Will the Arab spring be followed by a Kurdish summer in Turkey and other countries that include parts of Kurdistan? If Turkey continues to make dumb moves like this one (Hat Tip: Joshua I), I'd bet on it.
Turkeys High Election Board ruled yesterday that the 12 Kurdish candidates were ineligible to run in the June 12 election due to previous criminal convictions. The ruling meant the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party may boycott the vote, party official Selahattin Demirtas said, according to the state- run Anatolia news agency.
A boycott would raise the probability that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogans Justice and Development Party may win a two-thirds majority in parliament at the election, allowing it to pass legislation including constitutional amendments unopposed, Inan Demir, chief economist at Istanbul-based Finansbank AS, said in an e-mailed report today.
The election boards decision will lead to heightened tensions in the long-troubled southeastern region, with a likely end to a ceasefire by militant Kurdish separatists affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers Party, Demir said.
Peace and Democracy is the only serious challenger to the governing party in the mainly-Kurdish southeast, Erdogan said in an interview, Milliyet newspaper reported yesterday.
Parliament speaker and ruling party member Mehmet Ali Sahin said today that the election boards ruling weakens parliaments mission and should be reviewed, Anatolia reported.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition Republican Peoples Party, called for an emergency session in parliament to find a solution and to debate the 10 percent vote threshold for parties to win seats in parliament, according to televised comments from Ankara.
The banned politicians, who are allied to Peace and Democracy, were running as independent candidates to circumvent the 10 percent threshold.
The politicians wont be able to name substitutes, Hasan Gerceker, head of Turkeys Supreme Court, told Anatolia.
If they were running for a party, then maybe they could run a new candidate, he said. Because theyre running as independents, I dont think thats possible.
For a lot of Kurds, this could be the last straw.
We see that the Arab Spring has begun to affect Turkey indirectly.
Discussions over a Turkey/AKP model for Arabs due to the Arab Spring have put Turkish democracy into an X-ray machine, and made more visible the weaknesses, discrepancies, but more importantly, the course of events leading in the direction of authoritarianism.
After all, if many in the West say, A country where journalists are arrested and where press freedom is spirited off cannot be presented as a model to Arab countries, it is not Arabs but Turkey that loses.
Whats more important, however, is the historic overlapping between masses in the Middle East turning into actors, and popularization of the Kurdish question. Plus, any kind of cause and demands defended by the popularization in consequence of the Arab Spring in the region become legitimate in the eye of the world.
Popularization has now become a machine of legitimacy.
Fierce struggles between those who skillfully use this machine and those who stand against it wait for the Middle East.
Expected victory of the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, in the June 12 elections will not change the fact that the Kurdish question is the Achilles heel of Turkey.
Ankara fears the destabilization of Syria that could be reflected in the Kurdish regions of Turkey.
On Thursday, Turkey has sent envoys to Damascus with President Bashar al-Assad and his Prime Minister Adel Safar.Led by the head of Turkish intelligence services (MIT) and director of the agency's economic plan, the mission was to try to convince the Syrian regime to renounce force and initiate reforms.
Since the beginning of the crisis, Turkey pushes the Syrian head of state to change its policy. The Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, and the head of MIT have been sent to the Syrian capital.Tuesday for the third time in a month and a half, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by telephone with the Syrian leader. "I expressed our clear concerns about the evolving situation," he said, adding hope that "a democratic process is put in place quickly."
http://www.lefigaro.fr/international/2011/04/29/01003-20110429ARTFIG00665-syrie-inquiets-les-turcs-tentent-de-refrener-assad.php
Turkomans, ownage never ends
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Those Turks that protest against these arab regimes are disgusting, look at their ugly faces. The sons of b!tches who would die for götüboklu araps but wont dare to criticize pkk protests. Why should we care for arabs? Let them each other like dogs I dont care.
Just look at this guy, boss of ihh:
He has arapiç semitic dna, waving Arab Revolt aka palestinean flags!
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Erdoan's police escort attacked; one dead, two injured
A police officer was shot dead and two others injured by unidentified assailants on Wednesday in the northern province of Kastamonu, where Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoan had been speaking earlier in the day.
Erdoan, who addressed his supporters in Kastamonu as part of election campaigning, left Kastamonu for Amasya in a helicopter briefly before the attack took place.
Sources from the Prime Ministry told the CNN Türk TV channel that one police officer had been killed and two others injured during a brief firefight between an armed group and police officers.
One police cruiser was also set ablaze. Special security teams were dispatched to the scene and police cordoned off the area.
Many ambulances were sent to the area, the broadcaster said. No further details were immediately available.
Television pictures showed Erdoan subsequently arriving at another election rally in the northern province of Amasya, where he was greeted by thousands of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) supporters waving party flags.
According to the NTV report a grenade was thrown at the police vehicle and gunmen opened fire as it burst into flames.
Television images showed fire services arriving at the scene and smoke rising from the police car and an ambulance parked nearby, while security forces combed the hillsides.
Addressing a rally later in Amasya, Erdoan appeared to blame separatist militants for the attack.
"Those dark minds, these terrorists, these separatists are only able to do this, those who understand there is nothing they can do through the ballot box," Erdoan said.
The prime minister said his party will not allow the division of Turkey and that it is doing everything it can to avert a confrontation among Turkey's population of 74 million.
Observers say Erdoan's comments implied that the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) had orchestrated the attack.
Kastamonu province, on the Black Sea, is not known as a scene of PKK violence.
"The prime minister said his party will not allow the division of Turkey and that it is doing everything it can to avert a confrontation among Turkey's population of 74 million.
Observers say Erdoan's comments implied that the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) had orchestrated the attack.
Kastamonu province, on the Black Sea, is not known as a scene of PKK violence."
Turkomans, ownage never ends
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A Turkish soldier was killed in clashes with the rebels of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party ( PKK) in southeastern Turkey on Tuesday, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.
Turkish security forces in the southeastern province of Hakkari encountered with a group of PKK militants near the town of Cukurca as they were trying to sneak in from northern Iraq, said the report, adding that a private was killed in the clash.
A large-scale security operation is under way in the region to capture the PKK rebels, said the report.
Listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, the PKK took up arms in 1984 in order to create an ethnic homeland in southeastern Turkey.
Turkey's political parties have been slamming a threatening statement made by Aysel Tuluk, a candidate endorsed by the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), to the effect that bad things will happen in relation to the future of the Kurdish question.
The remarks caused anger and were taken to be provocative and aimed at creating fear among the public. Tuluk is also the co-chairwoman of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK), an organization established by the former members of the Democratic Society Party (DTP), which was shut down by the Constitutional Court in 2009 on charges of separatism. Tuluk said on Thursday that bad things will happen in Turkey, accusing the Turkish state of failing to address the Kurdish issue. She referred to earlier remarks by President Abdullah Gül, who said, Good things will happen in Turkey, in reference to the government's plans to address the Kurdish issue.
The statement came one day after assailants killed a police officer and injured another in an attack on a convoy escorting Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoan during a visit to the northern province of Kastamonu for an election rally. The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) claimed responsibility for the attack on Thursday.
Friday afternoon, Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed leader of the terrorist PKK, increased the tension further. His words, reported through his lawyers, were posted on the website of PKK-affiliated news agency ANF. Öcalan set June 15 as a deadline for Turkey to start meaningful negotiations and threatened war would break out if this didn't happen. If there will be negotiations, they will be huge and meaningful. If there will be a war, it will also be a big war, Öcalan was quoted as having said by the ANF. On Friday, in response to a question from the press, during a hospital visit to one of the officers wounded in the Kastamonu attack, about his opinion on Tuluk's remarks, Prime Minister Erdoan said, I am really not interested in any of those [remarks].
Erdoan added that an operation was under way to capture the terrorists who staged the attack. We will not let gangs and terrorist organizations do whatever they want. The terrorists will also see this.
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutolu accused Tuluk and her party of being anti-democratic. Everyone should understand one thing, you cant have democracy where you have terror. Every politician who swears to act within democratic boundaries should take a clear stance against terrorism. This is our expectation from every politician who feels responsible in the face of a terrorist attack. Also, if you are speaking of a party using terms such as peace and democracy, emphasizing peace in its name, you should take a clear stance against a terrorist attack on a prime ministry convoy.
Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arnç said Tuluks threat was most worrisome. He added: Fear mongering is not a politicians job. Where do they want to take Turkey? They want to magnify our pain. We really listen to these things and watch these actions with utter abhorrence.
In an unexpected development that might have been aimed at easing tensions, former BDP leader Selahattin Demirta said the death of a police officer in the Kastamonu attack was our common pain. He also said it was the governments responsibility to prevent deaths. Demirta resigned in order to run an independent, a tactic often employed by the BDP to circumvent the countrys 10 percent election threshold.
According to the report by the ANF, the PKK-affiliated news agency, Öcalan also criticized the DTK administration and former DTP deputies. He accused them of not being able to understand what democratic politics is, saying, If they could understand that they would be working with the people. He also said DTP and DTK members were acting liking petite bourgeoisie and were distant from the real demands and culture of the people.
Tuluks words
Tuluk made her statements, perceived as a threat by the government, while speaking during a DTK meeting in Diyarbakr. I dont want to say it, but I have to voice my feelings and I think bad things will happen, Tuluk said, noting that Güls positive expectations have not yet been realized. Arguing that the country is on the verge of a disaster regarding the Kurdish issue, she said Kurds have run out of patience.
Our people [Kurds] are very organized and ready to establish their own democracy and to live within the system they established if this does not happen with the [Turkish] state. I do not know whether this will happen according to the Syrian or the Egyptian model. However, a status will be obtained and it will be defended regardless of the cost, she said.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-243076-bdp-politician-pkk-leader-increase-pre-election-tension.html
Turkomans, ownage never ends
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Kastamonu is a police officer killed in operations against the PKK terrorist organization after the attack that causes increased. Between security forces and the PKK in Mardin, two PKK members were killed in hot touch. Also identified a large group of PKK in Tunceli as a result of the operation was launched at midnight. 2 Cobra helicopters bombed an hour zone.
Nusaybin town of Mardin, 2 defused terrorist. According to information obtained, near the town of Nusaybin Bagog Üçköy Mountain district, security forces and close contact between a group of terrorists took place.
2 terrorist defused the conflict. Operation in the region continues.
Tunceli ALSO HAVE SURGERY
Harçik center of Tunceli - Sutluce village to identify the group as a result of the PKK in the region in a crowded waters of the two cobra helicopters 24:00 midnight region was under intense bombardment. Approximately 8 km away from the conflict zone in the center of Tunceli helicopters bombarded the city center of intense bombardment were observed throughout the region about 1 hour.
According to information received in the operation of the Gendarmerie in the rural village of Sutluce village Harçik special teams action finds a crowded group of PKK members in conjunction with the region were under heavy fire with machine guns by the soldiers before. Special teams in the upcoming move of the group PKK PKK thoroughly the area of the region under heavy fire while fleeing towards the mountainous area where the PKK members who want to hide the rocky area at this time for an hour heavily bombed by Cobra helicopters. Observed intense bombardment by helicopter bombardment city center killed or injured is not known whether the PKK. At midnight the troops were directed to the region by air and land reinforcements midnight then from time to time in the region had experienced severe conflicts.
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For all which believes that some stupid kurdish Politicians in Turkey could make a Chaos like in Libya or Egypt, We say: "TÜRKIYE EZER GEÇER !!!" TRANSLATION: "TURKEY TRAMP THEM DOWN !!!".
This message has been edited by yatagan1453 on May 7, 2011 8:25 PM
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Developments in recent days highlighted by a terrorist attack against the prime ministers convoy, Kurdish politicians threats of boycotting the upcoming elections, growing clashes between the people and security forces and the statement of Abdullah Öcalan revealed an ongoing struggle between the pro-Kurdish and ruling party for votes particularly in the Southeast Anatolia region.
When we started negotiations with the [state] delegation [for the cease-fire], we agreed that there would be no killings, operations or arrests, imprisoned leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, was quoted as saying to his lawyers on May 4. The agreement was violated.
Urging the government to explain the growing numbers of arrests against the members of the PKK as well as the Kurdish Community Union, or KCK, Öcalan said: June 15 is the deadline. Either a substantial negotiation process starts on June 15 or a great war. Both would be great as they are sacred and meaningful.
Öcalans message could be better understood with the statement of Aysel Tuluk, co-chairwoman of the Democratic Society Congress, or DTK. She warned that some very bad things could happen if operations and pressure on the pro-Kurdish party are not suspended. One side of the June 15 message explains the pro-Kurdish partys effort to increase its seats in Parliament up to 35 or even more while it also serves for the party to put forward the Kurdish question in front of Turkey in the post-election period.
Öcalans message to the Turkish public could best be interpreted as follows: Make your choice. June 15 is a milestone. If you want a solution to the Kurdish issue, do compose the Parliament accordingly. This will show whether well get a solution or a war in the end.
Calls for election boycott
The reason behind the calls for boycotting the elections is to show determination in their readiness to give up the political struggle if conditions to make politics would be eliminated by the government. Its estimated that the pro-Kurdish party was planning to continue this controlled tension especially in the region.
You [the government] are doing whatever you can do to stop the political work of independent deputies, Selahattin Demirta, former leader of the Peace and Democarcy Party, or BDP, told reporters Friday. A thousand arrests and 250 detentions occurred in the last month. The main unit responsible for this is the government. How will the election run under these conditions? Demirta said.
Withdrawing from the elections is a decision that could be taken just in a minute, Demirta said, adding, however, their priority is to race for the Parliament in an equal atmosphere with all parties.
In the meantime, the party called on all voters in Elaz, a southeastern Anatolian town, to boycott elections in the city because independent deputy sa Gürs candidacy was vetoed by the election body.
Boycott would be a disaster
Aysel Tuluk is not a pro-violence person. She expressed her analysis on the situation in Southeast Anatolia, erafettin Elçi, a veteran politician who will run for Parliament as an independent deputy, told the Hürriyet Daily News on Friday.
The consequences of boycotting the elections would be a disaster. As the PKK extended its inaction period until June 15, now the responsibility to defuse the tension belongs to the government, he said.
BDPs former rnak deputy Hasip Kaplan said their anger was a drop in the sea compared to the publics anger. The AKPs election strategy is based on attack, probation and pressure. It encourages the illegality by giving instruction to police, soldiers and village guards, he said, adding that Kurds believed the AKP wanted to garner western votes by mounting tension.
The government reaction, on the other hand, has been tough Friday, with Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arnç saying Tuluks remarks are very worrisome.
It is not the duty of a politician to manipulate society with violence and fear, Arnç said. The statements and actions of those who appear among the protesters throwing stones, threatening that they would attack the AKP building as well as Tuluks remarks and thoughts that gave the opportunity to those who want to create turmoil in the country would be evaluated by the public, he said.
PKK attack leaves one officer dead, two others injured
A group of outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) members attacked a police post in Turkey's southeastern province of rnak late on Wednesday, killing one police officer and wounding two others.
The PKK's attack on Wednesday came days after the organization killed one police officer who had earlier escorted Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoan during his electoral campaign in Kastamonu, as part of its traditional vow to intensify attacks in the pre-election campaigning period.
The Anatolia news agency reported that one of the three police officers who were injured during the clashes died in Silopi State Hospital. The situation of another police officer is reportedly very critical.
Security forces immediately initiated a large-scale raid in the region.
with the actual AKP acilim policy which weakend turkish nationalism and strengthen KORTISH Nationalism the deviding of the multiethnic **** called turkey is unavoidable.
Personaly i think, su testisi kirilana kadar irmaga gider...
I IMAGINE A NEW BEGINNING CALLED TURAN, can you imagine? without korts and other ethnic minorities which just pulled us down all this decades...can you imagine?
signature:
lets meet again in the re-match!
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Kurdish separatists claim attack which left policeman dead as jailed leader issues ultimatum ahead of Turkish elections.
A masked demonstrator poses with a banner for the outlawed PKK during protests in Istanbul in April
Kurdish separatists have claimed responsibility for an ambush on a police convoy in northern Turkey, and warned the country's government it faces a "great war" if it fails to enter "meaningful negotiations" after next month's elections.
Wednesday's attack in the northern province of Kastamonu left one policeman dead and another wounded.
"A retaliation attack was carried out by our militants on a police car that was part of a convoy...the attack only targeted police. It is not an attack on civilians or the prime minister," said a Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) statement on the Firat news agency website.
The group's jailed leader, Abdullah Ocalan told Firat that "all hell would break loose" unless Ankara opened talks with Kurdish groups within six weeks, and within days of the country's June 12 parliamentary elections.
"June 15 is the deadline. Either a meaningful negotiation process will begin after June 15 or a great war will start and all hell will break loose," Ocalan said via his lawyers, Firat reported.
Earlier on Friday Turkish police arrested up to eight people over Wednesday's ambush in which gunmen opened fire on a police car escorting a ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) campaign bus from an election rally by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Edrogan in Kastamonu.
Erdogan had left the rally by helicopter before the attack occured. TRT news said eight people had been detained during police raids in Ankara, suspected of planning another attack.
Speaking to reporters after visiting the wounded officer on Friday, Erdogan said the attack bore the hallmarks of the PKK and accused the group of targeting his party, which is expected to win a third consecutive term in next month's vote.
"We knew that the separatist terrorist organisation would use these undemocratic methods ahead of the elections," he said.
The PKK ended a six-month ceasefire in February and there have been fears of rising violence before the election.
"This attack is a message to the AKP to withdraw its police who suppress Kurdish people. As all know, the police have carried out very harsh interventions on Kurdish people recently," the PKK statement said.
More than 40,000 people have been killed in a separatist conflict in southeastern Turkey since the PKK took up arms against the state in 1984.
Growing success, upcoming polls make police new target of terrorist PKK
Slain police officer imek's remains were sent to stanbul yesterday afternoon by plane. They were later taken by land to Edirne for burial.
The terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has recently increased its bloody campaign against police officers for a number of reasons, according to prominent analysts and security experts, including an attempt to diminish the growing success of the police force in anti-terror operations and a desire to drag Turkey into an atmosphere of increased tension and chaos ahead of the next general elections, slated for June 12.
In the late evening hours on Wednesday, a group of PKK members attacked a police post in the southeastern province of rnak, killing two police officers and wounding another. On Thursday, Interior Minister Osman Güne said an operation is under way to capture the assailants. I hope we capture the heinous people who carried out the attack, he said.
The attack came days after the terrorist group killed one police officer who had earlier escorted Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoan during his electoral campaign in Kastamonu. One of the terrorists turned himself in to villagers in central Çorum province on Wednesday, saying he regretted what he had done. The villagers took the terrorist to the gendarmerie. He is currently under interrogation by the police.
According to Emre Uslu, an academic at the Police Academy, the terrorist PKK has concentrated its bloody campaign against the police force since 2005. The terrorist group is now targeting the police, which it considers a threat to its existence, rather than the military, he noted. He believes that the PKK has three main reasons to attack police officers, the first of which is a reaction against operations carried out by police against the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), the urban arm of the PKK. The PKK traditionally defines itself as the guard of Kurds. However, many Kurds started to question the definition after the KCK operations. The PKK is hoping to hinder Kurds' changing perceptions about itself with attacks against the police, Uslu stated.
So far dozens of suspected KCK members, including officials and mayors of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), have been detained as part of police operations. The suspects are accused of various crimes, including membership in a terrorist organization. Secondly, Uslu said, the PKK wishes to weaken the growing impact of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on voters in the eastern and southeastern parts of Turkey. The PKK associates the police force with the AK Party. In other words, the terrorist group claims that the police are the armed force of the AK Party. The PKK wishes to decrease the impact of the AK Party [on voters] in the two regions. Attacks on police officers are efforts to achieve this end. The third reason behind increasing terrorist attacks on the police is approaching elections, according to Uslu. The PKK wishes to increase tension in Turkey through acts of terror before the June elections, and has picked the police force as a target.
In a recent statement, former leader of the now-defunct Democratic Society Party (DTP) Ahmet Türk said their aim is to decrease the popularity of the AK Party in the East and Southeast in the next elections. Our aim is not to win the municipalities in the regions. Our aim is to push the AK Party below 10 percent [of national vote] in the regions in the elections, he noted.
Attacks on police officers are indeed of little surprise for Turkey. A report sent to the police departments of Turkeys 81 provinces by the National Police Department in late April revealed the PKKs new action strategy. The report read that the terrorist group was planning to carry out attack against the police to increase tension in the country prior to the elections. The report also said KCK official Duran Kalkan had asked his organization not to remain silent about police operations, to capture police officers who carry out operations against the PKK and to interrogate them in houses designated for the task by the PKK.
Mehmet Yegin, a researcher from the International Strategic Research Organization (USAK), stated that the PKK is primarily targeting police officers due to a misperception that KCK operations are being coordinated by the police force. However, the police cannot launch an operation without an order coming from a prosecutor or a prosecutors office. In addition, the PKK is hoping to increase the popularity of the BDP [in the East and Southeast] prior to the elections. Increased tension and polarization in society will serve the purpose of the BDP in the [June] elections, the researcher stated.
Yegin also said the PKK lately prefers to stage small-scale attacks rather than big ones, such as bomb attacks in big cities, because it is no longer as powerful as in the 1990s. The terrorist group avoids large-scale attacks, and instead carries out relatively small ones. This shows that it is no longer as apt as in the 1990s to carry out big terror attacks.
According to strategy expert Sedat Laçiner, the PKK and some other dark powers have been targeting police officers lately out of irritation that the police force has become more successful in its fight against terrorist and criminal groups. Why do you think terrorist and criminal groups are vying to kill more police officers? The reason is very simple. Its because the police are doing their job. They do not turn their back, as they used to do in the past, when some are committing crimes, he said.
Laçiner also stated that leaders of a bloody campaign against the police force are at the same time supporters of either the PKK or Ergenekon, a clandestine criminal network believed to be nested within the state and accused of working to overthrow the government. They often claim that Turkey has turned into a police state. In other words, they associate the strong police force with fascism. However, in strong democracies the police force is also strong, too. The police force is the guard of both the republic and democracy. The more active the police force within the boundaries of law in a country the stronger democracy is there, the expert added.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-243732-growing-success-upcoming-polls-make-police-new-target-of-terrorist-pkk.html
Turkomans, ownage never ends
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Two police officers killed in an attack by the terrorist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) on Wednesday have left behind heartbreaking tales. Officer Gökmen imek was critically injured when a group of terrorists attacked a police post in the southeastern province of rnak, and he was later pronounced dead in the hospital where he was taken. imek reportedly started working in the police force around one-and-a-half years ago and was planning to get married this weekend. The officers mother is deaf and mute. imeks fiancée was distraught when she learned that the officer was killed.
imeks brother, Gökhan imek, told police officers that he was shocked by the death of his brother. My brother was to be married just two days later. He last spoke to my aunt and told her that he was getting prepared to travel here for his wedding. All the people you see here came to our house for the wedding. We were expecting to hold a wedding for my brother, not a funeral. We were shocked to learn that he had been killed, he noted. The other slain police officer, Muharrem Ünlü, lost his mother five years ago due to cancer. The officer was a graduate of the education faculty of Balkesir University and worked at a dershane (an extracurricular school that offers support classes) for some time, and later decided to become a police officer.
A memorial ceremony was held for the two slain officers at the Silopi Police Department on Thursday afternoon. Agriculture Minister Mehmet Eker, Diyarbakr Governor Mustafa Toprak, rnak Governor Vahdettin Özkan and Diyarbakr Police Chief Mustafa Salam as well as a large number of police officers and civilians attended the ceremony. The remains of the officers were later sent to their hometowns for burial. Ünlü was laid to rest in his village in central Çorum, while imek was buried in Edirne. smail Avc Diyarbakr
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-243732-growing-success-upcoming-polls-make-police-new-target-of-terrorist-pkk.html
Turkomans, ownage never ends
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2...
"Israel aid the PKK against Turkey and now the organization is allegedly supported by Russia and mafia, Daniz said sarcastically."
http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/4/199577/
Tic tac tic tac
Turkomans, ownage never ends
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Marianna Charountaki: USKurdish relations cannot be placed into any specific frame
Marianna Charountaki is an independent
scholar and specialist in international
relations and Middle East politics, with a
particular focus on US foreign policy and
the Kurds. Marianna published her PhD
thesis in a book, titled US Foreign Policy
and the Kurds: International Relations in
the Middle East Since 1945. It deals
primarily with the relationship between
US and the Kurds, and the interplay
between states and non-state actors.
What made you choose the subject of US
policy and the Kurds?
Although Kurdish studies have recently begun to flourish, there is still surprisingly little in the current literature that addresses the empirical and theoretical implications of this case study. This lack of scholarly focus has been aggravated by the absence of an interdisciplinary political approach positioning the Kurds and their issues at the centre of the analysis, and also by a bewildering neglect in international relations literature of just how important the interaction between states and newly emergent non-state actors has been. Accordingly, it seemed clear that an in-depth study of the link between US foreign policy and the Kurds would be of benefit in addressing these issuesa powerful reason for conducting this particular case study.
The main rationale behind the choice of this subject was the way the "Kurdish Issue" has recently begun to occupy international and regional attention once again, and its relevance as a key factor in both regional and international developments.
Does the US have one Kurdish policy, or does it address the Kurds in the context of the states they inhabit?
The fragmentation of the Kurds in the post-World War I era led to the rise of four distinct Kurdish groups, and this has contributed to the complexity of the Kurdish status. The Kurdish split was responsible for initiating a series of issues overlaid by a variety of problems and questions. Thus, the Kurdish division created certain characteristics within each Kurdish movement; each one developed its own demands in response to the location it now occupied. This accounts for the variable status held by Kurds, which is heavily dependent where they live. It was thus inevitable that the nature of the Kurdish Issue took on a multidimensional shape.
This complexity has inevitably affected US perceptions of the Kurdish Issue and is reflected in the four different US Kurdish policies currently implemented. Similarly, the existence of the various Kurdish groups, together with the differing views that may prevail in each of the US bureaucracys departments toward even the same Kurdish group, help to explain why the United States has so far continued to hold fragmented views, and thus policies, towards the Kurds. However, this cannot be solely blamed on the varying US agendas towards the different regional states in which the Kurds live, as the lack of a unified US Middle Eastern policy per se seems to be another important contributory factor.
So far, this has been the general rule, with one notable exception - US policy towards the KRG. There, we find a single US Kurdish policy. This different approach was created by the Americans' interest in creating a stable and united Iraq; to do so, forging a close relationship with Iraqs Kurds was a necessity.
What are the main criterions of US Kurdish policies?
Given that US foreign policy is influenced by that country's domestic, structural, and ideological determinants as well as, although to a lesser extent, the impact of external developments, both regional and international, it is not surprising that US Kurdish policies are subjected to these same pressures, as well as to the aims of each US presidency. Although external factors do have some influence, US foreign policy is still primarily dependent on US national interest.
Hence, it is the determination of the United States to protect its economic and geostrategic assets, combined with its pursuit of regional stability and military security by maintaining the regional balance of power in its favor that has continued to shape the orientation of its foreign policy.
Has the PKK affected US Kurdish policy in Turkey?
I believe that the PKK (Partiya Karkeren Kurdistan), a particularly powerful movement in Turkey, has elevated and internationalized Turkeys Kurdish Issue to such an extent that US foreign policy can no longer ignore it. It is true that the PKK's militarization of its strategy and the negative impact of some of its radical actions since 1984 have partially overshadowed the Kurdish Issue, and reinforced Turkeys depiction of the Kurdish Issue as a PKK problem, yet it was PKK that drew US attention to Turkeys Kurdish cause.
US willingness to interfere in Turkeys Kurdish Issue for the first time was explicitly demonstrated in the role of the United States in the capture of Abdullah Öcalan, the PKK leader, in Kenya in 1999. At the same time, the US scheme to capture and hand him over to the Turkish authorities signaled a new era for Turkeys Kurdish Issueit was the start of US involvement in supporting the human rights and cultural freedoms of the Kurds as citizens of a different ethnic identity.
After August 2006, the United States appointed former general Joseph Ralston as a Special Coordinator in the struggle against the PKK, while, somewhat to Ankaras annoyance, Sean McCormack, a US State Department spokesperson, addressed the PKK directly in a call to end violent incidents, while Turkey also made allegations concerning covert US support to the PKK.
It therefore seems clear that the PKK has stimulated and influenced the Americans Kurdish policy. It could now be said that the US and the Kurdish political parties are entering the proto-stage of an interactive relationship.
How do US relations with the regional states (Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey) affect US foreign policy on the Kurds? Also what outcome can be expected following the uprisings in the Arab world?
US relations with regional states are inversely proportional to USKurdish relations, because the Kurds appear to be trapped in the ideologies and interests of both the regional and international powers, as well as in inter-regional interactions, and those between them and the US which, in turn, drive the latters Kurdish policies.
Actually, the regional states have always feared that any potential for Kurdish autonomy could easily be transformed into independence, and cause territorial disintegration as a result. In addition, regional regimes are keen either to preserve their territorial integrity, or to use the Kurdish Issue against each other in their regional strategies, which explains their effect on US- Kurdish relations.
Ultimately, USKurdish relations cannot be placed into any specific frame. While US relations with Iraqs Kurds may have been initiated on the basis of hostile US relations with the Iraqi regime, the frostiness between the US and the Alawi regime in Syria has not led to stronger ties with the Kurds of that country. Even today, despite hostile USIranian relations, developments in Irans Kurdish Issue appear sluggish.
At the same time, close USTurkish relations have actually impeded any development in Turkeys Kurdish Issue. The comparative study of these cases demonstrates that USKurdish relations can either progress or regress in relation to the connections between the United States and the regional states, or even run parallel to them.
However, the recent Arab uprisings in the broader Middle Eastern region, the role of the Kurds in recent developments in Syria and the future destiny of that regime, along with potential alterations in the traditional patterns of relations in the Middle East, especially with respect to relations among Iran, Turkey, and Israel, indicate that the existing US-Kurdish dependence on the US relationship with the regional states could very well be subject to change, as was the case with Iraqs Kurds.
http://www.kurdishaspect.com/doc051411HU.html
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PKK terrorism in the past 25 years cost Turkey over $300 billion, Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek told on Monday at a press briefing following the Council of Ministers meeting, and added the "cost of South-East Anatolia Project (GAP) was $32 billion."
"Had Turkey not been in a position to deal with the terror problem, we would have been able to create 10 GAPs," Cicek said.
"We discussed the issue of Cyprus today. Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and several ministers were in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to attend the celebrations on the occasion of Cyprus Peace Operation. We had evaluations made with officials from the TRNC," Cicek said.
"The year 2008 is important from a perspective of negotiations in Cyprus. New contacts and meetings began in Cyprus following the elections in southern Cyprus,"he also said.
Cicek said he does "not understand what the DTP implied and what is behind this statement", when asked about recent comments made by new co-chairs of the Democratic Society Party (DTP) Ahmet Turk and Emine Ayna that "guns should be given up in finding a solution to the Kurdish problem".
"As we talk, Turkish security forces continue to stage operations in various parts of Turkey. Just a few days before such comments were made by the DTP, Turkish security forces and soldiers were killed by the terrorist organization," he added.
We have to understand that no group can gain anything by resorting to violence, Cicek said.
"We know how much Turkey have lost due to terrorist activities. Our citizens in south-east Anatolia are the ones who have been deeply affected and hurt by the terrorist organization. Turkey lost over $300 billion in its fight against terrorists. Had Turkey not been subjected to terrorist activities, Turkey could have erected 10 GAPs. Turkey's national income could have doubled if there was no terror. 3,800,000 Turkish citizens in southeast Anatolia would have been employed had there been no terror," he also said.
http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/domestic/9485407.asp?gid=244&sz=9343
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A war will break out if Turkey fails to meet Kurdish demands
Kurdistan Democratic Confederalism (KCK) says a popular revolutionary war will break out if the Turkish government fails to meet Kurdish demands in terms of extension of unilateral ceasefire declared by the PKK.
http://en.firatnews.org/index.php?rupel=article&nuceID=1460
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People in their thousands at the border with Kurdistan Federal Region reclaiming the bodies of the Kurdish guerrillas who lost their life
Thousands of people walked to the border with the Kurdish Federal Region to reclaim the bodies of the 12 Kurdish guerrillas who lost their life between Friday and Saturday as a result of the Turkish Army ongoing military operation.
The latest army operation has going on for four days around the villages of Yemili (Mêrgeh) and Ortaköy (Aro). As a result of this heavy attacks 12 Kurdish guerrillas lost their life.
On Saturday four of the bodies have been taken to rnak State Hospital while three bodies have been taken to Yemili. Five bodies are thought to be still in Ortaköy (Aro).
Early today thousands of people from Silopi, Uludere, rnak and Siirt began to march towards the border with Iraqi Kurdistan. Moments of tensions have been reported in several places.
Independent Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block candidates Hasip Kaplan and Gültan Kanak are marching with the people and are involved in negotiations with the army.
In Urfa police prevented BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) members to read a statement about the death of the 12 young guerrillas. Twenty people have been taken into custody.
http://en.firatnews.org/index.php?rupel=article&nuceID=2196
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PKK's jailed leader Öcalan threatens government with war
The jailed leader of the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), sentenced to life imprisonment on an island in the Marmara Sea, has given the government until June 15 to accept the PKK's demands, threatening war if there are no improvements by this date.
PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan's messages, delivered during a meeting he had on Wednesday last week with his lawyers, were posted online on a PKK-affiliated website on Saturday. The process will evolve into either a major agreement or a major war after June 15. If there is a huge war, the government won't last even three months, Öcalan was quoted as having told his lawyers. He said currently there are two blocs in Turkish politics, which he described as the nationalist/neo-nationalist bloc represented by the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Republican People's Party (CHP), and the Islamist-Turkist bloc represented by the Justice and Development Party (AK Party).
The bloc we have developed is a democratic bloc based on democratic socialism, and not on nationalism, religion or ethnicity. This is a third way, which I have been talking about for years.
Warning to the US
He said the summer months were crucial. This summer is very important. We are entering a summer that is of historic importance as it will see some firsts. I have been reining this in for the past 18 years, cooling down the war, so to speak. I am warning the US. They should know that times have changed. The Kurds arent the Kurds they were used to be, and I am no eyh Sait, he said, referring to an activist who led a Kurdish uprising in the 30s. Nothing can stand in the way of the Kurdish fight for freedom. They always brought those who have wanted to start uprisings to this island [mral] throughout history. They hoped that they would be able to suppress uprisings by leaving them here to die.
Öcalan also spoke about his ongoing talks on mral with a delegation of representatives of the Turkish state. He said serious institutions of the state were represented in the group, noting that they had the power to exert an influence; however, the delegation at the moment does not wield much influence, Öcalan said.
The talks we are having here are important and serious. The delegation that talks to me is aware of this, and this awareness is growing day by day. I want to be cautious in this. I dont want to take one-sided steps. I cant say I am hopeful or not, the PKK leader stated.
He also said they have come close to solving the Kurdish question in the past during talks held in the time of former Prime Ministers Turgut Özal and Bülent Ecevit, but these were stalled, and he was intent on not forgetting about past experiences in negotiating with the Turkish state. He also warned of an impending civil war in Turkey between Kurds and Turks if his demands werent met by June 15, although he didnt specify what demands had been relayed to the delegation with which he is negotiating.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-244050-pkks-jailed-leader-ocalan-threatens-government-with-war.html
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After June 15th we will witness historic agreement or war, Ocalan
Kurdish leader Ocalan: I am working on a new organizational model
We publish the full text of Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan edited meeting with his lawyer. The notes have been edited on May 11th 2011. Ocalan in his meeting spoke about the current situation and warned of possible war outcome if meaningful negotiations are not started soon after the general elections scheduled for 12 June. Ocalan also remembered that many times in the past negotiations were on the verge of beginning but political events not fully clear prevented these negotiations to take place. He was referring in particular to the case of former president Turgut Ozal, who died suddenly shortly after having announced his intention to engage in negotiations to solve the Kurdish Question. Ocalan also refers, in the initial part of these notes, to event in Yuksekova at the beginning of May. Government sponsored (at least at the beginning) Hizbullah members had attacked BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) members in the city of Yuksekova.
"The importance of this place (Imrali Island) in history is that they brought rebel princes or leaders here and tried to suppress them by abandoning them to death. They brought Adnan Menderes here following May 26th 1960.
I want to make a brief analysis regarding the recent events in Yuksekova. I don't think the depth of the situation has been comprehended. To call it a provocation is too simple, it is not simply a provocation, it goes deeper and is more serious. Iran is involved in this incident. It was developed in conjunction with the security agreement made between Turkey and Iran. The Hizbullah members released recently escaped to Iran. This was agreed on before hand. Iran always has an influence in these types of events and forms and controls certain forces that are affiliated with them. They targeted certain Kemalist intellectuals in the past and are currently active in the Middle East; Lebanon, Syria and Bahrain are examples. Iran is supporting the Shiite uprising in Bahrain, this is how Iran operates. In the border areas such as Hakkari, Van and Yuksekova Iran organises these incidents using money and weapons. It is easy to find people who have a weakness towards money or weapons. They (Iran) can see that the Kurdish people are gaining certain things and they want to profit from this, they want to be partners, this is the plan. Their aim is to re-appropriate Kurdish people's gain by using religion, and the AKP government has given them the go-ahead to do this. I said it before, if there are good-intentioned people amongst them (Hizbullah) then we can develop a dialogue and invite them to participate in the DTK (Democratic Society Congress), they can organise under the DTK. We have no intention of controlling them within the DTK. However if they are bad intentioned then we cannot permit this. They killed many of our people people in the past, over ten thousand Kurds. But Kurds are not the Kurds of yesteryear any longer, they will not allow future deaths, not ten thousand but the death of even ten Kurds is something that we will not tolerate.
The statements of the US Ambassador in Turkey were in the press recently. For 60 years the USA's politics have been dependent on the cultural genocide policy against Kurds. To gain the support of Turkey and Israel in the region, the Middle East and Caucasus, the USA has supported the policy of cultural genocide that has been implemented against Kurds, however it has also not given permission for wholesale annihilation. A policy which is called 'the rabbit and hound' policy has been implemented. The Kurds have constantly been left wounded, they have not been killed but also never been given the chance to heal themselves. The USA and England have always used this policy. This has been a constant tactic since the support (given by Turkey) in the Korean war, this is why I said it has been 60 years, since 1952. They have kept the Kurds wounded to gain Turkish support in Bosnia, Somalia and Afghanistan. When there has been doubt they have left an open door in Northern Iraq for Kurds to escape through. In this way they have made the Turks and Kurds dependent on themselves, this is the policy of 'the rabbit and hound' where the rabbit is told to run and the hound told to catch. The recent decision the US has taken regarding Murat Karayilan (KCK Executive Council President) and the others is linked with this policy. But the USA should know that times have changed, the Kurds are not the Kurds of old and I am not Sheikh Said. No one can prevent the freedom struggle of the Kurdish people any longer.
The Kurdification in different regions are worth researching. There are similar incidents during my childhood that helped me gain my Kurdish identity. For example there are general characteristics amongst the Kurds of the Serhat region; following the exile of the Armenians from Agri, Igdir, Van, Mus and Erzurum, they (the state) brought over immigrants from the Caucasus and Balkans and settled them in these places. They tried to wipe away the Kurdishness of these areas. Recently they are talking of a 'crazy project' (the AKP's channel Istanbul project), in fact this was the real 'crazy project.' This policy was not just implemented in the Serhat region, it was also heavily implemented in the south-west region, in Malatya, Elazig, Antep, Maras and Adiyaman, in other words the whole of the region that is on the west of the Euphrates. This is a comprehensive policy and it has been implemented effectively; it is a hundred year project. This is what they call the 'Sark Islahat Plani' (East Reformation Plan) and it has been in practice since 1925. It is impossible to comprehend the present day and be involved in politics without being aware of these things. You cannot gain your freedom and develop policies without knowing history and your own identity.
I would like to say a few things regarding the meetings that are being held here. These meetings are qualitative and significant. They are serious discussions. The committee that are coming here to meet me are aware of the seriousness of the meeting and are becoming more aware as time goes on. I would like to be cautious regarding this issue, I want to see ahead, there are past experiences and I don't want to take one-sided steps. Previous experiences are forcing me to be like this. I am aware that I need to take all possibilities into consideration. The fates of Turgut Ozal, Necmettin Erbakan and Bulent Ecevit are pushing me to be cautious. I am a realist, I cannot say that I am hopeful or not. Things had come to the point of a resolution with Ozal; we were very hopeful, we were preparing the guerrilla to leave their weapons. In 1993 we thought "right, a solution is being reached, everything is set" when suddenly Ozal died. Later there was the process with Erbakan, we were trying to develop a solution with him as well. He was serious regarding a solution, but then they toppled him. Haddam (a Syrian official) has also stated these things to a newspaper. The situation of Ecevit in 2000 is also similar. He also wanted to develop a solution process but once again he was toppled; they crippled him. I reminded the committee that came to see me of the fates of Ozal, Erbakan and Ecevit. I said "you are in dialogue with me, tomorrow they may do the same to you as well. You may face the same fate as Ozal, Erbakan and Ecevit. There are many forces inside and outside the country who may want to hinder and stop this process from developing. If this happens it will be the fourth time that the vehicle will have been toppled, I can't take this chance. I will wait until June 15th."
Of course the meetings here are important, the committee is serious. There are representatives from important state organisations within the committee. They have the power to influence the state, political parties and also the public. However this influence has not been exerted yet.
I had named my last defence 'Kurds in the claws of genocide,' but then changed the title. It is 790 pages in length. They still have not handed it over. I had stated before that some practical steps need to be taken immediately. I will wait until June 15th and then I will not wait another hour, the people have no more patience. Practical steps need to be taken now.
I had said that after June 15th, "either there will be an historic agreement or an all out war will develop and it will lead to chaos and turmoil." A wholesale people's war may develop in the countryside and cities. This will have grave consequences. If a people's war develops it may spread to the city streets and may even result in a civil war. I would like to repeat these things once again; if a civil war begins it will not be only Kurds who are affected by this, everyone will be affected. Any Kurd who has even one grain of honour will not have the patience to wait a single minute. I am being honest with the Kurdish people, if this happens then they may consider me dead, I cannot lead from here. There is still more than a month to go.
Everyone must be more careful during the ceasefire period. It is more important during this period for the guerrillas to defend themselves. They must be on guard 24 hours a day, however it seems from recent developments that this is not being done. It is also evident that the political operations (detention and arrests) are aiming for the youth. They are targeting the groups that are leading the resistance, they think they can suppress the rebellion in this way.
I am developing a new organisational model at the moment. This is on my agenda. I will begin putting it into practice in the following days. This will be a new model. It will have two pillars. The first is the organisation of the Kurds which will continue, but the second will bring together all the leftist Turkish organisations, environmentalists, feminists and other groups. I will work to put this into practice after the elections. Until now the state has always conspired against and trapped the Turkish left. The incidents of Mustafa Suphi and Mahir Cayan are examples. The existence of the left has always been prevented. It seems that the state has realised that the prevention of the left was a mistake. Of course the left also need to take a share of the blame. They have not developed themselves enough to overcome these traps, they have not become socialised. There is a confidence problem. Even though there are inadequacies a good start has been made together during these elections. With the new model I am developing we will bring all the forces together. I call this the Democratic Left; I will explain it in more detail at a later date.
There are two bloc's in Turkey. One is the nationalist-Turkist bloc, this is represented by the CHP and MHP. The MHP is still the rigid representative of this bloc. The second is the Islamic-Turkist bloc and the AKP is its representative. The third bloc which we are trying to develop is not based on nationalist, religious, ethnic or denominationalist ties but on democratic socialisation. It is called the democratic nation bloc. For years I have been talking of this third bloc that needs to be developed as an alternative to the other two. However I have not been taken seriously regarding this and it has not been put into practise. If it had been realised earlier then it would have gained strong political power and partnered in leading the country. I think the CHP are slowly beginning to realise the importance of the meetings we are having here. I would like to reiterate that the meetings are comprehensive and in-depth. I had called this process the democratic constitutional solution process. If the government do not agree to this process then a great war may begin, and this will mean they will only last 3 months.
We are entering an important phase. Everybody should prepare accordingly. The process will either develop into an historic agreement or war after June 15th. If there is an agreement this will be the Kurds' first important agreement in history. This summer is very important, it is a historically crucial period. For 18 years I have been curbing the war, trying to develop a peaceful process. If there is no agreement after June 15th then all military strategies such as active defence or passive defence will become devoid. Nobody should deceive themselves, they cannot deceive me either, I am not the Apo of the old days. I said all of this in detail to the committee in our last meeting. What I am saying must not be misconstrued, this is not a threat. I am just doing my duty and warning all involved. Furthermore internal and external forces may create provocation in these meetings. These forces who are against a resolution may sabotage the process, they may even go as far as staging a coup to prevent it.
The political hostage situation of the KCK prisoners continues. I had stated before that the KCK arrests were theorised within the police academy and that this was a new approach. A force within the police academy theorised that with the annihilation of the KCK the movement would be finished. These KCK operations have resulted in a dangerous situation and have assisted in the loss of the past five-six years. In the past there were the operations conducted by JITEM, which was lead by Veli Kucuk and his team. Those operations also cost us a lot of time and created dangerous situations. If it wasn't for our intervention at certain crucial points the situation could have been much worse. I tried to draw attention to the dangers.
The future of the KCK prisoners will be determined by the meetings we conduct here. Whether they will be released depends on the result of these meetings. If there is no agreement they may receive heavy prison sentences. The futures of all the other comrades, especially those who are ill are dependent on these meetings. I wish to send my special regards to Mehmet Aras, Hediye who is in Bakirkoy prison and all other comrades who are not well.
Also I wish to send my regards to our people in Syria. They should be in a balanced relationship with the government and opposition.
As the day draws to a close in many Turkish and Kurdish cities tension remains high. Police and soldiers are attacking the people who since Sunday night have been trying to retrieve the bodies of the 12 Kurdish guerrillas who lost their life between Friday and Saturday in Uludere. The Turkish army has been carrying out a heavy operation in the area for some days. Sunday night the people managed to retrieve the first body of the young guerrillas who have been left across the border into Iraqi Kurdistan.
Again this morning some 300 people crossed the border once again to look for the other bodies. Thousands of people walked to the border and many more began to meet in different cities. BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) and the Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block had called off all election initiatives and events and had call for a three days mourn. The group reaching the border included independent BDP-backed candidates Gültan Kanak and Hasip Kaplan, as well as Diyarbakr Mayor Osman Baydemir. They walked for about an hour in the Biligan Hill region, part of the border province of Adanas Yemili village. When they reached the border, they faced resistance from stepped-up Turkish security forces, which shot in the air when the group insisted upon crossing to the Iraqi side.
Kanak, Kaplan and Baydemir waited in the Bilican Hill region while other members of the group retrieved the corpses as more security special troops landed in the area from Sikorsky helicopters. The army's presence remains very high.
The soldiers then blocked the BDP convoy carrying the corpses on its way back to Yemili village. The army seized the bodies, saying they need to undergo autopsies. The soldiers detained some of the people who crossed the border and entered Iraqi Kurdistan and attacked the crowd.
Demonstrations and marches were organised in many cities. In Diyarbakr a crowded sit in was attacked by police. And police attacked protesters in Silvan, rnaks Cizre and Silopi.
Police used gas bombs and pressurized water to disperse the crowd.
As reported on Sunday the main opposition Republican Peoples Party, or CHP, did not open its Diyarbakr election bureau Monday, either, out of respect for the decision of the people there.
We are closing our only election office in Diyarbakr, for the sake of respect for our peoples decision, said CHP provincial leader Muzaffer Deer.
As the night approaches it looks like 5 corpses have been brought to Malatya Hospital, where strict security measures were taken.
PM Erdoan played the "your blame" card in Van but failed once more to convince people
Clearly aware that his speech in Siirt did not enflame the audience, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoan in Van played the card of creating 'suspense'. Since the morning speculations about the important things he would say in Van were around. Only to boil down to the "usual suspect". In Erdoan tried to articulate why according to him there is no Kurdish question. "The time of assimilation - he said - is over. In the Parliament there are many Kurdish deputies". That's the evidence that assimilation is over. He actually literally said that to the dismay of many, even within his camp. Not a word about the thousands of Kurdish politicians and activists in jail because of their being Kurdish. To further distance himself from what he called "the policy of assimilation", Erdoan played the game of "blaming the other". Pointing the finger to the CHP (Republican People's Party) the Prime Minister said: "You should be able to separate the Kurdish problem from the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, problem", he said adding that the Kurdish question was created by Turkeys second president, smet nönü, and head of the CHP, some 70 years ago. The Kurdish question is our problem, - the Prime Minister said, reversing what he has been said so far that there is no Kurdish questions and thus confusing many. Erdoan said the course in solving the Kurdish issue has been changed since 2002, as the AKP have ceased to ignore the existence of the problem. Outlining five documents issued by nönü in the late 1940s that prohibited the use of Kurdish and ordered the confiscation of books written in the language. (Conveniently he forgot to say that many books are still being confiscated because in Kurdish and prisoners are not allowed to defend themselves in Kurdish).
Dear residents of Van! When you were suffering this pain here in Van, we were suffering the same pains in Istanbul. This period of denial has lasted until we came to power. he ended and by this stage people really got annoyed. The exercise the Prime Minister had been doing yesterday was to play with words, distorting them to his perusal but indeed the result was quite disappointing. With Erdoan denying to having denied the Kurdish Question's existence and indeed ending up by denying reality. Only yesterday the Human Rights Association released a report about children detained which shows that 116 children of the 352 detained were arrested in the first quarter of 2011. They were arrested on charges of committing a crime on behalf of a criminal organization after chanting pro-PKK slogans or throwing stones at the police during street demonstrations.
Once again the response to the Prime Minister was loud and clear: well over 5,000 people gathered outside to hold their midday Friday Civil prayers at a park instead of in a mosque.
Imams in Turkey are selected and assigned by the state. The BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) has accused the government with using religion as a political tool.
Hundreds of police officers silently joined in the act of civil disobedience, held just hours before Erdoan was set to arrive. The thousands of people who showed up for the prayer dispersed silently, without a trace of slogans or banners.
http://en.firatnews.org/index.php?rupel=article&nuceID=2243
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Gendarmes seize explosives along prime minister's srnak route
Gendarmerie teams on Monday seized 36 kilograms of explosives placed under a bridge along a highway leading to rnak down which Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoan's convoy is expected to pass on Tuesday.
The Cihan news agency reported that teams from the Nusaybin Gendarmerie Command, acting on a tip-off, found the remote-controlled explosives under the Söütçay Bridge on the Nusaybin-Cizre highway. Security measures were stepped up in the area and a bomb disposal unit was called to the scene to detonate the TNT.
The explosives were reportedly planned to be detonated as Erdoan's convoy passed over the bridge. Their discovery prevented any such attack. The prime minister will hold election rallies in rnak and Batman.
The planned attack is reminiscent of an earlier assault on Erdoan's convoy. The outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) recently stepped up its acts of violence as the June 12 parliamentary elections draw near. A police officer was shot dead and two others injured by unidentified assailants earlier this month in the northern province of Kastamonu, where Erdoan had been speaking earlier in the day.
Recordings of radio communication between a number of PKK members after the deadly assault on the prime minister's convoy revealed that the terrorists were targeting the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in the attack. According to the recordings, the group that carried out the attack in Kastamonu contacted the PKK administration in the Kandil Mountains of northern Iraq via radio communication, saying: Our friends carried out the attack in Kastamonu. Our only target from now on is the AK Party. It was a very good attack, another PKK member was heard saying in the recording.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-244793-gendarmes-seize-explosives-along-prime-ministers-sirnak-route.html
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Despite his election rallies fiasco in the Kurdish cities PM Erdoan keeps denying the Kurdish Question
The Kurdish election tour for Prime Minister Erdoan has been a cold shower. Certainly, even if he did not publicly state his worries, he was not expecting a very warm welcome, but what he was met with amount to little more than a complete fiasco. Not only the squares were unequivocally empty but even the few who actually attended the meetings were highly critical of the Prime Minister and his government.
Erdoan tried to warm up the atmosphere with speeches that in the end simply repeated themselves with only few adjustments to suit better one place or another. The result was of a monochord long patronising statement. Empty to the best bordering on the ridiculous. Certainly it was a speech out of touch, distant from the people and their real problems and demands. The worst speech to deliver for a politician in search of consensus.
So much for his denial of a Kurdish Question (he has been repeating the sentence like a mantra, "there is no Kurdish question") the very, central issue debated in this election campaign has been the Kurdish Question. Erdoan clearly hoped to deny the existence of the Kurds by simply putting thousands of them in prison. In this he succeeded to to beat - for worse - his predecessor, Tansu Ciller. But no matter how hard he tried, and he did tried hard (in 2010 over 16 thousand people have been detained, while in the first four and a half months of 2011 the number of detained people has reached 5 thousands), he could not possibly put everybody in jail. So the Kurds not only showed that they existed but also made clear that they have and they want their rights and demands to be taken seriously.
Interestingly enough the president of the main opposition party, the CHP (Republican People's Party), Kemal Klçdarolu, despite the fact that he had always previously opposed the idea of local government's autonomy (something well defined in the BDP programme, as Democratic Autonomy), in this election campaign, especially in his Kurdish areas tour, has pledged to grant autonomy to local governments during a speech in the predominantly Kurdish province of Hakkari on Monday as part of his election campaign. We will give local governments autonomy, as is the case in Europe, he said. Of course, it could be rightly argued that this is propaganda stuff. And it certainly is. Indeed independent candidate for Diyarbakir and former MP, Leyla Zana immediately seized the opportunity and asked Klçdarolu to make facts follow words. There is no doubt though that the CHP played better than the ruling AK Party in the Kurdish region. Of course Kurdish people will not get fooled, but the fact that the CHP has chosen not to play the iron fist card indicates that its attitude towards the Kurdish and the Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block MP in the Parliament will be different from before. This also confirms that the CHP knows the independent candidates are going to get a significant number of seats. Something the Prime Minister has conveniently decided to ignore. But it will hit back on him.
The other interesting development in the last few days have been this 'unusual defection' by member of the right wing MHP (Nationalist Movement Party). The MHP has been in turmoil since (like the CHP before it) a sex scandal has been revealed and shown to the world. Power of technologies: lately politicians seem to have had their political career demolished by hidden camera in the bedroom. Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi leads the way on the issue.
Anyway as the story goes, the entire Bakale MHP branch resigned and joined the BDP. Ömer Bozkurt, the head of the branch, located in the eastern province of Van, said as he announced the resignations that they had quit the MHP because they had received no support from the party. Bozkurt and others paid a visit to the election office of Kemal Akta, an independent deputy supported by the BDP in the upcoming parliamentary elections. Speaking to reporters at the office, Bozkurt said they will support the BDP from now on. I want to be with my people rather than the parties of the status quo. We will continue with the BDP from now on, he said.
So much for something (namely the Kurdish Question) that allegedly does not exist. Kurds are simply dominating the political scene. And further more. Culturally speaking, the campaign about the right to education in one owns mother language has been joined by thousands of students. And it is no coincidence that in the past week students have become the target of repression. The cultural proposal of Kurdish organisations like MKM (Mesopotamia Cultural Centre) as well as the municipalities run by Kurds, has is translation into practice in the many literature and film festivals. Some of which are running in these days.
And then there is the civil disobedience initiative. The world media talk a lot about tents put up by youngsters in the Northern African countries during the so called Arab Spring Rebellions and recently they have focused on the tents put up by the "indignados" (the young people protesting in Spain) in Madrid and Barcelona. Little attention has been paid to the Democratic Solution Tents put up - and brutally repressed - by the Kurdish people in many cities, included Istanbul.
The ferment of the Kurdish society is evident to anyone wants to look into it. Clearly the Turkish Prime Minister does not.
Labor, Freedom and Democracy Blocks independent candidate for Diyarbakr, Leyla Zana replied to the statements of CHP (Republican Peoples Party) leader Kemal Klcdaroglu about Autonomy with three conditions; Like their children, our children will also receive mother-tongue education. Our yellow, red and green flag will stand beside their flag. We dont show disrespect for any flag but we want our colors beside theirs. In internal and external affairs, we will make the decisions and move together with them but internally, we will govern ourselves. Each city will have a self-governing council. This is not a dream but the way of a true life. And this is our right of self-government.
Visiting the Çavulu, Kemberli, Seyithasan villages of Bismil/Diyarbakr and making the opening of election offices, Labor, Freedom and Democracy Block Diyarbakr candidate Leyla Zana said the followings in her speeches; I remember my mothers words that Ocalan awoke and arose thousands as one person.
Zana, remarking that the real faces of state authorities, who have been telling lies for 80 years, will come into the open at the coming elections, said the followings;
The first opportunity for Kurds since 1923
The CHP is not approving the autonomy for the first time. When we look into the history, in 1932, they were stating that Kurds had autonomy in Kurdistan. They agreed on the self-governance of Kurds in the region. And now, they are once again putting autonomy into words when they have seen the withdrawal of Kurds support to them. This is the first time Kurds have a great opportunity since 1923; to issue a new constitution. The constitutions since 1923 till 2011 were all based on the policy of denial and destruction of Kurds. 2011 is the year of reconstruction of the laws which were enacted with a military mentality and have to be changed now.
Emphasizing the importance of peoples will to show themselves at polls, Zana said; It is time to show who represent the Kurds to Prime Minister Erdogan who claims to represent Kurds everywhere. Lets see whether the Prime Minister Erdogan represents the Kurds or the Kurds do represent themselves. It is the period to show it.
http://en.firatnews.org/index.php?rupel=article&nuceID=2273
Turkomans, ownage never ends
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Turkish Generals are accused - with proof - of conspiring with Islamic nut jobs and the idiots in here are talking about "gayreeks", "you were our slaves" etc etc
Elements of their army were willing to kill their own people to further their own agendas, to conspire with some of the most hideous people on the planet and these guys in here are totally fvcken oblivious or just totally fvcken stupid. I personally think it's an unhealthy mix of both.
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Outlawed PKK shifts its strategy in a bid to revive dwindling support
The CHP got only 150 votes in Hakkari in the previous elections but a huge crowd showed up for its rally this year, which the BDP admits it directed. The PKK has been on very good terms with the CHP recently, which appears to be part of its new strategy to be more inclusive.
The terrorist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has a 33-year history of armed violence, and the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), a political figurehead for the PKK, seem to be changing their longstanding strategy of eliminating internal opposition or dissenting views among Kurds.
The first sign of this change was the establishment of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK), a Kurdish organization led by the former co-chairpersons of the now-defunct Democratic Society Party (DTP), the BDPs predecessor, but where Kurdish viewpoints different from that of the PKK were also represented. The second and stronger sign was the BDPs inclusion of individuals representing different segments of Kurdish society on its list of independents that it endorses for Parliament in the June 12 elections. BDP members run as independents in the elections to circumvent Turkeys 10 percent election threshold for parliamentary representation.
Another sign of the apparent shift in direction later in the process, when the BDP started developing a newly found affinity with the Republican Peoples Party (CHP), which received only 150 votes in Hakkari in the previous elections. Shops and businesses in Kurdish dominated cities, which were shut down during an election rally with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoan, stayed open during CHP leader Kemal Klçdarolus rally. Thousands, apparently directed by the BDP, showed up at Klçdarolus rally. Also around this time, some individuals who are allegedly part of Ergenekon, a clandestine group charged with plotting to overthrow the government and hundreds of whose suspected members are currently on trial, purportedly met with PKK administrators in the Kandil Mountains, where the PKK is based in Northern Iraq.
In fact, the PKK has changed its structure and strategy many times since its establishment in 1978. The groups that set up the terrorist organization in the Ziyaret (Fis) village in the Lice district of Diyarbakr, moved to Syria shortly ahead of the Sept. 12, 1980 coup détat.
PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan and his closest allies spent the worst days of the junta regime at the PKK base in the Bekaa Valley in Syria, gathering strength for their first attack, which hit Turkey on Aug. 15, 1984 as two simultaneous attacks in Siirt and Hakkari. Two Turkish soldiers were killed in the attack, which was the first of many to come.
The PKK, which was aiming for a united, independent and socialist Kurdistan in its founding years, has changed its aims significantly over the course of time during its separatist campaign. After the 1999 capture of PKK leader Öcalan, the PKK abandoned its goals of setting up an independent Kurdistan with a Marxist-Leninist regime, but announced different goals such as the acknowledgement of the Kurdish identity, the abolition of the death penalty (which did happen, but not in response to PKK demands but rather, as part of Turkeys EU harmonization process) and the release of Öcalan, collectively naming these as the Democratic Republic And Peace Project. Since then, it has been concentrating on resistance actions called serhildan (the Kurdish word for uprising) similar to the Palestinian Intifada. Starting in the early 2000s, the PKK started extending its organization in urban areas, setting up teams with members that went about their daily business in their neighborhoods during the day but turned into militia whenever called to duty by the PKK.
In 2005, the PKK brought all its affiliated institutions or organizations controlled by people close to it such as the BDP, municipalities under the control of the BDP or civil society organizations under the roof of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), which some have dubbed a shadow state. The KCK is extremely well organized in terms of hierarchy and systematic flow with its own judicial, executive and legislative branches. It has a complicated system of taxing its citizens. It can also grant or deny citizenship.
Tahsin Sever, a Kurdish intellectual who has attempted to analyze the shift in the PKKs strategy, points out that Turkey is undergoing a domestic power struggle between the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on one side, and the CHP and all the other parties in the opposing camp. He believes that the PKKs recent acts are part of a large plan to wear out the AK Party. This is only about making sure that the AK Party doesnt win 330 seats in Parliament, referring to the quorum needed to change the Constitution.
Sever said an unholy alliance of various powers, including the PKK, is seeking to actively escalate tensions. He recalled that seven PKK members were killed in Hatay, seven in Tunceli and 12 in rnak over the past few months, despite a lack of attacks. In retaliation, a group of terrorists attacked the prime ministers convoy in Kastamonu earlier this month. We are faced with a game that aims to sabotage democratic steps in Turkey, he said. However, Sever believes the tension will decrease after the June 12 elections.
Vahap Cokun, a professor of law from Dicle University, said the PKK wants to open up to include more segments but at the same time wants to hold onto its hegemonic tendencies. He says that opening up to different segments would also bring about a respect for different social and cultural sensitivities.
Commenting on the BDPs recent rapport with the CHP and the crowd that attendedKlçdarolus rally last week, Cokun said that the BDP was sending a message that I have the power to have people protest against anyone I dont like and greet the ones that I like in the best way: I have strength in this region.
Cokun also feels that tensions will decrease after the elections, saying continuing hostility in the region will hurt locals and the entire country.
The question of whether the PKK is shifting its strategy should be pondered in light of the democratizing steps Turkey has taken over the past 10 years. Reforms over the past decade have caused the PKK to become all the more bitter and have also worked to undermine support for the PKK. The ending of martial law in the Southeast and East, newly established Kurdish language departments in universities, the governments zero tolerance policy on torture, the reduction of the maximum duration of detention to four days and the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) starting a TV channel broadcasting in the Kurdish language, the abolishment of a ban on Kurdish names for newborns and investigations into ex-gendarmerie officials who engaged in a campaign of killing of Kurds in the region in the 90s have all contributed to diminishing support for the PKK.
More and more Kurdish intellectuals, such as singer ivan Perwer, poet Kemal Burkay, writer Orhan Mirolu and many others have started speaking out openly against violence and terrorism as a means to acquiring democratic rights. The PKK, which has killed thousands of civilians and suppressed Kurdish dissidents for many years, is now trying a different strategy in hopes that it will be able to bring everyone under its control by appearing to allow members of different segments of society.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-245446-outlawed-pkk-shifts-its-strategy-in-a-bid-to-revive-dwindling-support.html
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Heavy security measures and tension high in Diyarbakr ahead of Prime Minister's election rally
Diyarbakr today is a city under siege. Incredible as it may seems, but the election rally by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoan scheduled to begin at 2pm has meant that since last night the city has got under heavy security. And yes, it is quite normal that, coming the PM into town, security is higher. The problem is that walking through the streets early this morning, witnesses said it was like walking through a war city. Nobody around, like when there is a curfew. Scores of armed policemen, armored vehicles, a sense of a city taken hostage. All of this because the Prime Minister has to make his election speech.
Security measures include heavy searches the few people going to work are subjected to. And of course the ban, issued by the authorities last night, of any other initiative.
The citizens of Diyarbakr have responded as they had announced: shops are closed, shutters are down.
The People's Initiative has called on the people not to join the rally. Indeed yesterday the Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block had organized a very crowded tour of the city. A long convoy of cars blowing horns has attracted hundreds of supporters.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to speak at around 2.30pm local time.
Yesterday it was the turn of opposition leader to speak in Diyarbakr.
CHP (Republican People's Party) president Kemal Klçdarolu was not met by shops closed and shutters down as would be the PM. The Kurdish people listened to what the CHP had to say without attaching too much to it.
Klçdarolu following on the line he had inaugurated at the beginning of his election campaign, said that the biggest separatist in the country is indeed the Prime Minister.
Referring to the criticism he received for suggesting sovereignty for local authorities, the CHP leader said he was not trying to separate Turkey, and that everyone can live in this beautiful land in peace.
Indeed, the CHP leader answered Erdoans critical claim that he did not have Turkish flags up during his election rallies, by saying: It is wrong to conduct politics over flags. That is separatist. Erdoan is thus the biggest separatist.
Referring to Erdoans promise to build a new prison in Diyarbakr, Klçdarolu said he would build a new factory instead, and turn the old prison into a museum. We will face our past, and share our pains in order to reach freedom and democracy, the CHP chief said.
The AKP said it had removed the state of emergency in the region, but that is not the case, Klçdarolu said. There is a state of emergency in all of Turkey, he said. Under the rule of the AKP, the number of those in prison rose from 28,000 in 2005 to 52,000 in 2009. In the first six months of 2010, 596 people were put on trial for expressing their thoughts, with a projected [total] sentence of 1,219 years.
Ocalan: I will not give another chance to the government
Kurdish leader reiterated this is the time to choose. No second chance on the table
PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, noted that there are three options available after June 15 and said: If the AKP doesnt take a concrete step, I will not ever give a second chance to them either". The three options indicated by Ocalan are: the nationalist and new nationalist discourse, the conservative nationalist discourse, the democratic discourse and tradition.
Pointing out that the discussion the government performs on the basis of religion, Ocalan said: The Islamic concept of power is the Islamic concept created by capitalism.
During his meeting on June 1st, PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan reportedly dealt with the possible developments after June 15.
Assessing how things will turn if negotiations fail, Ocalan said that "nobody, including me, Kandil and the BDP, will be able to stop the people. I should also be the object of severe criticism should I stop the people and their democratic rights. I am saying again that I am in favor of a democratic solution. However, I will not ever give a second chance to the AKP if they dont open the way to a democratic solution. If they dont give a chance to a democratic solution, if the AKP imposes its own method, the current number of detentions and arrests will increase many times more and a painful period will begin and everybody will sustain a major injury." said Ocalan.
THE STATE WILL HAVE TO FACE KANDIL IF A DEMOCRATIC SOLUTION FAILS
Democratic Autonomy' will reunite the divided Kurdish regions, says Zana
Visiting 25 villages of Diyarbakr, Labor, Democracy and Freedom Blocks Diyarbakr Candidate Leyla Zana was welcomed by thousands. Zana attended public meetings and visited people and listened to their problems and complaints. Making speeches in the villages, Diyarbakr Independent Candidate Leyla Zana said the followings: The sovereign powers divided the Kurdish territory with Qasr-i Shirin Treaty. The dividers of Kurdish regions would now regret and feel ashamed of what they did if they had the chance to see the Kurdish unity today. Through 'Democratic autonomy', we will reunite all divided Kurdish regions.
Zana continued by saying that in the 30-year struggle for freedom, you have raised this fight with you blood and lives. The prices paid for the freedom struggle didnt go down the drain. The Kurds are all deeply loyal to their case and struggle. The systems parties have played with the peoples thoughts and opinions. They have always deceived this people. The Kurdish people dont believe in the dirty politics of system parties any more. Each house here members in prison or at mountains. And you have buried the most honorable children of yours.
The dividers of Kurdish regions would now today regret and feel ashamed of what they did if they had the chance to see the Kurdish unity today. Through 'Democratic autonomy', we will reunite all divided Kurdish regions. A woman, coming here through her marriage, expressed me their demand for Kurds in Syria to live with their own language, culture and identity. They intended to divide the unity of Kurds but all these attempts were avoided by Kurds. Nobody shall any more try to break the unity of this people because they cannot manage that.
I hope that the schools you go to will be places where you can have education in your mother tongue. When I look at mothers eyes, I see that they and all of you are waiting for the liberty of your children in prisons and the liberty of Dear Abdullah Ocalan. All of you are waiting your children at mountains to come to the region and make politics here. I believe that we are very close to those days.
http://en.firatnews.org/index.php?rupel=article&nuceID=2345
Turkomans, ownage never ends
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Pray to the God that that day will never come.You have some painfull experience about that.We do not forgive traitors and cowards who turns againts us.
Crete Revenge boy lover,I know your gaya$$ still hot because we kicked it several times with our indignantly iron sword which grabed to your and your beloved armenian friend's a$$es multiple times.
Know it seems to be that some zerdüsh kekos who are actually armenians are itching again.They did not taste our hate like you and your bast.rd armenian fellows had.So this time it will be another show.
Continue for your fun now.You and your armenian friends will have another lesson for your own!Hah!
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People of Diyarbakr said yes to Democratic Autonomy
Hundred thousands people joined Saturday election rally by Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block in Diyarbakr. The crowd enthusiastically said Yes to Amed Democratic City Councils decision to implement the Democratic Autonomy.
Gathering at Station Square in Diyarbakr for the rally of Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block, over 100 thousand people expressed their reactions to the ruling AKP with banners, slogans and placards. The rally, joined by BDP Co-Chairs Filiz Koçali and Hamit Geylani and Diyarbakr Candidates of the Block, began with one minutes silence in memory of all those who lost their lives within the struggle for democracy.
DEMOCRATIC AUTONOMY ENTHUSIASM
While Medeni Alpkaya, on behalf of Amed Democratic City Council, read the councils decision for "the realization of democratic autonomy", the decision was put to vote of people. While 100 thousand people answered Yes to the historical decision, the start of a new process was given with a historical development. Enthusiasm grew in the area and flags and posters of Ocalan, KCK and PKK were raised following the approval of the councils decision.
Among those who participated to the rally were BDP Co-Chairs Filiz Koçali and Hamit Geylani, the Blocks Diyarbakr candidates Leyla Zana, Nursel Aydoan, Emine Ayna, Altan Tan, erafettin Elçi, detained Hatip Dicles Assignee BDP Provincial Chair M. Ali Aydn, Metropolitan Mayor Osman Baydemir and low level mayors, Vedat Yldrm, Murat Çelikkan, Hakan Tahmaz, Osman Kavala, Orhan Dink, Fekenaz Uca, Hüseyin Ayman and HAKPAR (Rights and Freedoms Party) General President Bayram Bozyel. (B.O.)
The democratic autonomy principle requires that local governments be granted autonomy from the centralized system in its affairs regarding education, security and external relations. Significant pilot implementations have been running for months now, in several areas. In neighborhoods, villages and hamlets where they live, Kurds have been setting up their own assemblies by getting organized. Through a 50-village commune in Diyarbakr, 21 local councils, four district councils and the city council, social, political, economic and cultural autonomy demands are being actualized.
Village communes have been set up in Diyarbakr for the first time. A commune consisting of 50 villages in the Balar district in Diyarbakr is being founded while works continue in other villages in other districts. In villages as part of communes, councils consisting of 11 or 13 members, depending on the village population, are being set up. Every village has spokespersons, one of whom is woman. Such a model is identical with the BDPs co-chairmanship model.
In Diyarbakr, nine councils have been set up in the Balar district, five in Kayapnar, four in Sur in addition to three neighborhood councils, which are the smallest administrative unit. Neighborhood councils aim to bring neighbors together, discuss common issues and find solutions, consisting of an average of 20-30 members. Each has two spokespersons, one of whom is woman. Even a disciplinary council exists within a neighborhood council.
Problems, fights and discussions taking place in a neighborhood are directly resolved in the Neighborhood Justice Commission rather than official units. For instance, against drugs, prostitution, robbery, or usurps a neighborhood council directly interferes as a dimension of the democratic autonomy model. If warning is not enough, individuals committing the said crimes are exposed in public and are removed from the region.
The city council is the largest body in the region. This has not been formed yet. The goal is to have 450 members in the prospective council. The executive council convenes weekly while the general council meets monthly. The city council covers all and organizes a convention every other year.
Demirtas: We will establish the Democratic Autonomy everywhere
Thousands joined rally in Mersin
We promise to fight until building the Democratic Autonomy everywhere said BDP former Co-Chair and Hakkari Independent MP Candidate Selahattin Demirta and called on Prime Minister Erdogan to explain his plans till June 15.
Addressing thousands of people at Mersin rally of the Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block, BDP former Co-Chair Selahattin Demirta referred to Erdogans electoral propaganda It was a dream but it came true and said the followings; At the beginning of the Kurdish Initiative, we wouldnt even dream that three thousand Kurdish politicians would be arrested. It was a dream but it came true! The trial of 9-year-old children at heavy criminal courts and their being treated like terrorists was a dream but all these came true during the AKP period. Without a military coup or a junta government, we wouldnt dream about the trial of people, more in number than the military coup on September 12, because of their thoughts in a so-called civil government. But it has come true".
Remarking that the people of Mersin are making a victory feast, not a meeting, Demirta said; Against the crazy projects of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, there has been formed a peace bridge here which will take Dear Ertugrul Kürkcü from Mersin to Ankara. Calling to Erdogan who says BDP is a party of terrorists, Demirta said; If we were terrorists, you couldnt be the Prime Minister. You cannot dare to call us terrorists as you also know that we are a humanitarian movement. We are the voice of the oppressed in the Middle East and all over the world, not only in Turkey.
ERDOGAN PROVOKES THE MHP AGAINST US
Referring to Erdogans statement BDP, MHP and CHP have made an alliance, Demirta said the followings; He is trying to foment the MHP against us. He is a Prime Minister who is the most senior public official in charge of security but doing his best to declare a civil war. He is trying to make us conflict and fight with MHP and CHP. These three like-minded parties have always united their forces against us but they werent able to defeat us. So far, the MHP, CHP and AKP mentality has always been the names of cruelty and denial for us. We will put the three in a basket and send them away. But notice that the Prime Minister is trying to create a provocation before the Diyarbakr rally of the MHP. He has run out of all his instruments to cheat people. Running out of the macaronis and coals he delivered to people to get votes, he is now going at telling lies and tricks. Everyone can believe the prime minister but those witnessing his cruelty will not believe him. The Prime Minister shall tell the truth and reveal the lies and slanders in our politics and practice if there are any.
Remarking that the people of Hakkari, rnak, Van, Dersiim and Amed disrupt the balance of the Prime Minister, Demirtas, said; He is now carried away with his temper. He says I didnt talk about one language. When he gets furious and raves at squares, and utters threats, he thinks that we will be chickened out and run to our houses. That is what the Sultan highness is accustomed to see! I shall remind him that this country's revolutionaries didnt breathe a word and resisted honorably in torture chambers while you were still playing a ball in Kasmpaa. Ibrahim Kaypakkaya was not even accepting his name under torture, Deniz Gezmi and his comrades were walking to death with the slogan 'long live the brotherhood of peoples' while you were playing your game. Mazlum Doan was causing great distress in Amed prison to Esat Oktay Yldran against the torture applied on him. While you were toadying to the military coup of Kenan Evren, the children of this people were giving a freedom struggle at mountains. If you stil dont recognize us, this is your ignorance. You can at the furthest occupy a place as much as your cruelty and crimes. You cannot make these people take even a step back.
Demirta continued as follows; The Prime Minister wants everyone to show humility and to grovel to him. He doesnt tolerate even a smallest criticism. Will such a Prime Minister bring us peace, democracy, brotherhood and freedom? Not. Concerning Erdogans insults journalist, writer Nuray Mert Erdogan, Demirtas said the followings; Nuray Mert, due to the criticim she directed, is now caused to become target to the media bosses, prosecutors and police officers. You cannot even be brave as much as half of her. Now there is only you and the Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block that can resist against you. The Kurdish people in particular, there are also those resisting with their honor. This explains why he is so aggressive. He says How do these people not knee in front of me'. He launched the TRT 6 Channel, distributed many things to the people, tried everything but he wasnt able to cheat into them. That is why he is so angry.
Demirtas added that We are not together with the media, the governor and the security office. We are not together with the United States and Israeli Herons. Behind us stands a people who recreated itself from its own ashes. We promise to fight until building the Democratic Autonomy everywhere. We dont ask our people to put us into power. We tell them that we will return the government to them which had been stolen from them. The people will solve unemployment, poverty, health and education problems at people's assemblies and city councils. The power will belong to the people and autonomous councils. And this alternative startled them all.
Calling attention to June 15, Demirtas said; "All the Kurds should decide, and erase the AKP. They should also erase its signboards and names. The Prime Ministers task is not to limp while all political, social, economic, cultural problems of the Kurdish people remain unsolved and not to speak different things in different cities. He should now give a clear answer; Do you recognize or refuse the will of this people? Will you enact the constitution with them together? Do you want peace or not? Set all slanders aside and explain what you have in your hands. Otherwise, what will happen on June 16? You will see.
Demirtas made the following call for the safety of polls; Dear Kürkcü will no doubt win at the elections but there must be a vote burst. The people of Mersin should give the message that they, Kurds, Turks, Arabs and all other oppressed, reject this system. There will be no cheatings and we will protect the polls. We will provide the security of our votes. Young people should take charge at polls and not leave their task places till the announcement of official results. Young people should be ready.
http://en.firatnews.org/index.php?rupel=article&nuceID=2350
Turkomans, ownage never ends
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Only two options left for Kurdish people' Karaylan says
Head of Kurdish Communities Union's Executive Council Murat Karayilan said only two options -resistance or peace- left for Kurdish people after the 12 June elections.
Head of Kurdish Communities Union's Executive Council Murat Karayilan said only two options -resistance or peace- left for Kurdish people after the 12 June elections.
Speaking to ANF Turkish service Karayilan commented about the possible outcome of the general elections which he says will have a direct impact on Kurdish Question.
Underlining the importanca of Kurdish Question Karayilan said Turkey can not be a democratic country unless it solves the Kurdish Question. And it can not achieve the goal of economic development.
Karayilan criticized the harsh statements of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He labelled the statements of Erdogan as very dangerous and accused Erdogan for acting irresponsible. Karayilan said the attitude of Erdogan increases the tension between Kurds and Turks.
Karayilan said that Kurdish people have shown their will to solve the problem by peaceful means and they are demanding democratic autonomy.
We have started the autonomy process he said. There is no turning back.
Karaylan repeated their stance against the Turkish government by saying If leaders of Turkish will give certaing guarantees the process will lead to a peaceful solution. But if they continue to say 'all of there are terrorist' then Kurdish people will resist and form democratic autonomy.
Thirty five MPs have been elected from the Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block. Only Dersim in a dramatic count could not elect the Block candidate, Ferhat Tunç.
This for the Block and for the Kurdish people as well as for the left and democratic people is an historic victory.
Arab Spring, Kurdish Summer, writes Tuncel MP on New York Times
In an Op Ed contributor in the New York Times Istanbul MP Sebahat Tuncel writes of Kurdish summer after the Arab Spring
Turkey often presents itself to the world as a model Muslim democracy, but it is in fact denying basic democratic rights to almost 20 percent of its population. The Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was re-elected on Sunday by a large margin, and he now faces a major domestic challenge. Despite Turkeys impressive economic growth and increasing international profile during Mr. Erdogans eight years in power, his government has ignored the countrys most important and politically explosive issue: Turkeys oppressed Kurdish minority.
Kurds have been struggling for freedom and autonomy in Turkey for decades often in the face of violent state repression. We will no longer accept the status quo. We are demanding democratic freedoms, the right to speak our own language in schools and mosques and greater political autonomy in Kurdish-majority regions.
Since Mr. Erdogans Justice and Development Party, known as the A.K.P., came to power in the 2002 elections, Turkey has deepened its diplomatic and economic ties with governments across the Middle East, and Mr. Erdogans public denunciations of Israel have made him a popular figure throughout the region. But while the prime minister frequently expresses his sorrow over the deaths of Palestinian children, he has not so much as mentioned the Kurdish children who have been killed by the army and the police in Turkey.
Last week, as Syrian refugees fled across the border into Turkey, Mr. Erdogan condemned the Syrian governments violent crackdown on protesters. He neglected to mention the Turkish governments use of tear gas, bullets and water cannons to disperse Kurdish protesters in April. Until Mr. Erdogan gets his own house in order, he is in no position to criticize his neighbors.
Indeed, it is impossible for pro-democracy movements in Egypt, Syria or Libya to trust the Turkish government when it neglects its own opposition, suppresses protests and denies the legitimate demands of the Kurdish people.
Mr. Erdogans government can follow one of two paths. It can seriously consider these demands, include Kurdish lawmakers in the process of drafting Turkeys new Constitution, provide constitutional guarantees for the collective rights of the Kurdish people and accept our demand for autonomy that will allow for self-government and bring peace. Or it can insist on the policy of violent suppression that it has pursued to date. If the second path is taken, Turkey could enter a more intense period of conflict than ever before.
Unfortunately, Mr. Erdogans recent comment that he would have hanged Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned Kurdish nationalist leader, had he been in power when Mr. Ocalan was arrested in 1999 gives the impression that he is leaning toward the second path.
It was not always so. In a 2005 speech in Diyarbakir, Mr. Erdogan declared, The Kurdish problem is my problem. It seemed that he had accepted the failure of Ankaras heavy-handed security policy and was setting a new process in motion. This Kurdish opening seemed like a step in the right direction; it offered the possibility of greater language rights, more autonomy and amnesty for antigovernment Kurdish militants.
However, it soon became clear that Mr. Erdogan was not sincere. Despite the Turkish publics approval of the opening, the A.K.P. did not take serious steps toward resolving the Kurdish problem. On the contrary, it stepped up military operations, banned the leading Kurdish party, the D.T.P., and arrested Kurdish politicians, including me. (I was arrested in November 2006 and spent nine months behind bars, until I was elected to Parliament from prison and granted immunity in July 2007.)
Since then the government has largely ignored the Kurdish peoples grievances. Under the guise of an opening, it has continued the traditional nationalist politics of denial. Rather than meeting the demands of the Kurdish people, it seems that the A.K.P. is now dragging Turkey toward a new confrontation. The election of 36 pro-Kurdish deputies to Parliament will be the most effective check on the A.K.P.s destructive policy.
As Turkeys various political parties debate the drafting of a new Constitution, the resolution of the Kurdish issue will be of paramount importance and this will require the active participation of Kurdish members of Parliament.
The unjustified arrests and military operations must come to an end and Turkeys Kurds, after decades of struggle, must be granted the right to learn and pray in our own language and exercise self-government in our cities and towns.
An explosion occurred in the district of Nazimiye at 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday as a police car was passing by
A land mine believed to have been planted by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) exploded in the eastern province of Tunceli, killing two police officers on Wednesday, the Anatolia news agency has said.
The explosion occurred in the district of Nazimiye at 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday as a police car was passing by. Military helicopters were dispatched to the area after the explosion.
The incident comes on the heels of a decision by the Supreme Election Board (YSK) to disbar a newly elected pro-Kurdish deputy, Hatip Dicle. The YSK decision was criticized by the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), whose members said the decision would increase tension in Turkey's predominantly Kurdish Southeast.
The explosion also comes in spite of a recent statement by jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, who said through his lawyers that he had decided to prolong a unilateral cease-fire his group had declared last summer. The PKK refers to its cease-fire as a non-attack decision. The lawyers said Öcalan believes the continuation of the cease-fire would contribute to a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue.
The DTK (Democratic Society Congress) meeting has ended with the organization releasing a seven-points declaration.
Ahmet Türk, the co-chairman of the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Congress (DTK), has called the decision by the Election Board "neither moral nor legal. This is a decision - he added - to drag Turkey into a state of chaos. And he said: The nation will hold this mentality, which blocks efforts for democracy, accountable.
The deputies elected from the Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block will meet tomorrow to both evaluate the DTK call and decide what to do next. The DTK called on the BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) not to enter in Parliament. The BDP has said that a decision will be taken tomorrow at the deputies meeting.
DTK declaration is articulated in the following 7 points;
1- We invite the AKP government and the main opposition party in particular to prevent this obvious provocation and to absolutely revoke the decision and we invite the Grand National Assembly to urgently take the situation in hand and to open the democratic ways.
2 - For the revoking of the decision urgently and for opening the way of our people's democratic representation through Mr. Hatip Dicle, we call all our people to stage their civil and democratic acts everywhere with a patriotic mobilization spirit.
3 - As the largest civil and political framework of Kurdistan, our congress calls all its components, organizations and institutions, civil society organizations, individuals and opinion leaders to display their most transparent attitude against this fascist decision and to present their democratic activities.
4 - At the same time, we call all our components to adopt all institutions of the Democratic Autonomy which is the solution project of our people approved by elections results and to implement it with all aspects including the proclamation of the construction process.
5 - In accordance with the decision of our largest political party BDP that "None of the MPs will enter the parliament even with a single missing", we urgently recommend all our people to publicly and clearly declare their freewill to Turkey and the world opinion.
6 - With the awareness that this anti-democratic decision is a blow struck to the brotherhood of peoples, we invite Turkey's all intellectual, democrat, progressive and revolutionary forces, the Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block in particular, to stand by the resistance of our people for freedom and democracy.
7 - We invite all human rights and democracy organizations in the world, the EU, the EC, the UN in particular, to express their strongest condemnation to the Turkish Government and state which follows a policy of destruction and denial despite our indefinite insist on democratic and peaceful means to solve the Kurdish problem and to demand the revoking of the decision." (Translation: Berna Ozgencil)
http://en.firatnews.org/index.php?rupel=article&nuceID=2497
Turkomans, ownage never ends
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It's going to be a Parliament of firsts. While the Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block deputies will boycott the opening of the new assembly, the main opposition party, CHP (Republican's People Party) will not take the parliamentary oath, according to reports. Dramatic last minute meeting by the opposition party, decided deputies will attend the opening but will not take the parliamentary oath.
http://en.firatnews.org/index.php?rupel=article&nuceID=2549
Turkomans, ownage never ends
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trabzonlee61 (Login TrabzonLee_61) The Conquerors (Turkey)
Re: Kurdish summer on the way in Turkey?
No score for this post
June 29 2011, 8:02 PM
crete, I saw something
Always when some turks post about trouble in greece with protests, you are "bumping" this thread
(Reuters) - A percussion bomb exploded in southeast Turkey late on Sunday, injuring 11 people celebrating the victory of Kurdish candidates in the parliamentary election, security and hospital officials said.
The explosion occurred around 11 p.m. (2000 GMT), soon after the announcement of election results, in the province of Sirnak, near the Iraqi border.
Six of the casualties, who were being treated at a nearby hospital, were seriously injured. Percussion bombs generally cause limited damage.
There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the blast in the mainly Kurdish region, the scene of a 27-year-old separatist conflict.
More than 40,000 people have died in the conflict since the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) took up arms against the state in 1984.
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AmonyakTR (Login amonyakTR) The Conquerors (Turkey)
Re: Kurdish summer on the way in Turkey?
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June 30 2011, 6:34 AM
This CHP today is noting ATATÜRK´s line
Yanlis anlamayin ama bu CHP yi kilicdarogluna veren zihniyeti anlamak mümkün degil adam resmen pkk cizgisinde helal size Atatürk kalksa ilk yapacagi is CHP de su an kim varsa ipe verirdi hemen.
.
SÖZ KONUSU VATAN ISE GERISI TEFERRUAT´TIR
ULAN BU KADAR VATAN EVLADININ KANINA GIREN SEREFSIZLER BIR GÜN SIZLERINDE HESABI KESILECEK (Bir mezar tasiniz bile olmayacak)
BE ONE DAY ALL KNEELING IN FRONT OF US GOING TO ASK FOR MERCY - This day will come very soon are all ready (kekolar/yunanlar/ermeniler)
BU VATANI BIZ KÜRTLERLE KURMADIK KÜRTLERLE BÖLÜSMEYIZ
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man look at crowds. This problem made by nationalist atheist who push nationalist agenda and it become same with enemy. It very nasty to fall under by these one kurds who hate turks.
talut,talut,talut
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A delegation was denied access to the area where on 14 July thirteen soldiers died
It was in the air. Yet it was not only worth but a sort of duty trying. The delegation made up of representatives from Turkey Medical Doctors Association, Architect and Engineers Chambers Union (TMMOB), Confederation of Public Employee Trade Unions (KESK), Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Trade Union (DSK), was prevented from reaching the area around Hazro in Silvan (a district of Diyarbakr) where on 14 of July 13 soldiers had died as well as two Kurdish guerrillas following clashes. The delegation knew that it was going to be difficult to get permission to enter the clash area. On Tuesday the first report on the events of 14 July was published by the Turkish Armed Forces and although being quite generic it was clear on one point: it had been a mistake - said the army - not to close the area to the public, especially to journalists. So there was little hope for the delegation of trade unions of being given permission from the governor. Yet it had to be tried because indeed the denial is one more proof of the fact that the army has something to hide. The events leading to the death of 13 soldiers have different versions. The army simply and immediately put it down to the attack and ambush by the PKK guerrillas. But witnesses among the locals tell a completely different story. They have said that indeed the area was under heavy bombing by the army. And this eventually ignited the fire which left no escape possibility to the soldiers. So, killed by friendly fire is the more accredited version among the locals. And to investigate this the trade unionists delegation was to go to the area. The army is denying that the fire had been ignited by its bombing. Indeed in the first report the army said that there were no planes involved in the clashes around Silvan, but only helicopters were in the area. The report, although very very subtly does admit that there were some questionable matters regarding the incident that will be referred to the judiciary. These questions include, as far as the daily Today's Zaman reported, "whether the geographical conditions were appropriate for the establishment of a temporary military base where the casualties occurred; whether sufficient surveillance and preventative measures were taken ahead of the attack; whether sufficient measures were taken after the unit that came under attack received warnings of terrorist activity; and whether the helicopters sent to the scene of the attack were prepared for flight on time". The Interior Ministery has also conducted its own investigation into the events and this will be released soon. Once again what strikes is the fact that the investigation has swiftly moved from the search of the truth (i.e. have the soldiers been killed by friendly fire ?) to the search for a scape goat. Indeed the main question remains unanswered: what really happened in Silvan?
Unanswered is also the question about the five guerrillas the army stated to have died. Only two bodies were recovered. What happened to the other three? Or rather, were there other three guerrillas?
The delegation today was supposed to go and investigate the area. It was prevented from doing that. And this is clearly another blow to democracy and the search for truth. Previously, another delegation formed by the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) and many NGOs, including the Human Rights Association (HD), trade union confederations, MAZLUM-DER, the Bar Association, the Chamber of Medical Doctors, the Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber of Architects and Engineers (TMMOB), went to the same area to investigate the events and stated in its initial report that there was no trace of a fire big enough to cause the death of 13 soldiers.
It is worth to remind that the Kurdish guerrillas (HPG, People's Defence Forces) are observing a non action period, which sparked doubts about a possible 'offensive' action as stated by the army.
""Maniots, known for their martial qualities, were the first to join the Greek liberation movement. The society called the Filiki Eteria ("Company of Friends") sent their representatives Perrevos and Chrisospathis to organize the Maniots. On March 17, 1821, 12,000 Maniots gathered in the church of Taxiarchs (Archangels) of Areopoli and declared war against the Ottoman Empire. The flag of the revolution was white with a blue cross in the center. On top of the flag there was a sign, "Victory or death". The Maniots were responsible for writing "Victory" and not "Freedom" on their banner since Mani was always free. On the bottom of the flag lied an ancient inscription, "With the shield or on the shield."
...........................................
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Crete, now i know you truley lack the brains to even lie. You dont have any military experience and you don´t know **** about social or political science.
Two facts you propably dont even know.
* PKK has even less then 2 million turkish kurds support. Take into account that BDP (the main so called "kurdish party" or PKK:s party) did get about 2.3 million votes all together with the socialist block. That means even a hell lot less then these numbers.
* In case of a "kurdish summer", do you seriously think that all the security forces will stand down ? Thats the greek way, not the turkish. I saw the pictures during the Athens riots.
* Idiots like you, who dont know crap about warfare, to comment on subjects like this make me wanna throw up. I could never have dreamed that the human race would get this stupid during our ages. For a "kurdish summer" you would need a entity, a unifying unit, witch your teori lacks. There are hell alot more kurds who identify themselfes as muslims, before kurds. And there are kurds who are integrated who don´t even care about these nonsense, witch make the second big grouping. The PKK falang comes in, with there supporters of est. 2 mil on 4th or 5th place.
* In case of a "PKK summer", witch would have a unifying factor for a unit, you could have a "summer". But support from rest of the falangs would not happen, as they tend to have other interests. If we would have a "PKK summer" it would be a all out bird shooting game. As an army is built for conventional warfare, there would be not a problem and the TSK would hit legit targets.
Why do you even try dude ? Seriously ? Dont you have a economy to save ?
Im guessing your parents are not too proud of you, being this stupid and ignorant and all....
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Yet for the griks it not only never ended, but we can also sit here in peace knowing that it never will.
2000 years and counting of grik economic, political and social failure. That is record however you look at it.
No nation on earth has been a bigger failure, only maybe the jews and kurds who one only recently got a nation and the order might get one from the americans, can claim to be worse then you griks.
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15 soldiers injured in landmine attack in SE Turkey
Suspected members of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party, or PKK, detonated explosives next to a convoy carrying troops in the province of Hakkari in southeast Turkey on Thursday.
Initial information indicated an explosive device detonated by remote control caused the blast, which damaged a minibus carrying soldiers at around 7 a.m. local time.
Fifteen soldiers were injured in the blast, with two of them in critical condition.
PKK had stepped up their attacks on the Turkish military, killing more than 40 security personnel in the past month.
In retaliation for those attacks, the Turkish military launched a series of air raids on PKK targets in northern Iraq last week, its first strikes in the region in more than a year.
The military has said it killed up to 100 PKK members in six days of air strikes. The PKK has said three of its fighters were killed in the strikes, while Kurdish officials say seven Iraqis were killed in an air strike on Sunday.
The increased military activity marks a return to a more hardline stance in the fight against the PKK after the collapse of efforts to negotiate a settlement to the 27-year-old conflict.
"Turkish General Staff today released a press statement with details of the operations:
- The operation was conducted between 17 - 22 August, the period until 19 August being a coordinated air & artillery strike.
- Targets hit during air strike include:
August 20: Metina, Zap, Avasin - Basyan, Hakurk; 13 targets
August 21: Kandil region, Gara, Zap, Metina; 4 targets
August 22: Zap, hakurk, Avasin - Basyan, kandil region: 7 targets
- During the whole operation, a total of 132 targets were hit by fighters from 2nd Air Force with 102 sorties.
- 349 targets were hit by artillery units located close to Turkish - Iraqi border line
- A total of 24 sorties were flown for damage assesment and reconnaissance
- 73 bunkers, 6 shelters, 18 caves, 8 depots, 14 facilities/buildings, 1 ammunition depot, 9 AAA sites and 3 control checkpoints were destroyed.
- Total number of PKK casualties is difficult to determine: General Staff gives a number of 90 - 100 terrorists killed and around 80 terrorists carried to nearby hospitals for treatment. COMINT also reveals that PKK lost contact with huge numbers of groups. They are also preventing press staff from entering the Kandil region, supposedly for trying to hide the extension of the damage.
- Some groups fleeing from the Kandil region entered nearby villages, forcing locals to act as human shields.
- General Staff notes that coordinated land and air strikes against Northern Iraq will continue."
Cost? $$$$$ Millions.
15 soldiers injured in landmine attack in SE Turkey Priceless
Regards,
GreekFire.
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PKK fighters raided two Turkish villages and captured a total of 12 Turkish guards!
In border villages on the border with Iraq, the Turkish authorities are obliged to maintain garrisons in stratochorofylakes and militiamen, due to constant attacks by the PKK. The latest raids were executed in the southeastern Turkey, in Sirnak province.
The Turkish authorities have launched large-scale operation to find the captured. Already the morale of both the Turks has been shaken dramatically. Over the past months have been killed, according to the Turks, 40 soldiers - the PKK says much bigger losses.
""Maniots, known for their martial qualities, were the first to join the Greek liberation movement. The society called the Filiki Eteria ("Company of Friends") sent their representatives Perrevos and Chrisospathis to organize the Maniots. On March 17, 1821, 12,000 Maniots gathered in the church of Taxiarchs (Archangels) of Areopoli and declared war against the Ottoman Empire. The flag of the revolution was white with a blue cross in the center. On top of the flag there was a sign, "Victory or death". The Maniots were responsible for writing "Victory" and not "Freedom" on their banner since Mani was always free. On the bottom of the flag lied an ancient inscription, "With the shield or on the shield."
...........................................
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A powerful bomb blast has injured at least 15 people in the centre of the Turkish capital Ankara.
"There are no dead. Fifteen people were injured," Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay was quoted as saying by the Anatolia news agency on Tuesday.
Another government official said a bomb caused the blast.
"There has been information that the blast was caused by a bomb," Blent Arinc, who is also deputy premier, was quoted as saying by the private NTV television.
The Ankara governor, however, refrained from associating the blast with an attack, adding that there was an ongoing investigation.
"Technical teams are on the ground and listening to the witnesses," Governor Alaaddin Yuksel told Anatolia.
One witness at the scene said a gas tube at a shop nearby was thrown outside and caused a car explosion, according to the governor.
The blast, which occurred near the Cankaya district administration offices, blew out windows of shops and offices in the surrounding area, damaged cars and sparked a fire which was later put out by firefighters at the scene, NTV said.
The offices are near downtown Kizilay square in Ankara, a city of four million inhabitants and home to many government buildings as well as military headquarters.
Police feared a second explosion and sealed the area, said NTV.
Kurdish rebels have conducted bomb attacks in Turkey's urban areas in the past.
The blast comes at a time when Turkish officials threatened to launch an incursion by its ground forces against Kurdish rebel bases operating in northern Iraq after a recent spate of attacks.
Speaking to Turkish daily Hurriyet last week, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said urgent action was needed.
Turkey's government has been considering a series of measures following the upsurge in attacks, including a request to parliament to extend its authorisation for cross-border military operations for one more year after it expires next month.
Turkish aircraft have repeatedly bombed the bases of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq since August 17, and more than a 100 rebels have been killed in the raids, according to official figures.
this summer costs to turks around 100 soldiers more or less
and around 900 injured and some taken prisoners of war
............................................
""Maniots, known for their martial qualities, were the first to join the Greek liberation movement. The society called the Filiki Eteria ("Company of Friends") sent their representatives Perrevos and Chrisospathis to organize the Maniots. On March 17, 1821, 12,000 Maniots gathered in the church of Taxiarchs (Archangels) of Areopoli and declared war against the Ottoman Empire. The flag of the revolution was white with a blue cross in the center. On top of the flag there was a sign, "Victory or death". The Maniots were responsible for writing "Victory" and not "Freedom" on their banner since Mani was always free. On the bottom of the flag lied an ancient inscription, "With the shield or on the shield."
...........................................
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ahmet toork (Login the-me) Satyameva Jayate (India)
Re: Kurdish summer on the way in Turkey?
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September 25 2011, 2:31 PM
Summer will turn to Winter too, but toordi pig ownage season will never end. LOL!
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