From kurd-l at burn.ucsd.edu  Sun Aug  3 22:50:48 1997
From: kurd-l at burn.ucsd.edu (kurd-l at burn.ucsd.edu)
Date: 03 Aug 1997 22:50:48
Subject: Tech problems...
Message-ID: <bac1c849.Pine.NEB.3.95.970803174..@burn.ucsd.edu>

From: Arm The Spirit <ats at locust.etext.org>

Dear readers,

A few technical problems have slowed down traffic on KURD-L and
ATS-L lately. We hope to be back in full gear soon.

In struggle,
Arm The Spirit

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liberation struggles, armed communist resistance, anti-fascism, 
the fight against patriarchy, and more. We regularly publish our 
writings, research, and translation materials on our listserv
called ATS-L. For more information, contact:

Arm The Spirit
P.O. Box 6326, Stn. A
Toronto, Ontario
M5W 1P7 Canada

E-mail: ats at etext.org
WWW: http://burn.ucsd.edu/~ats
ATS-L Archives: http://burn.ucsd.edu/archives/ats-l
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 ++++ stop the execution of Mumia Abu-Jamal ++++
   ++++ if you agree copy these lines to your sig ++++
     ++++ see http://www.xs4all.nl/~tank/spg-l/sigaction.htm ++++



From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Mon Aug  4 08:42:29 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 04 Aug 1997 08:42:29
Subject: Turkey: 24 percent of childeren between 10-14 years are working
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m3yb6im04t.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

Subject:  Turkey: 24 percent of childeren between 10-14 years are working
From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>

04-08-97
                                      
            '250 million children employed under tough conditions'
                                       
     * Millions of children, especially girls are employed as 'servants
       with no charge,' millions of others are already trapped by 'child
       prostitution.' The ILO report describes that situation as
       'equivalent to slavery'
       
     _________________________________________________________________
                                      
   Turkish Daily News
   
   Ankara - Two-hundred-fifty million children have been employed under
   tough conditions that will badly affect their health and growth in
   many countries, the Anatolia news agency reported.
   
   The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that 24 percent
   of Turkey's children between the ages of 10 and 14 are working.
   
   The findings are in a report prepared by ILO and the Dutch government,
   which was presented to a conference held a few months ago in Amsterdam
   on child labor. According to the report, 250 million children between
   the ages of 5 and 14 are working, and 20 percent of those are under 10
   years of age.
   
   Especially in developing countries, 90 percent of working children are
   employed in the agricultural sector. The situation of the children
   employed in the manufacturing sector is described as "poor." Millions
   of children, the report says, do not even notice that they are exposed
   to various chemical and toxic materials, especially radiation.
   
   Additionally, the report notes, millions of children, especially girls
   are employed as "servants with no charge," millions of others are
   already trapped in "child prostitution," situations which the ILO
   report describes as "equivalent to slavery."
   
   Africa comes first among the continents where child labor is most
   prevalent, approximately 40 percent of the world's working children
   are in African countries. Of the 250 million working children, 20
   percent are in Asian and Latin American countries.
   
   In Turkey, 24 percent of the 10-14 age group are employed in areas
   that require physical labor; a figure exceeding the percentage in many
   countries, including Algeria, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Bolivia,
   Guatemala, Nicaragua, Malaysia, the Philippines and Pakistan,
   according to Anatolia.
   
   Officials who have been calling for the implementation of eight year
   compulsory education have argued that many children have been employed
   before they are finished even with current mandatory schooling. They
   insist that employers regularly ignore the minimum work age of 15
   established by ILO ir order to exploit children.

-- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Press Agency Ozgurluk
The struggle for human rights, justice and democracy in Turkey and Kurdistan
http://www.ozgurluk.org

From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Wed Aug  6 13:39:16 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 06 Aug 1997 13:39:16
Subject: (Germany) Kurds don't want to go back
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m3iuxjv4q1.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

Subject: (Germany) Kurds don't want to go back
From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>

August 6-1997

Turkish Daily News

Istanbul - Kurds who were living in Turkey's Southeast Anatolia region
where they allegedly underwent pressure and torture before taking
refuge in Germany have said that they do not want to be sent back to
Turkey. Their current dilemma was explained in a press conference held
Tuesday at the Istanbul Human Rights Association office.

The Kurds who were identified individually by name have taken refuge
in a church following a court decision in Germany's Saxony State that
they should be returned to Turkey.

Among them were Abdullah Efe who was taken into custody in 1996 with
his father Isa Efe at Derik and who it was proclaimed had disappeared.
At the present time Efe is in Germany and the German court's decision
would mean that he will be sent back to Turkey.

Along with Efe are Ramazan Aka, Hasan Sincar, Sevki Gok and Abdulbaki
Ozben.

According to the statement made by the Human Rights Association, if
these people are sent back to Turkey they may perhaps be tortured
again and disappear while in custody. The report further said that
German offices should help those refugees who escape from Turkey and
take refuge in Germany and that they ought not to be sent back in
accordance with international human rights laws.
-- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Press Agency Ozgurluk
The struggle for human rights, justice and democracy in Turkey and Kurdistan
http://www.ozgurluk.org

From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Thu Aug  7 04:38:26 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 07 Aug 1997 04:38:26
Subject: Turkish MP Says Army Fired Mortar Bombs on Village
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m3zpqujkju.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

Subject: Turkish MP Says Army Fired Mortar Bombs on Village
From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>


Note: Tunceli is the "Turkified" name of the Kurdish province Dersim

 (03:50) Turkish MP Says Army Fired Mortar Bombs on Village

TUNCELI, Turkey, Aug 5 (Reuter) - A leftist MP said on Tuesday the
Turkish army was responsible for a mortar attack on a village in
eastern Tunceli province which killed a 55-year old woman.

"The army was responsible for the attack. Two officers even went and
apologised after it happened... Mortars had been fired at the village
10 days earlier to frighten them, the army thinks they (the villagers)
support the terrorists," Tunceli MP Orhan Veli Yildrim told Reuters.

The woman died and three people were injured last week when up to 15
mortar boms rained down on the village of Karsilar, residents
said. They said nearby troops fired the bombs.

A spokesman for the military was not immediately available for comment
but officials earlier said they were looking into the villagers'
allegations.

The mountainous province of Tunceli has been the scene of some of the
heaviest fighting between Turkish security forces and terrorists of
the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighting for independence since
1994.

Yildirim said a food embargo enforced in the province since 1994 with
the aim of stopping supplies reaching the guerrillas had left
villagers in a perilous condition. "Since 1994 our people are
struggling to survive in very primitive conditions," he said. "About
80 percent of the roads are closed after 3 o'clock in the
afternoon. All our schools are closed... Our people are under
pressure, by night by the terrorists, by day by the state," Yildirim
said.

Local officials deny the existence of any embargo. "There is no food
embargo in Tunceli, although we send food products going to villages
and country areas in a controlled manner," Tunceli governor Atil
Uzelgun told Reuters.

Uzelgun said that the since the start of the restrictions in 1994,
less food was reaching the PKK units in the area.
                                       
Villagers say they have to prove to police how many people they have
in their family before they are issued with a document stating how
much food they are allowed to purchase. "Sometimes the police station
doesn't give us the necessary permission, so we can't take enough food
home," Ozturk said.
                                       
Such pressures have led to large numbers of people leaving Tunceli
province in recent years.
                                       
"The military are saying to the people: 'Go, it doesn't matter where
you go, but go,' now they are firing artillery at them," said Huseyin
Ayrilmaz of the Tunceli Culture and Solidarity Association in Megak?y.
                 
-- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Press Agency Ozgurluk
The struggle for human rights, justice and democracy in Turkey and Kurdistan
http://www.ozgurluk.org

From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Thu Aug  7 20:21:49 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 07 Aug 1997 20:21:49
Subject: Turkey:  Parliament flooded with 'immunity files'
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m3pvrppdxu.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

Subject: Turkey:  Parliament flooded with 'immunity files'
From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>

 8 August,1997, Copyright ? Turkish Daily News

 Parliament flooded with 'immunity files'

  * Of the 72 deputies who have files requesting that their
 parliamentary immunity be lifted, Independent Deputy Sevki Yilmaz,
 who recently was dismissed from the Welfare Party (RP), has 13
 files supporting accusations against him, more than any other
 deputy
 
  _________________________________________________________________
  
Turkish Daily News

Ankara - The number of requests for lifting of parliamentary immunity
has resulted in a flurry of new files being sent to the parliament
speaker's office since the establishment of the new right-left
coalition. To date, 127 files have been delivered pertaining to
requests for the lifting of immunity on 72 deputies, the Anatolia news
agency reported.

Among the 72 deputies is Independent Deputy Sevki Yilmaz who recently
was dismissed from the Welfare Party (RP). With 13 files sent to
support the lifting of his immunity from prosecution, Yilmaz has the
distinction of having 13, the most number of files relating to his
case, now in the parliament speaker's office. Murat Karayalcin of the
Republican People's Party (CHP) follows him with 11 files. Ibrahim
Halil Celik, who was also dismissed from the RP, is in "third place"
with 10 files.

The "immunity files" which were sent by the Prime Ministry to the
office of the parliament speaker are waiting to be debated in the
joint Constitutional and Justice Commission. The files, some of which
the former RP-led government had been holding on to while waiting for
a constitutional amendment regarding parliamentary immunity, are
expected to be debated on by the Parliament.

The case against Sevki Yilmaz relates to several accusations against
him, including insulting the republic's founder, Ataturk, and the
Parliament, provoking people, and falsifying official documents.
Karayalcin on the other hand, is accused of misusing his office while
mayor of Ankara, and causing people to suffer financial loss.

Ibrahim Halil Celik, who became am independent after he resigned -- or
was expelled from the party, as some RP officials have stated -- had
similar accusations made against him to those made against Yilmaz. He
too is accused of insulting Ataturk and provoking people. Hasan
Huseyin Ceylan, another deputy who resigned from the RP, is also
facing the same accusations.

  Political party leaders
  
There are also immunity files awaiting debate by the Parliament
regarding the leaders of political parties. Among these cases, there
are seven files against RP leader Necmettin Erbakan, more than other
leaders whose parliamentary immunity is being questioned. Erbakan is
being accused of violating the law on holding demonstrations and
accused of provoking people.

Prime Minister and Motherland Party Leader Mesut Yilmaz has three
files against him for breaching the Election Law. These accusations
were made when he was in the opposition. Republican People's Party
(CHP) chairman Deniz Baykal is also facing the same accusations. Grand
Unity Party (BBP) chief, Muhsin Yazicioglu, is accused of violating
the law on political parties.
  ___________

Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Press Agency Ozgurluk
The struggle for human rights, justice and democracy in Turkey and Kurdistan
http://www.ozgurluk.org

From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Sun Aug 10 13:32:48 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 10 Aug 1997 13:32:48
Subject: Turkey: Riot in TR Prison Kills 1
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m3sowhss6e.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>
Date: 10 Aug 1997 22:23:53 +0200

                                       
(9/8) Riot in TR Prison Kills 1
                                       
                                       
                                       
ADANA, Turkey (AP) - Inmates took five guards hostage during a riot at
the high security prison in this southern city, releasing them early
today after striking a deal to improve conditions.

One inmate died in the violence.
                                       
The riot broke out Friday evening after guards intervened in a fight
among inmates, Gov. Oguz Kaan Koksal said today on private NTV
television. The reason for the fight, during which Koksal said one
prisoner died, was not clear.
                                       
The Anatolia news agency reported that rioters would not be
punished. Some inmates were slightly injured by broken glass, the news
agency said. A deal was reached to improve conditions, according to
Anatolia, which said only that guards will be trained in how to treat
inmates.

The prison in Adana, 300 miles south of Ankara, houses 550 inmates

-- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan

Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Tue Aug 12 04:42:30 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 12 Aug 1997 04:42:30
Subject: Warning-hungerstike in Turkey
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m3rabzskdx.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>


The footsteps of tense days to come are heard in the prisons

By M. Akif Beki / Turkish Daily News
 
Istanbul - Tense days have begun again in the prisons ever since a new
circular was issued by Justice Minister Oltan Sungurlu during his
first few days in charge of the Ministry as part of the new
government.

The circular, dated July 14, drew harsh reactions from prisoners as
well as wardens, and more than 1300 political prisoners went on hunger
strike around the country to protest and prevent the new circular from
coming into force.

Meanwhile, wardens have also begun to raise their voices against this
circular which orders a reduction in direct contact between prisoners
and wardens to end illegal relations between them.

According to the circular, there were illegal relations of mutual
benefit between a few guardians and prisoners, while at the same time
inmates were trying to gain control of the prisons due to a breakdown
in management. For this reason, says the circular, cell doors had to
be kept locked and keys handed over to the wardens' superiors.

The new circular particularly heated up tensions in Bayrampasa Prison,
one of the most volatile prisons in theprison in the country but which
had been quiet for the previous 12 months due the appointment of
prosecutor Necati Ozdemir who introduced humane reforms. The last
incident was shortly after his appointment in July 1996 when a
sensational hunger strike carried out by leftist prisoners resulted in
the death of 12 people.

After this event, prosecutor Ozdemir sought reconciliation between
prisoners and management and Bayrampasa Prison became an example for
the rest.

But these days of calm came to an end with the circular of Justice
Minister Sungurlu, which revealed a secret infight between a group of
wardens and the prosecutor Ozdemir as well as angering prisoners.

The first events occurred after the prosecutor was sent toCapa
Hospital two weeks ago just as the controversial circular was being
issued. A group of wardens who were also members of the Judges' Labor
Union Federation (Tum Yargi-Sen) visited the Justice Minister and made
complaints about the Bayrampasa prison prosecutor. They allegedly told
the Minister that prosecutor Ozdemir weakened the authority of the
wardens in prisons by giving more freedom to prisoners.

Ozdemir rejected these claims and told the TDN that only the interests
of a few wardens had been weakened by his reforms.

The Istanbul Branch Chairman of Tum Yargi-Sen, Ali Yazici, who was
also working in Bayrampasa prison, criticized the circular as well as
the prosecutor. "I don't think that the Justice Minister Sungurlu read
this circular, he just signed it." said Yazici. "No one can write such
things if they really know the conditions in our prisons."

He went on to say that every new minister issues such circulars, but
neither they nor the wardens had been able to solve the fundamental
problems of the prisoners. "If you look at the past you will see that
new problems have arisen after every new circular" continued Yazici.
"And you may not trust the wardens, but I am asking that you do
appreciate the social and economic conditions under which wardens have
been expected to perform their duties."

According to Ali Yazici the demands of the Justice Minister's circular
would not be able to be applied in any event. But Bayrampasa
Prosecutor Ozdemir was anxious to see the demands applied in order to
test them, report on them and criticize them.

During all these events, the prisoners in Bayrampasa took the side of
the prosecutor against the wardens who have opposed him. These
prisoners released a text saying that they declared war against any
kind of illegality including drugs and would not allow such
provocations against the prosecutor.

Nonetheless the tensions seem as if they will continue to rise as the
wardens react to the prosecutor and the Justice Minister, while
prisoners take up positions against the wardens and the Minister and
Prosecutor Ozdemir tries to manage them all. It remains uncertain what
will happen, but it is clear that if Bayrampasa prison explodes then
it will not be so easy to prevent events of the past from happening
again.

-- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Tue Aug 12 06:24:45 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 12 Aug 1997 06:24:45
Subject: Blueprint for a people's constitution in Turkey
Message-ID: <bac1c849.lzwwlr7drx.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

Subject: Blueprint for a people's constitution in Turkey
From: DHKC Informationbureau Amsterdam <dhkc at dds.nl>

Dear comrades, 

We are pleased to announce that we translated the "Blueprint for a
people's constitution" as being discussed amongst the progressive
amsses in Turkey.

This draft is for no ordinary constitution. It was not created by the
rulers, but was instead discussed and formulated by members of the
oppressed classes.

After the Susurluk accident in November last year , the way Turkey is
ruled by the contra-guerrillas became obvious to everybody. All
confidence has been lost in the system which is going into deeper and
deeper crisis. None of the bourgeois parties and no part of the
military possess the capability of overcoming this crisis. Their
efforts to defuse the crisis by talking of 'democratisation' have been
exposed as mere window dressing.

At this point it is important to unite and broaden the struggle
against this system on all fronts. In all spheres the alternative
posed by people's power must be put forward. In this sense, the draft
for a people's constitution we are putting forward is a programme for
revolution in Turkey. It was not written as a constitution for the
system which will come about from revolution. Rather, it is a
political framework for the demands of all opposition
forces. Discussion by millions of Turks, Kurds, Laz, Cherke ss, people
of all nationalities and confessional allegiance, is to 'gather
together the broadest democratic forces around this constitutional
draft and together to raise the demand for independence, democracy and
people's power among the masses'.

The discussion of a new constitution to unite the masses against the
contra-guerrilla state begins at a time when the people in Turkey is
conscious of its own power and creativity. Starting with the slum
quarters of the major cities, more and more people's councils are
being set up, including in agricultural areas. Developing these
structures created the need for a manifesto of demands by the
oppressed peoples in Turkey. The draft we are putting forward, from
the 'Platform for Rights and Freedom', is such a manifesto.

The people itself is putting on the agenda the demand for
independence, democracy, freedom and justice, for an alternative to
the corrupt system of domination in Turkey which is full of contempt
for human beings. Of course the rulers will not voluntarily g ive in
to a single one of these demands. This is because a state with such a
constitution would not serve them but instead would further the
supremacy of the people. Consequently, our information is that the
constitutional draft has been banned. Even so, o f the first draft
alone 200,000 copies were printed and distributed. Everywhere, in all
sections of the people in Turkey, organised or unorganised, men and
women, old and young, workers, civil servants, housewives and
students, this constitutional draft is being discussed. In Turkey and
in Europe, several hundred thousand copies of a survey have been
distributed. It is not a matter of writing the most perfect
constitution possible for the period after the revolution, but rather
to give expression to the dem ands of the people, for which the
struggle is being fought, and to put these into a political
framework. The people is not making a request to the rulers or
petitioning them, but knows that it must fight step by step for the
fulfilment of these demands. Th is draft is not a document existing
solely on paper but a programme for revolution in Turkey.

The support and solidarity of international revolutionary and
progressive forces will strengthen the fight of our peoples in
Turkey. Our friends from all nations of the earth are free to express
their opinions and make suggestions about this draft constitu
tion. Constructive criticism is as welcome as approval.

We look forward to taking on board your opinions on this draft
constitution, which has arisen from the people's opposition forces.

                   DHKC Information Bueau Amsterdam 

Check it out at our www-pages.

-- 
DHKC Informationbureau Amsterdam
http://www.ozgurluk.org/dhkc
mailto: dhkc at ozgurluk.org

Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

From IS.KURDISTAN at LINK-LEV.comlink.apc.org  Tue Aug 12 13:24:00 1997
From: IS.KURDISTAN at LINK-LEV.comlink.apc.org (IS.KURDISTAN at LINK-LEV.comlink.apc.org)
Date: 12 Aug 1997 13:24:00
Subject: ig-ist@info-ist.comlink.apc.org
Message-ID: <6bh8JUAwEYB@pois.link-lev.dinoco>

Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

informationsstelle Kurdistan Bonn an Infogruppe Istanbul:

Hallo,

wir haben Eure Nachricht erhalten. Sind noch etwas unge?bt in der  
Anwendung der neuen Medien.
Wir haben zwar schon ?fter von Euch Informationen gelesen, w??ten aber  
gern mehr ?ber Euch. Vielleicht k?nnt Ihr uns ?ber Eure Arbeit,  
Zielsetzung usw. informieren?

Viele Gr??e,
von der Informationsstelle Kurdistan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Informationsstelle Kurdistan e.V., Maxstra?e 50, 53111 Bonn
                   Tel/Fax: +49-228 - 65 61 27

## CrossPoint v3.11 ##

From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Wed Aug 13 06:35:47 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 13 Aug 1997 06:35:47
Subject: Turkey: Nothing changed for human rights in July
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m3oh72vp09.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

Subject: Turkey: Nothing changed for human rights in July
From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>

August 13, 1997

  Nothing changed for human rights in July

  _________________________________________________________________
  
Turkish Daily News

Istanbul - Violations directed against the freedom of the press
continued in July 1997, and basic rights and freedoms were not
respected just as in the past, writes the monthly human rights report
of the Human Rights Association (IHD).

The Istanbul branch of the IHD released its monthly report at a press
conference Tuesday. According to the report, there was no drop in
violations related to the freedom of the press and expression. Three
journalists were taken into custody last month while nine were
attacked. Furthermore, more than four years in prison and TL one
billion 345 million in monetary fines were meted out against those
judged to have violated the freedom of the press and expression laws.
Also in July, three radio and television stations were closed for one
day apiece by the Supreme Council for Radio and Television (RTUK).

Six prisoners lost their lives during incidents in prisons, and 51
persons were injured during attacks by the gendarmerie during these
events, according to the IHD report.

It furthermore states that eight people, including two children
applied to the IHD with complaints of torture. Three of these
applicants confirmed their claims with health reports.

The report includes only those incidents which happened in Istanbul as
well as searches and measures carried out, said IHD officials.

-- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Wed Aug 13 06:37:01 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 13 Aug 1997 06:37:01
Subject: UK court orders Kani Yilmaz extradited to Germany
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m3n2mmvovm.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

Subject: UK court orders Kani Yilmaz extradited to Germany
From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>

  UK court orders Kani Yilmaz extradited to Germany

  _________________________________________________________________
  
 By Orya Sultan Halisdemir / Turkish Daily News
 
London - Kani Yilmaz, spokesman of the ERNK, the political wing of the
outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), is to be extradited to
Germany sometime this week, his British legal team told TDN.

The extradition order will be carried out this week following Home
Secretary Jack Straw's decision to refuse Yilmaz's appeal against the
order.

The legal team's spokesperson said that the exact date for the
extradition cannot be given due to security reasons. "We are hopeful
that Yilmaz will be released shortly after being detained for the
offenses he faces in Germany," the same spokesperson stated, quoting
Yilmaz's solicitor in Germany.

His legal team had appealed to Home Secretary Jack Straw at the end of
June after exhausting all legal means to prevent his extradition to
Germany. The team believed the change of government in the UK would
make a big difference in deciding on the extradition order.

Yilmaz was arrested on the order of the former Home Secretary Michael
Howard on the grounds of national security on Oct. 26 on his way to
address the British Parliament at the invitation of MPs. Later, on
Nov. 10, 1994, the Home Secretary suspended deportation proceedings
following a request for extradition by the Federal Republic of Germany
for Yilmaz's alleged involvement in a wave of bombing attacks against
various German and Turkish installations in Germany.

The High Court of Justice had refused Yilmaz's appeal against the
extradition on July 4 last year. In its judgement, the High Court had
ruled that the wave of attacks against Turkey and Germany were
politically motivated but could not come within the definition of
"offences of a political character" because they were not exclusively
directed towards changing the policies of the requesting state alone.
The lawyers for Yilmaz had appealed to the House of Lords, which has a
judicial function as the final court of appeal from the courts of all
the constituent parts of the UK on points of law for civil and
criminal cases. The appeal to the House of Lords was grounded on the
legal point of whether the 1989 Extradition Act permits a dual purpose
in its definition of a political offense; in this case that an offense
can be of a political nature if it is directed at the German and
Turkish states simultaneously. This is an attempt by the lawyers to
mark Yilmaz's offenses as "political," in which case Yilmaz would have
been able to apply for political asylum in Britain.

-- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Fri Aug 15 07:55:10 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 15 Aug 1997 07:55:10
Subject: Turkey: Unsatisfactory gesture: Suspending jail terms for editors
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m3yb637cfc.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

Subject: Turkey: Unsatisfactory gesture: Suspending jail terms for editors
From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>

   15 August, 1997, Copyright ? Turkish Daily News
     _________________________________________________________________
                                      
      [INLINE] Unsatisfactory gesture: Suspending jail terms for editors
                                       
     * Dozens of journalists and writers will remain behind bars because
       the laws say people cannot publish stories or write their views
       which the state regards as offensive...
       
     _________________________________________________________________
                                      
    Editorial by Ilnur Cevik
    
   The Parliament has approved a new law termed as a press pardon which
   the government has claimed is a great improvement... The new law
   suspends the prison terms for editors of newspapers who print material
   which the state feels is detrimental to national security and unity.
   
   So if you are an editor who has landed in prison for something one of
   your correspondents wrote then the new law allows your sentence to be
   suspended for three years. If you "behave" yourself and do not allow
   your correspondents to write material that the state objects to for
   three years then your sentence will be scrapped.
   
   This is not a pardon. It is simply a "suspension of a sentence" which
   is the superficial way of deceiving Western public opinion that we are
   trying to do something in the name of press freedom.
   
   The authorities, as usual, did not take this step because they felt
   something had to be done to allow the press to work in a freer
   atmosphere. They did it because they came under intense pressure from
   the West and had to satisfy their Western counterparts...
   
   What is done is unsatisfactory. We cannot just suspend or even pardon
   people for what they have written in their newspapers. What we have to
   do is to see to it that writing articles or publishing news reports
   are no longer a crime in this country. As long as publishing stories
   in a newspaper or a periodical can be regarded as a crime in Turkey
   whether we suspend the prison sentences of editors or even give them a
   pardon is simply irrelevant.
   
   What is very strange here is the mentality that has been displayed by
   the government. They are not even suspending the prison terms for
   correspondents who write stories that are regarded as an offense by
   the state, but they are only trying to get the editor off the hook. So
   here there is clear discrimination among our colleagues which is a
   constitutional offense.
   
   Let us stop playing games of deception. If we really want press
   freedom then those articles in the laws that obstruct this kind of
   freedom should be scrapped. People should not be imprisoned for the
   news reports they write. People should not be jailed for publishing
   their views.
   
   Once this law is approved by the president a handful of editors may
   leave prison but dozens of other journalists and writers will remain
   behind bars simply for writing views which the state feels are
   offensive...
     _________________________________________________________________

-- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Fri Aug 15 08:43:22 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 15 Aug 1997 08:43:22
Subject: Turkey: RP backs Contra-Guerrilla
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m3zpqj7ciu.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>

Aug. 15 1997:

                     Agar and Bucak retain their immunity
                                       
     * Parliament's Constitution and Justice Commission rejects lifting
       the immunity of the two True Path Party deputies implicated in the
       state-mafia link scandal known as 'Susurluk'
    
  _________________________________________________________________
  
TDN Parliament Bureau

Ankara - The Mixed Parliamentary Commission on the Constitution and
Justice has refused to lift the parliamentary immunity of True Path
Party (DYP) deputies Mehmet Agar and Sedat Edip Bucak, both of whom
have been implicated in the scandal known to the public as "Susurluk,"
linking the state and with criminal elements.

The Mixed Commission met on Thursday following a request put in by the
Motherland Party (ANAP), the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and the
Republican People's Party (CHP) to review a subcommission report on
Agar and Bucak.

The subcommission had decided that the parliamentary immunity of these
two deputies could be removed so that they could answer the
allegations against them in the Supreme Court.

In the Mixed Commission, 18 deputies voted for the lifting of their
immunity while 21 deputies voted against.

ANAP deputy Ekrem Pakdemirli, breaking with his party on this issue,
abstained during the vote while other deputies from ANAP, as well as
the DSP and CHP deputies present at the commission meeting, voted in
favor of the immunity of the two deputies being lifted.

The Welfare Party (RP) and DYP deputies in the Commission voted for
Agar's and Bucak's immunity from prosecution to remain in place.

The outcome from the Mixed Commission was the result of two factors,
the first being the fact that the Democratic Turkey Party (DTP), the
government's junior coalition partner, refused to send members to the
commission, and the second that three commission members each from
ANAP and DSP were absent during the voting.

Because the DTP has not notified the commission of the deputies it
will send, the RP and the DYP still retain the majority there.

Deputies who object to the outcome in the commission still have the
prerogative to try and have it heard in Parliamentary Assembly.

Ahmet Iyimaya, the head of the Mixed Commission, and a key DYP deputy,
has indicated that if they receive a written objection within 10 days,
the matter of Agar and Bucak's immunity can be taken up by the
Parliamentary Assembly.

But Iyimaya also pointed out that the Mixed Commission's report could
not be finalized quickly enough for the path to open this option
before Parliament goes into recess.

He predicted, therefore, that the vote on Agar and Bucak's immunity
could only by taken up by Parliament during its next legislative year
which opens in October.

The Mixed Commission also threw out an amendment which proposed that
the parliamentary immunity of deputies not be be lifted until Article
83 of the Constitution is amended. Only RP deputy Mehmet Ali Sahin
opposed this move. The Mixed Commission also decided that three
separate subcommissions be set up to investigate files concerning the
lifting of the parliamentary immunity of 65 deputies.

The Commission, with 63 files it has received previously, now has 120
files regarding lifting the immunity of 120 deputies so they can face
prosecution on various charges.

-- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Fri Aug 15 17:20:10 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 15 Aug 1997 17:20:10
Subject: Turkey finally corrects official records on death of Yilmaz Guney
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m3sowb6kwg.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

Subject: Turkey finally corrects official records on death of Yilmaz Guney
From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>

Aug. 16 1997

       Turkey finally corrects official records on death of Yilmaz Guney
                                       
     _________________________________________________________________
                                      
   Turkish Daily News
   
   Ankara- Turkey has finally officially recognized the death of actor
   Yilmaz Guney, who passed away in 1984 in Paris, the Anatolia news
   agency reported.
   
   Until now, Turkish records had stated that Guney was still alive but a
   notice was recently sent from France noting that Guney died on Sept.
   9, 1984, and this has been entered into the official records.
   
   The lawyer for Guney's sister Leyla Demirezen said the situation was
   an example of how poorly the official records were kept in Turkey.
   "Everyone knew Guney was dead yet nobody corrected the official
   records until our attempt," said the lawyer.
   
   Yilmaz Guney, who had fled to Paris from prison on Oct. 11, 1981, was
   stripped of his Turkish citizenship by the government. Guney had
   received the 1981 Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix for his movie "Yol"
   (The Road).
     _________________________________________________________________

-- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Fri Aug 15 17:22:49 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 15 Aug 1997 17:22:49
Subject: Turkey: Yurtcu criticizes/IHD closed
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m3rabv6kty.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

Subject: Turkey: Yurtcu criticizes/IHD closed
From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>

                                      
                    Yurtcu criticizes new press amnesty law
                                       
     * IHD Deputy Chairman Sakar said the move by the parliament was not
       an progressive step, but instead was a 'cover-up'
       
     _________________________________________________________________
                                      
   Turkish Daily News
   
   Ankara - Journalist Isik Yurtcu, who is currently serving the third
   year of his almost 16-year jail sentence in the northwestern province
   of Tekirdag, said he was not pleased by the parliamentary approval of
   an amnesty for press members, saying the law was "not enough," the
   Anatolia news agency reported.
   
   Parliament earlier approved the bill issuing "partial amnesty" for
   press members currently serving prison sentences.
   
   The bill grants conditional amnesty for only newspaper editors who
   have been charged or convicted of publishing material containing
   criminal elements, by releasing them from jail and suspending their
   sentence for three years.
   
   "It is not enough to suspend the charges and sentences [against
   journalists]. The essential thing here is the release of all those who
   were jailed because they expressed their own opinions. Expression
   should not be considered a crime. We want serious efforts undertaken
   to resolve this issue. We must save ourselves from the disgrace of
   regarding expression a "crime" in a country which is trying to
   democratize itself. There should be amendments in the Anti-Terrorism
   Law and the Turkish Penal Law," Yurtcu said.
   
   Yurtcu, the former editor of the banned pro-Kurdish daily, Ozgur
   Gundem, said his release was supported by various journalists'
   associations both at home and abroad. Speaking on the imprisonment of
   journalists, Yurtcu said: "This is a problem for all journalists."
   
   The objections against the new press amnesty law did not only come
   from Yurtcu. The deputy chairman of the Human Rights Organization
   (IHD), Mahmut Sakar, also said the bill was not a positive step toward
   "freedom of expression." He said it was rather the product of an
   approach attempting to restrict the freedom of expression.
   
   Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Sakar said the move by
   Parliament was not an progressive step, but instead, was a "cover-up."
   He also said he was suspicious of earlier statements by the government
   that they intended to remove the Emergency Rule from the country's
   eastern and southeastern regions.
     _________________________________________________________________
                                      
                       Trial begins in IHD closure case
                                       
     _________________________________________________________________
                                      
   Turkish Daily News
   
   Ankara - An Istanbul court began on Friday to hear the case against
   the Istanbul branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD). Prosecutors
   are asking the court to order the IHD to cease its activities.
   
   Ercan Kanar, the head of the IHD's Istanbul branch, said that the
   association has been defending human rights without regard to race,
   language, religion, or gender. He denied that the IHD did anything
   contrary to human rights.
   
   Prosecutors contend the IHD encouraged enmity among the population and
   incited hatred by discriminating on the basis of race, region,
   language and religion. The IHD leaders face sentences of one to three
   years in prison.

-- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Fri Aug 15 17:28:14 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 15 Aug 1997 17:28:14
Subject: Turkey: Contra-Guerrilla Update
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m3pvrf6kp8.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>

Aug. 16 1997:

           Agar and Bucak's immunity files to be debated again
                                       
     * Joint Constitution and Justice Commission Chairman Iyimaya said
       the Office of the Parliament Speaker had no right to ban a
       commission meeting
       
     _________________________________________________________________
                                      
   Turkish Daily News
   
   Ankara - It appears that the controversial files requesting the
   removal of parliamentary immunity of two deputies allegedly involved
   in the state-mafia links will be debated again. The Parliament's
   deputy speaker, Uluc Gurkan has cancelled Thursday's meeting of the
   joint parliamentary commission on the constitution and justice, which
   rejected the lifting of immunities of True Path Party (DYP) deputies,
   Sedat Bucak and Mehmet Agar.
   
   Both Bucak and Agar were involved in the controversial Susurluk car
   accident last November, revealing alleged state-mafia links.
   
   Gurkan said the joint commission convened at the time while Parliament
   was sitting was not authorized by the parliament speaker. The
   commission, the majority of which was made up of opposition deputies,
   turned down the proposals to remove the immunities of Bucak and Agar.
   
   The commission's decision sparked objections by government deputies.
   Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, supporting Gurkan's decision to
   cancel the meeting, said it was the wrong timing for the joint
   commission to convene while Parliament was sitting.
   
   Gurkay's decision sparked objections by the commission's chairman,
   Ahmet Iyimaya, a DYP member. He said the Office of the Parliament
   Speaker had no right to ban a commission meeting. He said, he would
   apply for the annulment of Gurkan's decision.
   
   Ecevit, responding to questions about why the members from his
   Democratic Left Party (DSP) did not attend the commission meeting,
   declared: "Our fellow partymen were not informed that the commission
   meeting was going to take place then."
   
   Opposition Republican People's Party Secretary General Adnan Keskin
   also criticized the joint commission's decision. "This is completely
   challenging the popular will," Keskin said.
   
   Keskin was speaking at a press conference on Friday. He also lashed
   out at the members from the governing parties for not attending the
   commission meeting. "It has been revealed that some of those who work
   for the state, set up gangs and abuse the laws," Keskin said. He added
   that the current government was established to wipe out the gangs
   within the state, but has failed to fulfill its promise.

-- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Turkey: Contra-Guerrilla-State: http://www.ozgurluk.org/contrind
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Sun Aug 17 21:59:19 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 17 Aug 1997 21:59:19
Subject: Turkey: Bergama/Eurogold Update
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m3bu2wqez5.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>

  
 [LINK]Eurogold proposes safety trial for controversial cyanide leaching

  * Eurogold seeks support from State Minister Isin Celebi who
 originally allegedly proposed the test period
 
  _________________________________________________________________
  
Turkish Daily News

Ankara - Eurogold, the company that wants to extract gold using the
cyanide leaching method in the Aegean province of Bergama, called on
State Minister Isin Celebi to defend its proposal for a two-month
trial period to determine if the method is safe.

Tansel Fikri, Eurogold's executive board member, claiming the
proposal, to be put to the Council of Ministers, was the idea of State
Minister Celebi, sent him a letter saying that the company has
officially notified the Ministry of Environment about the proposal
that would "eradicate the worries that had come from misleading
information," the Anatolia news agency reported.

In his letter, Fikri requested support from the minister for bringing
the trial period "which you have proposed" to life.

In its proposal Eurogold suggested that "the establishment of trust
with the local people in the project would also be of mutual benefit
to the Turkish government."

Eurogold's proposal to the Ministry of Environment and the Council of
Ministers is summarized as follows;

- Eurogold is proposing a two-month trial period to determine that the
method is safe and beneficial.

- The test will provide opportunity for the facilities to be examined
so to establish "the technological superiority" of all processes
including chemical purification and the safety of disposal tanks.

- We propose that the trial be monitored and evaluated by neutral
international experts. The expert delegation might be made up of
world-acclaimed academics, for example from the World Bank and the
European Union. The trial procedures would be under the surveillance
of the relevant departments of Turkish government and leading mining
faculties.

The company declared that it wished to preserve its earned and legal
rights and is ready to work in cooperation with the Council of
Ministers over the test period.

Fikri maintained on Sunday in a written statement that Eurogold would
file a complaint about certain legal experts.

He said that these people had attempted to interfere with the law and
added that the company would apply to the relevant disciplinary boards
with regard to this.

-- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Sun Aug 17 22:02:20 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 17 Aug 1997 22:02:20
Subject: The war in Kurdistan continues
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m3afigqer1.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>

(17/8) 2 Soldiers, Policeman Killed in TR

Megak?y, Turkey (Reuters) - Kurdish terrorists have killed two
soldiers in the southeast of Turkey, state-run Anatolian news agency
said Sunday.

It said two privates were killed when terrorists of the Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK) opened fire on a patrol in the Baskale area of Van
Province. It did not say when the a ttack took place.

In a separate incident a policeman was killed by unknown assailants
after they stopped a minibus in the northern province of Ordu in the
early hours of Sunday, the agency said.  Media reports say armed
rebels of the PKK have moved into the area in recent months.

More than 26,000 people have been killed in the 13-year conflict
between the Turkish security forces and the PKK who are fighting for
independence in the mainly Kurdish southeast.
               
-- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Sun Aug 17 22:03:20 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 17 Aug 1997 22:03:20
Subject: Turkey points a finger to the UK
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m390y0qebz.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>

This is probably in all Turkish papers...

                                      
                Journalist calls on UK to respect human rights
                                       
     _________________________________________________________________
  
 By Orya Sultan Halisdemir / Turkish Daily News
 
London- Despite giving special emphasis to human rights in defining
the UK's relations with other countries, the Labour government
recently came under attack for failing to apply the same criteria at
home. There were accusations the current government was continuing the
former Conservative government's silence on trade in torture weapons
and keeping hundreds of asylum seekers in prison for months.

Martyn Gregory wrote in the weekly "New Statesman" that the Labour
government should break the conspiracy of silence and name the company
involved in the trade of electro-shock weapons to countries such as
China, Turkey, Iran and Indonesia during the Conservative period.
Gregory was the maker of the documentary called "The Torture Trail,"
broadcast in 1995, revealing Britain's role in the torture weapons
trade. The documentary secretly filmed the personalities involved in
the trade and the name of British Aerospace (BAe) emerged as the
company involved. However, there were denials that the company to
which the trans-shipment licence was granted was BAe. Gregory, after
welcoming last week's decision to hand down a 5,000 pound fine to
Frank Stott, one of the accused who later pleaded guilty to possessing
electro-shock weapons, called on the Labour government to name the
company involved in "this blatant abuse of human rights," as Gregory
put it.

He attacked the new policy outlined by Foreign Secretary Robin Cook
which will make the trans-shipment of electro-shock weapons illegal,
as part of its emphasis on developing an ethical foreign policy. "The
relevant department in this context is the Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI) rather than the Foreign Office and it has so far played
a perfidious role in this drama," Gregory stated in his article. He
said that British companies could also be involved in a 'brokering' or
'factoring' process by which companies can profit from sales without
the weapons coming anywhere near Britain. He said that to eliminate
this the DTI had to take action.

"Under BAe's offer to us, the electro-shock weapons would have been
factored from the United States and Germany and directed to Lebanon.
To ban trans-shipment would have no effect on this process," Gregory
said, referring to promises made to him by BAe's authorities in his
secretly filmed program where he had posed as a British agent wanting
to buy weapons for the Lebanese police force. He called on the Labour
government not to hide behind the "commercial confidentiality" excuse
and reveal to which company the DTI had granted a licence to tranship
the torture weapons.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Steele at The Guardian, a daily known for its
support of the Labour government, wrote that human rights policies
were easily hindered by selectivity issues. "You scold the small
offenders and ignore the big ones. You ban new weapons but turn a
blind eye to existing contracts, as was the case in the sale of Hawks
to Indonesia," he criticized. Steele then went on to say that,
according to a study by Amnesty International (AI), Britain detained
foreigners more often than any other European country. He touched upon
the hundreds of asylum seekers imprisoned in the UK and said that the
UK was the only country which locks asylum seekers up without judicial
review or any prescribed time limit. Around 750 people are currently
locked up in four detention centers in the UK. The human rights
organizations criticize this move as 'failing to satisfy those who
flee out of a fear of prosecution.'

While these critics focused on contradictory elements in Labour's
ethical foreign policy, David Mepham, the British foreign policy
program coordinator for Safeworld wrote that Britain should reorient
its assistance to developing countries if it wishes to improve human
rights at the international level. He wrote in his article in the New
Statesmen that Britain should base its development assistance strategy
on methods of tackling social exclusion, which he calls the reason for
conflicts in poorer countries. He said more resources should be
provided for programs in the areas of law, administration and human
rights of those developing countries where human rights are weak.

-- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

From IG-H at TRILOS.han.de  Mon Aug 18 18:00:00 1997
From: IG-H at TRILOS.han.de (IG-H at TRILOS.han.de)
Date: 18 Aug 1997 18:00:00
Subject: Turkey: Riot in TR Prison Kills 1
Message-ID: <6cAB0P4J9GB@xp-03210.info-ist.co>

Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

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                                                       Hannover, 11.08.97.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(9/8) Riot in TR Prison Kills 1
                                       
                                       
                                       
ADANA, Turkey (AP) - Inmates took five guards hostage during a riot at
the high security prison in this southern city, releasing them early
today after striking a deal to improve conditions.

One inmate died in the violence.
                                       
The riot broke out Friday evening after guards intervened in a fight
among inmates, Gov. Oguz Kaan Koksal said today on private NTV
television. The reason for the fight, during which Koksal said one
prisoner died, was not clear.
                                       
The Anatolia news agency reported that rioters would not be
punished. Some inmates were slightly injured by broken glass, the news
agency said. A deal was reached to improve conditions, according to
Anatolia, which said only that guards will be trained in how to treat
inmates.

The prison in Adana, 300 miles south of Ankara, houses 550 inmates

- -- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan

Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

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From IG-H at TRILOS.han.de  Mon Aug 18 18:00:00 1997
From: IG-H at TRILOS.han.de (IG-H at TRILOS.han.de)
Date: 18 Aug 1997 18:00:00
Subject: Turkey: Warning hungerstrike
Message-ID: <6cAB0vfZ9GB@xp-03210.info-ist.co>

Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

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                                                       Hannover, 13.08.97.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The footsteps of tense days to come are heard in the prisons

By M. Akif Beki / Turkish Daily News
 
Istanbul - Tense days have begun again in the prisons ever since a new
circular was issued by Justice Minister Oltan Sungurlu during his
first few days in charge of the Ministry as part of the new
government.

The circular, dated July 14, drew harsh reactions from prisoners as
well as wardens, and more than 1300 political prisoners went on hunger
strike around the country to protest and prevent the new circular from
coming into force.

Meanwhile, wardens have also begun to raise their voices against this
circular which orders a reduction in direct contact between prisoners
and wardens to end illegal relations between them.

According to the circular, there were illegal relations of mutual
benefit between a few guardians and prisoners, while at the same time
inmates were trying to gain control of the prisons due to a breakdown
in management. For this reason, says the circular, cell doors had to
be kept locked and keys handed over to the wardens' superiors.

The new circular particularly heated up tensions in Bayrampasa Prison,
one of the most volatile prisons in theprison in the country but which
had been quiet for the previous 12 months due the appointment of
prosecutor Necati Ozdemir who introduced humane reforms. The last
incident was shortly after his appointment in July 1996 when a
sensational hunger strike carried out by leftist prisoners resulted in
the death of 12 people.

After this event, prosecutor Ozdemir sought reconciliation between
prisoners and management and Bayrampasa Prison became an example for
the rest.

But these days of calm came to an end with the circular of Justice
Minister Sungurlu, which revealed a secret infight between a group of
wardens and the prosecutor Ozdemir as well as angering prisoners.

The first events occurred after the prosecutor was sent toCapa
Hospital two weeks ago just as the controversial circular was being
issued. A group of wardens who were also members of the Judges' Labor
Union Federation (Tum Yargi-Sen) visited the Justice Minister and made
complaints about the Bayrampasa prison prosecutor. They allegedly told
the Minister that prosecutor Ozdemir weakened the authority of the
wardens in prisons by giving more freedom to prisoners.

Ozdemir rejected these claims and told the TDN that only the interests
of a few wardens had been weakened by his reforms.

The Istanbul Branch Chairman of Tum Yargi-Sen, Ali Yazici, who was
also working in Bayrampasa prison, criticized the circular as well as
the prosecutor. "I don't think that the Justice Minister Sungurlu read
this circular, he just signed it." said Yazici. "No one can write such
things if they really know the conditions in our prisons."

He went on to say that every new minister issues such circulars, but
neither they nor the wardens had been able to solve the fundamental
problems of the prisoners. "If you look at the past you will see that
new problems have arisen after every new circular" continued Yazici.
"And you may not trust the wardens, but I am asking that you do
appreciate the social and economic conditions under which wardens have
been expected to perform their duties."

According to Ali Yazici the demands of the Justice Minister's circular
would not be able to be applied in any event. But Bayrampasa
Prosecutor Ozdemir was anxious to see the demands applied in order to
test them, report on them and criticize them.

During all these events, the prisoners in Bayrampasa took the side of
the prosecutor against the wardens who have opposed him. These
prisoners released a text saying that they declared war against any
kind of illegality including drugs and would not allow such
provocations against the prosecutor.

Nonetheless the tensions seem as if they will continue to rise as the
wardens react to the prosecutor and the Justice Minister, while
prisoners take up positions against the wardens and the Minister and
Prosecutor Ozdemir tries to manage them all. It remains uncertain what
will happen, but it is clear that if Bayrampasa prison explodes then
it will not be so easy to prevent events of the past from happening
again.

- -- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

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From IG-H at TRILOS.han.de  Mon Aug 18 18:00:00 1997
From: IG-H at TRILOS.han.de (IG-H at TRILOS.han.de)
Date: 18 Aug 1997 18:00:00
Subject: Turkey :Blueprint for a people's constitution
Message-ID: <6cAB1OdZ9GB@xp-03210.info-ist.co>

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                                                       Hannover, 13.08.97.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear comrades, 

We are pleased to announce that we translated the "Blueprint for a
people's constitution" as being discussed amongst the progressive
amsses in Turkey.

This draft is for no ordinary constitution. It was not created by the
rulers, but was instead discussed and formulated by members of the
oppressed classes.

After the Susurluk accident in November last year , the way Turkey is
ruled by the contra-guerrillas became obvious to everybody. All
confidence has been lost in the system which is going into deeper and
deeper crisis. None of the bourgeois parties and no part of the
military possess the capability of overcoming this crisis. Their
efforts to defuse the crisis by talking of 'democratisation' have been
exposed as mere window dressing.

At this point it is important to unite and broaden the struggle
against this system on all fronts. In all spheres the alternative
posed by people's power must be put forward. In this sense, the draft
for a people's constitution we are putting forward is a programme for
revolution in Turkey. It was not written as a constitution for the
system which will come about from revolution. Rather, it is a
political framework for the demands of all opposition
forces. Discussion by millions of Turks, Kurds, Laz, Cherke ss, people
of all nationalities and confessional allegiance, is to 'gather
together the broadest democratic forces around this constitutional
draft and together to raise the demand for independence, democracy and
people's power among the masses'.

The discussion of a new constitution to unite the masses against the
contra-guerrilla state begins at a time when the people in Turkey is
conscious of its own power and creativity. Starting with the slum
quarters of the major cities, more and more people's councils are
being set up, including in agricultural areas. Developing these
structures created the need for a manifesto of demands by the
oppressed peoples in Turkey. The draft we are putting forward, from
the 'Platform for Rights and Freedom', is such a manifesto.

The people itself is putting on the agenda the demand for
independence, democracy, freedom and justice, for an alternative to
the corrupt system of domination in Turkey which is full of contempt
for human beings. Of course the rulers will not voluntarily g ive in
to a single one of these demands. This is because a state with such a
constitution would not serve them but instead would further the
supremacy of the people. Consequently, our information is that the
constitutional draft has been banned. Even so, o f the first draft
alone 200,000 copies were printed and distributed. Everywhere, in all
sections of the people in Turkey, organised or unorganised, men and
women, old and young, workers, civil servants, housewives and
students, this constitutional draft is being discussed. In Turkey and
in Europe, several hundred thousand copies of a survey have been
distributed. It is not a matter of writing the most perfect
constitution possible for the period after the revolution, but rather
to give expression to the dem ands of the people, for which the
struggle is being fought, and to put these into a political
framework. The people is not making a request to the rulers or
petitioning them, but knows that it must fight step by step for the
fulfilment of these demands. Th is draft is not a document existing
solely on paper but a programme for revolution in Turkey.

The support and solidarity of international revolutionary and
progressive forces will strengthen the fight of our peoples in
Turkey. Our friends from all nations of the earth are free to express
their opinions and make suggestions about this draft constitu
tion. Constructive criticism is as welcome as approval.

We look forward to taking on board your opinions on this draft
constitution, which has arisen from the people's opposition forces.

                   DHKC Information Bueau Amsterdam 

Check it out at our www-pages.

- -- 
DHKC Informationbureau Amsterdam
http://www.ozgurluk.org/dhkc
mailto: dhkc at ozgurluk.org

Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

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From IG-H at TRILOS.han.de  Mon Aug 18 18:00:00 1997
From: IG-H at TRILOS.han.de (IG-H at TRILOS.han.de)
Date: 18 Aug 1997 18:00:00
Subject: UK court orders Kani Yilmaz extradited to Germany
Message-ID: <6cAB1l7J9GB@xp-03210.info-ist.co>

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                                                       Hannover, 14.08.97.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------

  UK court orders Kani Yilmaz extradited to Germany

  _________________________________________________________________
  
 By Orya Sultan Halisdemir / Turkish Daily News
 
London - Kani Yilmaz, spokesman of the ERNK, the political wing of the
outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), is to be extradited to
Germany sometime this week, his British legal team told TDN.

The extradition order will be carried out this week following Home
Secretary Jack Straw's decision to refuse Yilmaz's appeal against the
order.

The legal team's spokesperson said that the exact date for the
extradition cannot be given due to security reasons. "We are hopeful
that Yilmaz will be released shortly after being detained for the
offenses he faces in Germany," the same spokesperson stated, quoting
Yilmaz's solicitor in Germany.

His legal team had appealed to Home Secretary Jack Straw at the end of
June after exhausting all legal means to prevent his extradition to
Germany. The team believed the change of government in the UK would
make a big difference in deciding on the extradition order.

Yilmaz was arrested on the order of the former Home Secretary Michael
Howard on the grounds of national security on Oct. 26 on his way to
address the British Parliament at the invitation of MPs. Later, on
Nov. 10, 1994, the Home Secretary suspended deportation proceedings
following a request for extradition by the Federal Republic of Germany
for Yilmaz's alleged involvement in a wave of bombing attacks against
various German and Turkish installations in Germany.

The High Court of Justice had refused Yilmaz's appeal against the
extradition on July 4 last year. In its judgement, the High Court had
ruled that the wave of attacks against Turkey and Germany were
politically motivated but could not come within the definition of
"offences of a political character" because they were not exclusively
directed towards changing the policies of the requesting state alone.
The lawyers for Yilmaz had appealed to the House of Lords, which has a
judicial function as the final court of appeal from the courts of all
the constituent parts of the UK on points of law for civil and
criminal cases. The appeal to the House of Lords was grounded on the
legal point of whether the 1989 Extradition Act permits a dual purpose
in its definition of a political offense; in this case that an offense
can be of a political nature if it is directed at the German and
Turkish states simultaneously. This is an attempt by the lawyers to
mark Yilmaz's offenses as "political," in which case Yilmaz would have
been able to apply for political asylum in Britain.

- -- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

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From IG-H at TRILOS.han.de  Mon Aug 18 18:00:00 1997
From: IG-H at TRILOS.han.de (IG-H at TRILOS.han.de)
Date: 18 Aug 1997 18:00:00
Subject: Turkey: Nothing changed for human rights in July
Message-ID: <6cAB2SEZ9GB@xp-03210.info-ist.co>

Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

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                                                       Hannover, 14.08.97.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------

August 13, 1997

  Nothing changed for human rights in July

  _________________________________________________________________
  
Turkish Daily News

Istanbul - Violations directed against the freedom of the press
continued in July 1997, and basic rights and freedoms were not
respected just as in the past, writes the monthly human rights report
of the Human Rights Association (IHD).

The Istanbul branch of the IHD released its monthly report at a press
conference Tuesday. According to the report, there was no drop in
violations related to the freedom of the press and expression. Three
journalists were taken into custody last month while nine were
attacked. Furthermore, more than four years in prison and TL one
billion 345 million in monetary fines were meted out against those
judged to have violated the freedom of the press and expression laws.
Also in July, three radio and television stations were closed for one
day apiece by the Supreme Council for Radio and Television (RTUK).

Six prisoners lost their lives during incidents in prisons, and 51
persons were injured during attacks by the gendarmerie during these
events, according to the IHD report.

It furthermore states that eight people, including two children
applied to the IHD with complaints of torture. Three of these
applicants confirmed their claims with health reports.

The report includes only those incidents which happened in Istanbul as
well as searches and measures carried out, said IHD officials.

- -- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

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From IG-H at TRILOS.han.de  Mon Aug 18 18:00:00 1997
From: IG-H at TRILOS.han.de (IG-H at TRILOS.han.de)
Date: 18 Aug 1997 18:00:00
Subject: Turkey: RP backs Contra-Guerrilla
Message-ID: <6cAB2tno9GB@xp-03210.info-ist.co>

Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

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                                                       Hannover, 16.08.97.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aug. 15 1997:

                     Agar and Bucak retain their immunity
                                       
     * Parliament's Constitution and Justice Commission rejects lifting
       the immunity of the two True Path Party deputies implicated in the
       state-mafia link scandal known as 'Susurluk'
    
  _________________________________________________________________
  
TDN Parliament Bureau

Ankara - The Mixed Parliamentary Commission on the Constitution and
Justice has refused to lift the parliamentary immunity of True Path
Party (DYP) deputies Mehmet Agar and Sedat Edip Bucak, both of whom
have been implicated in the scandal known to the public as "Susurluk,"
linking the state and with criminal elements.

The Mixed Commission met on Thursday following a request put in by the
Motherland Party (ANAP), the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and the
Republican People's Party (CHP) to review a subcommission report on
Agar and Bucak.

The subcommission had decided that the parliamentary immunity of these
two deputies could be removed so that they could answer the
allegations against them in the Supreme Court.

In the Mixed Commission, 18 deputies voted for the lifting of their
immunity while 21 deputies voted against.

ANAP deputy Ekrem Pakdemirli, breaking with his party on this issue,
abstained during the vote while other deputies from ANAP, as well as
the DSP and CHP deputies present at the commission meeting, voted in
favor of the immunity of the two deputies being lifted.

The Welfare Party (RP) and DYP deputies in the Commission voted for
Agar's and Bucak's immunity from prosecution to remain in place.

The outcome from the Mixed Commission was the result of two factors,
the first being the fact that the Democratic Turkey Party (DTP), the
government's junior coalition partner, refused to send members to the
commission, and the second that three commission members each from
ANAP and DSP were absent during the voting.

Because the DTP has not notified the commission of the deputies it
will send, the RP and the DYP still retain the majority there.

Deputies who object to the outcome in the commission still have the
prerogative to try and have it heard in Parliamentary Assembly.

Ahmet Iyimaya, the head of the Mixed Commission, and a key DYP deputy,
has indicated that if they receive a written objection within 10 days,
the matter of Agar and Bucak's immunity can be taken up by the
Parliamentary Assembly.

But Iyimaya also pointed out that the Mixed Commission's report could
not be finalized quickly enough for the path to open this option
before Parliament goes into recess.

He predicted, therefore, that the vote on Agar and Bucak's immunity
could only by taken up by Parliament during its next legislative year
which opens in October.

The Mixed Commission also threw out an amendment which proposed that
the parliamentary immunity of deputies not be be lifted until Article
83 of the Constitution is amended. Only RP deputy Mehmet Ali Sahin
opposed this move. The Mixed Commission also decided that three
separate subcommissions be set up to investigate files concerning the
lifting of the parliamentary immunity of 65 deputies.

The Commission, with 63 files it has received previously, now has 120
files regarding lifting the immunity of 120 deputies so they can face
prosecution on various charges.

- -- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

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From IG-H at TRILOS.han.de  Mon Aug 18 18:00:00 1997
From: IG-H at TRILOS.han.de (IG-H at TRILOS.han.de)
Date: 18 Aug 1997 18:00:00
Subject: Turkey: Unsatisfactory gesture: Suspending jail terms for editors
Message-ID: <6cAB3QiJ9GB@xp-03210.info-ist.co>

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                                                       Hannover, 16.08.97.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------

   15 August, 1997, Copyright ? Turkish Daily News
     _________________________________________________________________

      [INLINE] Unsatisfactory gesture: Suspending jail terms for editors

     * Dozens of journalists and writers will remain behind bars because
       the laws say people cannot publish stories or write their views
       which the state regards as offensive...

     _________________________________________________________________

    Editorial by Ilnur Cevik

   The Parliament has approved a new law termed as a press pardon which
   the government has claimed is a great improvement... The new law
   suspends the prison terms for editors of newspapers who print material
   which the state feels is detrimental to national security and unity.

   So if you are an editor who has landed in prison for something one of
   your correspondents wrote then the new law allows your sentence to be
   suspended for three years. If you "behave" yourself and do not allow
   your correspondents to write material that the state objects to for
   three years then your sentence will be scrapped.

   This is not a pardon. It is simply a "suspension of a sentence" which
   is the superficial way of deceiving Western public opinion that we are
   trying to do something in the name of press freedom.

   The authorities, as usual, did not take this step because they felt
   something had to be done to allow the press to work in a freer
   atmosphere. They did it because they came under intense pressure from
   the West and had to satisfy their Western counterparts...

   What is done is unsatisfactory. We cannot just suspend or even pardon
   people for what they have written in their newspapers. What we have to
   do is to see to it that writing articles or publishing news reports
   are no longer a crime in this country. As long as publishing stories
   in a newspaper or a periodical can be regarded as a crime in Turkey
   whether we suspend the prison sentences of editors or even give them a
   pardon is simply irrelevant.

   What is very strange here is the mentality that has been displayed by
   the government. They are not even suspending the prison terms for
   correspondents who write stories that are regarded as an offense by
   the state, but they are only trying to get the editor off the hook. So
   here there is clear discrimination among our colleagues which is a
   constitutional offense.

   Let us stop playing games of deception. If we really want press
   freedom then those articles in the laws that obstruct this kind of
   freedom should be scrapped. People should not be imprisoned for the
   news reports they write. People should not be jailed for publishing
   their views.

   Once this law is approved by the president a handful of editors may
   leave prison but dozens of other journalists and writers will remain
   behind bars simply for writing views which the state feels are
   offensive...
     _________________________________________________________________

- --
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

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From IG-H at TRILOS.han.de  Mon Aug 18 18:00:00 1997
From: IG-H at TRILOS.han.de (IG-H at TRILOS.han.de)
Date: 18 Aug 1997 18:00:00
Subject: Turkey: Yurtcu criticizes/IHD closed
Message-ID: <6cAB3nOZ9GB@xp-03210.info-ist.co>

Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

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                                                       Hannover, 16.08.97.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------

                    Yurtcu criticizes new press amnesty law
                                       
     * IHD Deputy Chairman Sakar said the move by the parliament was not
       an progressive step, but instead was a 'cover-up'
       
     _________________________________________________________________
                                      
   Turkish Daily News
   
   Ankara - Journalist Isik Yurtcu, who is currently serving the third
   year of his almost 16-year jail sentence in the northwestern province
   of Tekirdag, said he was not pleased by the parliamentary approval of
   an amnesty for press members, saying the law was "not enough," the
   Anatolia news agency reported.
   
   Parliament earlier approved the bill issuing "partial amnesty" for
   press members currently serving prison sentences.
   
   The bill grants conditional amnesty for only newspaper editors who
   have been charged or convicted of publishing material containing
   criminal elements, by releasing them from jail and suspending their
   sentence for three years.
   
   "It is not enough to suspend the charges and sentences [against
   journalists]. The essential thing here is the release of all those who
   were jailed because they expressed their own opinions. Expression
   should not be considered a crime. We want serious efforts undertaken
   to resolve this issue. We must save ourselves from the disgrace of
   regarding expression a "crime" in a country which is trying to
   democratize itself. There should be amendments in the Anti-Terrorism
   Law and the Turkish Penal Law," Yurtcu said.
   
   Yurtcu, the former editor of the banned pro-Kurdish daily, Ozgur
   Gundem, said his release was supported by various journalists'
   associations both at home and abroad. Speaking on the imprisonment of
   journalists, Yurtcu said: "This is a problem for all journalists."
   
   The objections against the new press amnesty law did not only come
   from Yurtcu. The deputy chairman of the Human Rights Organization
   (IHD), Mahmut Sakar, also said the bill was not a positive step toward
   "freedom of expression." He said it was rather the product of an
   approach attempting to restrict the freedom of expression.
   
   Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Sakar said the move by
   Parliament was not an progressive step, but instead, was a "cover-up."
   He also said he was suspicious of earlier statements by the government
   that they intended to remove the Emergency Rule from the country's
   eastern and southeastern regions.
     _________________________________________________________________
                                      
                       Trial begins in IHD closure case
                                       
     _________________________________________________________________
                                      
   Turkish Daily News
   
   Ankara - An Istanbul court began on Friday to hear the case against
   the Istanbul branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD). Prosecutors
   are asking the court to order the IHD to cease its activities.
   
   Ercan Kanar, the head of the IHD's Istanbul branch, said that the
   association has been defending human rights without regard to race,
   language, religion, or gender. He denied that the IHD did anything
   contrary to human rights.
   
   Prosecutors contend the IHD encouraged enmity among the population and
   incited hatred by discriminating on the basis of race, region,
   language and religion. The IHD leaders face sentences of one to three
   years in prison.

- -- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

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From IG-H at TRILOS.han.de  Mon Aug 18 18:00:00 1997
From: IG-H at TRILOS.han.de (IG-H at TRILOS.han.de)
Date: 18 Aug 1997 18:00:00
Subject: Turkey finally corrects official records on death of Yilmaz Guney
Message-ID: <6cAB4TJo9GB@xp-03210.info-ist.co>

Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

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                                                       Hannover, 16.08.97.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aug. 16 1997

       Turkey finally corrects official records on death of Yilmaz Guney
                                       
     _________________________________________________________________
                                      
   Turkish Daily News
   
   Ankara- Turkey has finally officially recognized the death of actor
   Yilmaz Guney, who passed away in 1984 in Paris, the Anatolia news
   agency reported.
   
   Until now, Turkish records had stated that Guney was still alive but a
   notice was recently sent from France noting that Guney died on Sept.
   9, 1984, and this has been entered into the official records.
   
   The lawyer for Guney's sister Leyla Demirezen said the situation was
   an example of how poorly the official records were kept in Turkey.
   "Everyone knew Guney was dead yet nobody corrected the official
   records until our attempt," said the lawyer.
   
   Yilmaz Guney, who had fled to Paris from prison on Oct. 11, 1981, was
   stripped of his Turkish citizenship by the government. Guney had
   received the 1981 Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix for his movie "Yol"
   (The Road).
     _________________________________________________________________

- -- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

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From IG-H at TRILOS.han.de  Mon Aug 18 18:00:00 1997
From: IG-H at TRILOS.han.de (IG-H at TRILOS.han.de)
Date: 18 Aug 1997 18:00:00
Subject: Turkey: Contra-Guerrilla Update
Message-ID: <6cAB4myo9GB@xp-03210.info-ist.co>

Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

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                                                       Hannover, 16.08.97.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aug. 16 1997:

           Agar and Bucak's immunity files to be debated again
                                       
     * Joint Constitution and Justice Commission Chairman Iyimaya said
       the Office of the Parliament Speaker had no right to ban a
       commission meeting
       
     _________________________________________________________________
                                      
   Turkish Daily News
   
   Ankara - It appears that the controversial files requesting the
   removal of parliamentary immunity of two deputies allegedly involved
   in the state-mafia links will be debated again. The Parliament's
   deputy speaker, Uluc Gurkan has cancelled Thursday's meeting of the
   joint parliamentary commission on the constitution and justice, which
   rejected the lifting of immunities of True Path Party (DYP) deputies,
   Sedat Bucak and Mehmet Agar.
   
   Both Bucak and Agar were involved in the controversial Susurluk car
   accident last November, revealing alleged state-mafia links.
   
   Gurkan said the joint commission convened at the time while Parliament
   was sitting was not authorized by the parliament speaker. The
   commission, the majority of which was made up of opposition deputies,
   turned down the proposals to remove the immunities of Bucak and Agar.
   
   The commission's decision sparked objections by government deputies.
   Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, supporting Gurkan's decision to
   cancel the meeting, said it was the wrong timing for the joint
   commission to convene while Parliament was sitting.
   
   Gurkay's decision sparked objections by the commission's chairman,
   Ahmet Iyimaya, a DYP member. He said the Office of the Parliament
   Speaker had no right to ban a commission meeting. He said, he would
   apply for the annulment of Gurkan's decision.
   
   Ecevit, responding to questions about why the members from his
   Democratic Left Party (DSP) did not attend the commission meeting,
   declared: "Our fellow partymen were not informed that the commission
   meeting was going to take place then."
   
   Opposition Republican People's Party Secretary General Adnan Keskin
   also criticized the joint commission's decision. "This is completely
   challenging the popular will," Keskin said.
   
   Keskin was speaking at a press conference on Friday. He also lashed
   out at the members from the governing parties for not attending the
   commission meeting. "It has been revealed that some of those who work
   for the state, set up gangs and abuse the laws," Keskin said. He added
   that the current government was established to wipe out the gangs
   within the state, but has failed to fulfill its promise.

- -- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Turkey: Contra-Guerrilla-State: http://www.ozgurluk.org/contrind
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

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From IG-H at TRILOS.han.de  Mon Aug 18 18:00:00 1997
From: IG-H at TRILOS.han.de (IG-H at TRILOS.han.de)
Date: 18 Aug 1997 18:00:00
Subject: Turkey points a finger to the UK
Message-ID: <6cAB5R2J9GB@xp-03210.info-ist.co>

Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

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                                                       Hannover, 18.08.97.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------

                Journalist calls on UK to respect human rights
                                       
     _________________________________________________________________
  
 By Orya Sultan Halisdemir / Turkish Daily News
 
London- Despite giving special emphasis to human rights in defining
the UK's relations with other countries, the Labour government
recently came under attack for failing to apply the same criteria at
home. There were accusations the current government was continuing the
former Conservative government's silence on trade in torture weapons
and keeping hundreds of asylum seekers in prison for months.

Martyn Gregory wrote in the weekly "New Statesman" that the Labour
government should break the conspiracy of silence and name the company
involved in the trade of electro-shock weapons to countries such as
China, Turkey, Iran and Indonesia during the Conservative period.
Gregory was the maker of the documentary called "The Torture Trail,"
broadcast in 1995, revealing Britain's role in the torture weapons
trade. The documentary secretly filmed the personalities involved in
the trade and the name of British Aerospace (BAe) emerged as the
company involved. However, there were denials that the company to
which the trans-shipment licence was granted was BAe. Gregory, after
welcoming last week's decision to hand down a 5,000 pound fine to
Frank Stott, one of the accused who later pleaded guilty to possessing
electro-shock weapons, called on the Labour government to name the
company involved in "this blatant abuse of human rights," as Gregory
put it.

He attacked the new policy outlined by Foreign Secretary Robin Cook
which will make the trans-shipment of electro-shock weapons illegal,
as part of its emphasis on developing an ethical foreign policy. "The
relevant department in this context is the Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI) rather than the Foreign Office and it has so far played
a perfidious role in this drama," Gregory stated in his article. He
said that British companies could also be involved in a 'brokering' or
'factoring' process by which companies can profit from sales without
the weapons coming anywhere near Britain. He said that to eliminate
this the DTI had to take action.

"Under BAe's offer to us, the electro-shock weapons would have been
factored from the United States and Germany and directed to Lebanon.
To ban trans-shipment would have no effect on this process," Gregory
said, referring to promises made to him by BAe's authorities in his
secretly filmed program where he had posed as a British agent wanting
to buy weapons for the Lebanese police force. He called on the Labour
government not to hide behind the "commercial confidentiality" excuse
and reveal to which company the DTI had granted a licence to tranship
the torture weapons.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Steele at The Guardian, a daily known for its
support of the Labour government, wrote that human rights policies
were easily hindered by selectivity issues. "You scold the small
offenders and ignore the big ones. You ban new weapons but turn a
blind eye to existing contracts, as was the case in the sale of Hawks
to Indonesia," he criticized. Steele then went on to say that,
according to a study by Amnesty International (AI), Britain detained
foreigners more often than any other European country. He touched upon
the hundreds of asylum seekers imprisoned in the UK and said that the
UK was the only country which locks asylum seekers up without judicial
review or any prescribed time limit. Around 750 people are currently
locked up in four detention centers in the UK. The human rights
organizations criticize this move as 'failing to satisfy those who
flee out of a fear of prosecution.'

While these critics focused on contradictory elements in Labour's
ethical foreign policy, David Mepham, the British foreign policy
program coordinator for Safeworld wrote that Britain should reorient
its assistance to developing countries if it wishes to improve human
rights at the international level. He wrote in his article in the New
Statesmen that Britain should base its development assistance strategy
on methods of tackling social exclusion, which he calls the reason for
conflicts in poorer countries. He said more resources should be
provided for programs in the areas of law, administration and human
rights of those developing countries where human rights are weak.

- -- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

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From IG-H at TRILOS.han.de  Mon Aug 18 18:00:00 1997
From: IG-H at TRILOS.han.de (IG-H at TRILOS.han.de)
Date: 18 Aug 1997 18:00:00
Subject: The war in Kurdistan continues
Message-ID: <6cAB5xKo9GB@xp-03210.info-ist.co>

Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

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                                                       Hannover, 18.08.97.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(17/8) 2 Soldiers, Policeman Killed in TR

Megakoey, Turkey (Reuters) - Kurdish terrorists have killed two
soldiers in the southeast of Turkey, state-run Anatolian news agency
said Sunday.

It said two privates were killed when terrorists of the Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK) opened fire on a patrol in the Baskale area of Van
Province. It did not say when the a ttack took place.

In a separate incident a policeman was killed by unknown assailants
after they stopped a minibus in the northern province of Ordu in the
early hours of Sunday, the agency said.  Media reports say armed
rebels of the PKK have moved into the area in recent months.

More than 26,000 people have been killed in the 13-year conflict
between the Turkish security forces and the PKK who are fighting for
independence in the mainly Kurdish southeast.
               
- -- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

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From IG-H at TRILOS.han.de  Mon Aug 18 18:00:00 1997
From: IG-H at TRILOS.han.de (IG-H at TRILOS.han.de)
Date: 18 Aug 1997 18:00:00
Subject: Turkey: Bergama/Eurogold Update
Message-ID: <6cAB6QuJ9GB@xp-03210.info-ist.co>

Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

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                                                       Hannover, 18.08.97.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 [LINK]Eurogold proposes safety trial for controversial cyanide leaching

  * Eurogold seeks support from State Minister Isin Celebi who
 originally allegedly proposed the test period
 
  _________________________________________________________________
  
Turkish Daily News

Ankara - Eurogold, the company that wants to extract gold using the
cyanide leaching method in the Aegean province of Bergama, called on
State Minister Isin Celebi to defend its proposal for a two-month
trial period to determine if the method is safe.

Tansel Fikri, Eurogold's executive board member, claiming the
proposal, to be put to the Council of Ministers, was the idea of State
Minister Celebi, sent him a letter saying that the company has
officially notified the Ministry of Environment about the proposal
that would "eradicate the worries that had come from misleading
information," the Anatolia news agency reported.

In his letter, Fikri requested support from the minister for bringing
the trial period "which you have proposed" to life.

In its proposal Eurogold suggested that "the establishment of trust
with the local people in the project would also be of mutual benefit
to the Turkish government."

Eurogold's proposal to the Ministry of Environment and the Council of
Ministers is summarized as follows;

- - Eurogold is proposing a two-month trial period to determine that the
method is safe and beneficial.

- - The test will provide opportunity for the facilities to be examined
so to establish "the technological superiority" of all processes
including chemical purification and the safety of disposal tanks.

- - We propose that the trial be monitored and evaluated by neutral
international experts. The expert delegation might be made up of
world-acclaimed academics, for example from the World Bank and the
European Union. The trial procedures would be under the surveillance
of the relevant departments of Turkish government and leading mining
faculties.

The company declared that it wished to preserve its earned and legal
rights and is ready to work in cooperation with the Council of
Ministers over the test period.

Fikri maintained on Sunday in a written statement that Eurogold would
file a complaint about certain legal experts.

He said that these people had attempted to interfere with the law and
added that the company would apply to the relevant disciplinary boards
with regard to this.

- -- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

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From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Wed Aug 20 03:06:39 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 20 Aug 1997 03:06:39
Subject: US-armsdealers report on Human rights in Turkey
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m3rabp5gne.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

Subject: US-armsdealers report on Human rights in Turkey
From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>

  
US weapons in Turkey: 'Need more action and conviction'

  * Stresses Turkey's strategic importance, and PKK terrorism
  * 'Security situation improved in Southeast'
 
  _________________________________________________________________
  
 By Ugur Akinci / Turkish Daily News
 
Washington - A report on the use of U.S.-made weapons in human rights
violations in Turkey noted that the Turkish military took the right
precautions and adopted the right human rights measures.However, what
is lacking is the implementation, said the report entitled "U.S.
Military Equipment and Human Rights Violations" prepared by the U.S.
State Department and sent to the Appropriations Committee of the U.S.
Congress in June 1997.

"The key to further progress will be firm implementation of these
standards [adopted by the Turkish Armed Forces], monitoring of
behavior in field operations, transparency and cooperation with
investigations of abuses, and aggressive prosecution and stiff
sentences for violators. Plans, intentions and principles must be
accompanied by action and conviction," the report concluded.

Recent changes in Turkish law allow better representation for
detainees as well as shorter detention periods. The Turkish military
also adopted a "principles of behavior" doctrine, and human rights
training programs for its officers and enlisted men.

The report, which is prepared as a follow-up to a similar report again
submitted by the State Department to Congress in June 1995, claims
only about 3 percent of the human rights violation cases filed end up
in convictions.

  Turkey's importance
  
Before laying out its main conclusions, the report stressed Turkey's
"great strategic importance" as a "pivotal country affecting U.S.
interests in Europe, the Middle East, the Caucasus, and Central Asia."

Underlining the fact that most of the alleged human rights violations
occur during the operations carried out against the PKK, the report
stressed that PKK is "a terrorist organization" and "represents a
threat to Turkey's security."

  Self-defense
  
Within such a context, Turkey is justified in using U.S.-made weapons,
the report said. "According to U.S. security assistance provisions,
Turkey has the right to use U.S.-supplied weapons for self-defense and
internal security. This includes combating criminal acts directed
against the state and terrorism."

  Credible
  
Researching allegations filed by human rights organizations, the State
Department said, "we believe some allegations of serious human rights
abuses by security forces during operations against the PKK are
credible." Equipment of U.S.-origin "has likely been used in
operations against the PKK during which human rights abuses have
occurred," the report said.

  Evacuations
  
"It is likely that U.S. equipment was used in support of the
evacuation of villages," the report added. That was "a conscious
strategy of limiting local logistical support to the PKK," the report
explained.

  And compensations
  
It was also noted that the Turkish government has a program to
compensate such villagers for their losses. But the report added that
the compensation is not large enough and more funds must be budgeted
in the future.

Most of the U.S. weapons and helicopters (including M-16s, AR-15S,
M-203 grenade launchers) are used by police "special teams," the
report said.

  Unsubstantiated
  
But the report could not prove every allegation. For
example:"Eyewitness accounts alleging use of U.S. equipment in
extra-judicial killings or torture are difficult to substantiate."

  Improbable
  
"Given the nature of the abuses, we believe the use of U.S.-supplied
military equipment in torture cases is improbable," the report added.

  Improving security
  
The U.S. mission personnel were given full access to Turkish civilian
and military officials, and they were helped in traveling to
southeastern cities to conduct interviews.

In January 1997, for example, the U.S. officials traveled to
Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Mardin, Sirnak and Diyarbakir. Four months
later, in April 1997, they again traveled to Malatya, Diyarbakir,
Sanliurfa, Elazig and Kahramanmaras.

"[U.S.] Mission personnel, traveling throughout the southeast region
have witnessed an improvement in the security situation there since
January 1995," the report said.

  Three factors
  
Three factors helped improve the security situation and reduced
"collateral damage" to civilians, the report said.

1) Turkish forces introduced a "principle of 'appropriate force' to
ensure that only that force necessary to defeat the identified enemy
would be employed ... U.S. officials' conversations with civilians in
the region and press reports suggest that 'collateral damage' to
civilians and private property has been reduced."

2) Shifting the fighting to the mountains also reduced the 'collateral
damage,' the report said. "Security forces now conduct large-scale
anti-PKK operations primarily in remote locations, minimizing the
possibility of civilian casualties."

3) "Turkish units developed the capability to fight at night and put
more emphasis on infantry and commando operations, thereby better
targeting the PKK, and interdicting terrorists before they enter
populated areas. This initiative appeared to have further reduced the
incidence of unintended harm to civilians," the report said.

-- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Wed Aug 20 19:32:50 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 20 Aug 1997 19:32:50
Subject: The Turkish state is at war with its citizens
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m3203omga6.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

Subject: The Turkish state is at war with its citizens
From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>
Date: 21 Aug 1997 04:16:49 +0200

ANKARA, Aug 20 (Reuter) - Turkey said on Wednesday it would take
measures again st a planned "peace train" trip across Europe by
politicians and rights activists to call for an end to the Kurdish
conflict in southeast Turkey.
                                       
"It is natural that all the necessary measures will be taken," Foreign
Ministry spokesman Sermet Atacanli told a newsconference. He declined
to elaborate.
                                       
The train is due to leave Brussels on August 26 to travel through
Europe and Turkey on its way to the main southeastern city of
Diyarbakir. The five-day journey is being organised by a pro-Kurdish
group in Germany.
                                       
                                       
Atacanli said Turkey believed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) terrorists
were behind the initiative. "We evaluate this as a propaganda attempt
by the terrorist organisation and we have forwarded this assessment to
the necessary offices," Atacanli said when asked if Ankara would
protest to European countries or allow the train to enter Turkey.
                                       
ANKARA, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Turkey's coalition government has vowed to
crack down on a series of nationwide Islamist demonstrations against
secularist education reforms.
                                       
"We will not allow any outlawed demonstrations," Anatolian news agency
quoted Interior Minister Murat Basesgioglu as saying on Tuesday night
after a cabinet meeting.
                                       
Thousands of Islamists have taken to the streets to protest against a
government bid to increase secular education to eight years from five,
a plan that diminishes the status of religious schools. Police have
clashed with Islamists and journalists at some of the protests, which
did not prevent the school reforms bill being passed by parliament
last weekend after lengthy debate.
                                       
"There is no point in these demonstrations now that the law has been
passed," Basesgioglu said.  "The protests could have another purpose."
                                       
Secularist education reform is a priority of conservative Prime
Minister Mesut Yilmaz, in office since late June. A government act
forbidding children under the age of 12 from attending Koranic
education courses went into force on Wednesday with its publication in
the official gazette.
                                       
The act also gives security officials the power to supervise Koranic
courses, seen by the secularist establishment as a source of Islamist
activism. Yilmaz replaced Necmettin Erbakan, modern Turkey's first
Islamist prime minister who resigned two months ago under pressure
from the secularist army after a stormy year in power.

-- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan


Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Fri Aug 22 05:59:26 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 22 Aug 1997 05:59:26
Subject: Turkey: Goktepe accused choose to remain silent
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m3u3gis87r.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

Subject: Turkey: Goktepe accused choose to remain silent
From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>

  Goktepe accused choose to remain silent

  * _Robert Manner: _'As we have seen, if the press does its duty at
 this trial, the fate of other trials may change'
 
  _________________________________________________________________
  
 By Hasan Ustun / Turkish Daily News
 
Afyon - Nine policemen, seven of them being held in custody, who are
accused of the murder of journalist Metin Goktepe refused to make
statements in their first court appearance yesterday, saying, "We wish
to use our right to remain silent."

At the trial at the Afyon Criminal Court under presiding judge, Nilgun
Ucar, the hearing was postponed until September 15 so that witnesses
may be called. Despite the banning of demonstrations by the Afyon
Provincial Governor's Office, about 1,600 people (40 busloads)
gathered in Afyon to march to the courthouse. Amongst these, as well
as Metin Goktepe's mother Fadime, were members and representatives of
organizations such as the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ODP), the
Labor Party (EMEP), the Republican People's Party (CHP), the
Revolutionary Workers' Labor Union Confederation (DISK), the Human
Rights Association (IHD), the Contemporary Journalists Association
(CGD) and the Turkish Journalists Association (TGD).

Police halted demonstrators 50 meters from the courthouse. The police
also stationed snipers on the courthouse roof and were clearly well
positioned to intimidate the crowd. The demonstrators protested the
exclusion from the vicinity of the courthouse of all but members of
the Goktepe family and their lawyers by chanting slogans such as,
"Where the trial is, we are there," and "It is our right to watch the
trial." Citizens of Afyon living in the vicinity of the courthouse
closed their doors and windows securely and watched the events from
between their curtains.

Robert Manner, speaking for the international organization Journalists
Without Frontiers, stated that they were attending this trial because
it would play a key role in shedding light on the spate of mysterious
killings from which Turkey has suffered, and continued, "As we have
seen, if the press does its duty at this trial, the fate of other
trials may change." He commented, "As for the courtroom being so small
as to allow as few as 50 people to be squeezed in, they are sneering
at us." He pointed out that when there is substantial public interest,
trials in Europe are held in large courtrooms to admit as many as
possible, and added, "This is a show of respect for journalists and
for the public right to be informed." Referring to the large number of
police, gendarmes and other security officials surrounding the court,
Manner stated that he found it strange to see the accused police being
brought into the Afyon courtroom under the protection of a military
cordon.

"Out of 40, 9 are left," said Fadime Goktepe, complaining about yet
another delay in the trial procedure. She alleged that her son had
been killed by the gangs of former Prime Minister and Foreign minister
Tansu Ciller but that the murderers had only been arrested and brought
to court thanks to the current Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz.

The use of the accused's lawyers of the "right of refusal" (in other
words, their request for the alteration of the composition of the
court) was regarded by the court as a method of delaying the trial
proceedings and it ordered that the accused policemen continue to be
remanded in custody, taking into account the fact that the type of
crime involved had not yet been established nor the evidence fully
collected. It also decided to launch an investigation into whether or
not the ailments of four of the policemen, who did not attend the
hearing because they produced doctors' reports saying that they were
unfit to do so, were or were not of such a nature as to prevent them
from taking part. The court required full information on the treatment
of the police in question.

CHP Parliamentary Deputy Sabri Ergul stated that the Metin Goktepe
trial and that of young people who had been tried and imprisoned in
his own district, Manisa, despite having been maltreated by police
reflected on Turkey's prestige. Unfortunately," he said, "the behavior
of the administration in not providing information to make the job of
the court easier has no place in the public conscience."
  _________________________________________________________________
  
Istanbul police will ensure journalists' security

  _________________________________________________________________
  
Turkish Daily News

Istanbul - Istanbul Police Chief Hasan Ozdemir paid a courtesy call on
Nail Gureli, the chairman of the Turkish Journalists' Association, and
members of the board of that organization on Wednesday. Gureli took
the opportunity to stress that Istanbul is a city in which social
incidents occurred frequently and journalists have to be able to work
with a sense of security.

Gureli pointed out that security forces in some instances had blocked
journalists and had stood by while assaults were perpetrated on them.
He expressed the hope that Ozdemir would not allow such incidents to
happen again. The Journalists' Association Chairman noted that
journalists had to get correct information quickly while some
officials will not speak to them citing Law No. 657 concerning
government employees.

Ozdemir in reply stated that the police had now set up a unit to
protect journalists from the kind of attacks which they had
experienced recently. In the near future, instructions would be given
to the Press Protocol Public Relations Branch Directorate, police
stations, news centers and duty directorates to help journalists
acquire accurate information. In some cases, written statements will
also be issued. He assured that journalists would be able to undertake
their duties with greater security which means that in future they
will be able to acquire information with greater ease.
  _________________________________________________________________
-- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Fri Aug 22 18:32:44 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 22 Aug 1997 18:32:44
Subject: Turkey/Peacetrain: UPI is innocent
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m3hgchk875.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>


Friday August 22 11:49 AM EDT 

Turkey to stop Kurdish peace train

ANKARA, Aug 22 (UPI) _ Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz says the planned
``peace train'' trip across Europe to call for an end to the Kurdish
conflict would not be allowed to cross Turkish borders.

The train was due to leave Brussels next Tuesday to travel through
Europe and Turkey. It was to travel to the southeastern city of
Diyarbakir some 400 miles (640 km) southeast of Ankara.

The Anatolian News Agency quoted Yilmaz as saying, ``If the train is
able to start its way it would not be allowed to enter the border
(into Turkey).''

Yilmaz said the Foreign Ministry is conveying Turkey's message to
relevant countries regarding the issue.

Ankara considers the peace train campaign ``as an initiative linked to
the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party.''

The agency said the peace train is organized by the German-based human
rights organization Der Appell von Honnover, in an effort to draw
world's attention to the Kurdish conflict.

_- 

Copyright 1997 by United Press International. 

All rights reserved. 
-- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Fri Aug 22 18:56:42 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 22 Aug 1997 18:56:42
Subject: Turkey: moslim-leader(?) meets nazi, state declares it is agains naz
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m3en7lk6ql.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>
Subject: Turkey: moslim-leader(?) meets nazi, state declares it is agains nazism (extremism)

                                       
                     [29]Top (17:35) Erbakan Meets Le Pen
                                       
                                       
                                       
ANKARA, Turkey (Reuter) - Turkey's Islamist leader Necmettin Erbakan
and French far-rightist Jean-Marie Le Pen held an unlikely meeting at
a Turkish seaside retreat, the Turkish media said Friday.
                                       
The Milliyet daily said the pair held six hours of talks Thursday in a
hotel at the Aegean Sea town of Altinoluk, where former Prime Minister
Erbakan regularly takes breaks.
                                       
"A meeting of opposites took place. Our leader made recommendations to
Le Pen and told him about Turkey," Milliyet quoted Welfare Party MP
Mehmet Ali Sahin as saying.
                                       
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, a bitter critic of Erbakan, responded
wryly to news of the meeting in comments to reporters at his summer
home in the southern tourist resort of Bodrum.  "I did not find it at
all strange. Extremists speak with extremists. (That is) totally
normal.  They are made for each other," he said when asked about his
thoughts on the talks.

A secularist coalition under Yilmaz took over from Erbakan's
beleaguered one-year coalition with conservatives in June.

Other newspapers carried similar stories on the Erbakan-Le Pen
meeting. They said the French politician was on vacation in Turkey. Le
Pen heads the far-right National Front which campaigns fiercely
against immigration into France, mostly from Muslim North Africa. The
Sabah newspaper said Le Pen expressed sympathy for the Turkish
Islamists in their fight against closure by the constitutional court.

The country's top prosecutor has asked the court to ban Welfare for
allegedly threatening Turkey's secular system. Erbakan stepped down as
prime minister in June under pressure from the secularist army after a
stormy year as modern Turkey's first Islamist leader.

Top (17:35) TR: Kurdish "Peace Train" Not Allowed in

ANKARA, Turkey (Reuter) - Turkey will close its borders to a planned
trans-European "peace train" trip by activists calling for an end to
the Kurdish conflict in southeast Turke, Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz
said Friday.

"If this train sets off, it won't be let in across the border,"
Anatolian news agency quoted Yilmaz as saying. He said Turkey had been
in contact with European countries about the train journey, due to
begin Aug. 26.

The train is due to leave Brussels and travel through Europe and
Turkey en route to the main southeastern city of Diyarbakir. The
five-day journey is being organized by a pro-Kurdish group in Germany.

Turkey's foreign ministry Wednesday said it thought the Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK) terrorist group was behind the initiative.

More than 26,000 people have been killed in 13 years of conflict
between security forces and the PKK, fighting for Kurdish
independence. Turkey refuses to negotiate with the PKK which it
regards as a terrorist group.

-- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan

Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

From english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl  Fri Aug 22 18:58:19 1997
From: english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl (english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl)
Date: 22 Aug 1997 18:58:19
Subject: Turkey and imperialism
Message-ID: <bac1c849.m3d8n5k6ia.fsf@ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>

From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>

 Turkey to play key role in Middle East peace process

  _________________________________________________________________
  
Turkish Daily News

Ankara - The Israeli ambassador to Ankara Zvi Al Peleg declared Turkey
to be the country in a position to play the biggest role in the Middle
East peace process on Friday, affirming once again that "relations
between Turkey and Israel are not detrimental to other countries," the
Anatolia news agency reported.

While visiting Adana to bid farewell to Mayor Aytac Durak, Al Peleg,
whose post in Turkey has come to an end, commented on the peace
negotiations between Palestine and Israel. The ambassador said, "there
have been setbacks in the peace process negotiations, but we will
overcome these."

Recognizing that both countries have to learn to live in the same
region, Al Peleg pointed out Turkey's importance geographically,
historically and relation-wise in the peace process.

"What we are trying to explain to the Arab world is, instead of
fighting us, come and unite with us in fields such as industry,
science, high theology, medicine and even defence. [For example,] we
would like to invite them to take part in our military maneuvers," Al
Peleg said.
  _________________________________________________________________
  
Mete Goknel: 'US-sponsored Caucasus-Eurasian Common Market to compete with KEI'

  * 'Saudi capital in charge of Central Asia'
 
  _________________________________________________________________
  
 By Saadet Oruc / Turkish Daily News
 
Ankara - International efforts initiated in June for economic
development in the Black Sea, Caucasus and Caspian Sea regions, which
aim at the establishment of a "Caucasus-Eurasian Common Market," are
competing against the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Conference (KEI),
a leading bureaucracy-experienced businessman, Mete Goknel, commented
on Wednesday

Briefing the Turkish Daily News on the issue, Goknel, former head of
the Turkish Pipeline Company (BOTAS) and one of the leading advisors
to the Chechens, warned Ankara to have a significant involvement in
this project.

"Otherwise, we will definitely be facing the danger of losing our
influence in the Caucasus and Central Asia. Turkey has to review its
Caucasian policy carefully," said Goknel.

The idea of establishing a common market for the development of the
Caucasus was first discussed during the "Forum of Crans-Montana,"
which was held June 26-29, 1997 in Switzerland.

The structure envisioned for the Caucasus-Eurasian Common Market
includes a "Caucasus International Chamber of Commerce" as well as a
"Caucasus Investment Bank."

The countries and cities which are planning to take part in the new
common market are the following:

_Ukraine: _Kiev, Odessa

_Russia:_ Rostov, Novorossisk

_Georgia: _Tbilisi, Batumi, Poti, Supsa

_Chechenya:_ Grozny, Geldyoen

_Armenia:_ Yerevan

_Azerbaijan:_ Baku, Gvendizh, Naxcivan, Sumgelt

_Kazakhstan: _Aktau, Atvrau

_Turkmenistan: _Turkmenbashi, Cheleken

_Turkey:_ Istanbul, Trabzon

The investment projects include energy, transportation, and
telecommunications along with the Caucasus Investment Bank, which is
planned to be a part of the Regional Council for the Development of
the Caucasus, and which will reportedly have branches in Tbilisi,
Istanbul, Cairo, London, Moscow and Tokyo.

  Saudi Arabian capital
  
Adnan Kasikci, one of the richest people in the world, is also lending
his financial support to the project. His wife, Shahpari Kasikci, is
vice president of the executive board of the United States-Caucasus
International Chamber of Commerce, which is headed by Khozh-Akhmed
Noukhaev, former first deputy prime minister of Chechnya.

White House advisor Mel Levine, is also on the board of directors, as
are many U.S. scholars and ambassadors.
  _________________________________________________________________
  
 Turkey, US navies to give free fuel oil to each other

  * The deal envisages that the agreement will last for five years,
 with a planned extension of five more years, subject to a maximum
 term of 20 years
 
  _________________________________________________________________
  
Turkish Daily News

Ankara - The Cabinet approved an agreement that foresees the exchange
of fuel oil between the warships of the Turkish and American navies in
a reciprocal system in which no money is to be exchanged.

According to the official gazette quoted by the Anatolia news agency,
the agreement states that when both sides' warships visit each other,
they will not be billed for the fuel that they obtain in order to
continue their mission or navigation. The relevant military
authorities must approve the requests for fuel which should be made
ten days prior to their arrival at any of each others' harbors.

The deal envisages that the agreement will last for five years, with a
planned extension of five more years, subject to a maximum term of 20
years.
  _______________

-- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

From IS.KURDISTAN at LINK-LEV.comlink.apc.org  Sun Aug 31 05:41:00 1997
From: IS.KURDISTAN at LINK-LEV.comlink.apc.org (IS.KURDISTAN at LINK-LEV.comlink.apc.org)
Date: 31 Aug 1997 05:41:00
Subject: Friedensfahrt Istanbul-Diyarbakir
Message-ID: <6ctCvimBEYB@pois.link-lev.dinoco>

Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

## Nachricht vom 31.08.97 weitergeleitet
## Ursprung : /CL/EUROPA/TUERKEI
## Ersteller: IS.KURDISTAN at LINK-LEV.dinoco.de

Betr.: Europ?ische FriedensaktivistInnen starten von Istanbul nach  
Diyarbakir

Wie wir telefonisch von TeilnehmerInnen der Aktivit?ten zum Antikriegstag  
am 1. September 1997 in Diyarbakir erfahren haben, bereiten sich tausende  
von Menschen vor, am heutigen Sonntag von Istanbul nach Diyarbakir zu  
starten.

Um 10.00 Uhr findet in Istanbul auf dem "Dienstagsmarkt" eine  
Friedenskundgebung statt, die von dem Menschenrechtsverein IHD, von HADEP  
und der Friedensplattform vorbereitet ist. Im Anschlu? daran werden  
insgesamt 55 Busse die Friedensfahrt nach Diyarbakir antreten. Neben 2  
Pressebussen werden 3 Busse mit europ?ischen TeilnehmerInnen starten.  
Weitere 50 Busse wurden f?r t?rkische und kurdische FriedensaktivistInnen  
bereit gestellt.

Nachdem der Gouverneur von Istanbul zun?chst ein Verbot aller Aktivit?ten  
zum Antikriegstag angek?ndigt hatte, konnte in landen Verhandlungen doch  
noch die o.g. Einigung erzielt werden. Die Friedensbusse werden gegen  
12.00 Uhr (t?rkische Zeit 13.00 Uhr) aufbrechen. Der Weg wird die  
FriedensaktivistInnen ?ber Ankara und Adana in die kurdische Metropole  
Diyarbakir f?hren. In Ankara und Adana wurde angek?ndigt, da? sich - nach  
jeweils kurzen Aufenthalten und Kundgebungen - weitere 100 Busse der  
Friedensfahrt anschlie?en werden. Allerdings mu? nach Auskunft von  
OrganisatorInnen in Istanbul mit Behinderungen seitens der Milit?rpolizei  
oder auch von anderen Gruppen gerechnet werden. Neben der faschistishen  
MHP und ihrer Schl?gertruppe "Graue W?lfe", hatte auch die Arbeiterpartei  
des Dogu Perincek, (Isci Partisi) Aktionen gegen die Friedensfahrt  
angek?ndigt.

Ca. 150 Personen aus europ?ischen L?ndern waren im Laufe der vergangenen  
Woche nach Istanbul geflogen, um ihrer Forderung "Es ist zeit f?r Frieden  
in Kurdistan" am 1. September in Diyarbakir Nachdruck zu verleihen. Damit  
soll dem Menschenrechtsverein IHD, der vom Verbot bedrohten HADEP,  
Gewerkschaften und Anwaltsvereinigungen, die in einer Demokratischen  
Plattform in Diyarbakir zusammengeschlossen sind, Unterst?tzung in ihrer  
Forderung nach Beendigung des Krieges zuteil werden. Ein Friedenszug "Musa  
Anter", der urspr?nglich am 26. August von Br?ssel durch verschiedene  
europ?ische L?nder nach Diyarbakir fahrenn sollte, war durch ein  
Einreiseverbot des deutschen Innenministers Kanther f?r die europ?ischen  
Mitreisenden in die BRD, verhindert worden. Daraufhin hatte sich ca. die  
H?lfte der ursrpr?nglichen TeilnehmerInnen entschlossen, per Flugzeug nach  
Istanbul zu reisen.

Am gestrigen Samstag besuchte eine schweizerisch-deutsche Delegation das  
deutsche Konsulat in Istanbul, um eine Protestnote gegen das Verhalten der  
deutschen Regierung zu ?berreichen. Der dort anwesende Konsulatsvertreter  
zeigte sich nach Auskunft einer Schweizerin ?berrascht und v?llig  
uninformiert ?ber das deutsche Durchreiseverbot des Friedenszuges "Musa  
Anter". Prsonen aus verschiedenen europ?ischen L?ndern k?ndigten gegen das  
deutsche Einreiseverbot eine Klage vor dem Menschenrechtsgerichtshof in  
Stra?burg an.

In Diyarbakir finden derweil Verhandlungen zwischen VertreterInnen von  
HADEP und der Demokratischen Plattform sowie der ?rtlichen Verwaltung ?ber  
die Durchf?hrung einer Kundgebung zum Antikriegstag statt. Von offizieller  
Seite besteht Unverst?ndnis und Ablehnung den FriedensaktivistInnen  
gegen?ber. Es hei?t, es g?be keinen Krieg in Diyarbakir und man w??te  
nicht, warum die Leute alle kommen w?rden.

Diyarbakir, eine Stadt mit 500.000 Einwohnern noch Anfang der 90er Jahre,  
wird heute von mehr als 1,5 Mio Menschen bewohnt. Die 1 Millionen  
kurdische Fl?chtlinge, die zumeist unter menschenunw?rdigen Bedingungen,  
ohne ausreichende ?rztliche Versorgung in Slumgebieten am Stadtrand leben,  
wurden in den vergangenen Jahren vom t?rkischen Milit?r aus den l?ndlichen  
Gebieten vertrieben. Mehr als 3000 D?rfer wurden vom Milit?r zert?rt,  
G?rten, Felder und Vieh wurden verbrannt. Vom Milit?r- und NATO-St?zpunkt  
der Stadt Diyarbakir starten nahezu t?glich Kampflugzeuge in die  
Gebirgsregionen im Norden und S?dosten des Landes.

Bereits seit Samstag befindet sich eine Gruppe von 10 britischen  
Parlamentsabgeordneten, darunter auch Lord Rea, in Diyarbakir, um das  
Anliegen der FriedensaktivistInnen zu unterst?tzen.

Aus Deutschland halten sich nach unseren Informationen zur Unterst?tzung  
der Friedensfahrt seit dem Wochenende die rheinland-pf?lzische  
Landtagsabgeordnete Friedel Gr?tzmacher sowie die Bundestagsabgeordneten  
Angelika Beer (B?ndnis 90/ Die Gr?nen) und Winfried Wolf (PDS) auf.

F?r weitere Informationen wenden Sie sich bitte an das Organisationsb?ro  
des "Appell von Hannover" unter Telefon 06171-98 13 48.


Bitte beachten Sie folgende Termine:

1.9.1997:       Kundgebung vor dem Innenministerium Bonn von 10.00 - 12.00  
Uhr. Redner u.a.: Thomas Klein, B?ro der Kampagne "Stop R?stungsexporte"

1.9.1997:       Kurdische Kinderdemonstration zur Vertretung der UNESCO- 
Kommission in Bonn. Beginn ca. 10.00 Uhr M?nsterplatz.

6.9.1997:       M?ngerdorfer Stadion K?ln: KUlturfestival Kurdistans,  
10.00 - 21.00 Uhr

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Informationsstelle Kurdistan e.V., Maxstra?e 50, 53111 Bonn
                   Tel/Fax: +49-228 - 65 61 27

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