Hakkari deputy for the Democratic Society Party questions the Forestry Minister about the forest fires in eastern and southeastern Turkey, claiming that they are done intentionally for security reasons.
Bia news center - yuksekovahaber.com - Hakkari - Yüksekova
18-09-2008
Erkan ÇAPRAZ
Hamit Geylani, Hakkari deputy for the Democratic Society Party (DTP), has submitted a question motion about the forest fires in the southeastern Turkey, which he claims are used in the fight against terror. He directed his question to Minister of Environment and Forestry Veysel Eroğlu.
“They are being burned for the operations”
Geylani says, in his motion, that most of the forested regions in the area have been destroyed by fires that arise because of the clashes in the eastern and southeastern Turkey over the years.
“Nobody interferes in the forest fires”
Geylani says, “What is worse is they do not interfere, they simple watch them burn. The same sensitivity that is shown for the forest fires in the Aegean and Mediterranean regions of the country should be shown for the ones in the eastern and southeastern regions.”
Geylani’s questions are briefly as follows:
- How many hectares of forests have been destroyed in eastern and southeastern regions between 1990 and 2008? Do you have some ideas about the causes of these fires?
- What do you know about the allegation that the forest fires in the region are being set by the security forces?
- Do you have information about the forests burned by the military operations up until today?
- Why nobody tries to put out these fires? Why the authorities watch them burn?
- Why no legal actions are taken against those who burn these forests?
- Are certain regions discriminated when it comes to the forest fires?
- Are the authorities trying to reforest these areas destroyed by fires? If yes, then how much reforesting have been done?
- Will you do anything about the land going bad in the eastern and southeastern Turkey? (EÇ/EZÖ/EÜ/TB)
Monday 22 September 2008
Friday 12 September 2008
Time To Face Diyarbakır Military Prison Of The September 12 Coup
Time To Face Diyarbakır Military Prison Of The September 12 Coup
The Justice And Facing The Truth About The Diyarbakır Military Prison Commission announces that the road to democracy passes through facing the past. The commission calls upon those who witnessed the incidents to come forward.
Bia news center - İstanbul
11-09-2008
Bawer ÇAKIR
The Justice And Facing The Truth About The Diyarbakır Military Prison Commission held a press release. They announced that they would try to reveal the truth by reaching the witnesses, victims and perpetrators who lived and experienced this period of 1980-84.
The commission, which is made up of journalists, academicians and human rights defenders, met at Istanbul Chamber of Medical Doctors (ITO). Prof. Dr. Gençay Gürsoy, president of the Turkish Medical Doctors Association (TTB), declared that we must to face the incidents in the Diyarbakır Prison, if we want to remove the obstacles in front of democracy.
Similarly, Tarık Ziya Ekinci, a former deputy for the Turkish Worker Party (TİP), reminded that there were military coups in other countries too, but these societies faced and settled with their pasts.
Nimet Tanrıkulu, a human rights defender, who read the press release, called upon everyone who experienced the period to give them information about it. Tanrıkulu said that they were not interested in taking revenge, but wanted to help facing the September 12 Military Coup and the extermination policies targeting the Kurds.
Likewise, lawyer Ergin Cinmen also emphasized that the obstacles in front of secularism and the Kurdish Problem were created with this military coup 28 years ago:
“If the state has a positive plan about the southeastern Turkey and the Kurds, then it must confront the Diyarbakır Prison.”
The commission is made up of 57 names, including journalist Ahmet Tulgar, journalist Berat Günçıkan, President of the Human Rights Association (İHD) lawyer Hüsnü Öndül, Prof. Dr. Turgut Tarhanlı, lawyer Fikret İlkiz, Assoc. Prof. Nazan Üstündağ, Prof. Dr. Mithat Sancar, journalist Murat Çelikkan, lawyer Fethiye Çetin, Gülten Kaya, Celalettin Can of the 78’ers Initiative, Prof. Dr. Tahsin Yeşildere, Yavuz Önen of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV) and doctor Mustafa Sütlaş.
The initiative had announced on May 18, 2007, the day of the anniversary of the death of Ferhat Kuntay, Necmi Öner, Eşref Ayık and Mahmut Zengin who had burned themselves in 1982 to protest the inhumane conditions in the Diyarbakır prison, that they had opened the Diyarbakır Prison file.
The commission was formed on September 12, 2007, following five-year long research, and it had immediately begun meeting with people from Istanbul and Urfa who had witnessed the period. (BÇ/EÜ/TB)
The Justice And Facing The Truth About The Diyarbakır Military Prison Commission announces that the road to democracy passes through facing the past. The commission calls upon those who witnessed the incidents to come forward.
Bia news center - İstanbul
11-09-2008
Bawer ÇAKIR
The Justice And Facing The Truth About The Diyarbakır Military Prison Commission held a press release. They announced that they would try to reveal the truth by reaching the witnesses, victims and perpetrators who lived and experienced this period of 1980-84.
The commission, which is made up of journalists, academicians and human rights defenders, met at Istanbul Chamber of Medical Doctors (ITO). Prof. Dr. Gençay Gürsoy, president of the Turkish Medical Doctors Association (TTB), declared that we must to face the incidents in the Diyarbakır Prison, if we want to remove the obstacles in front of democracy.
Similarly, Tarık Ziya Ekinci, a former deputy for the Turkish Worker Party (TİP), reminded that there were military coups in other countries too, but these societies faced and settled with their pasts.
Nimet Tanrıkulu, a human rights defender, who read the press release, called upon everyone who experienced the period to give them information about it. Tanrıkulu said that they were not interested in taking revenge, but wanted to help facing the September 12 Military Coup and the extermination policies targeting the Kurds.
Likewise, lawyer Ergin Cinmen also emphasized that the obstacles in front of secularism and the Kurdish Problem were created with this military coup 28 years ago:
“If the state has a positive plan about the southeastern Turkey and the Kurds, then it must confront the Diyarbakır Prison.”
The commission is made up of 57 names, including journalist Ahmet Tulgar, journalist Berat Günçıkan, President of the Human Rights Association (İHD) lawyer Hüsnü Öndül, Prof. Dr. Turgut Tarhanlı, lawyer Fikret İlkiz, Assoc. Prof. Nazan Üstündağ, Prof. Dr. Mithat Sancar, journalist Murat Çelikkan, lawyer Fethiye Çetin, Gülten Kaya, Celalettin Can of the 78’ers Initiative, Prof. Dr. Tahsin Yeşildere, Yavuz Önen of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV) and doctor Mustafa Sütlaş.
The initiative had announced on May 18, 2007, the day of the anniversary of the death of Ferhat Kuntay, Necmi Öner, Eşref Ayık and Mahmut Zengin who had burned themselves in 1982 to protest the inhumane conditions in the Diyarbakır prison, that they had opened the Diyarbakır Prison file.
The commission was formed on September 12, 2007, following five-year long research, and it had immediately begun meeting with people from Istanbul and Urfa who had witnessed the period. (BÇ/EÜ/TB)
Copies Of Daily Birgün Seized For Interviewing A Kurdish Workers Party Administrator
Copies Of Daily Birgün Seized For Interviewing A Kurdish Workers Party Administrator
The court seized the copies of daily Birgün for Tahmaz’s interview of a Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) administrator, Murat Karayılan. The accusation is “giving place to the explanations and announcements of a terrorist organization.”
Bia news center - İstanbul
11-08-2008
Erol ÖNDEROĞLU - hukuk@bianet.org
Istanbul’s 12th High Criminal Court seized the copies of daily Birgün for Hasan Tahmaz’s interview with Murat Karayılan, one of the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) authorities.
The reason behind the seizing decision was based on interview’s “giving place to PKK explanations” under article 6/2 of the Law for Fight Against Terror (TMY). The title of the article that caused the seizing was “One Sided Ceasefire Makes The Problem Worse,” which appeared on August 9, 2008.
Birgün’s accusation: To give place to the explanations of a terrorist organization
In the interview, Karayılan says although the person on the street does not want violence anymore, they will continue with their activities of “legitimate defensive war”.
Contrary to the desires of the peace activists in Turkey, Karayılan does not speak promisingly for ending the problem, underlining that it was not easy for the PKK any longer to declare a one-sided ceasefire. He states in the interview that this would make the problem worse.
Karayılan: We want to do politics as PKK
Karayılan stated in the same interview that they did not want to have a separate state, they were on the mountains because the Kurdish problem was denied, the Democratic Society Party was an intermediate step for them, they wanted to do politics as PKK and they did not see any contradiction in going to continue with their “legitimate defensive war.”
The newspaper was seized by the decision of Judge Necdet Ede of Istanbul’s 12th High Criminal Court on August 10.
It is not clear yet if a lawsuit will be filed against the newspaper, but according to article 6 of the TMY, those who publish the explanations or the announcements of terrorist organizations receive prison sentence from one to three years.
Istanbul’s Beyoğlu Chief Prosecutor had seized daily Birgün before, on December 29, 2005, for a news report about the Egyptian Bazaar case. (EÖ/EZÖ/TB)
The court seized the copies of daily Birgün for Tahmaz’s interview of a Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) administrator, Murat Karayılan. The accusation is “giving place to the explanations and announcements of a terrorist organization.”
Bia news center - İstanbul
11-08-2008
Erol ÖNDEROĞLU - hukuk@bianet.org
Istanbul’s 12th High Criminal Court seized the copies of daily Birgün for Hasan Tahmaz’s interview with Murat Karayılan, one of the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) authorities.
The reason behind the seizing decision was based on interview’s “giving place to PKK explanations” under article 6/2 of the Law for Fight Against Terror (TMY). The title of the article that caused the seizing was “One Sided Ceasefire Makes The Problem Worse,” which appeared on August 9, 2008.
Birgün’s accusation: To give place to the explanations of a terrorist organization
In the interview, Karayılan says although the person on the street does not want violence anymore, they will continue with their activities of “legitimate defensive war”.
Contrary to the desires of the peace activists in Turkey, Karayılan does not speak promisingly for ending the problem, underlining that it was not easy for the PKK any longer to declare a one-sided ceasefire. He states in the interview that this would make the problem worse.
Karayılan: We want to do politics as PKK
Karayılan stated in the same interview that they did not want to have a separate state, they were on the mountains because the Kurdish problem was denied, the Democratic Society Party was an intermediate step for them, they wanted to do politics as PKK and they did not see any contradiction in going to continue with their “legitimate defensive war.”
The newspaper was seized by the decision of Judge Necdet Ede of Istanbul’s 12th High Criminal Court on August 10.
It is not clear yet if a lawsuit will be filed against the newspaper, but according to article 6 of the TMY, those who publish the explanations or the announcements of terrorist organizations receive prison sentence from one to three years.
Istanbul’s Beyoğlu Chief Prosecutor had seized daily Birgün before, on December 29, 2005, for a news report about the Egyptian Bazaar case. (EÖ/EZÖ/TB)
“Mandatory Religion Courses Are Everyone’s Concern”
“Mandatory Religion Courses Are Everyone’s Concern”
President of the Human Rights Organization demands the removal of the mandatory religion courses. He says this is not the state’s domain.
Bia news center - İstanbul
10-09-2008
With the beginning of the new school year, Hüsnü Öndül, President of the Human Rights Association (İHD), demands the removal of the mandatory religion courses.
Öndül sees the mandatory religion courses as part of the problem of human rights in Turkey.
He says the implementation is not only the concern of the Alevi believers, but the whole society.
“Can the state force upon the children of the citizens the mandatory religious education without taking the approval of the parents? How can this attitude be compatible with the principle of secularism? Or, how much this practice is consistent with the principle of the ‘democratic laicism’?”
“This is a subject that belongs completely to the individual; it is within the individual freedom category. It is outside the state’s domain of interference. As in other fields, the state should respect the pluralist structure of the society in the fields of religion, belief and culture. It should not impose anything; it should not discriminate.”
“To start with, the decisions of the European Human Rights Court about this subject should be implemented. The compulsory nature of the religious courses should be brought to an end through changes in the Constitution and the Laws. The discrepancies in the field of implementation with the international human rights documents should be fixed.”
Alevite organizations Pir Sultan Abdal Culture Association (PSAKD) and Alevi Bektashi Federation (ABF) have been conducting activities against the mandatory religion courses since August 24. (BÇ/EÜ/TB)
President of the Human Rights Organization demands the removal of the mandatory religion courses. He says this is not the state’s domain.
Bia news center - İstanbul
10-09-2008
With the beginning of the new school year, Hüsnü Öndül, President of the Human Rights Association (İHD), demands the removal of the mandatory religion courses.
Öndül sees the mandatory religion courses as part of the problem of human rights in Turkey.
He says the implementation is not only the concern of the Alevi believers, but the whole society.
“Can the state force upon the children of the citizens the mandatory religious education without taking the approval of the parents? How can this attitude be compatible with the principle of secularism? Or, how much this practice is consistent with the principle of the ‘democratic laicism’?”
“This is a subject that belongs completely to the individual; it is within the individual freedom category. It is outside the state’s domain of interference. As in other fields, the state should respect the pluralist structure of the society in the fields of religion, belief and culture. It should not impose anything; it should not discriminate.”
“To start with, the decisions of the European Human Rights Court about this subject should be implemented. The compulsory nature of the religious courses should be brought to an end through changes in the Constitution and the Laws. The discrepancies in the field of implementation with the international human rights documents should be fixed.”
Alevite organizations Pir Sultan Abdal Culture Association (PSAKD) and Alevi Bektashi Federation (ABF) have been conducting activities against the mandatory religion courses since August 24. (BÇ/EÜ/TB)
Doğan-Erdoğan Conflict: Bourgeoisie’s Fight Within Itself
Doğan-Erdoğan Conflict: Bourgeoisie’s Fight Within Itself
Writer Savran says the Erdoğan-Doğan conflict has exposed the corruption the relation between the ruling power and the capital has brought. He describes it as the plunder of the public resources that has been taking place through privatizations.
Bia news center - İstanbul
11-09-2008
Onur AÇIKGÖZ
Writer Sungur Savran, a member of the Revolutionary Worker Party Initiative (DİP-G), told bianet, in the evaluation he made about the conflict between the Prime Minister and the Doğan Media Group, that “Bourgeoisie’s dirty relations should be exposed as soon as they are in the open.”
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had reacted out of proportion to the news of the trial of Deniz Feneri (Light House) in the newspapers of the Doğan Media Group. Deniz Feneri is on trial in Germany for the charge of fraud for collecting donations from the Turks living in Germany for various disasters. It is accused of having used these donations in other areas and activities that have no connection with the advertised intentions.
Erdoğan's reply to the news was that the Doğan Group had produced these allegations when its business demands were not met. Head of the Doğan Group Aydın Doğan has been accusing the Prime Minister of blackmailing.
“It is not only the Deniz Feneri”
Savran says that this time we are facing the Ergenekon of the bourgeoisie. He says that these allegations are being used firstly to attack the ruling party, to damage its credibility, in the fight within the bourgeoisie.
On the other hand, he would also like to remind the Doğan Group, which has been complaining about ruling party's attack on their freedom of expression, the 2002 - 2007 period during which they were very quiet at the increased attacks of all sorts against the opposition press, against the Kurdish press.
Secular opposition
Seeing a direct connection between this conflict and secular bourgeoisie’s opposition to the Justice and Development Party (AKP), Savran says the following:
“Doğan buys a big piece of land and tries to make hefty profit from it by trying to increase its price with a new zone plan and asks Prime Minister’s permission for a new refinery. Erdoğan says Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi and Russian President Putin are involved in the whole thing. The bourgeoisie is making huge profits in these dirty relations and we learn about them when the holding boss and the prime minister get into an argument.”
“Privatization mentality”
Savran also points out to the struggle that the transfer of the public resources to the capitalists brought.
“If TÜPRAŞ (Turkish Petroleum Refineries Corporation, Turkey’s Largest Industrial Enterprise) would have continued to be a public enterprise, this would have not happened. When Doğan goes to the Prime Minister and asks for the said land, he tells him that “Our body Çalık is going to do that”. How can a prime minister talk like this? This discussion shows clearly the plunder over the public resources. These are the largest groups of the Turkish bourgeoisie.”
Savran claims that a third front is possible in this conflict:
“Workers should form their own policy about classes, independent of these two camps of the bourgeoisie and together with the Kurds. They have no interest in choosing one of the sides in this conflict.” (OA/EÜ)
Writer Savran says the Erdoğan-Doğan conflict has exposed the corruption the relation between the ruling power and the capital has brought. He describes it as the plunder of the public resources that has been taking place through privatizations.
Bia news center - İstanbul
11-09-2008
Onur AÇIKGÖZ
Writer Sungur Savran, a member of the Revolutionary Worker Party Initiative (DİP-G), told bianet, in the evaluation he made about the conflict between the Prime Minister and the Doğan Media Group, that “Bourgeoisie’s dirty relations should be exposed as soon as they are in the open.”
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had reacted out of proportion to the news of the trial of Deniz Feneri (Light House) in the newspapers of the Doğan Media Group. Deniz Feneri is on trial in Germany for the charge of fraud for collecting donations from the Turks living in Germany for various disasters. It is accused of having used these donations in other areas and activities that have no connection with the advertised intentions.
Erdoğan's reply to the news was that the Doğan Group had produced these allegations when its business demands were not met. Head of the Doğan Group Aydın Doğan has been accusing the Prime Minister of blackmailing.
“It is not only the Deniz Feneri”
Savran says that this time we are facing the Ergenekon of the bourgeoisie. He says that these allegations are being used firstly to attack the ruling party, to damage its credibility, in the fight within the bourgeoisie.
On the other hand, he would also like to remind the Doğan Group, which has been complaining about ruling party's attack on their freedom of expression, the 2002 - 2007 period during which they were very quiet at the increased attacks of all sorts against the opposition press, against the Kurdish press.
Secular opposition
Seeing a direct connection between this conflict and secular bourgeoisie’s opposition to the Justice and Development Party (AKP), Savran says the following:
“Doğan buys a big piece of land and tries to make hefty profit from it by trying to increase its price with a new zone plan and asks Prime Minister’s permission for a new refinery. Erdoğan says Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi and Russian President Putin are involved in the whole thing. The bourgeoisie is making huge profits in these dirty relations and we learn about them when the holding boss and the prime minister get into an argument.”
“Privatization mentality”
Savran also points out to the struggle that the transfer of the public resources to the capitalists brought.
“If TÜPRAŞ (Turkish Petroleum Refineries Corporation, Turkey’s Largest Industrial Enterprise) would have continued to be a public enterprise, this would have not happened. When Doğan goes to the Prime Minister and asks for the said land, he tells him that “Our body Çalık is going to do that”. How can a prime minister talk like this? This discussion shows clearly the plunder over the public resources. These are the largest groups of the Turkish bourgeoisie.”
Savran claims that a third front is possible in this conflict:
“Workers should form their own policy about classes, independent of these two camps of the bourgeoisie and together with the Kurds. They have no interest in choosing one of the sides in this conflict.” (OA/EÜ)
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