6 December 2004

1. "Kurds ask Turkey for more democratic steps ahead of key EU summit", Fifty-seven mayors from Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast called on the government Saturday to take more steps to make peace with its restive Kurdish population ahead of a crucial decision by the European Union on whether to open membership talks with Ankara.

2. "EU parliament Head Visits Turkey's Kurdish Southeast", the president of the European Parliament on Sunday held talks with local officials and civic bodies in the regional capital of Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast which is desperately hoping the country will join the European Union.

3. "Writers and artists in Turkey protest at killing of Kurdish boy", a group of Turkish academics, writers and artists has called for an independent inquiry into the killing of a 12-year-old Kurdish boy by police last month. The case is casting an unfavourable light on Turkey’s ability to meet European Union demands that it reform its huge and sometimes unaccountable security apparatus.

4. "Turkish Parliament approves EU-backed amendments to criminal code", Turkey's parliament approved proposals Saturday to scale down police powers and improve conditions of detainees before a crucial European Union summit that will decide whether to start membership negotiations with the largely Muslim country.

5. "Ankara has to recognise Cyprus: Borrell", the EP President said the decision to have Turkey join the European Union would have an impact in Europe around the world.

6. "Syrian Kurd writer arrested after trip to Turkey: rights group", a Syrian Kurdish writer, Taha Hamed, has been arrested by Syrian authorities after returning from a visit to Turkey, a lawyer and prominent human rights activist said Saturday.

1. - AFP - "Kurds ask Turkey for more democratic steps ahead of key EU summit":

DIYARBAKIR / 4 December 2004

Fifty-seven mayors from Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast called on the government Saturday to take more steps to make peace with its restive Kurdish population ahead of a crucial decision by the European Union on whether to open membership talks with Ankara.

In a joint declaration, the mayors said the government should issue a full pardon for armed rebels of the outlawed Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) to encourage them to lay their arms.

Turkey has previously offered only partial amnesties, involving sentence reductions, to PKK rebels who picked up arms against Ankara in 1984 for self-rule in the southeast.

Some 37,000 people were killed in the conflict, which saw gross human rights violations on both sides, forced population movements, disappearances and summary executions.

The group -- now known as KONGRA-GEL and considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU and the United States -- called off a five-year ceasefire on June 1, warning tourists and investors to stay away from the country.

The mayors' declaration also called for amendments to the constitution to ensure equal rights for all ethnic groups, arrangements to allow different ethnic groups to freely express themselves and steps to improve welfare in southeast Turkey, the country's most underdeveloped region.

"These steps would make a positive contribution to the resolution of problems concerning democracy, freedom and economy," the declaration said.

"Furthermore, they will prove to be a significant impetus towards EU membership," it added.

After years of resistance, Turkey in recent years adopted reforms allowing Kurds to learn their own language at private courses and lifting bans on radio and television broadcasts in Kurdish, in a bid to boost its bid to join the 25-nation bloc.

EU leaders are now expected to agree at their December 16-17 summit to give Ankara the greenlight to begin accession talks.

2. - Kurdistan Observer - "EU parliament Head Visits Turkey's Kurdish Southeast":

DIYARBAKIR / 5 December 2004

The president of the European Parliament on Sunday held talks with local officials and civic bodies in the regional capital of Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast which is desperately hoping the country will join the European Union.

"It is politically important for a European Parliament president to come to this city at such a critical phase in Turkey-EU relations," Borrell told reporters in Diyarbakir through a translator.

"It is an indication of the importance the European Union gives to more peace, more economic development and the protection of cultural identities both for Turkey and the EU," he said after talks with Diyarbakir mayor Osman Baydemir.

Borrell, the first European parliament head to visit the city, was greeted in Diyarbakir with flowers and a poster which read in Turkish, Kurdish and English: "Diyarbakir's historic city walls are 12 meters high and only 12 days are left to the EU."

European leaders are expected to agree at their December 16-17 summit to open membership talks with Turkey after the country adopted several far-reaching reforms to haul itself up to European norms.

Among them were the once-taboo steps of Kurdish-language broadcasts on state television and radio and the creation of private schools that teach Kurdish, both of them key EU demands.

The country's 13 million plus Kurds see Ankara's possible membership of the 25-nation bloc as an opportunity to fully enjoy cultural rights and lay to rest their turbulent past marked by gross human rights violations, forced population movements and economic regression.

Some 37,000 have been killed in fierce fighting between the Turkish army and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) seeking Kurdish self-rule in southeastern Turkey.

The PKK, now known as KONGRA-GEL, announced a ceasefire after its leader Abdullah Ocalan was captured and sentenced in Turkey in 1999, but called off the truce on June 1.

Fighting has resumed spoardically, but with much less intensity than the height of the PKK's armed campaign in the early 90s.

After meeting local officials, Borrell held talks with human rights activists and visited a Syriac Orthodox church dating back to the fourth century.

Borrell, who held talks with Turkish leaders, businessmen and religious leaders Friday and Saturday, is scheduled to leave Turkey on Monday.

3. - Financial Times - "Writers and artists in Turkey protest at killing of Kurdish boy":

4 December 2004 / by Vincent Boland

A group of Turkish academics, writers and artists has called for an independent inquiry into the killing of a 12-year-old Kurdish boy by police last month. The case is casting an unfavourable light on Turkey’s ability to meet European Union demands that it reform its huge and sometimes unaccountable security apparatus.

Ugur Kaymaz and his father, Ahmet, were killed two weeks ago in the south-eastern town of Kiziltepe, near Turkey’s border with Syria, in what officials said was an operation against "armed terrorists". Preliminary investigations, including one by parliament’s human rights committee, concluded that the two were unarmed and may have been innocent civilians.

Four police officers have been suspended during investigations into the incident. The events have caused dismay in Turkey, drawing attention to an upsurge of violence in the predominantly Kurdish south-east and the use of heavy-handed tactics by the security forces.

It has also raised questions about whether legislation to bolster civil and human rights is being implemented in remote provinces.

The EU is to decide on December 17 whether to open membership talks with Turkey. Brussels is pressing for the implementation of legislative reforms, including an overhaul of the country’s antiquated penal code.

Tahir Elci, a lawyer who made representations to the authorities about the incident, said: "This government makes big claims about democratisation and human rights but [this incident] shows that it has little influence in implementing them."

The group of intellectuals rejected the official account of the incident - that the police suspected the two were armed and preparing a terrorist operation, and that identification was difficult in the dark. Media reported that Ugur Kaymaz was hit by 13 bullets, and that his family said he was helping his father, a truck driver, to prepare for a trip to Iraq.

"A 12-year-old boy who had been playing with his friends two hours earlier did not represent a clear and present danger" to the security of Turkey, the intellectuals said. "Are we living in a country where everyone [who goes about] in the dark gets shot?"

The incident has caused much soul-searching. Huseyin Guler, a member of parliament’s human rights committee, said: "How could a 12-year-old boy be a terrorist?" He added that there was no immediate evidence that Mr Kaymaz and his son were preparing a terrorist attack or that they resisted when they came under fire.

It has also led to anguished editorials questioning the tactics of Turkey’s security forces.

Adnan Ekinci, a columnist for the daily Radikal, wrote yesterday that without a proper explanation, which the interior ministry has yet to provide, it would "have no meaning other than confirming the poor record of the security forces".

Others complained about what they claimed was the excessive focus given to Kurdish victims of state violence while the deaths of soldiers and police in terrorist attacks were ignored. Emin Golsan, a columnist for the daily Hurriyet, wrote yesterday that 47 soldiers had been killed in the past five months, in an upsurge of violence by Kurdish rebels.

Some local officials acknowledged the difficulty of enforcing change in the autonomous culture of the security forces, including the police and military. Efkan Ala, governor of Diyarbakir province, home to many ethnic Kurds, told CNN Turk TV Turkey’s reform process was a long-term project. He said: "Some will learn the easy way and some will learn the hard way." Is the EU ready for Turkey?

4. - AP - "Turkish Parliament approves EU-backed amendments to criminal code":

ANKARA / 5 December 2004 / by Suzan Fraser

Turkey's parliament approved proposals Saturday to scale down police powers and improve conditions of detainees before a crucial European Union summit that will decide whether to start membership negotiations with the largely Muslim country.

The European Union has demanded that Turkey carry out a series of reforms to qualify for membership in the bloc, such as abolishing the death penalty and cutting back the power of the military in politics.

The amendment to Turkey's code on criminal proceedings approved Saturday is one of three reforms the nation's government promised to adopt in time for a Dec. 16-17 EU summit at which European leaders will decide whether to give the green light for accession talks.

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer still needs to approve the latest changes.

They include requiring police to obtain written permission from a judge or prosecutor to conduct searches in suspects' homes or other premises.

Currently officers only need a go-ahead from their superiors.

Police also would be required to immediately read a detainee his or her rights, and suspects would no longer be held for more than 24 hours without charges.

Police would be forced to notify a family member of the detention.

Detainees suspected of crimes that carry punishment of less than two years would no longer be imprisoned for the duration of the trial.

The government hopes to pass two other EU-demanded laws -- establishing a special judicial police and on punishments -- in the coming days.

5. - NTV - "Ankara has to recognise Cyprus: Borrell":

The EP President said the decision to have Turkey join the European Union would have an impact in Europe around the world.

ANKARA / 3 December 2004

Turkey must recognise the Greek Cypriot administration as part of the process of entering the European Union, European Parliament President Joseph Borrell said Friday.

Addressing a press conference after meeting with Bulent Arinc, the speaker of Turkish parliament speaker, Borrell said that Ankara would have to recognise Cyprus.

“As it is the case in all negotiations you have to recognise that a country you encounter. This is the main point we stress,” Borrell said.

Borrell said that his statement he had made Thursday ahead of his visit to the Turkish capital saying “From Ankara I will go to Kurdistan,” was slip of the tongue. However, he refused to answer a question asking whether there was a region such as Kurdistan geographically located within Turkey.

6. - AFP - "Syrian Kurd writer arrested after trip to Turkey: rights group":

DAMASCUS / 4 December 2004

A Syrian Kurdish writer, Taha Hamed, has been arrested by Syrian authorities after returning from a visit to Turkey, a lawyer and prominent human rights activist said Saturday.

"The authorities arrested political writer Hamed on Thursday at the Syrian border upon his return from Turkey," Anwar Bunni told AFP, slamming the arrest.

We call for the release of Hamed and all political prisoners, an end to the terrorising of intellectuals and writers, and an end to political arrests."

In March, deadly clashes pitted Kurdish protestors against Syrian security forces and Arab tribes in northern Syria, in which Kurds said 40 people died and the Syrian authorities said 25 people died.

Last month, Bunni said there were around 600 political prisoners in Syria, including 200 Kurds arrested during the March violence.