10. September 2002

1. "Superficial discussion over Verheugen's declaration", as the Copenhagen 'deadline' gets closer both sides get aggressive

2. "Hundreds of thousands greeted DEHAP", more than a hundred thousand Kurdistani from all over Europe met at the 10. International Kurdistan Cultural Festival "Peace Needs Justice". The common message: support to DEHAP, address of labor, peace and democracy block.

3. "Analysis: Iraqi Kurds stir regional fears", the agreement between the two main Kurdish parties in Iraqi Kurdistan to resolve their differences is largely seen as a response to international and regional factors in the crisis over Iraq.

4. "Death toll in Turkish prison hunger strike hits 57", a Turkish prisoner has starved herself to death, bringing to 57 the number who have died in a two-year hunger strike to protest against new high-security jails, a support group for inmates said on Tuesday.

5. "Turkey Deputy PM Says Government May Fall Before Nov Election", Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz Tuesday said the coalition government may fall before the November election because of the nationalists' bid to block key reforms.

6. "Pablo Neruda in court in Turkey", the world famous poet Pablo Neruda’s poem titled "Song to mothers whose sons have died" is currently being prosecuted by the Turkish State Security Court (DGM).

1. -Turkish Daily News - "Superficial discussion over Verheugen's declaration":

As the Copenhagen 'deadline' gets closer both sides get aggressive

10 September 2002 / by Ozgur Eksi

Most Turks are angry with Gunter Verheugen, European Commissioner for Enlargement, due to his recent declaration, but once asked what THESE Turks think about Turkey implementing recent reforms they also support Verheugen's views for many reasons.
Verheugen might know Turks as well as we Turks know ourselves. Maybe this is the problem that many foreigners condemn: "You Turks, criticize yourselves but you get angry if a foreigner does the same." Verheugen is having this "foreigner experience" in which he has no right according to our traditions to tell us what he thinks and maybe what we already know. Therefore his declaration created antagonism among other Turks: we face a reality that we do not want to see.
Verheugen's statement was `negative'
Reuters reported on August 30 that Verheugen said, "We cannot hide the fact that we need to see proper implementation of the reforms," adding, "I don't believe we will have a track record by the end of year that is sufficient to make a final judgment on opening negotiations."

`Aggressive' Turkish reaction

Before leaving for Tekirdag for an election campaign visit, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit told reporters, regarding Verheugen's statements that Turkey had enacted EU harmonization laws and EU reforms, despite many problems, "It is difficult for the EU to find an excuse not to give Turkey a date for EU accession talks," Ecevit said. "I hope that Mr. Verheugen's statements were not true."
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel has demanded that Turkey be given a date for EU accession at the Copenhagen summit in December, saying that Turkey will not accept any interim solution.
Gurel said, regarding Verheugen's statement, that Turkey met all the conditions necessary for starting the accession talks. "The EU is in deficiency regarding its relations with Turkey because we have fulfilled all our responsibilities. Actually, the stage in Turkey-EU relations show that Turkey is put to a test of sincerity by the EU," he said.
President, Ahmet Necdet Sezer, stated that unless a date was set for the opening of full membership negotiations between Turkey and the EU at the Copenhagen Summit in December, the EU's sincerity would be questioned. He also pointed out that statements of members against Turkey were not welcome, the Ankara Anatolia News Agency reported: "There are some voices against Turkey's candidacy among you. One of the commission members is making a decision on behalf of 15 countries," President Sezer told Commission President Romano Prodi at the Johannesburg summit on Monday.

Does the EU really know how to deal with Turkey?

Turkey's "adventure" started in 1959, when it followed Greece's application to the european community. Since then Turkey either "naively" hoped for the accession or used the accession process for propaganda in elections but never acquired the EU mentality.
The EU is in no better shape. First, the EU professionals had to fight with their own prejudice against the Ottoman as the former sick man of Europe and later fight with Turkey's trauma concerning the Sevres Agreement. Turkish hospitality mixed with its inferiority complex drove some of them to act as "colonial masters".
We cannot be sure whether the EU members really felt this way but there is one thing we can be sure of: the image they created in Turkish people's minds. The creation of this image was either due to the EU's attitude towards Turkey or our "Sevres" trauma causing us to view the EU's actions as a "double standard."

MGK was first surprise

EU is very concerned about the role of the military in Turkish politics. National Supreme Board (MGK) is the main source of concern.
The board meeting on June 1 produced decisions that greatly tested the EU's sincerity.
EU, having indicated several times that MGK should not have so much power in Turkish political decision-making, softened its attitude toward MGK after it conformed to EU standards and proposed the abolition of the emergency rule in two cities in the southeast of Turkey. It has been claimed that MGK gave way to many pro-europe decisions. Since then, the EU has assented to what Turkish politics have always claimed, MGK is only an advisor.
In sum, the EU is against MGK if it does not like their proposal but has difficulty staying true to their previous statements since MGK "advises" what the EU wants. This also means that the EU accepts the board as it is once the "proposals" are what they want.

Second surprise was even bigger

The EU was almost sure that Turkey would not be able to fulfill most of the Copenhagen Criteria such as the abolition of capital punishment. Suddenly something unexpected happened. The EU was as "shocked" as any ordinary person in the street in Turkey. The reforms were welcomed by the EU for the first time unlike the two previous reforms and the only "excuse" EU had was the implementation of the reforms. The EU said they will wait and see the implementations.

How to deal with an unexpected guest?

Whether Verheugen as a foreigner has the right to say lets see implementations first or not, there is one fact: He knows Turks and has done his homework. The last reform packet consists of some articles which "frighten" the EU. In fact, the EU does not discuss with Turkish counterparts in public because the EU is more focused on supporting Turkey than creating tension between Turkey and the EU.
Article 3, the association law, and article 10, which regulates the duty and the responsibilities of the police, in the last ratified reform packet are good examples of that.
In the last reform packet Parliament ratified articles ABOUT ASSOCIATION they had abolished in the previous reform OR MADE TINY CHANGES.
Verheugen asked for implementation and Ecevit issued a circular, requesting to put all reforms in practice. Verheugen knows that the minds are the same, the interpretation is the same so why to trick the EU?

EU's role in elections

The political characters in Turkey know very well that they did not fulfill all the Copenhagen criteria but they know they cannot "fulfill" any more because they do not have that legitimacy since they will go to elections soon.
They also think they have the right to ask the EU for the favor of giving Turkey a date to start negotiations. So that they can ask Turkish people for more votes in the election: they will be the "insurance" to access the EU afterwards. Verheugen with a very "German mind" might not see these strategies or behaves as he does not understand since he may believe in democracy more than he believes Turkish "democrats."

Turks are cunning

Gurel, on the other hand, does not help ProTurks in EU since he is in favor of accessing EU with "honor". He describes accepting all EU requests without discussion as "ittihat terakki ruhu" (last Ottoman period political approach as accepting all European requests without examining).
His party examined the issue so much that it expired, on the other hand, Ecevit refused accession to EEC (European Economic Community) stating, "They will be partners and we will be the market; no." Gurel may know very well why the EU asked about implementation but he says "We did our best but the EU does not want us."

EU is not an angel

The EU refused Turkey in Luxembourg considering that Turkey has no benefit for the EU anymore. The Custom Union was already good enough for the EU and Turks were like following a carrot. EU never felt to fulfill financial promises due to the Custom Union.
The EU also involves politics into issues that create instability for itself and for the part it involves: Cyprus.
CYPRUS, an issue as old as the foundation of the first European institution, 1951 European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), suddenly comes in front of Turkey to be solved quickly. Turkey has to solve it if it wants to access the EU. Turkey is obliged to reach an agreement with Greek Cypriots who feel no pressure at all.
The EU can consider any kind of activity as the right to involve domestic politics since Turkey is a candidate state but will protect countries following the same policy. Confused? Turkey was severely criticized when it closed DEP with an accusation of it having close ties with the terrorist organization PKK in the mid-1990's, but the same EU is in favor of Spain's closing of the Batustuna party for similar reasons.
There are many examples of both the EU's and Turkey's "double standards". We might be grateful to Verheugen for sharing his sincere views with us and we should ask the EU to be sincere on other matters as well. The same argument is valid for Turkish politicians' sincerity concerning their efforts for access to the EU.

2. - Kurdish Observer - "Hundreds of thousands greeted DEHAP":

More than a hundred thousand Kurdistani from all over Europe met at the 10. International Kurdistan Cultural Festival "Peace Needs Justice". The common message: support to DEHAP, address of labor, peace and democracy block.

OZGUR POLITIKA NEWS TEAM / 08 September 2002

More than a hundred thousand Kurdistanis and their friends from all over Europe met at the 10. International Kurdistan Cultural Feast held in Arena auf Schalke Stadium in Gelsenkirchen province of Germany. The slogan of the festival was "Peace Needs Justice". Within the stadium all walls were decorated with banners on which slogans were written in Kurdish, English, German and Turkish such as "Kurds Needs Justice", "Freedom for Ocalan", "For Justice Freedom is Necessary" and in yellow, red and green. The stadium reverberated with slogans. There were posters of KADEK President Abdullah Ocalan as well as HADEP flags and a number of streamers.

MULTICOLORED

Like the past festivals the 10. festivals witnessed a big multicoloured scene. There were women in national attire, youth with their "pushi", and intellectuals, artists and politicians from all colors, and the slogan "Biji Serok Apo" was chanted non-intermittently.

The program began with Kurdish national anthem "Ey Raqip" and standing in attention. There were a number of singers and groups as well as the chorus of the Kurdish School of Culture and Arts.

"WE MARCH WiTH THE STRENGTH WE HAVE GOT FROM PRESIDENT APO"

The opening speech was made by YEK-KOM Chairman Mehmet Demir. Demir greeted the masses and called on them to give a powerful message to the early elections to be held in Turkey. Then came the Kurds youth to the stadium who had marched all the way from Strausbourg in France to Brussels in Belgium for 15 days. About 150 people marched within the stadium with their t-shirts on which "Peace for Kurdistan", "Peace for Ocalan" and "Kurds Need Justice" were written and Ocalan's posters. Speaking on behalf of them Sahin Welat said "We march with the strength we have got from President Apo" and was greeted by the masses chanting the slogan "Biji Serok Apo". And a presentation of the march was shown.

FROM KNK TO EP

KADEK President Abdullah Ocalan, KADEK Council of Leaders and Free Women's Party (PJA) sent messages to the festival, and KNK (Kurdish National Congress) member Ali Yigit, HADEP Deputy Chairman Ahmet Turan Demir, candidade in the German elections Sabahattin Karakoc, German Minister Ludger Volmer, European parliamentary Eurig Wyn, Claudio Bellotti from Italian Re-Structure Communist Party and March Muller, one of the lawyers of Abdullah Ocalan gave a talk.

HADEP Deputy Chairman Ahmet Turan Demir began his talk by saying "I greet you with respect on behalf of HADEP," and continued to say the following: "We want to form a new parliament by getting all forces of democracy together. We want to encourage our people to participate in it most effectively. And we want to share it with you." Demir called on the Turkish and Kurdish people living in Europe to vote at borders, saying "Provocations and bans cannot stop our people. Our address is DEHAP."

MESSAGES

KADEK PRESIDENT ABDULLAH OCALAN: The biggest virtue to make the world suitable for life

I congratulate the Peace Day for all the humanity and our people on the occasion of the 10. Kurdish Festival. I consider your sensitivity and participation in the Peace Day meaningful. My line of thought for peace and democracy should be understood wholly, be deepened. Peace needs sacrifice and patience. Therefore I wish to be understood. Kurdish democratisation has the capacity to make big transformations not only in Turkey but in the Middle East as well. If my line of thought is perceived it will contribute to the Kurdish people and the humanity in general. Therefore principles, program and institutions of the democracy should be established and an organization should be made accordingly. It is an immediate and actual duty for us.

I have been waging a life-or-death struggle for the hope of our people for freedom under the most difficult conditions. But the most beautiful hope is the one which is created under the most difficult conditions, and the most beautiful peace is the one which is gained most heroically. I wish you understand it and use it till the end.

I wish for the Kurdish people more consciousness, more organization power for a honorful peace. Kurds should make peace with each other. And therefore I call on all Kurds and our friends to support democracy and unity on the grounds of legitimate defence.

You should increase your effort for a honorful peace bearing Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood in your mind. You should increase your efforts for unity against primitive nationalism and chauvinism. The biggest virtue is to make the world suitable for life.

OSMAN OCALAN, MEMBER OF KADEK COUNCIL OF LEADERS:Another victory march is necessary for the elections

Today is also the death anniversary of big internationalist revolutionary Kemal Pir. We commemorate all our martyrs with respect. It is a meaningful coincidence.

And the Turkish Parliament made historical decisions, the most important of them is abolishing capital punishment. Therefore we should congratulate the Turkish Parliament for it though it was very late and after very sufferings. With this abolishment not only Kurds but also the Turkish people and the Middle East gain. Brotherhood and peace gain. For them to be lasting the struggle should be intensified and widespread. And for it there is November 3 elections having a historical meaning. Just as our people has overcome all the obstacles one by one, they will succeed in the elections. Another victory march is also necessary for the elections. We call on the Kurdish people, foremost women and youth to take part in the struggle for peace, freedom and brotherhood under the leadership of President Apo.

We make a call to Turkey: Only by solving the problems peacefully Turkey can gain a respectful and powerful position it deserves. Our success in the elections will be the victory of the peoples in Turkey and in the Middle East. And we say to EU the following: Turkey is in the process of democratication. The European Union should facilitate it and open the road to full membership.

"SPIRIT OF UNITY AGAIN ON NOVEMBER 3"

Free Women's Party PJA began its message with words, "We greet all of you with warm and intensive love of mountains. And we congratulate those who make such a meaningful meeting possible." PJA called on all people to should the responsibility for justice and peace. The message included the following: "Therefore we call on all Kurdish women to vote for peace, justice and democracy. And let's carry the spirit of unity here.

3. - BBC - "Analysis: Iraqi Kurds stir regional fears":

By Hiwa Osman, BBC regional analyst / 10 September 2002

The agreement between the two main Kurdish parties in Iraqi Kurdistan to resolve their differences is largely seen as a response to international and regional factors in the crisis over Iraq.
Leaders of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) have created a new unity, signing a pact to commit themselves to a future democratic Iraq.
The timing of this - as the drums of war against Iraq beat louder - coincides with the Kurds of Iraq gaining more prominence on the US agenda as key players in a campaign.
But their neighbours, Turkey and Iran, seem to be concerned by the prospects of any Kurdish role in the campaign.
Kurds could either be a participating force or their region could act as a safe haven for refugees fleeing from the rest of Iraq.
Both scenarios are seen as paving the way for a strong Kurdish say in post-Saddam Iraq, as Iraqi Kurds are the only organised opposition group on the ground and have been in control of two-thirds of the Kurdish region outside the control of Baghdad since 1991.

Kurdish 'threat'

The remaining oil-rich third is still under Baghdad's control and is being systematically Arabised.
In a post-Saddam Iraq, the Kurds aim to remove all traces of this Arabisation campaign, formulate a federal system and take part in government in Baghdad.
Apart from not wanting a war on their borders, Turkey and Iran are wary that a strong Kurdish element in Iraq will set an example to their own Kurds, who have been demanding cultural and political rights.
Washington's concern over a strike against Baghdad is that it could pave the way for Turkish and Iranian intervention.

Turkish concern

Turkish officials have expressed their country's concern about a US-led strike against Baghdad, as it could pave the way for "new formations" in Iraq, an act that the Turkish defence minister considers a justification for intervention.

"Turkey has two ready-made pretexts to intervene... the Turkomans and the PKK"
Kurdish official

This rhetoric has caused increased tension between Turkey and the KDP, whose area would be invaded if Turkey decided to intervene.
The Turkoman Front is a group based in the region and enjoys the strong backing of Ankara, which has repeatedly said that the Turkomans should also have a share in any future deal in Iraq.
"Turkey has two ready-made pretexts to intervene," said a senior Kurdish official who wanted to remain anonymous. "The Turkomans and the PKK."
Remnants of the PKK (now KADEK) fighters, the main Kurdish opposition group in Turkey, are in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Iranian influence

Iran, which entered into an eight-year war with Iraq in the 1980s, has historically supported various Iraqi opposition groups against Baghdad.
A new hard-line Islamist group emerged in the region last September and controls a strip on the border between Iran and PUK territory.
The group - Ansar al-Islam - has proved to be a security headache for the two Kurdish parties, especially the PUK.
Sources in the region say that the group has links with al-Qaeda and enjoys the backing of Iran in facilitating their movement and outside access.
Another main opposition group that enjoys Iranian support is the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) whose fighting force is regarded by many, especially Turkey, as part of the Iranian armed forces.

Wider conflict

A successful US-led military action against Baghdad could bring Iran's long-time enemy, the US, to its border.
To counteract this, Iran would encourage Ansar al-Islam to attack the Kurds and distract them from taking part in the US-led campaign.
It would also push for its ally, SCIRI, to have a presence on the ground.
Turkish officials have communicated to the Kurds and the US that they would regard military intervention by SCIRI as an Iranian action and that they would also intervene militarily.
These regional threats of intervention, the fast-running clock in Washington, and four years of talks after their earlier agreement in Washington, have put the Kurds under more pressure than ever to be united in the face of all looming scenarios.

4. - AFP - "Death toll in Turkish prison hunger strike hits 57":

ISTANBUL, September 10, 2002

A Turkish prisoner has starved herself to death, bringing to 57 the number who have died in a two-year hunger strike to protest against new high-security jails, a support group for inmates said on Tuesday.
Hatice Ozturk, 32, perished in an Istanbul hospital late on Monday, about a year after joining the strike, a spokesman for TAYAD, a solidarity group for prisoner families', told AFP.
Ozturk had been serving a 12-year jail sentence since 1996 for membership of an extreme left-wing underground group, the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party Front (DHKP-C), which is accused of masterminding the devastating strike.
The protest was launched in October 2000 by mainly left-wing prison inmates to protest at the introduction of new jails in which one- to three-person cells replaced large dormitories for dozens of inmates.
The strikers say the new cells leave them socially isolated and more vulnerable to maltreatment.
The protestors have been fasting on a rotating basis, taking salted and sugared liquids as well as vitamin supplements to prolong their lives.
The death toll from the strike includes both prisoners and outside supporters of the movement.
Despite the rising death toll, the government has categorically ruled out a return to dormitories in prisons, arguing that the set-up permitted frequent riots and hostage-taking incidents in the country's unruly jails.
Support for the strike has faded in the face of Ankara's tough stance and only about 20 inmates are currently fasting, according to the TAYAD spokesman.

5. - Dow Jones - "Turkey Deputy PM Says Government May Fall Before Nov Election":

ISTANBUL / September 10, 2002

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz Tuesday said the coalition government may fall before the November election because of the nationalists' bid to block key reforms.

Yilmaz's statement followed an attempt Monday by coalition member the Nationalist Action Party to have the latest laws needed for a bid to join the European Union ( news - web sites) overturned by Turkey's Constitutional Court.

"After the Nationalist Action Party's latest action, we have serious doubts that the current coalition government will last until November even as a caretaker," Yilmaz said at a press conference.

"I will discuss this issue with the Prime Minister and air our concerns," Yilmaz added, before heading for a meeting with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit.

Yilmaz was to ask Ecevit to agree to the government stepping down at the meeting, which was still ongoing as of 0930 GMT, the NTV news channel reported. The channel, citing unnamed officials from Yilmaz's Motherland Party, said if Ecevit disagrees, Yilmaz will seek to withdraw his party from the government.

The general election is set for Nov. 3. Opinion polls indicate many mainstream parties, including Yilmaz's party and the Nationalist Action Party, are below the 10% vote threshold to be represented in parliament.

There has been speculation that disgruntled deputies who fear they will lose their seats in parliament will vote to postpone the election. This would also trigger the withdrawal of the Motherland Party from the government.

6. - KurdishMedia - "Pablo Neruda in court in Turkey":

LONDON / 10 September 2002

By Robin Kurd

The world famous poet Pablo Neruda’s poem titled "Song to mothers whose sons have died" is currently being prosecuted by the Turkish State Security Court (DGM).

The poem, written by Neruda 66 years ago, was published in Turkey in a magazine called "Stance on Cultural Living" and is based on the drama of mothers who lost their sons during the Spanish Civil War. The poem has resulted in the confiscation of the magazine across Turkey.

The poem was among 6 other poems translated by Enver Gokce in 1960. The publisher of the magazine is being accused by the No: 6 Istanbul State Security Court of "spreading the terrorist organisations’ and its members’ propaganda".

The prosecutor of the Istanbul DGM started an investigation after 6 poems were published on the September issue of the magazine "Stance on Cultural Living". When the investigation was concluded all copies of the issue were ordered to be confiscated.

The owner of the magazine Muharrem Cengiz and the director Ahu Zeynep appealed to the court through their lawyer M. Ozgur Gider for the confiscation order to be cancelled. The appeal was rejected by the court. A prosecution has now started of the owner Muharrem Cengiz and the director Ahu Zeynep Gorgun.