was an elite project in Turkey," says Dr. Talip Kucukcan, director of the independent Center for Islamic Studies in Istanbul. "People in Turkey are sincere Muslims and the state has alienated many of them.”

Indeed, a study by the Konrad Adenauer Institute in Bonn found that 95 percent of Turks believed in God and 70 percent considered themselves "devout Muslims," fasting during Ramadan and attending mosque on Friday.

Since the Israeli military invasion of Palestinian towns on the West Bank this spring, Islamist rhetoric has risen in Turkey, with some leaders also calling for greater Muslim brotherhood.

After the foundation of modern Turkey in 1923 by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the state became officially – some argue aggressively – secular.

In 1997, the military-dominated Constitutional Council even ousted the governing Islamist Welfare Party, which had won power in a coalition at the 1996 elections. Its leader, Necbattin Erbakan, did not impose sharia (Islamic law), but tried to change the way religion was controlled by the central government, which appoints some 80,000 clerics.

He also courted the leaders of Iran and Libya, ringing alarm bells in Washington and within the Turkish military, which was simultaneously strengthening ties with the United States and Israel.

But the Islamists' appeal never really waned, especially in the poorer parts of the country, and the AKP is now led by the charismatic former mayor of Istanbul, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Four years ago, Mr. Erdogan was sentenced to 10 months in jail and banned from politics for making an Islamist speech and "criticizing the secular order." Now that his ban is to be lifted, he is the most popular leader in Turkey.

His deputy, former Turkish diplomat Yasar Yakis, says Erdogan's treatment at the hands of the military shows that the religious parties, far from being Taliban-style fundamentalists, are more liberal than their secular counterparts.

"The way our chairman has been treated is a mockery of justice,'' says Mr. Yakis. "Now they are looking at other pretexts to prevent him from becoming prime minister.''

Although 48 out of the AKP's 53 parliamentary deputies were once aligned with the Welfare Party and its banned successor, the Virtue Party, Yakis insists the AKP is a completely new entity, which does not threaten secular society.

Their touchstone is the right of religious women to wear a veil or headscarf, a practice currently banned in state schools and universities, government offices, and parliament, and on state broadcasting. Their agenda also includes the right of local Muslim congregations to appoint imams to mosques.

"We want to lower the prerogative of the central government in all areas of public life," says Yakis. "So if a religious community prefers to nominate their own leader, they should be able to do so. "This may require some amendment to the constitution.''

The AKP also advocates that Turkey join the European Union, saying local Muslims will enjoy EU protections on religious freedom. "Why is it that a Muslim lady in a Christian country, like Britain or the United States, has more rights than in Turkey?" he says. "We see it as an issue of fundamental rights."

Secular liberals, who also support EU membership, are not completely convinced that Turkey's religious parties have changed, even if their rhetoric is focused more on human rights than Islamic morality. Some, such as Erdal Guven, a columnist for the leading liberal daily, Radikal, says recent history haunts the Islamists.

"Soon after they came into government, Erbakan got up in his party room and said to the members, 'It is for you to decide if we come democratically or with blood,''' says Guven, in an office decorated with posters of Mick Jagger and the latest George Clooney movie.

"All this talk of blood frightened many people. There are new faces but some think the old man [Erbakan] is still pulling the strings. They still have to convince the majority of Turkish public opinion they are not fundamentalists."

3. - AP - "Turkey's far-right party presses for vote on Ocalan execution":

ANKARA / 5 June 2002

Turkey's nationalist leader said Tuesday that parliament should vote on whether or not to execute Abdullah Ocalan after a European court delivers a verdict on the imprisoned Kurdish rebel leader's appeal.

In calling for a vote, Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the far-right Nationalist Action Party, hinted that Turkey might not abide by a European Court of Human Rights decision against hanging Ocalan.

A decision by the court could come within months and Turkey's government has said that it will make no moves until the court rules on Ocalan's appeal of his 1999 death sentence for treason.

"Murderers who have attacked the unity of the state and of the nation are forced to endure the results they deserve," Bahceli said.

"When proceedings at the European Court of Human Rights are concluded ... his case should be brought to parliament because parliament is where the final decision will be made," Bahceli said.

Turkey is under pressure to abolish the death penalty as part of reforms needed to join the EU. Bahceli's party, a member of the ruling three-party coalition, has repeatedly called for Ocalan's execution.

The military last week suggested that Turkey lift the death penalty and replace it with life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. But the military's statement failed to soften Bahceli's stance.

Turkey is pushing for membership in the European Union (news - web sites) and a decision to execute Ocalan would seriously undermine the country's campaign.

Bahceli, who heads the second largest party in parliament, said that his party opposed early elections despite the frail health of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. Bahceli said that the current coalition should continue until regularly scheduled elections in 2004.

Ecevit, 77, was hospitalized twice in May for intestinal problems, a broken rib and vascular infection. Newspapers have reported that Ecevit, who is recovering at home, also suffers from Parkinson's disease (news - web sites) and myasthenia gravis, a nerve disease characterized by weakness and muscle fatigue.

4. - Turkish Daily News - "Military says it didn't reveal its stance on death penalty":

ANKARA / 6 June 2002

Turkey's powerful military issued a press release on Wednesday saying that it didn't reveal its stance on abolishment of the death penalty and education and broadcasting in mother-tongue.

The press release signed by Chief of General Staff Gen. Huseyin Kivrikoglu said that the military didn't change its previous stance on these issues, crucial for Turkey's membership to the European Union.

"At the last National Security Council (MGK) meeting, Turkey's membership to the EU and the Cyprus issue were discussed, but the Turkish Armed Forces didn't reveal its stance about lifting the death sentence and education and broadcasting in mother-tongue," the press release stressed.

The MGK was convened on May 30 and issued a number of important decisions such as lifting the Emergency Rule (OHAL). It was reported that deputy prime minister and the leader of the junior coalition partner, the Motherland Party (ANAP), Mesut Yilmaz asked the council to discuss the abolishment of the death penalty. It was said that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) was hailing this decision as it announced that it is appropriate to accelerate work related to our other obligations for the national programme [for EU membership].

"Recently, news reports quoted a commander having the authority to speak in the name of TSK as saying that TSK has welcomed the idea of lifting capital punishment and foresees life imprisonment without parole for those who are sentenced to death with terrorist and war crimes. These reports are not reflecting the truth," the General Staff release said.

Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, in May during a symposium entitled, "Aftermath of Sept. 11 and Turkey" said that, "Go and ask the questions such as lifting of capital punishment to the people who are producing views on these issues. Ok. Let's abolish capital punishment. What will happen next, Will bloody terrorists be freed as a result of this decision or will they stay in prison for a lifetime? Ask these questions to people who are discussing these issues."

The military said these statements of Buyukanit were distorted by some newspapers and commented as the TSK is considering the abolishment of death sentence.

The release stated that the news reports claiming that a nongovernmental organization formed by a group of businessmen had met with the officials of the General Staff and agreed on some conflicting issues, are also false.

Again in May, a businessmen organization visited Buyukanit and presented their research on the death sentence and mother-tongue.

The TSK said that this visit was a courtesy visit and they didn't exchange views on these delicate issues with the organization.

TUSIAD responds

Meanwhile, the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association responded to the General Staff press release.

The influential business group said that they never pronounced that they had reach an agreement with the Turkish armed forces but they said that, "we had the impression that we have the same sensations about the steps in order to fulfill the Copenhagen criteria."

TUSIAD added that, "we all have to push the reforms."

5. - Turkish Daily News - "IHD calls on party leaders to lift death penalty":

ANKARA / 6 June 2002

Ahead of the political party leaders meeting to be held at Cankaya Palace this Friday, Human Rights Association (IHD) Chairman Husnu Ondul called on the leaders to lift the death penalty.

Issuing a statement on Wednesday, Ondul said that they wanted adjudication reform, the abolition of the death penalty, the prevention of torture, and more freedom and democracy for all Turkish citizens.

In an implicit criticism of the government, Ondul stated that excuses, such as "Turkey's sensitivities," should be abandoned when the freedoms and rights of citizens were in question. He emphasized that the unbreakable link between human rights and democracy and development should be taken into consideration.

6. - Turkish Daily News - "NGOs give ultimatum to politicians":

In the common EU notice, which was issued by 175 civil society associations, it is said 'Turkey deserves the EU. The public supports the EU membership. It is only needed a political will which will take brave steps'

ISTANBUL / 6 June 2002 / by Guzin Yildizcan

The Civil Society Platform, which was established by 175 civil society associations, issued a notice yesterday, announcing mobilization for war and warned the politicians. The notice stated that Turkey deserved the European Union (EU) and there was no time to waste.

Turkey's most active employment institutes, worker organizations, disabled people's association, environmentalists, leftists, rightists, press organs and universities are among these 175 NGOs.

In the notice, which was issued as an EU ultimatum for politicians, it was stressed that the society supported the EU membership and said, "It needed a political will which will take brave steps." Recalling that Turkey was at an important intersection for the EU membership, the notice said the following:

"Turkey's goal is the determination of membership negotiations in the EU summit at the end of the year. Its precondition is to fulfill the Copenhagen criteria until the end of this month. Otherwise, full membership will be postponed to an indefinite date. Determination of political will is very important in this term, but there is not too much time and political consensus cannot be provided for the solution of some problems."

Some institutes among 175 NGOs

Turkish Association of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB), Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ISO), Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM), Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen Association (TUSIAD), Turkish Employers' Union Confederation (TISK), Turkish Agricultural Chambers' Union (TZOB), Turkish Tradesmen and Artisans' Confederation (TESK), Turk-Is, Hak-Is, Revolutionary Workers' Union Confederation (DISK), Istanbul Stock Exchanges (IMKB), Turkish Bars Union, Turkish Banks' Union, Foreign Capital Association (YASED), Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), Turkish Young Businessmen Association (TUGIAD), Young Executives and Businessmen's Association (GYIAD), Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (MUSIAD), Turkish Economic and Social Studies Association (TESEV), Turkish Travel Agencies Association (TURSAB), Tourism Investors Association (TYD), Association of Protection of Consumers (TUKODER), TEMA Foundation, Turkish Education Volunteers Foundation, Kal Der, Sector Associations Platform, Ari Movement, Turkey-EU Foundation, Turkey-EU Association, Helsinki Citizens Association, Turkish Disabled People Confederation.