19 August 2004

1. "L Type Prisons which were removed in Europe in 19th century to be applied in Turkey", L Type Prisons that were not applied in USA and European countries in 1800 after an unsuccessful attempt, were put into practice in a flurry in Turkey.

2. "Kurdish Villagers Forced to Leave Home", Ilicak village residents of Beytussebap are forced to leave their homes under orders by local gendarme commander, say Human Rights Association Diyarbakir branch officials. This is the first time since 2001 when military resorted to similar measures.

3. "Turkey, Cypriot Turks put pressure on EU to ease sanctions", Ankara and Turkish Cypriot leaders urged the European Union Wednesday to implement promised measures to ease the international isolation of the breakaway Turkish community in the divided island of Cyprus.

4. "Born: We Expect a Date for Turkey in December", Germany's Ambassador to Ankara, Wolf-Ruthart Born, said yesterday that Germany expects that Turkey will be given a date by the European Union (EU) to begin membership discussions.

1. - DIHA - "L Type Prisons which were removed in Europe in 19th century to be applied in Turkey":

ANKARA / 18 August 2004 / by Sabiha Temizkan

L Type Prisons that were not applied in USA and European countries in 1800 after an unsuccessful attempt, were put into practice in a flurry in Turkey. Ministry of Justice opened 8 bids for construction L Type Prisons that have cells under the ground. In these prisons convicts and detainees are subject of compulsory working.

The construction project of L Type Prison that was abolished in USA because of strict reaction of citizens was started by Ministry of Justice.

Cover of Security

The project of L Type Prison was put into practice by Ministry of Justice due to impede murdering, laceration, pawn taking and uprising in prisons. Firstly, 1 and 2 numbered L Type Prisons, are planed to construct in Silivri and bids for construction of prisons will be open on 3 September. 1 and 2 numbered prisons will be finished in 650 days. Then, the bids for 3-4-5 numbered prisons will be open on 6 September and will be finished in 750 days. Finally, 6-7 numbered L Type Prisons' bids will be open on 8 September and estimated construction time is 750 days.

The cells that are underground will be ventilated with pipes.

The cells in L Type Prisons will be built underground and 1 or 3 detainee will be kept in them. The cells will be unsoldered with pipes to help detainees breath easily. The wideness of wards in Prisons won't exceed 3-4 meters including kitchen and toilet. The ceiling of the wards will be very low and one would not stand up in wards. Working will be compulsory for all detainee and convicts.

2. - Bianet.org - "Kurdish Villagers Forced to Leave Home":

Ilicak village residents of Beytussebap are forced to leave their homes under orders by local gendarme commander, say Human Rights Association Diyarbakir branch officials. This is the first time since 2001 when military resorted to similar measures.

DIYARBAKIR / 17 August 2004

Residents of Ilicak village of southeastern district of Beytüssebap are forced to leave their homes under orders by local military commander, says Selahattin Demirtas of Human Rights Association (IHD).

This is the first time villagers are ordered to leave their homes due to security reasons since 2001 when Asat and Ortakli villages were forcibly evacuated.

According to lawyer Selahattin Demirtas IHD Diyarbakir branch chair "reportedly the area was under military pressure for a long time."

They were informed of the situation last week when they received phone calls from the village and considering a fact-finding trip to the area, IHD officials told bianet. Depending on their findings they may take further actions for urgent judicial and administrative measures, they added.

According to testimonies by the Ilicak village inhabitants the local gendarme commander, in late July, came to the village, gathered the people at the village’s square and warned them to leave their houses, Human Rights Association’s Diyarbakir branch officials say.

The village inhabitants compelled to leave their homes and had to move formerly evacuated houses across a creek nearby. Some had to stay in tents, " since there weren’t enough tents, we had to live in nylon barracks and on open areas," the villagers complained.

Military operations have partly resumed in southeastern countryside when the Kurdish guerrilla PKK in July lifted the unilateral truce they declared in 1999 when leader Abdullah Ocalan was arrested, tried and condemned to lifetime in prison.

Reportedly five inhabitants of the village were taken under custody. After a mine explosion on the road to Beytusseb last week.

3. - AFP - "Turkey, Cypriot Turks put pressure on EU to ease sanctions":

18 August 2004

Ankara and Turkish Cypriot leaders urged the European Union Wednesday to implement promised measures to ease the international isolation of the breakaway Turkish community in the divided island of Cyprus.

"Unfortunately, what has to be done has not yet been done... The EU's credibility will be shattered if it does not fulfil its promises," Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul told reporters.

He was speaking after talks here with Mehmet Ali Talat and Serdar Denktash, the prime minister and foreign minister of the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), which is recognized only by Ankara.

The EU has drawn up a series of measures to ease the economic isolation of the TRNC as a reward for the strong support that Turkish Cypriots gave to a failed UN plan to end Cyprus' division.

But a final decision on the measures, which include 259 million eurosmillion dollars) in economic aid, has been postponed until September following objections by the internationally-recognized Greek Cypriot side.

The settlement plan for Cyprus, voted on both sides of the island in April, was killed off by a strong "no" vote in the Greek Cypriot sector.

The failure ensured that the Greek Cypriots alone joined the EU on May 1.

In a separate move, Talat asked UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to put pressure on the EU to honor its pledges, or risk seeking the Turkish Cypriots lose their desire for reunification in the future.

"I do hope that you shall consider encouraging the EU to take positive and concrete steps towards our people," Talat said in an August 13 letter to Annan, which was made available to AFP Wednesday.

"The obstructionist behavior of the Greek Cypriot side, coupled with indecision and slowness being displayed by the European Union is extremely frustrating.

"If the EU is only going to act in line with the whims and wishes of the Greek Cypriot side then it is obvious that very little can be done... Disappointment and gloom shall inevitably lead to a hardening of attitudes amongst our people," he wrote.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey occupied the north with the stated aim of protecting the Turkish Cypriot minority against a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at uniting the island with Greece.

4. - Zaman - "Born: We Expect a Date for Turkey in December":

SAMSUN / 19 August 2004

Germany's Ambassador to Ankara, Wolf-Ruthart Born, said yesterday that Germany expects that Turkey will be given a date by the European Union (EU) to begin membership discussions.

During a trip to the Black Sea region, Born went to the coastal city of Samsun where he held a press conference at the Journalists Association. Born discussed Turkey's EU membership potential saying that Germany supports Turkey. "We expect a date will be given in December. Expectations on this issue are positive."

Born stressed the importance of the cultural, economic and social relations between the two countries saying, "The business volume between the two countries is nearly 16 billion Euros. 1,200 business branches exist between Turkey and Germany. We aim to improve these relations."

Meanwhile, the German Ambassador also touched upon the problems experienced by Turks living in his country and attributed these to "not knowing the language and being uneducated."