Turkish
Media Ramps Up
Anti-Kurdish Attacks
By Martin Zehr
06 June, 2007
Countercurrents.org
As
the sectarian warlords seek to undermine governments around the region,
the Turkish media and the military in Turkey seek to escalate the level
of criticisms leveled on the Kurdish Regional Government. It is seeking
to define the Kurdish liberation movement as equal to the political
Islamist terrorists, like al-Qaeda. It has sought to define the PKK
as a terrorist group, rather then a national liberation struggle with
broad-based popular support. In spite of the accusations of PKK involvement
in the recent bombing in Ankara the PKK leadership has denied any involvement.
http://www.kurdishaspect.com/doc052407G.html
Even initial reports in the New Anatolian, could not establish any
link between the bomber of the shopping mall and the PKK. The article
stated: "Asked whether Akkus, the suicide bomber, was a member
of any organization, Onal said that they could not find out such a link
and it was not clear if Akkus was affiliated with the PKK."
http://www.thenewanatolian.com/tna-26627.html
Beyond attacks on the PKK
in Turkey, the Turkish media is trying to discredit the Kurdish Regional
Government, so it can justify military operations against the people
and the nation of southern Kurdistan. The media, such as the Turkish
Daily News http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=73860
seek to deny the legitimacy of the Kurdish Regional Government to justify
military operations into Kurdish Autonomous Region. Such actions would
constitute a violation of Turkish-Iraqi borders and would be an escalation
of Turkish military operations against Kurdish peoples.
Those media outlets that
are not following along with the program, such as ROJ TV, the Kurdish
Satellite Channel, have recently been exonerated by the Media Secretariat
of Denmark. In a statement, ROJ TV stated: "We welcome the decision
of the Media Secretariat of Denmark dated May 4, 2007. This decision
shows that the complaints filed by the various Turkish organizations
are untrue and unfounded. ROJ TV has not been found to have violated
the rules and guidelines of broadcasting. "However, it is quite
unfortunate that, despite being unsuccessful, such attempts cripple
the already fragile democracy in Turkey. The Kurdish Satellite Channel
is not the cause of the Kurdish question in Turkey, Iran or Syria. Therefore,
the Kurdish question can not be resolved, made to go away, disguised
or denied by attacking the only television station that voices the reality
of the Kurdish people in these countries.
"The trial of the 54
Kurdish mayors for writing a letter to the Prime Minister Anders Fogh
Rasmussen so that ROJ TV is not closed down continues in Diyarbakir.
This letter has outraged the Turkish state and government and all 54
Mayors are being charged with being members of a terrorist organization
and 7.5 to 15 years of imprisonment is claimed. This alone is an example
that law in Turkey is unfortunately being oriented through political
motives."
http://www.roj.tv/index/Press/pressrelease100507.pdf
This issue is deserving of
a mass and popular support of recognition for the Kurdish nation and
peoples. One thing not needed right now is another invasion and a new
Turkish-Kurdish military conflict. People in the United States should
particularly send letters to their Congressional delegation and support
the withholding of any military aid to Turkey until it withdraws its
troops from the border region and engages the KRG in direct negotiations.
The Turkish government should be pressured to drop the charges against
the 54 Kurdish Mayors. Other stories in Turkish press have sought to
create an illusion that there is no unity among Kurdish peoples for
national independence and that the KRG is seeking to turn over members
of the PKK to the Turkish military. In the New Anatolian, it was alleged
that Abdullah Ocalan, founder of the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) had
renounced the matter of a unified Kurdistan: In this article Selim Sadak
a former Kurdish Deputy imprisoned for 10 years in 1994 after being
kicked out of Parliament by the Turkish government by the Turkish government
in 1991 was purported to have stated: "He [Ocalan] has given up
the idea of a united Kurdistan. This is a brave move. If anyone else
agreed to his the people would not have listened to them. But they agreed
to Ocalan." http://www.thenewanatolian.com/tna-26403.html
It should be positively noted
that the Journal of Turkish Weekly DID have an article regarding the
rally of public concern in France. It noted: "Several thousand
people protested in the French city of Strasbourg on Saturday against
the alleged poisoning of the imprisoned Abdullah Öcalan, leader
of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), by Turkish authorities,
demanding that Ocalan be examined by independent doctors." The
rally was organised by the PKK." http://www.turkishweekly.net/news.php?id=45043
The New Anatolian article
did go on to quote Sadak regarding the Turkish government punitive actions
action legitimate Kurdish political representatives within Turkey: "He
said the attitude of the authorities are pushing the country towards
polarization. He said while the deputies in Parliament could not agree
on many constitutional amendments they managed to bring together 430
votes when it came to approving a constitutional amendment which was
designed to block the election of Kurdish independent deputies. "The
authorities are still debating whether the former Kurdish deputies who
served prison entences can run for the parliament. There are no legal
obstacles but they are trying to create hurdles. These are double standards,"
"Sadak stressed that the laws are not applied to everyone equally.
"Look at the case of the Cizre mayor (of Kurdish origin) who is
in prison awaiting trial on charges that may bring him a two year jail
term form making a speech. This man came to office winning 67 percent
of the votes. They put him in jail, pending his trial which will take
place today in Diyarbakir.
Then there is the former
Minister Koray Aydin who is at court facing a 146 year jail term but
he has not been put in prison pending his trial. Is this equality?"
http://www.thenewanatolian.com/tna-26403.html
There are many things that
are not clear. One thing is clear, and that is that statements from
the Turkish media have their own agenda. Statements made by the KRG
should be referred to in order to confirm or deny such stories officially.
There continues to be an expression of a wide variety of views on Kurdish
ezines. This is also important in the conversation, so that open input
remains a fundamental principle. Likewise, there need be no panic regarding
the contents of various articles until they are confirmed. It is becoming
clearer every day that the intent of such rumors and stories is to undermine
the unity that exists in all of Kurdistan today. People referring to
KurdishAspect.com will benefit from their timely reports made daily.
It continues to demonstrate responsible journalism and the highest caliber
of integrity in behalf of the Kurdish people and nation.
Martin Zehr is an American political writer whose articles
on the Kurds have been published by the Kurdish
Regional Government, Kurdish
Aspect Kurdishmedia.com,
and Conservative
Voice
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