13 January 2006

1. "Watchdogs: More Turkish journalists jailed under new law", a Turkish law against humiliating state officials and institutions has drawn international condemnations, as authorities have increasingly used the code to punish journalists and writers.

2. "Turk who gained notoriety for trying to kill pope is released from prison", the Turkish gunman who shot Pope John Paul in 1981 was released from prison Thursday, after serving more than 25 years in Italy and Turkey for the plot against the pontiff and the slaying of a Turkish journalist.

3. "Eastern Kurdistan Human Rights Association Member Abducted in Mahabad", 'Eastern Kurdistan Human Rights Association' (RMMK) member Sirwe Kamkar was abducted in Mahabad city (Kurdistan-Iran) by a group of village policeman and Iranian soldiers. Kamkar said that he was tortured after he was released when people bore witness and his family applied.

4. "Iraq: Kurds Agree To Unify Administrations", the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) reached an agreement on 7 January over the joint administration of the Kurdistan regional government. The agreement, several years in the making, has been hailed across the region. Kurdish leaders said the agreement will be presented to the Kurdistan National Assembly for ratification following the Eid Al-Adha holiday, which ends on 12 January.

5. "Kurds focus on corruption in Kurdistan administration", the Kurdish advocates have focused their recent activities on revealing corruption in the Kurdish administrations of PUK and KDP.

6. "Iraqi Kurds bans sale of live chickens", Iraqi Kurdish authorities have banned local trading in live chickens because of a lethal form of bird flu that has infected 15 people across the border in Turkey, a senior official said Wednesday.

1. - IJN - "Watchdogs: More Turkish journalists jailed under new law":

11 January 2006

A Turkish law against humiliating state officials and institutions has drawn international condemnations, as authorities have increasingly used the code to punish journalists and writers.

Article 301 of Turkey’s criminal code makes it illegal to “insult Turkishness,” according to reports from freedom of expression watchdogs. Since its passage in June, authorities have used the law to charge or convict at least 22 journalists and writers, according to Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Of the 22 accused journalists, courts have sentenced seven and several more have imminent trials. The latest conviction took place on December 27, when writer Zulkuf Kisanak was sentenced to six months in jail. His crime: writing a book that investigates Turkish troops’ destruction of villages in southeastern Turkey.

Prominent writer Orhun Pamuk faces a February 7 trial date for telling a Swiss weekly that “one million Armenians and 30,000 Kurds were killed in this country, but no one dares to say so except me,” according to international reports.

RSF also sent a letter to European Union President Wolfgang Schüssel of Austria, suggesting the insult law should affect Turkey’s chances of joining the EU. Those negotiations began October 4 and are expected to take about 10 years.

2. - AP - "Turk who gained notoriety for trying to kill pope is released from prison":

ISTANBUL / 12 January 2006

The Turkish gunman who shot Pope John Paul in 1981 was released from prison Thursday, after serving more than 25 years in Italy and Turkey for the plot against the pontiff and the slaying of a Turkish journalist.

A white sedan whisked Mehmet Ali Agca through the gates of the high-security Kartal Prison. Nationalist supporters who had fought alongside Agca in street battles against leftists in the 1970s cheered and tossed flowers. Agca, 48, wearing a bright blue sweater and jeans, was freed five years after he was pardoned by Italy and extradited to Turkey. He had served 20 years in prison in Italy.

"We are happy. We endlessly thank the Turkish state," said his brother, Adnan.

He said one of the first things Agca wanted to do was order a typical Turkish meal of beans and rice at a restaurant overlooking the Bosporus Strait, the narrow waterway that bisects Istanbul and joins the European and Asian continents.

"He will lead a life as any other Turkish citizen," the brother said when asked what Agca would do next.

Agca shot the pope as he rode in an open car in St. Peter's Square in Rome on May 13, 1981, and was captured immediately. John Paul was hit in the abdomen, left hand and right arm, but recovered because Agca's bullets missed vital organs. Two years after the shooting, the pope met with Agca in prison and forgave him.

Agca has never offered a motive for the shooting.

Many Turks were surprised and outraged at last week's court decision releasing Agca on parole after serving 4 1/2 years in prison for killing a left-wing columnist, Abdi Ipekci, in 1979.

"Day of Shame," read the headline of Ipekci's newspaper, Milliyet. "The murderer with blood on his hands is returning to our midst," it said.

Turgut Kazan, a lawyer representing the Ipekci family, said he would appeal Agca's release to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France.

Agca's lawyer, Mustafa Demirbag, acknowledged the emotions surrounding the release of the man who became the world's most infamous Turk, saying Thursday: "This is a decision by an independent Turkish court. I invite everyone to respect this decision."

Hundreds of Agca's right-wing supporters came to Istanbul to celebrate his release.

"He is a family friend. We love him," said Mustafa Akmercan, one of two Turks who hijacked an Air Malta jetliner in 1997 to demand Agca's release, from outside the prison. "We're very happy."

Demirbag said Agca benefited from amnesties and recent amendments to the penal code which led the court to deduct the time he served in Italy from his 36-year prison term - the maximum sentence for any crime in Turkey.

John Paul, who died last April, met with Agca in Italy's Rebibbia prison in 1983 and forgave him.

After his release, Agca, who initially was handcuffed, reported to a military recruitment centre. As he left, uncuffed, he handed a journalist a photocopy of a Time magazine cover showing him in his prison cell with the pope and the headline: "Why forgive?"

He then headed for a routine hospital checkup, escorted by a long convoy of police vehicles.

Ahmet Gokce, 27, a jeweller and a self-described nationalist, waved a giant Turkish flag outside the conscription centre.

"I am happy, but it is happiness which came very late," he said. "He is an idol for me. If possible, I would like to meet him very much."

Agca, who has been known in the past for frequent outbursts and claims that he was the Messiah, has never undergone a thorough psychological evaluation, although he met briefly with a psychiatrist who declared him sane enough to stand trial for shooting the pope.

The issue was important because Agca, a draft-dodger who escaped from a military prison in 1979, faced the possibility of being enlisted in the army if he were to be pronounced fit to serve.

It was unclear whether Agca would be screened for military service on Thursday or face any criminal charges for evading the military and escaping.

3. - DIHA - "Eastern Kurdistan Human Rights Association Member Abducted in Mahabad":

TEHRAN / 11 January 2006

'Eastern Kurdistan Human Rights Association' (RMMK) member Sirwe Kamkar was abducted in Mahabad city (Kurdistan-Iran) by a group of village policeman and Iranian soldiers. Kamkar said that he was tortured after he was released when people bore witness and his family applied.

According to information received, Eastern Kurdistan Human Rights Association (RMMK) member Sirwe Kamkar was abducted on Sunday morning by a group of village policeman and soldiers from Çarçira Square of Mahabad.

According to what witnesses said, Kamkar, after visiting a friend, was attacked by soldiers from Iranian Intelligence (SIPA) and village policemen of Rahman Silêmani. Witnesses said that Kamkar shouted and introduced himself and shouted for help.

They said that the soldiers introduced themselves as Peshmergas when those around reacted. They said that Kamkar was taken away by a Land Rover. It was found out that Kamkar family applied for information about the matter, but Intelligence Unit stated that there was no information about him but they had to accept that Kamkar was at their hands when people bore witness.

'You collect signature for Öcalan'

Kamkar held under custody for about 4 hours, said that he was tortured: "They accused me of being a PJAK member.

When I said that I wasn't, they said 'you collect signatures for Öcalan.' I said that it was legal, and that I worked for RMMK." Iranian intelligence organisation had arrested RMMK member Xefur Mehemedi claiming that he was a PJAK member. Mehemedi is now still held in Mahabad Prison.

4. - Radio Free Europe - "Iraq: Kurds Agree To Unify Administrations":

12 January 2006 / by Kathleen Ridolfo

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) reached an agreement on 7 January over the joint administration of the Kurdistan regional government. The agreement, several years in the making, has been hailed across the region. Kurdish leaders said the agreement will be presented to the Kurdistan National Assembly for ratification following the Eid Al-Adha holiday, which ends on 12 January.

The two parties have maintained separate administrations in the zones that they have controlled since the end of the Kurdistan civil war in 1998.

According to the new power-sharing agreement, KDP members will be appointed to head the Agriculture, Culture, Electricity, Finance, External Affairs, Higher Education, Martyrs, Municipalities, and Water Resources ministries.

The PUK will oversee the ] Education, Endowments, Interior, Health, Human Rights, Justice, Planning and Reconstruction, Social Affairs, and Transport ministries.

There is no conclusive word on which party will control the Peshmerga Affairs Ministry, which will be responsible for managing some 160,000 peshmerga fighters, London's "Al-Hayat" reported on 10 January. The daily reported that the unification of the Kurdish peshmerga, police, military intelligence, external intelligence, and internal security services could take up to 18 months.

According to media reports, KDP head and current Kurdistan President Mas'ud Barzani will retain the presidency, and Nechirvan Barzani will serve as prime minister. The PUK's Adnan Mufti will serve as parliament speaker. The parties, which ran a joint slate in the 15 December Iraqi National Assembly elections, have agreed to nominate PUK head Jalal Talabani for the Iraqi presidency.

Reuters reported on 10 January the parties would switch control of the Kurdish presidency and parliament speaker positions after two years.

'Historic' Accord

Kurdish leaders praised the agreement at a 7 January press conference in Salah Al-Din, calling it "historic." KDP member and Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Rowsch Nuri Shaways said the agreement was finalized in writing after lengthy discussions by the political bureaus of both parties.

"This is a significant step in the history of the people of Kurdistan," PUK Political Bureau head Kosrat Rasul Ali told reporters at the press conference. Ali said he hoped the Kurdish administration would take into account the sacrifices made by Kurdish families during the struggle to unite Kurdistan and compensate those who suffered during the Kurdish civil war.

There is also no word on what role, if any, will be given to smaller Kurdish parties in the unified government. The Kurdistan Islamic Union, which placed second in the recent national election in all three Kurdistan governorates, may be left out in the cold, given the union's current relationship with the parties.

Unification After Years Of Conflict

The Kurdistan region went through a turbulent period following the 1991 Gulf War. The United States secured autonomy for the region after it established a northern no-fly zone north of the 36th parallel in 1991. Kurdish parliamentary elections were held and a regional government was formed in 1992, but relations between the two parties were less than cohesive due to internecine fighting.

By 1994, civil war had broken out. In 1996, KDP head Mas'ud Barzani elicited the help of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to drive PUK peshmerga forces from Irbil and other strongholds. A Washington-brokered peace accord between the KDP and PUK in 1998 eventually brought an end to the conflict.

Though they share power in a regional parliament -- newly elected in 2005 -- the two sides have continued to maintain separate administrations in their respective areas of control in Kurdistan. Last year, the two parties began drafting a constitution for the entire Kurdistan region.

5. - Kurdish Media - "Kurds focus on corruption in Kurdistan administration":

LONDON / 12 January 2006

The Kurdish advocates have focused their recent activities on revealing corruption in the Kurdish administrations of PUK and KDP. A number of nongovernmental organisations were established to deal with corruption and some of the Kurdish websites have dedicated files on their websites for corruption. No newspaper or a periodical can escape without at least an article on corruption. “The committee for monitoring corruption in Kurdistan” which was established in Arbil is just an example of these organisations.
Corruption has become an umbrella concept that encapsulates other concepts such as abuse of power, nepotism, bribery, abuse of public properties and funds and the list just goes on.

By reading the “Corruption file” on one of the Kurdish websites, dengekan.com, which is run by Kurds in diaspora, one can get a good feel for the depth of corruption in Kurdistan. Some examples of the headings are given here:

- The documents speak for themselves: several official Kurdish administration documents show how public funds are misused
- The corruption of the Kurdish authorities between planning and random actions
- The anger of people of Kurdistan [due to corruption]: where is it heading?
- The rise of civil movements against corruption in Kurdistan
- The [Kurdish] administration is the only source of corruption and the solution is changing it
- The fear of the corruption of the Kurdish administration disturbed people
- Which part of this land is not corrupt
- Corruption is terror
- A protest [against corruption] in Kurdistan is on its way
- Resisting corruption in Kurdistan
- Being the heroes and the thieves

People of Sulemani, who are known for their sense of humour, have found some humorous sides of corruption. A long poem entitled “My City Sulemani” which has no name on and was distributed over the internet and thousands of hard copies must have been distributed in Kurdistan and amongst Kurdish diaspora community. The poem reveals how Sulemani was the centre of honesty before and how it is all changed now. Then it names some high ranking Kurdish political figures and links them to known corruptions to the public. The poem shows how the high ranking people in the Kurdish administration abused public properties and public funds. It also gives examples of how the politicians have transferred public funds to their relatives.

The corruption has reached to a stage that even the high ranking members of the Kurdish authorities and political parties address it publicly. On 9th September 2005, the PUK administration held a conference to address corruption of Kurdish administration. How successful were they? Addressing corruption is not the question. The question is: how can it be eliminated?

6. - AFP - "Iraqi Kurds bans sale of live chickens":

ARBIL / 11 January 2006

Iraqi Kurdish authorities have banned local trading in live chickens because of a lethal form of bird flu that has infected 15 people across the border in Turkey, a senior official said Wednesday.
Already in October, the Iraqi government banned the import of live birds and poulty from Turkey.

"We had already taken measures, but following the recent cases in Turkey we have bolstered them, by stopping the sale of live chickens," Kurdistan's regional agricultural chief, Azad Ezzedin, told AFP.

Hunting has also been banned in the region, and all vehicles crossing from Turkey must have their tires sprayed with disinfectant, he added.

UN experts warned Wednesday that the flu, which recently killed at least two people in Turkey, now threatens nearby countries.

The toll from the highly infectious H5N1 strain of bird flu has climbed to 78 people worldwide.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said Wednesday that the virus may be spreading even as Turkey slaughters 306,000 birds to halt its advance.

It warned neighbouring Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iraq, Iran and Syria to be on high alert.

Turkey shares a border with Iraqi Kurdistan.