Turkish State starts disinformation-campaign about attack at Mr. Bir

[ozgurluk at xs4all.nl]

16 may, 1998

IHD and TIHV criticize Yilmaz's remarks on Birdal attack
  _________________________________________________________________

Ankara - Turkish Daily News

The Human Rights Association (IHD) and the Turkish Human Rights
Association (TIHV), referring to Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz's remarks
that the armed attack on IHD Chairman Akin Birdal was an "internal
reckoning," has claimed that with his statement the prime minister had
openly declared that those who were responsible from the attack would
not be brought to light, the Anatolia news agency reported on Friday.

According to the statement issued in the name of IHD headquarters,
Birdal had been selected as a target because of his determined stance
on backing peace, democracy and freedom and the prime minister's
efforts to distort the facts would be in vain. It claimed that with
such remarks the prime minister continued to designate the IHD as a
target. It further claimed that the shooting had been a planned attack
carried out by counter-guerrillas in a professional manner and urged
the prime minister to resign should he fail to solve this incident.

Experts reportedly say that the attackers were not professionals since
they had acted in a panic, fired 13 bullets but missed all the vital
areas, and they left fingerprints.

The statement issued by TIHV Chairman Yavuz Onen claimed that previous
governments had also made irresponsible statements after similar
incidents.

Some newspapers quoted Yilmaz as saying that the armed attack against
Birdal was an "internal reckoning." "We had worried about something
else. But it does not look that this was so. I mean, it is not what we
feared. One understands that this looks like an inner clash among
people in the same camp. The men [the two attackers] had come [to
Birdal's office] for a matter related to the May Day [incidents].
Also, it is obvious that they are affiliated with the PKK [the
outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party]," the prime minister said.

Meanwhile, Birdal's health condition is reportedly improving with
time, Anatolia said. Doctors are treating Birdal with physical therapy
to improve the movement of his right arm and fingers.

-- 
Press Agency Ozgurluk
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