19 May 2005

1. "PKK Threatens to Carry War in Turkey's Southeast to Western Cities", the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has threatened to carry the war in Turkey's southeast to bigger cities in the west of the country if Turkey maintains its military drive against the PKK in the area, a pro-Kurdish newspaper reported Tuesday.

2. "PKK militants kills Turkish soldier", a Turkish soldier was killed in an attack by outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) members in southeastern Turkey on Wednesday, the private NTV reported. The report said the soldier was killed when his unit came under fire near the Bayrambasi village of Silvan town of Diyarbakir province. On Tuesday, four Turkish soldiers were killed when they detonated a landmine.

3. "Turkish Soldier killed in southeast Turkey in latest upsurge", a Turkish soldier was killed on Wednesday by Kurdish rebels in southeastern Turkey, the latest victim of escalating violence in the region, officials said.

4. "Turkey launches Attacks On Kurdish Bases in Iraq", Turkey's military has launched strikes on Kurdish insurgency bases in northern Iraq. Ankara has sent ground forces, attack helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to Kandil mountain strongholds of the Kurdish Workers Party.

5. "TSK sound C-4 alert", Turkish officials say that over the last two years, PKK militants have brought 280 kg of explosives into Turkey. A small amount of this doughy explosive can be fatal.

6. "Courts Punish Media, ECHR Punishes Turkey", according to the BIA2's quarterly report on freedom of expression, ECHR handed Turkey a fine of 241,000 Euro, reporter Horuz has been serving in prison for four years, 9 reporters are still standing trial. RTUK suspends Radyo Dunya for 30 days.

7. "European Court to decide on university exclusion of Turkish woman wearing headscarf", the European Court of Human Rights on Wednesday heard the appeal of a woman who was expelled from a Turkish university for wearing a Muslim head scarf.

8. "Report probes Ankara's civil-military relations", a new Europe Union-ordered report jointly prepared by Turkish and European civil organizations puts relations between the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and the nation's civilian leadership under the microscope.

1. - AP - "PKK Threatens to Carry War in Turkey's Southeast to Western Cities":

ANKARA / 18 May 2005

The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has threatened to carry the war in Turkey's southeast to bigger cities in the west of the country if Turkey maintains its military drive against the PKK in the area, a pro-Kurdish newspaper reported Tuesday.

A senior PKK commander issued the threat in a statement carried by the website of the pro-Kurdish Ozgur Politika newspaper, as concern grows about a possible further increase in violence following a European court judgment that PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan did not receive a fair trial in 1999.

It is not clear if Turkey will retry Ocalan, but a retrial would be extremely unpopular with many Turks who blame the imprisoned PKK leader for the bloody insurgency that has killed some 37,000 people since 1984.

"In the upcoming period, if the solution of the Kurdish problem is based on classical oppressive actions instead of democratic, peaceful methods, then the location of the war that we will develop will be different," the newspaper quoted the rebel commander Yusuf Turhalli as saying. "That will be ... Turkey's cities."

The PKK threat followed Turkish intelligence reports saying the rebels are trying to smuggle plastic explosives into Turkey from neighboring Iraq for attacks in cities. The PKK's main bases are in northern Iraq, where they have some 3,500 fighters.

Turkey has been pressing the U.S. Army to take action against the group in Iraq. Another 1,500 fighters are believed to be inside Turkey.

The PKK commander said there had been "serious preparations" for action in cities.

"From now on, the state should definitely see a danger for itself everywhere there is a Kurd," PKK commander Turhalli said, adding that the PKK decided that it had been a mistake to "limit their fight to the mountains of the southeast."

"We have determined that we cannot be a deterrent force and achieve major successes by fighting in the mountains ... alone."

Turkey rejected earlier attempts to transform the group into a political force by refusing any dialogue with the group. Today, the PKK is apparently fractured between groups that favor negotiations and those that believe they should return to the battlefield. Reflecting the split, the Kurdish rebels have intensified their attacks.

2. - Xinhuanet - "PKK militants kills Turkish soldier":

ANKARA / 18 May 2005

A Turkish soldier was killed in an attack by outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) members in southeastern Turkey on Wednesday, the private NTV reported. The report said the soldier was killed when his unit came under fire near the Bayrambasi village of Silvan town of Diyarbakir province.

The commander of Turkey's First Army, General Hursit Tolon, warned on Wednesday that 'terrorism' was on the rise across the country.

On Tuesday, four Turkish soldiers were killed when they detonated a landmine, while earlier in the day, two PKK members were killed when they tried to attack the residence of the governor of the southeastern province of Siirt.

The PKK, with 4,000-5,000 militants, wants to set up a Kurdishstate covering southeastern Turkey, northern Iraq as well as parts of Iran and Syria.

It launched an armed campaign against the Turkish government in1984, but fighting subdued significantly after PKK commander Abdullah Ocalan was captured in 1999.

The group called off a unilateral ceasefire in 2004, shattering the fragile peace.

The Turkish government refuses to negotiate with the PKK, listing it as a terrorist organization.

3. - Reuters - "Turkish Soldier killed in southeast Turkey in latest upsurge":

DIYARBAKIR / 18 May 2005

A Turkish soldier was killed on Wednesday by Kurdish rebels in southeastern Turkey, the latest victim of escalating violence in the region, officials said.

Violence in Turkey's poor southeast has risen since the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a armed campaign since 1984, called off a ceasefire last year.

Four Kurdish rebels and four Turkish soldiers were killed on Tuesday. In the latest incident, one gendarme was killed in Diyarbakir's Silvan district in an attack by PKK militants.

The PKK had sought an independent state in the mainly Kurdish southeast, but scaled back its demands to winning cultural rights for the estimated 12 million Kurds in Turkey, a candidate for European Union membership.

The government rejects any talks with the rebel group.

The military warned the PKK could step up attacks after a large number of guerrillas were detected smuggling explosives into Turkey from their stronghold in northern Iraq.

Observers have said tensions between Turks and Kurds may intensify after the European Court of Human Rights ruled last week Turkey did not provide jailed PKK commandAbdullah Ocalan with a fair trial in 1999. Turkey may now have to retry Ocalan.

4. - The Middle East Newsline - "Turkey launches Attacks On Kurdish Bases in Iraq":

Turkey's military has launched strikes on Kurdish insurgency bases in northern Iraq.

ANKARA / 18 May 2005

After two years of threats, Ankara has sent ground forces, attack helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to Kandil mountain strongholds of the Kurdish Workers Party. Most of the weapons used by Turkey were imported from the United States.

The government of Prime Minister Recep Erdogan has not reported the attacks. But Kurdish sources in southeastern Turkey said Ankara began attacks in late April against PKK strongholds with F-16 multi-role fighters, AH-1G attack helicopters and M-60 main battle tanks.

The Turkish military said in a statement this week that PKK insurgents were infiltrating Turkey from Iraq in increasing numbers. The military said the insurgents were bringing large amounts of explosives into Turkey.

5. - The New Anatolian - "TSK sound C-4 alert":

Officials say that over the last two years, PKK militants have brought 280 kg of explosives into Turkey. A small amount of this doughy explosive can be fatal.

ANKARA / 19 May 2005 / by Evren Deger

Officials say that over the last two years, PKK militants have brought 280 kg of explosives into Turkey. A small amount of this doughy explosive can be fatal

The explosive claimed the lives of four soldiers in Siirt a few days ago. Officials discovered that the mine used had been strengthened with C-4

Gen. Buyukanit recently warned of possible attacks in big cities and the countryside

While Turkey is still shell shocked by the recent European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling for a retrial of rebel leader Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan, military officials are being extra vigilant due to C-4 explosives which PKK militants have been bringing into Turkey across the Iraqi border.

Officials discovered that PKK militants have brought 280 kilograms of explosives into Turkey over the last two years. The explosives have been identified as Composition A, Composition A-2, and Composition A-3 explosives which contain RDX, and Composition A-4, also known as C-4. The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) is worried that the PKK is planning to use the explosives in big cities. Security forces recently defused a C-4 bomb on Halic Bridge, Istanbul. In addition to this, an explosive claimed the lives of four soldiers during a military operation in the town of Eruh, Siirt on Monday. During the course of their investigations into the incident, officials discovered that several mines strengthened with C-4 had been detonated simultaneously by remote control.

Buyukanit warns of attacks

Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, Turkish Land Forces commander, at a press conference recently warned of possible bomb attacks. He said that rebels have been bringing huge amounts of C-4 explosives into Turkey, a substance that can't be obtained legally. He added that rebels previously used TNT explosives which can easily be obtained from quarries. Buyukanit expressed his worries, saying attacks may take place in big cities and in the countryside, adding that the security forces have captured several militants carrying C-4 explosives. He also urged military staff to be on alert.

What is C-4?

C-4 is a strong explosive made by the U.S. Army and is generally used for demolishing bridges and buildings. The TSK also uses it.

The explosive is doughy, dirty yellow, sticky, and smells like bitter almond oil. The final shape can be molded by hand, and it can also take the shape of the surface it's attached to. It's both waterproof and heat proof, and shock resistant. It explodes 1.6 seconds faster than TNT, and it affects an area of up to five kilometers. It can be detonated by either electrical fuses, ignition capsules, remote control, or a pressure fuse (known as a booby trap).

6. - Bianet - "Courts Punish Media, ECHR Punishes Turkey":

According to the BIA2's quarterly report on freedom of expression, ECHR handed Turkey a fine of 241,000 Euro, reporter Horuz has been serving in prison for four years, 9 reporters are still standing trial. RTUK suspends Radyo Dunya for 30 days.

ISTANBUL / 18 May 2005 / by Erol ONDEROGLU

With the new Turkish Penal Code, new prison penalties are being introduced, the Radio and Television Higher Board law, which limits freedoms, is being left unchanged, and the anti-terrorism law is threatening the freedom of expression of the media by introducing prison terms of five years.

Moreover, media employees are still not members of a union, and are deprived of social security, while foreign investors are preparing to become media owners or partners in Turkey.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has personally contributed to efforts to limit press freedom by suing the "Gunluk Evrensel" (Daily Evrensel) and the "Cumhuriyet" (Republic) newspapers for a caricature, and the "Zafer" (Victory) newspaper in Gaziantep, for an article.

BIA2 Media Monitoring Desk has prepared a three-month report, which covers the months of January, February and March, and which talks about rights violations in the media sector.

The 19-page report covers 49 cases, and the situations of 74 media institutions and 76 reporters. It also provides an account of all rights violations under the topics: "attacks and threats", "detentions and arrests", "trials and attempts", "European Court of Human Rights", "RTUK practices", "regulations and legal procedures" and "reaction to censorship."

Less attacks, prison sentences on the rise

During the period, there were two attacks, three threats and three detentions in the media sector. New trials were opened against eight programs or reporters, and courts continued with nine cases. Ten reporters from seven newspapers were handed penalties.

Reporter Sebati Karakurt from the "Hurriyet" (Freedom) newspaper, is standing trial for publishing interviews with militants of the PKK Kongra-Gel organization. He is being charged with "publishing the statements of a terrorist organization," and "disseminating propaganda of a terrorist organization."

Four reporters were acquitted during the period. The Supreme Court of Appeals overturned the 20 months prison term handed to writer Selahattin Aydar of the "Milli Gazete" (National Newspaper), ruling, "provocation requires call for violence." The same court upheld the punishment handed to reporter Mehmet Sevket Eygi under the same article.

Six reporters arrested in 2005 or before were released. Memik Horuz, the general manager of the "Isci Koylu" (Labourer Villager) magazine, has been in prison for "membership in an illegal organization" for the last four years. Seven media employees have been under arrest for the last four months for protesting the Penal Execution Law.

There were almost 10 cases opened against the "Birgun" (One Day) newspaper, which is only a year old. One of the cases against Birgun was brought by Transport Minister Binali Yildirim.

A total of 273 cases were opened against a total of 396 issues of "Ulkede Ozgur Gundem" (Free Agenda in the Country) newspaper. Nine of the 24 finalized cases resulted in a penalty, and 15 resulted in acquittals. Newspapers were fined a total of 113,000 new liras (USD 84,000).

Many warnings issued by RTUK; less programs were ordered off the air

RTUK ordered "Radyo Dunya" (Radio World) off the air for 30 days for presenting a book which had been confiscated. In the year earlier period, RTUK had ordered programs off the air for a total of 120 days.

While a total of 21 programs were ordered off the air during the year-earlier period, a total of 11 programs were ordered off the air in current period.

Programs were ordered off the air for "negatively affecting the development of children", "denouncing people for religious reasons", "attacking national and moral values", and "exceeding the limits of criticism."

RTUK asked for defenses from radio and televisions on 21 instances, and issued warnings in 86. In the year-earlier period, RTUK had asked for defenses for 19 programs, and had issued a total of 39 warnings.

Kurdish and Laz dialect banned on TV

"Gun TV" (Day TV) in Diyarbakir is still waiting for permission for Kurdish broadcasts. "Can TV" (Life TV) in Diyarbakir was asked for a defense after a Diyarbakir court banned Aynur Dogan's song named "Kece Kurda" (Kurdish Girl). The song is broadcast by the national media.

A year after TRT began broadcasting programs in the Bosnian, Kirmanchi, Zaza, Arabic and Circassian dialects, it didn't allow singer Birol Topaloglu to sing a song in the Laz dialect.

ECHR hands Turkey a fine of 426,726 new liras

Courts decided there was a lack of grounds for legal action in two complaints by the Tunceli provincial paramilitary police commandership against lawyer and jurist Huseyin Aygun. He will be tried for saying "I am being threatened."

Journalist Abdurrahman Dilipak is being tried by a military court for "damaging relations between the junior and senior levels." The military prosecutor appealed the case as Dilipak's file was being sent to a civilian court.

Erol Ozkoray, the general manager of "Idea Politika" (Political Idea) was fined 1,708 new Turkish liras (USD 1,250) for publishing an article titled "What is the army for?) on the Web site. A Turkish court had acquitted Ozkoray in a trial brought against him for publishing the article in the
magazine.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) fined Turkey a total of 241,085 euros (426,720 new Turkish liras) in damages in cases about freedom of expression.

7. - AFP - "European Court to decide on university exclusion of Turkish woman wearing headscarf":

STRASBOURG / 18 May 2005

The European Court of Human Rights on Wednesday heard the appeal of a woman who was expelled from a Turkish university for wearing a Muslim head scarf.

Leyla Sahin, who finally completed her medical studies in Austria where she currently practises, was refused entry to exams then her enrolment in March 1998 while she was in her fifth year at Istanbul University.

The refusal followed a circular from the university authorities, issued the previous month, which banned the admission of female students wearing the headscarves or male students with beards.

The European court, which upholds the European Convention on Human Rights, dismissed in June 2004 Sahin's claims that the university's decision was a violation of her freedom of thought, conscience and religion and her right to education.

It found that the university's ban on headscarves could be considered as "necessary in a democratic society" and noted that it was based on "two principles which reinforce and complement each other: secularism and equality".

In Turkey, Sahin's appeal was rejected based on the principle of secularism contained in article two of the country's constitution.

During the appeal hearing on Wednesday Sahin's lawyer, Kazim Berzeg, emphasised the fact that the head scarf was not banned in Europe and accused the judges of treating Turkey differently.

Berzeg told the hearing the European Convention on Human Rights protected the freedom of religious expression and not secularism.

No date was set for the European court's judgement on the case.

8. - The New Anatolian - "Report probes Ankara's civil-military relations":

ANKARA / 19 May 2005

A new Europe Union-ordered report jointly prepared by Turkish and European civil organizations puts relations between the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and the nation's civilian leadership under the microscope. Examining the past of the TSK, the as yet-unreleased report notes how a 1961 Internal Service Act gave the TSK the greenlight to defend the Turkish order "if necessary by force," thus justifying its periodic forays into politics and overruling of the civilian leaders. In the report, the hierarchical position of the chief of Staff is discussed, and a proposal is made for chiefs heretofore to come under the defense minister instead of the prime minister.

The report was drawn up in the context of Turkey's EU accession, and the organizations were tasked by the Netherlands, the current EU term president, to prepare it.

The report, entitled "Turkish Civil-Military Relations and the EU: The 'Further Alignment' Challenge," was prepared by three civil groups: The Netherlands-based Centre for European Security Studies (CESS), the Ankara-based Center for Eurasian Strategical Studies (ASAM), and the Istanbul-based Istanbul Policy Center (IPC). But while the final studies were being carried out, the ASAM members resigned from the undertaking. The head of ASAM, former Ambassador Gunduz Aktan, accused the European members of being prejudiced towards Turkey. After conflicts among the three groups, it's unknown if the report will be completed and released to the public.

'State within a state'

The report cites European Union views on Turkey's military-civilian relationship. "Europeans believe that it's customary in Turkey to defer the military on all matters directly or indirectly related to security," it says. "Moreover, the military have an influential voice in public affairs in general. The armed forces exist as a state within a state for all practical purposes. Defense is certainly not subject to intrusive legislative scrutiny, much less by wider societal oversight. It's not even subject to close executive direction at a ministerial level because the high command answers directly to the head of government."

TSK's role in Turkey

In the report, as the military's role in the past was discussed, its intervention into politics was scrutinized in detail:

FOUNDERS: "The founding fathers of the modern Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal and Ismet Inonu, were both former generals. They made the military an important partner in establishing and safeguarding unity and secular state with a reformist agenda and a European vocation. They embraced democracy adopting a parliamentary system of government, with the assurance that the TSK would defend the Constitution if the unity or secular character of the Republic were ever endangered."

COUPS: "Through the 1950s, the ruling Democratic Party (DP] became increasingly authoritarian and oppressed the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). It also gave short shrift to secularism. This conduct provoked the coup of May 27, 1960. In the name of guardianship, a group of officers took power into their own hands.

"The aftermath resulted in a new Constitution. This institutionalized the military's role of guardian by creating the National Security Council (MGK).

"Civilian government was quickly restored afterwards. However, Turkish politics thereafter took an anarchic turn with the risk of civil war, prompting a second instance of direct military intervention in 1971, and third in 1980. In both, the military argued that they were fulfilling their legal obligation, and their action had popular support."

In the report, the period which led the government of Necmettin Erbakan to resign in 1997 -- the "postmodern" coup -- was highlighted:

"The military's choice here was not to threaten Erbakan outright but first to successfully mobilize public opinion against his government and then to make it difficult for him to continue in office."

Modus vivendi

The report characterizes the relationship between the ruling Justice and Democracy (AK) Party government and the chief of General Staff as a "modus vivendi":

"No less important is the modus vivendi that appears to have been established between the TSK's high command and the incumbent AK Party, despite the latter's perceived religious orientation (because, though committed to secular politics, it is run by people who are practicing Muslims). .... The chief of General Staff believes that the TSK should stay out of day-to-day politics, always on the understanding that the democratically elected politicians have the last word. For his part, the prime minister has himself shown acute awareness of military sensitivities, and his government has, for the most part, avoided adopting measures that would arouse military opposition. Mr. Erdogan believes in the necessity of separating religion from politics and he and his colleagues have accordingly kept their distance from political Islam with the AK Party defining itself as a conservative democratic party. On this key subject Gen. Ozkok's sentiments mirror those of his political boss. The chief of General Staff acknowledges that religious people can also pursue secular politics."

Parliament's 'rubber stamp'

In the report, future steps to be taken towards a civil-military reform program are also discussed:

"The annual budget for the TSK can be reviewed and changed by Parliament's Budget and Planning committee. But over the years, the typical parliamentarian has been prepared to let the government and the General Staff exercise the initiative in military matters. In short, legislators have been content to play a 'rubber stamp' role."

The report suggests that Turkey announce a timetable:

"We suggest that Turkey might usefully issue a declaration of intent to develop a coherent continuing convergence program that would incorporate measures to optimize the higher organization of defense, plus measures to promote more effective legislature to oversee military affairs."