·TURKISH PARLIAMENT ADOPTS REFORMS : ABOLITION  OF CAPITAL
PUNISHMENT, RECOGNITION OF CERTAIN LINGUISTIC RIGHTS  FOR KURDS
  At dawn, on 3 August, he Turkish members of Parliament passed a series of
crucial reforms, including the abolition of capital punishment, and the
granting of certain cultural rights to the Kurds, in the hope of meeting
the conditions laid down by the Fifteen for membership of the European
Union. The democratic reforms were adopted as a whole, on a show of hands,
in the final vote that followed 16 hours of often stormy discussion. The
ultra nationalists of the National Action Party (MHP ­ neo-fascist) arguing
that the widening of rights for minorities created the danger of launching
a renewal of the virtually extinguished Kurdish conflict that has caused
36,500 deaths, over fifteen years, in the Kurdish provinces.

The abolition of the death sentence ­ except in times of war or threat of
war ­ had received unexpected support as of 2 August, thus causing other
taboos to be also eliminated. This measures thus finally saved the head of
Abdullah Ocalan and about fifty others who had been sentenced to death.

The audio-visual broadcasting of Kurdish language programmes is now allowed
as well as private teaching of Kurdish. The Bill on the Kurdish language
was approved at the end of a preliminary vote in the course of a marathon
parliamentary session that began on 2 August. "Programmes can be drawn up
in the different languages and dialects that Turkish citizens use in
everyday life" the law Bill down.

Parliament also extended freedom of expression and association, limited the
repression of public demonstrations and widened the rights of non-Moslem
organisations, which can, henceforth, own property and real estate. Legal
proceedings for criticising State institutions, including the Army, have
been eliminated and imprisonment for press offences abolished. On the other
hand, the members of Parliament have introduced strict measures against
illegal immigration.

The abolition of the death sentence, together with cultural rights for the
Kurdish minority, were the principal political imperatives required by the
European Union. "Parliament has abolished the death sentence ­ the greatest
obstacle to Turkish membership of the European Union ­ a historic vote"
rejoiced the popular daily Sabah, with a great "Thank you". "We have not
missed the train for the E.U. ( )  Parliament has opened the door to the
E.U. a little at a time when hopes were fading" wrote the daily Radikal.
 
The most recent evaluation report published by the European Commission, at
the end of 2001, gave Ankara credit for "substantial efforts" to satisfy
the criteria for membership of the Union, but considered that those that
remained to be done were "considerable".
The Turkish parliamentarians were subject to strong pressures to adopt the
reforms. A clock was symbolically installed in front the doors into
Parliament by a pressure group supporting membership of the E.U.
 
Group supporting membership of the E.U., to show a count down of the number
of minutes until the December European summit in Copenhagen 2002, which
would be devoted to the enlarging of the Union. The members also, on 31
July last, expressed themselves in favour of an early general election on 3
November, after massive resignations within the government coalition had
shaken the parliamentary majority and endangered the economic reforms and
the International Monetary Fund's $16 billion support loan.

"With this series of reforms, Turkey has met all the political criteria
that we are going to carry out. No one can claim otherwise" declared Prime
Minister Bülent Ecevit on 4 August. "Turkey now expects to be admitted as
soon as possible" he added the day after the adoption of these democratic
reforms. Mr. Ecevit appeared confident that these reforms would allow his
country the best opportunities for the rapid opening of negotiations for
membership. "We have no shortcoming regarding the political criteria for
membership of the Union" Mr. E3cevit declared, adding  "I do not doubts
that our Western friends will notice this when they examine in detail the
reforms adopted by Parliament". "I do not even want to envisage this
possibility, but if we fail to agree a date (for the negotiations) we will
do whatever is necessary to get there" he added, without giving any other details.

The E.U. welcomed the adoption of these measures, but pointed out that it
would "closely  watch" the way in  which  they were applied. Ankara's
cooperation in the re-unification of Cyprus and its green light to the
European rapid reaction force's access to NATO's military resources are
also of prime importance, as well as Turkey's sensitive reforms to reduce
the political power of its Generals. But, even it this strategic member of
NATO were to succeed in fulfilling all these conditions ­ which is not very
likely in an election year ­ it is not certain that an date for opening
negotiations on membership would be set, in view of the reservations of
several member states of the E.U.  The conservative candidate, Edmund
Stoiber who is favourite to win the German General Elections on 22
September, had declared his hostility to Turkey's membership in May ­ a
point of view shared, in private, by a number of Western European political
leaders. The former Spanish Foreign Minister, Josep Piqué, encouraged
Turkish hopes by declaring at the last E.U. summit in Seville that "new
decisions" regarding Turkey's application would be taken in Copenhagen. But
other European leaders hastened to say that Turkey was still a long way
from meeting European criteria with regards to democracy and Human Rights,
to minority rights, freedom of expression and civilian control over the
armed forces. A European leader has considered that Turkey remains "a
military semi-dictatorship" ­ a point of view widely shared in Brussels.

Publicly, the European Commission described the adoption of reforms as a
"courageous decision", but it recalls that the application of these reforms
was as important as their being passed. The European Commissioner for
enlargement, Gunter Verheugen, stressed that these reforms would not have
been possible without "the European perspective developed for Turkey by the
E.U." when it officially accepted Ankara as a candidate  for membership in
1999. But this attraction would only endure if Turkey noticed a sincere
will on the part of the European Union for admitting it to membership. "We
have succeeded ­ now it's up to you !" headlined the Turkish daily Sabah on
4 August in addressing the E.U.  Recep Tayyip Erdogan, head of the Justice
and Development Party (AKP ­ Islamic) which is leading in the opinion
polls, said much the same thing by declaring "We will judge the sincerity
of the European Union by its next initiatives".

As against this, the Turkish ultra-nationalists do not hide their
opposition to these reforms, and Deputy-Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli,
whose National Action Party is the largest group in Parliament, announced,
in a statement broadcast on Television on 4 August, that he would ask the
Constitutional Court to cancel these reforms. He considered that the vote
in Parliament was "dangerous and unthinking". "Those who were so zealous to
spare him (i.e. Mr. Ocalan) from the punishment he deserves have struck a
blow against our country" Mr. Bahceli declared to his supporters at a rally
in the Anatolian province of Kayseri. These reforms will "pulverise the
unity and the existence of the Turkish nation" he added.

The great majority of Kurds welcome these positive measures towards the
recognition of their language, but remain very cautious. Firstly, it is not
impossible that the nationalist dominated Constitutional Court may cancel
the new law. Secondly, no one knows how these rights will be applicable in
practice when the Constitution and the Penal Code contain many repressive
clauses and institutions like the High Audio-visual Council will regulate
this promised area of freedom. Nor can it be known what political majority
will emerge from the General Elections on 3 November next. It should be
recalled that already, in 1991, the then Prime Minister Demirel had
declared that "Turkey henceforth recognises its Kurdish reality". Everyone
knows the consequences of this declaration that had aroused so many hope in
Turkey and in Europe at the time.
 

·  TALABANI  VISITS TURKEY ON  WAY TO MEETING IN WASHINGTON.
 Jalal Talabani, leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) is
expected in Turkey on 6 August  for discussions with the Turkish
authorities before a meeting in Washington of opponents of Saddam Hussein's
Iraqi regime, planned for 9 August. Mr. Talabani is due to meet the Turkish
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the next day and leave on 8 August.

His visit takes place a week after a visit by the American Assistant
Secretary of State for Defence, Paul Wolfowitz, who had expressed his
country's determination to attack Iraq to secure a change of regime.
Turkey, the United States' strategic ally in the region, has reservations
about any eventual American military intervention against Baghdad, fearing
that it might aggravate Turkey's economic crisis and provoke the creation
of a Kurdish State in Iraqi Kurdistan  ­ which might awaken the aspirations
of its own Kurds.

The Turkish Prime Minister, Bülent Ecevit, recently declared that Ankara
was trying to dissuade Washington from such intervention, but added that
the country was, nevertheless militarily and politically preparing itself
for a war in the region.

Furthermore, according to the 5 August issue of the American daily USA
Today, quoting officials of the American intelligence services, Iraqi
President Saddam Hussein is trying to persuade the Kurds to remain neutral
in the event of a US attack on his country. "Over the last few weeks,
Saddam has had resource to intermediaries in Northern Iraq to launch an
appeal  to the rebels whom he has terrorised  for years" reports USA Today,
on the strength of information supplied by these officials.

In order to ensure the neutrality of the Kurds, who make up about 28% of
the Iraqi population and who are struggling for federal status, Saddam
Hussein has assured them that they could continue to enjoy a certain
autonomy, to teach Kurdish to their children and raise taxes and secure a
share of the country's oil income.

U.S.  President George W. Bush has several times repeated his wish to see
Saddam Hussein expelled from power in Baghdad. But this week-end the
Democrat Chairman of the Senate's Foreign Affairs Commission, Joe Biden,
stated that Mr. Bush should first obtain "the support of Congress" before
stating any military operations.
 
 

· EARLY GENERAL ELECTIONS ON 3 NOVEMBER IN TURKEY.
The Turkish Parliament, meeting in plenary session to end a political crisis that was
harming the efforts for the economic recovery of the country, decided to set a date for
early General Elections and chose 3 November for them.
The members of Parliament passed the resolution setting this date by 449
votes, with 62 against and 2 abstentions. These elections will take place
at a time when Ankara is trying to force a date for the beginning of
negotiations for its admission to European Union membership ­ and when the
United States may demand its support in the event of a military campaign
against its Iraqi neighbour. Opposed to the holding of an early election,
but weakened by illness, Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit has lost the struggle
against his coalition allies, and in particular against the National Action
Party (MHP), who favour such a Bill.

Twice taken to hospital since the beginning of May, Ecevit has seen the
divisions in his three-party coalition sharpen during his absence ­
particularly over the reforms required before any real negotiations for
membership of the European Union. After a series of resignations from his
party of Ministers and Members of Parliament, The Prime Minister's
coalition is finished, but his government should remain in office till the elections.

"Ecevit did everything he could to avoid elections but he has failed. He
has publicly said that if the Justice and Development Party (AKP ­
islamist) won the elections and the People's Democratic Party (HADEP  ­
pro-Kurdish) won some seats in Parliament, this would create a crisis of
the regime in Turkey. Since he did not convince the pro-election lobby, he
spread reports that he might resign to prevent the election. Another
set-back!  And now Ecevit seems resigned to accepting that elections are
inevitable. But with the Iraqi issue, Ecevit made a last effort to cancel
or, at least postpone, the elections  Ecevit wants to give the impression
that there are military developments imminent regarding Iraq   The Prime
Minister is planning to create "an atmosphere of war" to cancel the
elections and so enable the DSP (his "Left Democratic" Party ­ neither Left
or Democratic but nationalist) to survive" wrote Mine Cevik on 1 August in
the English language paper Turkish Daily News, concluding by saying that
"Ecevit is using the Iraqi card to survive".
 

·  LEFTIST ACTIVIST DIES AFTER YEAR-LONG  HUNGER  STRIKE.
 Miss Semra Basyigit, a 24 year old member of the People's Revolutionary
Liberation Front-Party (DHKP-C ­ Marxist-Leninist) died on 31 July from the
sequels of a hunger strike, begun over a year ago to protest against the
Type-F prisons. She is the 53rd victim of this hunger strike, and the
Turkish Association for Human Rights (IHD) states that 35 protesters, 6 of
whom are in hospital, are continuing the hunger strike.
 

· OHAL LIFTED FROM TUNCELI, HAKKARI ­ BUT  OTHER MEASURES ENACTED.
On  30 July, the Turkish authorities lifted the State of Emergency (OHAL) that has been in force for
the last 23 years from the provinces of Tunceli (Dersim) and Hakkari. The
decision became effective at 17.00  (5pm) local time. In law, the Kurdish
population should then revert to normal regulations, after have been under
special regimes since 26 April 1979 ­ that is 8 years under state of siege
and 15 years of  State of Emergency. On the spot, however, the two
provinces are now declared "mucavir il" (peripheral provinces) and the
State of Emergency Super-Prefecture will still have authority for another
four months on matters of security.

The Turkish authorities attribute to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) the
murder of 21 primary school teachers and the setting on fire of 35 village
schools and stress that teaching has not been restored to the closed
schools, even since 1999.
 
Moreover, according to official data, Tunceli Province saw the forced
evacuation of 151 villages and 800 hamlets by the Turkish forces. During
the exceptional regimes a food embargo, organised by Prefectoral decree,
was imposed on the region. All food-stuffs, in particular flour, were
rationed by the local police stations, and all travelling was organised in
convoys. This system was only lifted in 1999.  Till now, a young person of
24 in Tunceli or Hakkari will never have known anything other than such a
special regime.

Can Dundar, a journalist on the Turkish daily Milliyet, wrote on 1 August
in its columns: "Last year I was told: a child of 8 years old who came
originally from Hakkari, brought to Ankara for medical reasons asked his
father in astonishment : "Where are the tanks, dad?"    A young teacher fom
Izmir teaching in Hakkari, also told that "here the children cannot
organise a game in recreation time   They have grow up under laws that ban
all meetings ­ so in fact they don't play in groups". Umut, a young man who
grew up without ever knowing what it is to live under an "ordinary" regime,
explained, with irritation that the authorities had not even authorised
celebrations for high school graduation  "

Still about Hakkari, the journalist added that "there is not a single
specialist doctor in the town ­ the inhabitants badly need an
ophthalmologist or an ear, nose and throat specialist. There is neither a
cinema nor a theatre   The town's only bookshop was closed a last year. The
municipality is on the edge of bankruptcy   Because of debts contracted in
previous years, 80% of its revenues are automatically sent off to repay
them. For the last 13 months the local civil servants have not been paid
One example of the relations between the State and the municipality: last
year the President went to Hakkari. The HADEP  mayor, Huseyin Umit, wanted
to welcome him. Invited by the Prefect, he went to an Army unit, where the
presidential plane should have landed. A lieutenant showed him the door,
saying he couldn't enter".
 

"Hakkari, despite the ambient poverty, hoped a great deal from the ending
of the State of Emergency. Despite the inscription on the mountain at the
entrance to the town "One people, one language", he is still waiting for a
decision from Ankara on teaching and broadcasting in the mother tongue
(Kurdish) " concluded Can Dundar.
 
 

· 5 MONTHS JAIL FOR PUBLISHER OF TURKISH EDITION OF JON RANDAL BOOK
On 31 July, the Istanbul State Security Court (DGM) sentenced the publisher Abdullah Keskin,
director of the AVESTA publishing house, to 5 months jail, commuted to a fine of 830,466,000
Turkish Lire for publishing Jonathan Randal's book "After such knowledge,
what forgiveness? ­ My with Kurdistan".  The Court considered that the book
was "aimed against the indivisible unity of the Turkish nation and State" by using the term Kurdistan.

The book in question has already been published in several languages ­
Persian, Kurdish, English, and Arabic. The former Washington Post war
correspondent, recognised for his professionalism and called as a witness
by the International Criminal Court for ex-Yugoslavia, has thus been incriminated by Turkish law.