16 May 2007

1. "Artist on Trial for Remarks on Kurdish Issue", singer Ferhat Tunc, known for his critical remarks about the Kurdish issue in Turkey, faces yet another trial with regard to his speech during a concert last year. "Guerillas are sons of this country just as the soldiers who loose their lives", he said.

2. "Press freedom in a dilemma – the case of Özgür Gündem", the case of Özgür Gündem and its owner Yasar Kaya has been regarded with respect by the International Press Institute since its establishment in 1992.

3. "Two Turkish soldiers killed in landmine blast", two Turkish soldiers have been killed in a landmine blast in the country's Kurdish-dominated southeast, security sources said Tuesday.

4. "50 000 Turkish soldiers concentrated at Turk-Iraqi border region", 50 000 Turkish soldiers now concentrated at Turk-Iraqi border region of Sirnak. According to military sources a large operation by Turkish military forces aimed at PKK (Worker’s Party of Kurdistan) rebels in the provinces of Sirnak near the Iraqi border continues.

5. "Turkey's Islamic-rooted prime minister reiterates devotion to secular system", Turkey's prime minister said Tuesday he remains loyal to the country's secular laws following a mass rally over the weekend in which more than a million secular Turks protested his Islamic-rooted government.

6. "Withdrawing to Kurdistan Is No Withdrawal", an increasing number of moderates opposed to the Bush administration's policy in Iraq – and even some supporters of it – are flirting with the option of redeploying U.S. forces to the Kurdish areas in the north.

1. - Bianet - "Artist on Trial for Remarks on Kurdish Issue":

Singer Ferhat Tunc, known for his critical remarks about the Kurdish issue in Turkey, faces yet another trial with regard to his speech during a concert last year. "Guerillas are sons of this country just as the soldiers who loose their lives", he said.

IZMIR / 15 may 2007 / by Erol Onderoglu

Izmir Public Prosecututor's Office filed a case against artist Ferhat Tunç on allegations of "propagation of the illegal pro-Kurdish guerilla group PKK", based on a speech he made during a concert in Alanya last year.

"Guerillas who loose their lives are sons of this country just as the soldiers who die. My heart bleeds for each soldier and each guerilla who gets killed...", he said during a concert on July 22, 2006.

The first sitting of the court is scheduled for June 6, at Izmir 10th High Criminal Court.

If convicted, Tunc faces between 1,5 and 15 years of imprisonment, as foreseen at the Prevention of Terrorism Law (TMY).

Tunc still faces two other legal investigations related to an article he wrote at Ülkede Özgür Gündem daily and for participating in the initiative, which met private Coskun Krandi on his release from the guerillas who abducted him.

Known for his critical approach regarding the Kurdish issue in turkey, Tunc has received death threats from radical nationalist groups. He's also known to be warned by the security forces "to be cautious".

2. - Turkish Daily News - "Press freedom in a dilemma – the case of Özgür Gündem":

The case of Özgür Gündem and its owner Yasar Kaya has been regarded with respect by the International Press Institute since its establishment in 1992.

ISTANBUL / 15 May 2007 / by Niki Gamm

For decades Turkish governments have been struggling to balance the national interest and security on a scale where freedom of speech and thought are placed on the other side.

This is understandable that in a country that has not yet reached its 100th anniversary and throughout that period has found itself beset with enemies and potential enemies.

Now that Turkey is faced with having to change its laws and practices to meet the conditions of the European Union, it also has to solve this dilemma. How free can speech and thought be against security and the national interest? Other countries have gone through the same dilemma. But they have had many more years, decades and even centuries to settle this issue than Turkey.

No sooner does the Turkish government try to change its law (Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code), there are many who find fault with it. In fact it is doubtful whether or not anyone will ever be satisfied even if all restrictions are removed. There will always be people who are unhappy with absolute freedom.

Özgür Gündem caught in a dilemma

Seventeen newspapers in 17 years is the history of one newspaper in Turkey, Gündem, that has survived closure, suspension, confiscation, fines, searches, court cases and the imprisonment and even murder of one of its staff. Its mistake? The newspaper has taken political stances that are judged to be pro-Kurdish.

Nurettin Firat, news editor of Özgür Gündem, said to the Turkish Daily News, “One of the sine qua non conditions for the peaceful solution of the Kurdish problem is announcing policies, opinions, suggestions and reviews, attitudes and patterns of behavior with a multi-lateral, objective and realistic news mentality. Our Gündem newspaper has such a mentality.”

The editor went on to say that it was unfortunate that his newspaper was not represented at the general assembly of the International Press Institute that was being held in Istanbul. He pointed out that some of the IPI leaders would remember how Yasar Kaya experienced attacks on the paper when it was first published in 1992. Kaya had even become a member of IPI, which was engaged in the fight for press freedom. “However, Yasar Kaya who today finds himself in political exile in Germany could not attend the IPI meeting because Turkey denied him entry,” Firat concluded.

Özgür Gündem and its past

Censorship was applied to newspapers in 1995 and Ülkede Gündem (Agenda in the Country) was shut down by the State Security Court in 1998. In the case of Özgür Bakis (Free View), the distribution of the newspaper in regions under emergency rule was prohibited.

The number of investigations and court cases against newspapers increased as time went on. Gündem started publishing again on January 17 of this year and went on for 50 days before being suspended for a month. Yasamda Gündem (Agenda in life) came out on March 9 for three days and Güncel (Contemporary) made it from March 19 to 31 before being suspended for 15 days. The government was able to name three reasons for the suspensions. Pressure was also put on the distributor, a company owned by Sabah newspaper, to not circulate Güncel.

There is confusion about the suspensions because in a number of cases, articles that were criticized were published with impunity in other newspapers. In another instance, there is the puzzling instance of two courts delivering two different verdicts over the same case.

Azadiya Welat, the only Kurdish language newspaper in Turkey has again been suspended, this time for 20 days. The decision was taken on March 23, 2007 by the fifth Serious Crimes Court in Diyarbakir on the grounds that the newspaper was openly encouraging the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) by publishing statements issued by executives of the PKK and praising crimes it had committed. Gündem newspaper reopened for publishing on April 7 and was closed down one day later by another court decision for 15 days.

3. - AFP - "Two Turkish soldiers killed in landmine blast":

DIYARBAKIR / 15 May 2007

Two Turkish soldiers have been killed in a landmine blast in the country's Kurdish-dominated southeast, security sources said Tuesday.

The explosion occurred late Monday near the town of Dicle town in Diyarbakir province when the army was conducting a security sweep against the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the sources said.

Four soldiers were injured in the incident, the Anatolia news agency reported.

The Turkish army said last month it had launched large-scale operations against the PKK at the start of spring. Six PKK rebels have been killed between May 1 and 11, the army said on Monday.

More than 37,000 people have died since the PKK took up arms for self-rule in the Kurdish-majority southeast of Turkey in 1984.

4. - PanArmenianNet - "50 000 Turkish soldiers concentrated at Turk-Iraqi border region":

15 May 2007

50 000 Turkish soldiers now concentrated at Turk-Iraqi border region of Sirnak. According to military sources a large operation by Turkish military forces aimed at PKK (Worker’s Party of Kurdistan) rebels in the provinces of Sirnak near the Iraqi border continues.

Units of the Turkish military are fighting in the Cudi and Gabar mountains, as well as the Bestler-Dereler points near Sirnak. New position have been staked out by Turkish armed forces near the border, taking the border into direct target in preparation for rebels trying to cross over. While the transfer of soldiers and vehicles to the border area continues, as it has for 3 months now.

5. - AP - "Turkey's Islamic-rooted prime minister reiterates devotion to secular system":

ANKARA / 15 May 2007

Turkey's prime minister said Tuesday he remains loyal to the country's secular laws following a mass rally over the weekend in which more than a million secular Turks protested his Islamic-rooted government.

"Turkey is a social, secular state and will remain so," Erdogan said in remarks to a conference of international journalists in Istanbul. "We regard secularism as a guarantee of everybody's lifestyle."

Erdogan also said, however, that he objected to the use of secularism for political gains, in a veiled criticism of the mass protest supported by secular parties.

"We are against exploiting religion for political purposes. In the same way, secularism cannot be exploited for political gains either," Erdogan said.

About 1.5 million people gathered for a seafront protest against Erdogan's government in the Aegean port city of Izmir on Sunday, shouting: "Turkey is secular and will remain secular." The protest followed similar demonstrations in Ankara and Istanbul last month.

Secular Turks suspect Erdogan's government of having an Islamic agenda, which the prime minister strongly rejects.

The government carried out widespread pro-Western reforms to advance Turkey's European Union membership bid, which led the way to Turkey starting accession negotiations in 2005.

"Our government regards EU membership as a main strategy," Erdogan told a congress of the International Press Institute. "It is essential that Turkey take its place in the European Union."

Erdogan spent time in jail in 1999 for reciting an Islamic poem that prosecutors said amounted to a challenge to Turkey's secular system. Many of his party's members are pious Muslims who made their careers in the country's Islamist political movement.

Erdogan's supporters have spoken against restrictions on wearing Islamic-style head scarves in government offices and schools and supporting religious schools. His government also tried to criminalize adultery before being forced to back down under EU pressure, and some party-run municipalities have taken steps to ban alcohol.

The government called early elections for July 22 and passed constitutional amendments to let the people — rather than the Parliament — elect the president, after the secular opposition boycotted a presidential voting process and forced Erdogan's candidate for president — Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul — to abandon his bid. The amendments have yet to be endorsed by the president.

Secular Turks fear Erdogan's party will consolidate its power if someone from his party is elected president. Ahmet Necdet Sezer, the current president, has acted as a brake on the government, vetoing legislation and blocking the appointment of key officials.

Sezer's term in office was due to have ended on Wednesday. He is to remain president until a new one is elected.

6. - Baltimore Sun - "Withdrawing to Kurdistan Is No Withdrawal":

15 May 2007 / by Ted Galen Carpenter*

An increasing number of moderates opposed to the Bush administration's policy in Iraq – and even some supporters of it – are flirting with the option of redeploying U.S. forces to the Kurdish areas in the north. Sen. Christopher Dodd, a Democratic presidential contender, has openly advocated such a policy, and others, including former U.N. ambassador Richard Holbrooke – a probable Secretary of State in the next Democratic administration – and Washington Post warhawk Charles Krauthammer have floated similar proposals.

The redeployment strategy has understandable appeal to moderates. It would get American troops out of the most violent and dangerous portions of Iraq, such as Anbar Province and Baghdad, while not amounting to a complete U.S. withdrawal. Unlike other groups in Iraq, most Kurds actually like the presence of American forces. Nevertheless, the Kurdistan option is almost as misguided as the current policy. Indeed, it would expose the United States to an entirely new set of risks.

Though American troops in Kurdistan would not be under incessant attack as they have been elsewhere in Iraq, retaining military bases there is a bad idea. Any long-term U.S. military presence anywhere in Iraq is likely to inflame passions among Arabs and other Muslims who believe that the United States plays an imperial role in their region and is determined to perpetuate the occupation of Iraq. Maintaining even a limited number of bases in the Kurdish north could validate that allegation and further damage America's standing in the Muslim world. Indeed, Arabs would likely regard Kurdistan as "another Israel" -- a second alien U.S. client state in their region.

Even worse, a military presence could easily entangle the United States in Kurdistan's probable struggles with Arab factions in Iraq over control over the cities of Mosul and Kirkuk -- especially the latter's oil riches. A referendum on Kirkuk's political status is supposed to take place later this year. In preparation, the Kurdish regional government has been moving Kurdish residents into the city and driving out Arabs -- effectively reversing the Arabization resettlement program that Saddam Hussein engineered. Whatever the outcome of the referendum (which the Kurds are likely to win), that explosive quarrel will continue and probably escalate.

A U.S. troop presence could even entangle the United States in the murky and potentially contentious relationships between Iraqi Kurdistan and two of its neighbors, Iran and Turkey. Ankara has already begun rattling sabers, declaring on several occasions that it will not tolerate Kirkuk becoming part of Kurdistan. Turkey believes that such an outcome would lead to the persecution of the Turkmen minority in the city (which it has pledged to protect). Placing Kirkuk under Kurdish control would also give Kurdistan the oil revenues needed to make a bid for full-fledged independence, which Turkish leaders regard as a grave threat to the territorial integrity of their country, given its large Kurdish minority.

Ankara also has a major grievance with the authorities in Iraqi Kurdistan regarding the activities of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a war of secession in southeastern Turkey for more than two decades. PKK fighters routinely use Iraqi Kurdistan as a sanctuary for attacks into Turkey.

In early April, Turkish officials warned Washington that if the United States did not take action to halt those incursions, Turkey might be compelled to send its own forces across the border. Such a clash would be dangerous enough under the present circumstances, but imagine the position in which Washington would find itself if large numbers of American troops were stationed in Kurdistan and the Turks invaded.

Iraqi Kurdistan also has troubled relations with Iran. Tehran contends that another Kurdish insurgent group, The Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan (PJAK), that seeks to liberate the Kurds in Iran, operates out of Kurdish territory in Iraq. Iran is sufficiently concerned about that threat that Iranian officials have met with their Turkish counterparts on several occasions in recent months, apparently to coordinate responses to both the PKK and PJAK.

On the surface, Kurdistan might appear to be a safe haven for beleaguered U.S. troops in Iraq. Compared to the rest of the country, the region is relatively peaceful and well governed at the moment. But appearances can be deceiving. Kurdistan has dangerously volatile relations with all of its neighbors -- both inside and outside Iraq. Redeploying our troops to Kurdistan would be a snare, and one that Americans would have occasion to regret for years to come.

* Ted Galen Carpenter is vice president for defense and foreign policy studies and author of "Escaping the Trap: Why the United States Must Leave Iraq."