winter 2009/2010 vol.

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winter 2009/2010 vol. 1

Table of content About Us

We are ready to act and express our opinions and
About Us 2
comments on Human Right issues. In the future we would like
to focus on providing a space for young people and establish a
Expressions of thought intended to
regular newsletter considering Human Rights. We are going to
criticize shall not constitute a crime 3 create a mechanism and structure for cooperation, collect
articles and opinions from all countries and provide a
The Kurdish Question 3 sufficient background for young amateur journalists. Through
these actions we would like to raise the awareness regarding
Democracy for Turkey 4 Human Rights. Violations are being registered every day; our
aim is to establish regular international newsletter and publish
Kurds in Turkey 5 special issues connected to present Human Right topics.
Be International have decided to express its concern
Recent situation in Turkey 5 and deep interest in situation in Turkey regarding shutting
down the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) and
banning dozens of members from joining other political
parties for five years.
The board of Be International proceeds from its own
experiences. During spring and summer 2009 our members
spent lots of days in Turkey. These days were turned into
unforgettable life-changing experiences. We have visited
Istanbul, Ankara, but especially we discovered beauties and
problems both of the Kurdish cities in the south-eastern
Turkey and we got deeply into the Kurdish Question. The first
pre-edition is about Turkish-Kurdish relations which relevance
has been escalating while the European Union accession talks
being held.

BeInternational o.s.

Working team: BeInternational o.s.

Graphic design: KNOW HOW solutions

Setting: KNOW HOW solutions

Working team of BeInternational Review of Human Rights

do not bear any responsibility of the information provided in the articles.

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winter 2009/2010 vol. 1

authors of the articles. We would like to play an active role in

Expressions of thought the development and consolidation of Turkish civic society; we
would like to contribute by supporting voluntarism in Turkey
intended to criticize shall and participate in international programmes. Future
cooperation between members of Be International and
not constitute a crime Turkish NGOs is protected by anonymous position of the
authors of review, nevertheless by this note we would like to
Be International has decided to express its concern point out the situation regarding freedom of speech. For more
and deep interest in situation in Turkey regarding shutting information visit Reporters without borders web page:
down the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) and http://www.rsf.org/en-classement1003-2009.html and watch
banning dozens of members from joining other political how Turkey moves in Press Freedom Index.
parties for five years.
The first pre-edition is therefore dedicated to Turkish- BeInternational o.s.
Kurdish relations whose relevance has been escalating while
the European Union accession talks being held.
The board of Be International proceeds from its own
experiences. During spring and summer 2009 members spent
lots of days in Turkey. These days were turned into
The Kurdish Question
unforgettable life-changing experience. We have visited
Kurdish Question in Turkey is deeply influenced by
Istanbul, Ankara, but especially we discovered beauties and
the spirit of Turkish nature, the attitude of Turkish state and
problems the Kurdish cities in the south-eastern Turkey and
the manner in which it has responded to the minority
got deeply into the Kurdish Question.
challenges. Bearing on my mind all those significant characters
There are many things to be concerned of in Turkey,
of background on which the Kurdish issue is being solved; I can
things that are also stated as a barrier for Turkey´s EU access.
talk about new hopes and well-done steps from the side of
One of these barriers is the state of democracy and human
Erdoğan´s administration. This hope was supported under
rights. Some of the basic rights, as freedom of speech, are still
Erdoğan´s government; when the state has allowed Kurds
not very highly respected in Turkey and, even constructive
considerably more rights (Quantara.de 2007).
critique, can be abused against the speaker.
"In Turkey there are still a number of harsh laws
which endorse the suppression of freedom of speech," said
Nicola Duckworth, Europe and Central Asia Programme
Director at Amnesty International. These laws are often used
against political opposition and mainly, against human rights
workers or journalists. These are not only cases of the citizens,
who can be imprisoned for fifteen years for speaking an
unofficial language in the parliament (case of Leyla Zana), but
also those of foreigners, concerned about the situation in
Turkey. However the original and deeply rooted Turkish
Under these laws and system, expressing positive nature reflects on ethnic minority policy time after time.
feelings towards Turkish Kurds can put a private person on a Regarding Turkish nationalism the Kurdish movement is being
blacklist and enable future access to the country. 1 From radicalized. While strengthening Turkish nation, the Kurds are
personal experience we also know, that taking part in a disintegrated. A huge support of nationalism helps to division
demonstration, concerning Turkish internal policy, in Europe, of Kurdish ethnic group and creates further distance between
can put you on the blacklist as well. Turkish centre and Kurdish periphery.
Bearing this on our minds, we have decided to On December 11th the Democratic Society Party
publish the review anonymously, with no references to (DTP) was banned by the Constitutional court of Turkey. The
question is how far the decision was made in favour of
1
.
reference, in Czech : http://cestovani.idnes.cz/stopem-pres-krvavy-kavkaz-toho-
chlapce-zadrzet-a-deportovat-prr/igsvet.asp?c=A090717_165005_igsvet_tom

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national security and folk. The question is how corrupted is
this institution and by whom.
As far as I am informed it is controversial to predict
the future development. The EU had warned Ankara that
taking the action of banning DTP would violate Kurdish rights,
and analysts fear it would strengthen the hand of the militant
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) separatist group (Swedish
Presidency of the European Union 2009). I strongly hope in
further pro-Kurdish steps taken by Erdoğan´s administration
which will appease Kurdish radical movements and stop the
Kurds from showing bigger respect and support towards PKK. I
hope in surmounting Atatürk's concept of “equality” and
seating of democratic human right principles.
A student of politology
Swedish Presidency of the European Union. Presidency Statement on the closure of
Democratic Society Party (DTP) in Turkey 2009
(http://www.se2009.eu/en/meetings_news/2009/12/11/presidency_statement_on_the_
closure_of_democratic_society_party_dtp_in_turkey).
Quantare.de. Dialogue with the Islamic World. Kurdish Policy of Turkey's Governing AKP
2007 (http://www.qantara.de/webcom/show_article.php/_c-476/_nr-881/_p-1/i.html).
Democracy for Turkey
After long lasting discussions and fears from the side
of Kurdish people, the Turkish Constitutional Court has made
its decision about the future of the DTP, the only pro-Kurdish
party in the parliament. Cancelation for the reason of proved
connections to PKK officially recognized as terrorist
organization. The decision of the court has left many emotions
not only in people of Turkish Kurdistan, once again abandoned
and left with no major legal representative, but also in all
international community, specially EU which Turkey wants to
access.
Turkey has been struggling to solve the conflict with
Kurds nearly past 30 years, however, up till now, used means
were political, cultural or military repressions and Kurdish
problem was, from the view of the government, reduced to
the fight with PKK. Kurdish nationality has not even been
recognized officially in Turkey and their cultural, social and
political rights are still shortened to necessary amount.
This was, however, likely about to change, with the
cooperation of DTP, Kurdish social-democratic party, and the
government, which was finally willing to act more openly
towards the Kurdish and seek for a civilian rather than military
solution.
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The decision came just in the time, when Erdoğan´s
government finally started to take steps advancing human and
minority rights and leading to democratization of Turkey, via
reform plan presented earlier this autumn. And as obvious,
the hopes for the end of conflict were to a large extending
dependant on the cooperation between the government and
DTP. The decision therefore for sure was not in favour of the
government and definitely was not in favour of the people,
who, tired after a long-lasting war, only want an end to this
conflict. Who was the decision in favour of, then?
There are no doubts the decision was not just a legal
analysis, but more showed the power allocation in the Turkish
state. Even the official, very careful EU presidency statement
says "While strongly denouncing violence and terrorism, the
presidency recalls that the dissolution of political parties is an
exceptional measure that should be used with utmost
restraint“. As a basis of democracy, forced dissolution of a
party should be a very rare step and this praxis is highly
acclaimed in EU states. The dissolution of six Kurdish parties
during the last fifteen years doesn't, however, show a very
high respect for democracy payed in Turkey. The cooperation
with PKK is used as a useful tool of manipulation with people´s
opinions and gaining international support for military and
political interventions as these.
DTP, as
the biggest pro-
Kurdish party, was
an important tool
for Kurds to be
able to influence
and participate on
political events in
the country. As
for the region of
Southeast Anatolia, in the city of Batman for example, 67 out
of 70 municipality representatives are members of DTP. The
dissolution of the party will therefore not only bring conflict
on national level, but may cause chaos on the regional level as
well. The court moreover prevented the members of the party
from establishing an affiliate one, by forbidding 35 of its main
representative's political activity for next five years. One of
them is famous Nobel peace prize nominee and prisoner of
conscience, Leyla Zana, first Kurdish woman in parliament,
sentenced to fifteen years in prison for speaking Kurdish on
the ground of the chamber and few times after that, for
publically expressing her opinions and fighting for Kurdish
rights.
winter 2009/2010
The decision was mainly right in contradiction with
the attempts to finally establish peace. The ban of the only
alternative to Kurdish worker´s party, will only lead to a
growing radicalism and increasing support of PKK, as it is
perceived as the only party fighting for Kurdish rights. Once
again, the despair of the oppressed will lead to the spiral of
conflicts.
As much as Erdoğan realizes it, there are other
institutions in Turkey, obviously defending its own interests.
And the most powerful of them is, of course, the Turkish army,
the „protector“ of the Turkish state and the „conservator“ of
Atatürk's „One nation, one nationality“ legacy. Its influence
over the rule of the country has been extraordinary since the
coup in 1982. As much as politicians realize the need to finally
grant the Kurdish people rights they have been stolen, it
cannot be in favour of the army, to lose its overwhelming
power. The comment by the court president Hasim Kilic
speaks for itself: „the DTP had become a focal point of
activities against the indivisible unity of the state, the country
and the nation".
Of course, the threat posed by the DTP to the
invisible unity of the Turkish state is representation of
different ethnic group, which searches for the recognition of
its basic rights.
Chances are, therefore, that the decision of the court
was influenced highly in favour of the two sides of the
conflicts two sides of the conflicts being not Turkish and
Kurdish people, but the army and the PKK.
The current situation is going to be a breakthrough. If
the government will not be able to pass a constitutional
change, granting the Kurdish people finally equality in Turkish
state, the Kurds will be forced to turn to PKK. With growing
unsatisfaction and years of grievances, the on-going conflict
may transform onto a very new level.
If, on the other hand, the government wills and
succeeds, we may be able to see a whole new Turkey. Turkey
respecting human rights and democratic principles, turkey of
different but equal nations, both participating in the social and
political life in the state. Turkey built on the rule of law,
democracy and respect to humans, not on the military power
and ideology of unity.
I sincerely wish Turkey to reach that point.
A student of law
Kurds in Turkey
The International community has been watching
Turkey and its government in last day. Long-term problematic
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vol. 1
coexistence of Kurdish and Turkish ethnic groups has been
radicalized in last days by the decision that was made by the
Constitutional Court of Turkey, following claims that the party
had ties to the armed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The
Ethnic conflict which has lasted since the middle of the 20th
century is one of the most latent focuses of armed conflicts in
the Eurasian sphere. The fact, that a democratic political party
has been banned should have provoked clear reactions -
anger, rage, agitation and investigation. Most of these have
not appeared yet. The Kurds are one of the most
discriminated ethnic groups of the world and the proper
example of people, who have been affected by extremism and
armed conflicts of PKK. Turkish administrative knows it pretty
well, nevertheless lack of respect towards human rights, lack
of tolerance and missing peaceful way of dealing with the
problems are obvious.
Be International supports the Kurds in Turkey, who
were not recognized and cannot have their representatives in
the legislative branch of Turkey. We are the future of the
nation and the future is being written right now - don't be
blind and show our disapproval of inhumane treatment!
A student of security and strategic studies
Recent situation in Turkey
As all of us know, the best-known and voted Kurdish
representing party, DTP, was banned at 11th December and
nearly 37 people within it were banned from politics. It is the
6th Kurdish Party banned in the last 25 years. Bearing this on
mind, when we think about real democracy, this should seem
really strange. From the opposing sides, it is stressed that
resolving a party is not a child's play. However, Turkey is a
professional on this topic and closes parties whenever it finds
it 'necessary'. Funny thing after all is that the judges justify this
dissolution by making comparisons with European cases. After
the decision was declared, the judge said 'European Human
Rights Court agreed with the banning of Batasuna in Spain and
if we think that DTP and Batasuna are alike, therefore this is a
right decision.' While saying this, the judge opened a very new
topic for dead people and around 400 billion dollars wasted,
which could account for numberless schools and hospitals in
Turkey. Before talking about today's situation I would like to
give some background information.
In the year 1923, the republic was established and we
began to “civilize”. Atatürk's principles were put in the
constitution and the country was ruled within these principles.
winter 2009/2010
From that time on, all departments of the state began to
corrupt. There was this privilege to 'use' Atatürk's principles
and his name to gain power. He was the key to everything.
The department which used and still uses it mostly is the
army. Since Atatürk was both a soldier and a politician, the
army thinks that it is their job to solve all problems - political,
social, etc in the country. In first years nobody came against
them, so they had a very easy route and if some civilians were
in over their head, they were simply killed. If the army felt that
there was a threat to the country according to their
'emotions', they just overthrew the government and arranged
everything in the frame of their wishes. There have been 4
military coups, 1 post-modern coup and a lot of coup attempts
to overthrow the government within the last 50 years. Just in
the last 7 years there had been at least 5 attempts. What a
great democracy, isn't it?
Now think about such a country where you have a
joker which is the key to everything in your fantasies and have
an army which is planning and doing coups whenever it feels
necessary. Imagine the oppression and injustice which could
be applied. This was and is still the case (17 000 people were
killed in the 1990s in North Kurdistan, 100s were killed in
prison by torture in the last 30 years). The army talks about
politics and orders the PM how to act. Even in March 2009, a
coup plan was revealed. A coup aimed to overthrow Erdogan's
government. Can you imagine that? What is the reason?
As I mentioned, the timing of dissolving the party is
really important. Erdogan began the Kurdish reformation
which, afterwards, turned into the democratic reformation.
The army began to lose power since the USA and EU were
supporting this act (still not enough from my point of view).
People in the country began to judge the taboos. And who
was the AKP, Erdogan's party, talking to for peace? The DTP.
Who was the addressee? The DTP, of course. Erdogan's talking
about the rights of the Kurds was enough to trigger a chaos in
the beginning. However, it calmed down later since many
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people realized that war does not lead anywhere and that
they do not want anymore of their children to die for this
meaningless war. So, Erdogan went on with the reformation
because people of the country began to support him and the
reformation. The problem in this process was that the
addressee was the DTP. And since the DTP began to put some
distance between them and the PKK, Abdullah Öcalan and the
PKK realized what is going on. When we think about that the
PKK does not want to
stay out of this process
and then think about
the attack in Tokat just
3 days before the court
of the DTP which
resulted in the death of
7 soldiers, isn't there
something odd?
That was
exactly the
breakthrough in this
reformation. Erdogan
began this reformation
mistake (!), the
frightening 'peace' was mentioned, the army lost power and
the PKK was not the addressee. I guess the fact is simple to
see. The attack in Tokat was an attack on peace. And after all
this, the DTP was dissolved at the date 11.12.2009.
Turkey knows that banning parties is not and will not
be the solution. The same plot was played in 1993. It was
again such a time, close to peace when Turgut Özal was PM,
the PKK did an attack and killed 33 soldiers which was the
cause for the vanishment of peace. This is the case in Turkey
whenever it comes to the pure fact, peace. Some people get
afraid and do anything to delay it.
Before the court of the DTP, Party leader Ahmet Türk said that
they would resign from the chamber if the party was banned.
However, they changed their mind and decided to stay within
politics and ask for their rights in the legitimate way.
After the dissolution of the DTP, a lot of people within
the county lost their hope in peace. People got in the streets
and began to fight each other. That was exactly what was
planned by the ones who were against peace; create a war in
the streets and make the government fall. However, Erdogan
stated over and over again that they will not stop and do
everything to set peace.
Thanks to the attack of the PKK at that exact time,
people for whom the PKK is unabandonable, began to judge
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the PKK. Through this it lost a lot of its supporters just within a
week since they realized that the PKK was against peace.
Abdullah Öcalan saw this and got to know the fact that the

Kurds are not the same and that they can withdraw their
support. So he sent his lawyers to deliver the message, not to
resign and stay within politics, to the DTP to show that he also
wants this problem to be solved in the legitimate and just way.
The government has to speed up the reformations
right now so that this harsh stroke will not eat up this great
chance for peace. Especially the constitution has to be
changed as soon as possible since it is the remain of the coup
in 1982 and still gives the army the right to overthrow the
government whenever something is done not within the
frame of Atatürk's principles. Both Turkish and Kurdish people
have to realize what is going on and stop being used and
outraged by the provocations against peace done by the ones
who want to hinder this process and our hopes. People should
stop supporting the parties which seem to be acting in their
favor, but actually are doing the opposite. They have to
support the ones who are trying to do good things in their
favor, not the ones who are getting advantage of race,
nationality and emotions. Lastly people have begun to
understand the propagandas and plans applied and act more
logical. I hope that this will go on in the good way and we will
get the peace we have been longing for such a long time.

A student affected by the conflict

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Only some people within the party said this kind of things whereas the leader never did
and it surely was not the official program of the party.

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