Untitled Document

13 March 2007

1. "Turkey says tests show Ocalan poisoning claims 'groundless'", toxicology tests on jailed Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan are negative, proving false claims by his lawyers that he was being poisoned, state prosecutors said Monday. Ocalan's lawyers said in a written statement that they would legally challenge the report because the experts ignored their demands to also test the paint on the walls of Ocalan's cell and his cutlery for signs of poison.

2. "Kurds Fear a New War", the prospect of a conflict between PKK and Turkish troops has worried Iraqi Kurds who fear that a Turkish attack on PKK bases may lead to long-term occupation of their Kurdistan region in northern Iraq. The PKK announced unilateral ceasefire Oct. 1 last year, symbolically on world peace day, but it was rejected by the Turkish government.

3. "DTP seeks to form a 'democracy block'", Turkey’s main Kurdish party wants to form a block of pro-democracy and pro-freedom candidates who will enter the national elections as independents.

4. "Court Bans pro-Kurdish Newspaper", an Istanbul court temporarily banned the publication of pro-Kurdish daily Ülkede Özgür Gündem for a month following news that the ex-guerilla leader Abdullah Öcalan is being poisoned in prison. The government denied such allegations.

5. "Disclosed Army Secret Report Classifies Media", the Weekly Nokta discloses an internal army report which classifies media outlets as "trustworthy" or "precarious" and bases the General Staff's accreditation process accordingly. 53-page report evaluates individual journalists as "pro-army" or not.

6. "PKK supporters clash with Turkish riot police", supporters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) took to the streets with Molotov cocktails and clashed with police during protests in towns across Turkey on Sunday, reports said.

1. - AFP - "Turkey says tests show Ocalan poisoning claims 'groundless'":

ISTANBUL / 12 March 2007

Toxicology tests on jailed Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan are negative, proving false claims by his lawyers that he was being poisoned, state prosecutors said Monday.

"The report issued today by the Istanbul coroner's office has determined that claims of (Ocalan) being poisoned are totally groundless," said a statement from the prosecutor's office in the northwestern city of Bursa.

The Bursa prosecutor's office oversees the prison island of Imrali in the Marmara Sea, where Ocalan has been kept in solitary confinement since 1999.

The report was based on tests done by a team of three experts, the statement carried by the Anatolia news agency said.

Ocalan's lawyers said in a written statement that they would legally challenge the report because the experts ignored their demands to also test the paint on the walls of Ocalan's cell and his cutlery for signs of poison.

Raising questions over the technical capacity of the Istanbul coroner's office, they also called for independent experts to run the tests.

"Samples from Ocalan and his cell need to be exmined by a team of independent experts in a laboratory of sufficient technical capacity," the statement, faxed to AFP, said.

Turkey had ordered the exams after Ocalan's lawyers told a press conference in Rome earlier this month that their client was being poisoned, citing tests results indicating the presence of what they described as toxic metals, including high levels of chromium and strontium.

They had said that Ocalan, 58, was experiencing breathing and skin problems, as well as pains severe enough to interrupt his sleep.

Ocalan is the head of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged a bloody campaign since 1984 for self-rule in southeast Turkey in a conflict that has claimed more than 37,000 lives.

Considered by many as the country's public enemy number one, he has been kept under tight security on Imrali since he was convicted of treason in 1999.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States, but many among Turkey's large Kurdish minority consider its members freedom fighters.

2. - IPS - "Kurds Fear a New War":

QANDIL MOUNTAINS / 12 March 2007 / by Mohammed A. Salih

The fragile quiet in this no-man's-land is broken by a young fighter shooting into the air at a regular morning ceremony to "commemorate martyrs".

The firing is more than ceremonial. A new threat of war is looming in this mountain range in the north of Iraq, cutting into Turkey and Iran.

All three countries have large Kurdish populations, and the governments of all three are worried about a Kurdish uprising for a separate homeland. Only in Iraq do Kurds have an autonomous region of their own.

Over the past few months Turkey and Iran have been threatening to sweep positions held by the Kurdistan Workers' Party of Turkey (PKK) off these mountains. They accuse the PKK of launching cross-border operations from Iraq's soil into Turkey and Iran.

The prospect of a conflict between PKK and Turkish troops has worried Iraqi Kurds who fear that a Turkish attack on PKK bases may lead to long-term occupation of their Kurdistan region in northern Iraq.

The PKK announced unilateral ceasefire Oct. 1 last year, symbolically on world peace day, but it was rejected by the Turkish government.

"We don't want to be forced to fight, and are still expecting a positive response to our ceasefire message from the relevant parties," Rostam Joudi, member of PKK's leadership council told IPS.

"Otherwise, we are quite prepared to counter any (Turkish) military operation. We can raise the level of the conflict...and it may get bigger than Iraq and Arab-Israeli conflicts."

PKK is on the terror list of Turkey, the United States and the European Union. The group's fight for a Kurdish homeland in Turkey since the early 1980s has claimed more than 35,000 lives.

It was mainly Iraqi Kurds who persuaded PKK to announce the ceasefire, hoping it would open the channel for diplomacy. But the move backfired; Turks argued that it was a sign of Iraqi Kurds' relations with PKK.

Turkish army chief Gen. Yasar Buyukanit accused Iraqi Kurdish political parties last month of being "the biggest supporter of the PKK at the moment." Iraq's Kurdish political parties are now uncertain how to deal with the PKK.

Kurdistan regional president Massoud Barzani told the Turkish NTV channel that his forces will not simply stand by should Turkish troops enter northern Iraq. The Kurdistan regional government also rejects military action against the PKK guerillas; a Kurd attack on Kurds will be strongly opposed by the public.

Kurd leaders in Iraq are well aware that the PKK presence in Kurdistan imperils the stability of their region and makes it a target for Turkish as well as Iranian forces.

Since the spring of last year Turkish and Iranian forces have occasionally shelled villages on the borders. Several Kurds have been killed.

The Kurdish leadership in Iraq has frequently called on the Turkish government for better treatment of its own Kurdish population and a general amnesty for PKK guerillas. This, they hope, would persuade PKK members to go for a political struggle and leave the Iraqi Kurdistan mountains.

But PKK leaders reject disbanding their party and leaving Qandil.

"The presence of our forces in (Iraqi) Kurdistan region is not something to negotiate over," Joudi said. He said the PKK does not use Iraqi Kurdistan soil to launch its attacks, and that it has fighters inside Turkish soil for that.

Recent developments in the region have not been in PKK's interest. Iran is seeking to build a regional alliance with Turkey to defuse international pressure on its nuclear program. As a part of this plan it has shelled PKK positions in Qandil in an apparent bid to appease Turkey.

Iran has also been taking on the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), an offshoot of PKK in the Kurdish regions of Iran.

The PJAK, which PKK officials told IPS enjoys limited U.S. support, has conducted several guerrilla operations in the western, predominantly Kurdish areas of Iran. The fighting has left dozens of casualties on both sides.

PKK leaders are expecting a Turkish military invasion in spring. They expect the attack to have limited scope in terms of "the time and area of operation."

As the likelihood of a fierce battle between PKK and Turkey rises, the guerrillas' determination is not shaken.

Heval Aslan, 24, joined PKK eight years ago after his village was twice razed by the Turkish army. He has a serious leg injury, but he says he can fight -- if he has to.

"No one wants to die or to kill. Our motto is that we are prepared for both peace and war."

3. - Turkish Daily News - "DTP seeks to form a 'democracy block'":

Turkey’s main Kurdish party wants to form a block of pro-democracy and pro-freedom candidates who will enter the national elections as independents.

ANKARA / 12 March 2007 / by Göksel Bozkurt

Turkey's main Kurdish party will unite opposition parties to seek democracy, freedom and rule of law and its candidates will be selected with agreement, said its deputy leader.

Democratic Society Party (DTP) deputy leader Aysel Tugluk, in an interview with the Turkish Daily News, said they were against ethnic nationalism and their candidates would not be exclusively Kurdish.

The DTP's likely decision to enter national elections not as a party but with independent candidates and form a parliamentary group has caused some to ask if the party, seen by many as following policies linked to the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), will seek peace or confrontation once there.

The DTP aims to form an election alliance with some leftist parties and pick the candidates of the block from among all participants.

Tugluk believes one of the principle reasons why there is a Kurdish problem in Turkey is the fact that Kurds are not present in Parliament. She said party grassroots were against violence and clashes and favored peace and agreement.

“It is very wrong to conduct politics over tension. Everyone needs to be careful. We will campaign for togetherness in Parliament and are aware that we need to be very careful,” she said.

She said they saw the Kurdish problem simply as a lack of democracy problem and noted that no one would benefit from social polarization.

“We want a bright and peaceful Turkey and for this, there needs to be a solution to the Kurdish problem. We see the solution lying inside Parliament,” the DTP deputy leader said.

DTP gains a voice:

Opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy from Istanbul Bülent Tanla, who specializes in public surveys, believes if the DTP abides by the rules of democracy, there would be no problems.

“They'll get around 25 seats in Parliament and form a group. They'll have the opportunity to voice their problems and discuss it,” he said.

However, Tanla also warned that if the DTP group decided to follow ethnic nationalist politics, there would be tension.

‘They won't change':

The head of the main rival of the DTP, Inclusive Democracy Party (KDP) leader Serafettin Elçi, said the DTP had the potential to gain seats in Parliament as independents, but argues that this will never result in them changing their main policies.

Elçi, who is also a former minister, told the TDN that the DTP had no choice but to continue their current policies. “If they don't, the true owners of these policies will take over.” Elçi also said, “With the current hard-line attitude of the state, what can they change anyway?”

Some room for hope:

Assistant Professor Mesut Yegen from the Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ) Department of Sociology told the TDN that there was room for hope if the DTP was able to enter Parliament as independents, arguing that this may result in some de-escalation in the Kurdish problem.

Speaking to the TDN, Yegen said the crucial factor was whom the DTP would announce as its independent candidates. “Will they announce people open to dialog or people linked to the PKK? This will show what the DTP is trying to do.”

Any tension in northern Iraq and possible influence of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan over any political block would further complicate the matter, he said, adding that any call for an amnesty for PKK members or improvement of Öcalan's jail conditions could provoke some tension.

“Is the DTP organizationally and ideologically ready for Parliament? It doesn't seem so. This is why there may be some tension if they continue their policies in Parliament,” he said.

However, he also noted that the Kurdish desire to enter Parliament and become part of Turkey's political scene could be viewed as a demand to be integrated into society and have strong links to the republic. Yegen says this is where Turkish politics should step in and warmly extended its hand. Otherwise, “from the current standpoint, there is no positive future for the Kurdish issue.”

4. - Bianet - "Court Bans pro-Kurdish Newspaper":

An Istanbul court temporarily banned the publication of pro-Kurdish daily Ülkede Özgür Gündem for a month following news that the ex-guerilla leader Abdullah Öcalan is being poisoned in prison. The government denied such allegations.

ISTANBUL / 12 March 2007 / Erol Onderoglu

Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court temporarily banned the publication of the pro-Kurdish daily Ülkede Özgür Gündem on two separate rulings.

The news regarding ex-guerilla leader Abdullah Öcalan being poisoned in a Turkish prison where he's condemned to a life sentence has been held as grounds for the decisions.

The journal won't be published for one month. Its lawyers said they would appeal to the ruling.

The court based its ruling on several articles of the Turkish Penal Code and the Press Law, which defines "appraisal of crime or criminals" and "propaganda of terrorist organization" as misdeeds.

"a legal intervention is necessary for the proper functioning of the democratic society", the ruling said.

"It's a legal scandal that a court can take two rulings with regard to the same case on the same day", reacted editor-in-chief of the daily Yüksel Genç.

Government denies allegations

News hit the media last week as Ocalan's lawyers disclosed that an independent laboratory found specimens of deadly chemicals on samples of hair taken from him.

It indicated that Ocalan is slowly poisoned, they claimed. The Ministry of Justice immediately refused the allegations and Ocalan was subjected to a check-up by doctors.

The medical jurisprudence report said no traces of poisoning has been detected on Öcalan, founder and long time leader of the guerilla group PKK.

5. - Bianet - "Disclosed Army Secret Report Classifies Media":

Weekly Nokta discloses an internal army report which classifies media outlets as "trustworthy" or "precarious" and bases the General Staff's accreditation process accordingly. 53-page report evaluates individual journalists as "pro-army" or not.

ISTANBUL / 8 March 2007

Weekly news magazine Nokta's recent issue discloses a series of army reports which examine and classify media outlets and journalists as "pro-Turkish Army" or "con-Turkish army".

Ahmet Sik's article shows how army officials use the accreditation process based on "journalists' approach to armed forces". Reports include statistics regarding number of published articles dubbed as "positive" or "negative" and journalists as "trustworthy" or "precarious".

Following the publication of the report today (March 8) in Nokta and cited in several newspapers, General Staff made a declaration saying that an investigation has begun into the incident.

Upto now, there're no specific details regarding the investigation.

Classification

Prepared by General Staff Public Relations Department and approved by General Staff General Secretary Salih Zeki Çolak, the report titled "Accredited Press and Media Outlets" dates back to November 2006.

Accreditation is defined as follows:

"In light of the examination which classify media outlets as trustworthy or precarious made with regard to the Turkish Armed Forces' (TSK) indispensable principles, a list of accreditation including those trustworthy is compiled".

(...)

"Participation of media outlets with low levels of trust in events organized by the TSK has been limited and those deemed as trustworthy have been encouraged".

(...)

"By not accrediting precarious media outlets, their reputation in public's eye has been attenuated".

(...)

"Despite counter interpretations, the accreditation process serves as an examination of media outlets' trustworthiness by the TSK".

Following those explanations, the report includes the following examinations about listed media outlets:

* Posta, Hürriyet, Milliyet, Referans, Gözcü, Sabah, Ortadogu, Yeniçag, The New Anatolian, Dünya, Türkiye, Cumhuriyet, Aksam and Vatan newspapers; TRT, BRT-K, ART, CINE 5, EY TV, EXPO Channel TV, NTV CNBC-E, ATV, TV 8, Show TV, Flash TV, CNN Türk, Kanal D, Star television stations; Ihlas News Agency, Dogan News Agency, Anatolian News Agency, ANKA Agency, Turkish News Agency; ASAM (Strategical Analysis), Defense Airforce Magazine, Tempo, Müdafaa-i Hukuk, Defense News and given its re-publishing Nokta Magazine's accreditations to be renewed.

* Daily Radikal newspaper: Although its accreditation to be renewed, four of its commentators to be banned from TSK events.

* Daily Takvim newspaper: Although its accreditation to be renewed, commentators opposing the TSK to be banned from TSK events.

* Daily H.O. Tercüman newspaper: Regarding the restructuring of the newspaper, it should be monitored for a while and a decision to be reached accordingly.

* SKY Türk television: Although its accreditation to be renewed, commentators opposing the TSK to be banned from TSK events.

* Daily Star newspaper: Regarding the restructuring of the newspaper, it should be monitored for a while and its accreditation to be on hold for a while.

* Jane's Defense Weekly Magazine: Magazine's accreditation to be renewed, its representative in Turkey to be banned from TSK events.

* News Coorparation (TGRT): Regarding the restructuring of the newspaper, it should be monitored for a while and a decision to be reached accordingly.

* Haber Türk TV: Although its accreditation to be renewed, commentators opposing the TSK (two names are specified) to be banned from TSK events.

* Kanal Türk TV: To be monitored for a while, and its owner to be banned from TSK events.

"Martyrs" shouldn't be called "dead"

In between the 53-page reports, there's a "Memorandum on the Concept of Martyrs". It expresses the concerns regarding the discussions around the concept of "martyrdom" and lists some cautions to be taken to avoid further discussion.

* Regarding false and partial news pieces, disclaimers can be sent to owners of such media outlets and remind them of media's responsibilities regarding the fight against terrorism.

* A strong counter informative over the Internet can diminish the effectiveness of such articles.

* Thorough meetings and corrective informative with selected journalists, security forces' expectations can be clearly explained and positive results would be achieved.

Note: Abstaining from revealing them as targets from nationalist and pro-army circles, bianet keeps the names of individual journalists who featured on General Staff's reports unpublished.

6. - AFP - "PKK supporters clash with Turkish riot police":

ANKARA / 11 March 2007

Supporters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) took to the streets with Molotov cocktails and clashed with police during protests in towns across Turkey on Sunday, reports said.

Protestors set fire to rubbish bins and tyres in the southern town of Mersin, blocking streets in support of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, the Anatolia news agency said.

Riot police retaliated with tear gas, charging the blockade in armoured vehicles and making a number of arrests, it said.

Masked demonstrators had attacked a bus with a Molotov cocktail in Mersin on Saturday before being pushed back by police. There were no casualties reported.

Police arrested three people in the southeastern town of Sanliurfa after a group of PKK supporters threw a Molotov cocktail at a bulldozer.

A group of masked men burnt three cars in an Istanbul suburb after attacking them with the home-made incendiaries.

Lawyers earlier this month said that Ocalan was being slowly poisoned in jail, citing laboratory tests which indicated abnormally high levels of toxic substances.

Ocalan, who led a rebellion in southeast Turkey from 1984 until his capture in 1999, is experiencing breathing and skin problems as well as severe pain which is interrupting his sleep, lawyers said.

The Turkish government denied the claims and sent a team of toxicologists to Ocalan's maximum-security island prison on Imrali, northwestern Turkey, which is still to publish its findings.