Ambargoyu delip gOnderiyoruz

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From: newsdesk_aps_nl at apsf.aps.nl (newsdesk at aps.nl)
Subject: Ambargoyu delip gOnderiyoruz


VOA, 4 saat kadar sonra yayImlanmak Uzere, biraz Once $u haberi geCti:

date=2/7/95

     /// eds note: Embargoed until 00:01 GMT Wednesday ///

Intro:  The human rights group, Amnesty International, has released a scathing
report on abuses in Turkey. The London-based group says torture and
disappearances occur on a daily basis, and these actions are masked by a
government policy of outright denial.  VOA's Christine Furnell reports from
London.

Text:  Amnesty says Kurdish villagers are suffering the brunt of human rights
abuses committed by both government forces and guerrillas of the Kurdish
Workers' Party, the PKK.

There has been unrest in the mainly Kurdish provinces of east and southeastern
Turkey for many years, and the area is under a state of emergency.

Amnesty researcher Jonathan Sugden, says the Kurdish villagers are used as
pawns in the conflict between the government and the PKK.

                       /// Sugden act ///

         Kurdish villages are constantly being evacuated and
         burned down. Normally, what happens is the government
         asks them to join the system of government-appointed
         village guards. They get arms and money and then, they
         are supposed to oppose the PKK entering the village.
         If they refuse to join the village guard system, then
         their village is very often burned or demolished using
         explosives and the villagers are forced to move on.
         These sort of operations are often carried out with a
         good deal of ill treatment, sometimes torture, and also
         many villagers have also disappeared during village
         destructions. However, if they join (the government
         sponsored units) they may be subjected to attack by the
         PKK.

                         /// end act ///

Mr. Sugden says between one-thousand and two thousand villages have been
destroyed in this way. During intense military operations against the PKK in
the Tunceli area last year, Amnesty says dozens of villages were forcibly
evacuated and burned, and several villagers disappeared while others were
found
dead. Amnesty says that despite testimony from dozens of eyewitnesses to the
contrary, the Turkish government insisted the atrocities were carried out by
PKK guerrillas disguised as government troops.

But Amnesty also says government abuses have been matched by the PKK, which
has
also carried out summary executions and killed civilians believed to support
the government.

// opt //  The group says human rights abuses are not restricted to the
political arena. It says common criminals or those suspected of petty crimes
are often tortured. Amnesty is urging Turkey to implement safeguards against
this
practice including shortening the detention period and allowing immediate
access to medical and legal aid. // end opt //

// opt //  Amnesty International accuses the Turkish government of also
attempting to conceal the scale of the violations by targetting human rights
defenders in the country. The group says branches of the Turkish Human Rights
Association have been closed down and measures curtailing press freedom and
political opposition organizations have been implemented. // end opt //

Among its recommendations, Amnesty urged countries that export goods to Turkey
to ensure that transfers of military equipment do not exacerbate the rights
violations. The group said it has received reports that imported armored
vehicles, helicopters and other aircraft have been used in security operations
in the Kurdish southeast.

                       /// Sugden act ///

         Governments have a duty to monitor the use of the
         equipment that they are selling. They should take an
         interest in what is going on, how this equipment is
         being used. They should make visits to the country,
         they should take statements from villagers or people in
         the area when there are allegations that this sort of
         equipment has been used. They must get to the bottom of
         it and only when they are satisfied that their equipment
         is not being used to commit violations should they
         continue to issue licenses for the export.

                         /// end act ///

Amnesty says in recent years there has been a growing tide of concern over
Turkey's human rights record and urges the international community to take
action through such organizations as the United Nations and the European
Union.

The Turkish Embassy in London had no comment on Amnesty's findings. (signed)

/// eds note: Do not use this before 00:01 GMT Wednesday ///

Source: Voice of America