Turkey: Sharp Increase In Human Rights Abuses Reported

From: Ozgur Politika  in Turkish June 10, 2005

Diha/Amed [Diyarbakir]: Diyarbakir Branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD) has said that a total of 2,262 violations of human rights occurred and 140 people were killed in clashes in the Kurdish-populated provinces in March, April and May. There was a drastic increase in human rights abuses in the past three months.

IHD Diyarbakir Branch unveiled its reports about human rights violations observed in the Kurdish-populated provinces in March, April and May 2005. In a statement he made at the headquarters of the branch, Selahattin Demirtas, head of the branch, said that "there had been a drastic increase" in human rights violations in the past three months as compared with the previous periods, adding that a total of 147 people had been killed in hostilities since the beginning of 2005, including 140 killed over the past three months.

"Begging the United State for a solution"

Blaming the government for the reported abuses, Demirtas said that the government was making efforts in the United States to escalate hostilities rather than to take steps to achieve peace in response to calls made by the Kurdish people for years. Accusing [Prime Minister Recep Tayyip] Erdogan of fanning the fire, Demirtas went on saying: "If the government wants to ensure Turkey's accession to the EU, it must resolve the Kurdish question. If it wants to resolve the Kurdish question, it must establish dialogue with the other parties concerned with the problem. In other words, Turkey could join the EU only if it agrees to sit at the negotiating table with the Kurdish opposition groups and find a democratic solution. We advise the government, which is begging the United States to find a solution and trying to escalate hostilities, to take a more honorable approach and to resolve the Kurdish question with its own citizens."

Torture incidents decreased while convictions for "thought crimes" increased

Expressing satisfaction about progress made in the fight against torture, Demirtas commented: "Incidents of torture, which tended to decline last year, maintained the downward trend in the past three months." Noting that the legal arrangements made in the field of freedom of expression had not been put into practice yet, Demirtas complained that more intolerant attitudes were observed in that field. Pointing out that legal proceedings had been instituted against 2,811 persons for expressing their opinions in the region over the past five months, Demirtas stated: "Those facts indicate that achieving an overall improvement would not be possible before making serious progress regarding all aspects of human rights. Ups and downs observed in human rights violations are an important indication of wavering policies and insincere attitudes."

"The ban on mother tongue has not been lifted"

Noting that education in mother tongue was another crucial issue, Demirtas said that assuming that the problem could be resolved by opening several private language centres would be a serious mistake. Emphasizing that private language centres charging an enrolment fee could not contribute to resolution of the problem related to mother tongue, Demirtas went on saying: "Kurdish children, who want to receive education in their mother tongue, are denied this right, which conflicts with the related international agreements, especially the Lausanne Treaty. The problems being experienced by the Kurds about their cultural rights have remained unaddressed and there is no sign of improvement."

140 killed in clashes

Following Demirtas' statement, Mihdi Perincek, IHD regional representative, outlined the report about human right abuses reported in the Kurdish-populated provinces in March, April and May in 2005. According to the report, 140 people were killed in hostilities while 21 others were wounded. Five people were murdered and six others were wounded as a result of attacks carried out by unidentified assailants. Landmines and bombs killed 13 victims and wounded 12.

A total of 491 persons were detained during the three-month period and 48 incidents of torture and maltreatment were reported, including nine committed by gendarmerie officers and 37 by police officers. The report says that five people have been reported missing and a total of 93 people were arrested. According to the report, 452 security officials were subjected to disciplinary actions as a result of administrative investigations. It said that a total of 2,262 human rights violations had been reported.