ISKD NEWSLETTER - October

[kurdeng at aps.nl]

--------------- Forwarded from : OSI at INFO-IST.comlink.de (OSSI) ----------------

## Nachricht vom 28.10.95 weitergeleitet
## Ursprung : /SOC/CULTURE/TURKISH
## Ersteller: KommAG at ASCO.nev.sub.de

## Nachricht vom 26.10.95 weitergeleitet
## Ursprung : kommag at asco.nev.sub.de
## Ersteller: OSI at INFO-IST.comlink.de (OSSI)

ISKD NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 20 - OCTOBER 25

PEACE AS A POPULAR WORD OR RADICAL ANTIMILITARISM

Today there are mainly two anti-war groups in Turkey: One is the group in
Istanbul which is involved in the periodical Peace Against War (SKB) and
in favour of "peace" and the other is ISKD which defends "a radical
antimilitarist perspective" since its foundation. These groups have
different conceptions of the world, which are quite far to each other.

The group involved in SKB firstly aims to develop a sensitivity in public
opinion along the idea of putting an end to the war in Kurdistan. On this
ground they try to gather intellectuals and persons from different political
ideas around the popular word: Peace. This effort is directed to encourage the
idea of cease-fire and political solution in Kurdistan. ISKD sees cease-fire
and political solution as an urgent need of Anatolia people and supports this
effort in practise. On the other hand, ISKD has an ideological ground that is
against all kinds of wars, militaristic and violent structures; and works to
develop a grassroot movement aiming demilitarization of the society and
abolishment of armies. The foundation of ISKD was not only because of the war
in Kurdistan but mainly because of the idea to organize a struggle against
militarism and violence itself; and to build up a liberterian and nonviolent
culture alongside the politic struggle.

This fundamental differentia between ISKD and SKB (Peace Against War)  
hasbecome more clear since the beginning of this year. Lastly, in the end of
September the ISKD activist Serdar was in Istanbul and participated two
sessions of regular SKB meetings. Serdar told that a new term began by
Ossi's case and both Ossi and ISKD staff were ready to face with the state
and ISKD staff decided to put forward their politic identity in its purest
form. (see. ISKD Newsletter - August/September '95 for more detailed
information concerning the internal discussions of ISKD) Serdar pointed out
that ISKD staff supportedthe work of SKB but would lead their own way
without any compromise from their radicalantimilitarist perspective. The
people involved in SKB almost agreed with Serdar that SKBand ISKD were not
two parts of the same movement but two different groups which should support
each other.


ASSASINATION AT IZMIR BUCA CLOSED PRISON

Sources: Newspapers, TIHV Bulletins, an essay written by a prisoner, the
statement of a prisoner from the 6th Ward, the autopsy report of Turan Kilic
prepared by Forensic Medicine, "Urgent Action News" the e-mail conference of
Amnesty International

On 19 September the left wing prisoners, except for those from PKK, refused
to come out of their wards for roll-call at Izmir Buca Closed Prison in order
to demand an improvement in prison conditions and a halt to ill-treatment and
torture of inmates. The prisoners' action was broken with a bloody intervention
on 22 September.

The tension between the prison administration and prisoners had begun on 17
July by the escape of four DHKP-C (violent illegal revolutionary organization)
prisoners. Prisoners can cause only a limited and temporary improvement in
prison conditions, which are quite bad in general, at the end of long hunger
strikes. The last hunger strike at Buca Prison was occured in February 1995.
But, on the cover of the escape on 17 July, the rights which were gained by
hunger strikes, were taken back step by step by the prison administration.
Ill-treatment and beating became an ordinary event during the way to courts
and hospitals. On 20 July, following the escape of four prisoners, 20 inmates,
who protested at searches of their shoes when being taken to court, were
severely beaten on their way to Izmir State Security Court. Many prisoners
were injured severely and their health situation was reported in the court
records. Although the hearing was postponed and the Court decided the
prisoners to be taken to Forensic Medicine, the gendarmes took them back to
prison. Later, only some of the injured prisoners were taken to hospital.
Standing the court records and health situation reports the lawyers appealed
to the Public Prosecutor Office to demand the gendarmes be judged. But,
the authorities remained silent and no inquiries were opened into the event.
This prepared the ground of later assasination at Izmir Buca Prison.

On 28 August the prisoners sent a petition, that explains the actual
situation in the prison, to the Izmir Bar Association and NGO's. Due
to the fact that the prison administration closed the ways of dialogue,
on 11 September the prisoners started to refuse to come out of their wards
for evening roll-call in order to oppress the administration to halt to
ill-treatment and torture of inmates. This action was a simple and clear form
of civil disobedience. On 19 September they started to refuse the morning
roll-call, too. As a reply to the action, the prison administration prevented
the prisoners to go to refectory and open air. On the same day, the lawyers
who went to see their clients were not allowed by the prison administration.
The lawyers appealed to Izmir Bar of Lawyers with the reason that their right
of defence was prevented by the prison administration. On 20 September and
the day after the lawyers were prevented to enter the prison, too.

On 22 September the gendarmes started an intervention in order to make
roll-call with force in the Wards 1, 3, 4, 6, 7. The inmates in the
6th Ward, where the DHKP-C prisoners stay, barricaded the door with beds and
wardropes. The gendarmes, who were not able to enter into the 6th Ward, dug
through the roof of the ward and threw gas, smoke and sound bombs. Then
they managed to destroy the barricades and took the prisoners out and beat
with truncheons, metal sticks and fetters. The intervention which occured as
like a lynch, continued four hours. During the intervention some parts of
the prison catched on fire.

As a result of the intervention the prisoners: Turan Kilic, Yusuf Bag and
Ugur Sariaslan died, 46 prisoners, 15 of whom were seriously injured, were
taken to hospital. 15 gendarmes and four guardians were also injured or
poisoned because of bombs during the event. After the intervention the
gendarme units left the prison with the slogans: "Long Live Turkey!" and
"Everything is for Country!".

According to the information received from medicine workers, the beating
of prisoners continued during their way to hospital and even in the hospital.
The civil and uniformed security forces surrounded the hospital and prevented
the entry. The gendarme and other security forces interfered to doctors and
other medicine workers in the Emergency Service.

Later the prisoners mentioned that in the hospital even the ones who had
fractures at arms and legs were chained to the beds and teased by security
forces and a small part of the medicine staff joined to ill-treatment.
Union of Doctors of Turkey (TTB) opened an inquiry into the event.

On 23 September the autopsies were made. In Turan Kilic's autopsy report
which was signed by three doctors from Forensic Medicine and a prosecutor,
it was mentioned that the victim died because of fracture in skull and
cerebral haemorhage. His lawyer said that due to the fact that his face
was completely injured, he could not identify Turan Kilic's corpse when
he first saw.

On 23 September morning the members of prisoners' families, represantatives
of medical and human rights organizations gathered in front of the Buca
Prison but were disbanded by the security forces. Due to the fact that a
new intervention might be done in the other wards which were still on
resistance; the families, NGO representatives and lawyers gathered in front
of the prison again in the afternoon. After a while the group made a
press statement and then the security forces attacked. 54 persons, 12 of
whom were lawyers, were beaten and detained. During the event the soldiers
at the main entrance supported the Mobile Force (Anti-Riot Police) with
slogans. 15 persons were seriously injured.

The detainees were taken to court on 24 September. During the hearing
the police attacked to people who had come to support the detainees.
Three persons were injured.

The conversation between the prisoners and authorities from Ministry
for Justice continued on 23 and 24 September. Members of management
board of Izmir Bar Association mediated the conversation. On September 25
some other lawyers who had clients in the prison, were accepted to the
conversation and played an important role in mediation. On the same day
the problem was solved and the prisoners give up to refuse the roll-calls.

On September 25 a committee was established by the families,  
NGOreperesentatives and lawyers in order to be in solidarity with the
prisoners and observe the developments. The committee organized a
demonstration in which 500 people participated. On the day after the
families made a press statement in front of the prison and the security
forces did not interfere.

On September 28 a group of 10 militants from DHKP-C raided and occupied  
theIstanbul Bar Association for four hours in order to protest the
assasination in the Buca Prison. On the same day the soldiers who were on
duty in front of the Istanbul Province Gendarme Regiment, were murdered with
an armed attack. DHKP-C made a statement and undertook the attack. In the
statement it was mentioned that the attack was made in order to reply the
assasination in the Buca Prison.

THE STUDENT MOVEMENT

Background Information:

The present university system in Turkey was established by the military
dictatorship which got the power by a coup in 1980. The extermination policies
of the junta were also directed to universities. Thousands of students were
arrested and tortured after the coup. A lot of academicians were discharged and
many of them were arrested, too. Police and gendarme stations were built up
in campuses.

All kinds of politics, such as enrollment in associations, parties, etc, were
banned to students. YOK (General Administration Institution of Universities)
was established. So that, universities lost all their autonomy. The content of
lessons was completely revised. A good example is that "The History of Turkish
Republic" became a compulsory lesson. In time universities became profession
schools.

Mass-media supported the policies of the dictatorship. The media and state
created a new image of university students. Most people still believe that the
oppositional university students are manipulated by Turkey's foreign enemies
in order to create confusion. Because of this wide-spread idea, state
oppression at universities are considered right.

In addition, imposing pop culture into universities was an important device
of the state. This policy was practised in parallel with the changing of the
university entrance examination system. By the new system, passing the
examination became more difficult and private university preparation schools
were established. As a result of this, the children of families having higher
incomes, have a better possibility of passing the entrance examination. Today,
poor students are almost a minority, especially in the big universities.
And generally the poor students, who come from small cities, are supported
financially by fundamentalist islamic movements and fascists.

Civil Disobedience In The Aegean University, Izmir

Source: ISKD

The Aegean University, where ISKD activist Serdar is also studying philosophy
in Literature Faculty, was opened on 3 October this year. Every year students
have to renew their registration. For this process, students have to take a
renewal paper and pay a fee to YOK. (Apparently, the universities are not
privatizated, but university students have to pay a fee to YOK for
education expenses every year. This is not a very big amount, but it is more
than most students can give easily).

This year the Vice-Challancery of Aegean University demanded a supplementary
fee of 250.000 TL for stationary expenses. On 4 October students from the
Literature Faculty went to the Student Affairs Office of the Faculty in
order to take their "renewal papers". They were not more than 10 persons
but when it was their turn they told that they wanted to take the renewal
papers without paying any fee and pointed out that they would stand in front
of the office untill they took the papers. Then the Dean of the Faculty came
and they had a quite long conversation. He refused their demand and the
students continued standing in front of the office for three days. Everyday
the number of standing students increased and they got the support of the
officials and academicians. In the end of the third day, on 6 October the
Dean accepted students' demand and the execution was canceled.

The important point of this action is not its subject but its effect in the
faculty. This was the only student action of the last two to three years that
achieved success in the Aegean University. The idea of nonviolent action and
civil disobedience was practised. Even most of the people who took part in
the action were not hopeful in the beginning. In the end of the action
most of the people were partially convinced that such an action style had
a different kind of power based on decisiveness of individual.

Most of the members of the theatre group that was formed in ISKD (but we
should mention that the group is independent) are also studying in the
Literature Faculty. There is a new tendency in the Faculty which is
in favour of general anti-war ideas, human rights and nonviolent action.

Student Meeting In Ankara

Source: Evrensel and Cumhuriyet 21 October

Last year a quite big student organization: Istanbul University Students'
Coordination was founded on the ground of grassroot groups. Some
anarchist-antimilitarist friends who are in contact with ISKD, are
involved in the Coordination. The Coordination started a campaign
against the compulsory fees paid to YOK. The campaign includes several
activities and became wide-spread in a short time. Totally 250.000
signatures were collected in order to protest the fees and state
oppression in universities. Lastly, a general student meeting was
organized in Ankara on 20 October. Thousands of students went to
Ankara from Istanbul, Izmir, Eskisehir, Trabzon, Malatya, Zonguldak,
Bursa, Adana, Mersin and other cities.

The students' demands were:
* Autonomous democratic university and abolition of YOK
* Put an end to privatization in universities
* Put an end to compulsory fees
* Scientific and democratic education instead of reactionary and
fascist education
* Put an end to reactionary establishment in the university staff
* Expelling of police from universities, abolition of Private Security Force,
put an end to university administration-police cooperation
* Accomodation, food, transportation and medicine services without paying
* Put an end to discipline interrogations and detentions

On 20 October early in the morning 400 students from Istanbul and 150
students from Eskisehir were detained at bus and train stations in
Ankara. 30 buses from ODTU (Middle East Technical University, Ankara)
were stopped in the exit of the campuse and students were detained.
100 students were also detained at the meeting place in the early hours.

The meeting was made at Guvenpark, Kizilay, the centrum. The NGO
representatives participated to the meeting, too. The Chairwoman of
Ankara Branch of Human Rights Association (IHD), Chairman of Ankara
Branch of Modern Lawyers' Association (CHD), General Secretary of
The Union of Architects and Engineers Chambers of Turkey (TMMOB),
General Secretary of Trade-Union of Education Workers (Egitim-Sen)
were there.

The demonstrators wanted to walk to the Parliament in order to give
the 250.000 signatures against the fees and state oppression but as
it was expected they faced with police prevention. A delegation went
to the Parliament and gave the signatures to the Deputy Chairman of
the Parliament.

After the delegation came back to Kizilay, the students finished
their demonstration and began to leave the square. After a while
the Mobile Force (Anti-riot police, specially trained for street
fights) attacked to scattered students.  Lots of students were
harshly beaten and detained.

OTHER NEWS

* On 20 September war resisters made a press conference in front of
the Tansas Cafe in Gaziemir district of Izmir, where a bomb had
exploded and four persons had died the day before. The security forces
tried to interfere to the group. Even the statement was signed as
"the war resisters of Izmir", the police instantly asked if the statement
was made by ISKD. Afterwards the group visited the Gaziemir Branch of
HADEP that was bombed early in the morning on the same day.
(Source: ISKD)

* The Ankara representative of the leftist periodical Odak, Sevda Ozden was
sentenced to six months with the charge of "alienating people from military
service" by the Ankara Military Court of General Staff.
(Source: 21 September Evrensel)

* The Army started a new over border intervention into Northern Iraq with
the reason that PKK increased its control in the border zone. The intervention
is supported by KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party, led by Mesut Barzani) and
Gardi tribe.
(Source: 26 September Evrensel)

* The Governor of Izmir Kutlu Aktas stated that visa should be imposed to
those migrating to Izmir. He pointed out that the 23th Article of the
Constutition should be revised and the freedom of settling should be limited.
The Izmir Mayor Burhan Ozfatura, Minister for Internal Affairs Nahit Mentese
and Prime Minister Tansu Ciller are also in favour of imposing visa for
the metropols.

Lawyer Mehmet Nur Terzi, who is also involved in ISKD, made a statement  
andmentioned that the elemantary rights of people could not be limited and  
the visa proposalcould not solve migration which was a social problem.
(Source: 29 September Evrensel)

* Salih Subasi who is a conscript, is charged because of his following words
which he said in a civil bus on his way to Istanbul. While talking with other
travellers he said "A lot of soldiers die in Southeast Anatolia and many
will do. Nowadays, it is not wise to be a conscript." Some of the travellers
lodged a complaint against him and he was charged with "alienating people
from military service" (Turkish Penal Code, Article 155) and "breaking the
national resistance will" (Turkish Military Penal Code, Article 58). He will
be judged in Ankara Military Court of General Staff.
(Source: 23 October Cumhuriyet)

* The article about Ossi that was published in the last issue of Peace News
took space in Siyah Beyaz (Black White), a left wing daily. The headline was
"War Resisters of Turkey are on International Press".
(Source: 24 October Siyah Beyaz)

INTRODUCTION

"Turkey Human Rights Report 1994" has been published by the Human  
RightsFoundation of Turkey (TIHV) in September. The English version is  
available
at TIHV.

The Human Rights Foundation of Turkey:
Menekse 2 Sok. 16 / 6-7 Kizilay, 06440 - ANKARA / TURKEY
Tel: + 90 - 312 - 417 71 80
Fax: + 90 - 312 - 425 45 52



---------------------------------------------------------
IZMIR WAR RESISTERS' ASSOCIATION - ISKD
1468 Sok. No:14 ALsancak - IZMIR / TURKEY
Tel: + 90 - 232 - 464 24 92
Fax: + 90 - 232 - 464 08 42
---------------------------------------------------------


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