Newroz Ends, Turmoil Continues In Its Wake
Source: Turkish Zaman
Mar 28, 2008
The turmoil that ensued in the wake of the weekend's Newroz events is continuing
to mount, with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) urging people to
create a popular uprising and the Democratic Society Party (DTP) claiming that
the events turned into violent demonstrations because of officials who refused
to authorize "peaceful" celebrations and calling for the dismissal of these
officials.
More than 100 people in various cities throughout Turkish-occupied Kurdistan
have been arrested in connection with the demonstrations, and security forces in
Diyarbakir have acquired permission to enter and search all buildings in the
city at their own discretion for one week.
In cities where Newroz celebrations had been authorized by the local
administrations, such as Diyarbakir, there were no incidents, but in cities like
Van and Hakkari, where permission was withheld, celebrations turned into violent
events in which two people were killed. After the deaths, demonstrations were
held in different cities to protest against the security forces.
The Denmark-based Roj TV station, which is allegedly linked to the PKK, is
urging the public to revolt, recalling the events of March 28, 2006, in which 12
people were killed following a funeral for some PKK militants.
On Wednesday the March 25th Citizen's Association of Diyarbakir wanted to hold a
mass press announcement in the city's Bağlar neighborhood, which has been the
scene of clashes and unrest during past Newroz events. Some of the city's civil
society organizations attempted to convince the association to give up the idea
and hold their press conference somewhere else. They also asked the DTP to put
pressure on the association to that end. But the association insisted on holding
its mass press declaration.
Speaking in the name of the association, Fuat Pekdogan blamed the ruling Justice
and Development Party (AK Party) for the Newroz incidents. "The incidents are
the result of not being at peace with the existence of Kurds. This situation is
worrying, especially when we take into consideration the damage the situation
may be causing to the prospects of the two peoples living together in the
future. We will not be silent. We will continue with our democratic resistance,"
he said.
Before the meeting the DTP's Diyarbakir chairman, Nejdet Atalay, and deputy
Aysel Tugluk tried to assure security forces that the demonstrators would stay
under control, but a group among them began throwing stones at the police. In
the back streets of Baglar, there were clashes and 10 people were detained.
Atalay said that so far they had been able to control the crowd, which is
responding to the Nervous incidents.
"We can keep them under control if there are no other military operations or
funerals. If these things do not happen in the coming few days, I think the
situation will calm down," Atalay said, speaking with Today's Zaman.
Meanwhile, the DTP is promising its supporters that it will demand the dismissal
of civil servants who denied requests for authorization to hold Newroz
celebrations in the cities where violence flared up. The party congratulated the
public for observing Newroz even at the expense of their lives, but also asked
them to go home peacefully.
Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir visited Hakkari on Wednesday and said DTP
deputies, mayors and party officials would work until the officials responsible
for the killings were brought to justice. "We don't want you to be harmed. We
will not abandon our efforts until the killers are found, but we ask you to go
home peacefully," Baydemir told the crowd. Hakkari was one of the hot spots of
the Newroz clashes.
DTP Diyarbakir deputy Akın Birdal met with Parliamentary Speaker Koksal Toptan
and repeated his party's demand for the removal of governors in Van, Hakkari and
Siirt. He also reiterated the PKK's call for the removal of the head of the
security forces in Siirt, Cuma Ali Aydın, who refused to shake hands with a DTP
deputy because the party refused to condemn the PKK as a terrorist organization.
Toptan told Birdal he would meet with the interior minister, who has appointed
two investigators to look into the incidents that occurred in Van during Newroz.
