Turkey: Contra-Guerrilla Update

[english at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl]

From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>

Aug. 16 1997:

           Agar and Bucak's immunity files to be debated again
                                       
     * Joint Constitution and Justice Commission Chairman Iyimaya said
       the Office of the Parliament Speaker had no right to ban a
       commission meeting
       
     _________________________________________________________________
                                      
   Turkish Daily News
   
   Ankara - It appears that the controversial files requesting the
   removal of parliamentary immunity of two deputies allegedly involved
   in the state-mafia links will be debated again. The Parliament's
   deputy speaker, Uluc Gurkan has cancelled Thursday's meeting of the
   joint parliamentary commission on the constitution and justice, which
   rejected the lifting of immunities of True Path Party (DYP) deputies,
   Sedat Bucak and Mehmet Agar.
   
   Both Bucak and Agar were involved in the controversial Susurluk car
   accident last November, revealing alleged state-mafia links.
   
   Gurkan said the joint commission convened at the time while Parliament
   was sitting was not authorized by the parliament speaker. The
   commission, the majority of which was made up of opposition deputies,
   turned down the proposals to remove the immunities of Bucak and Agar.
   
   The commission's decision sparked objections by government deputies.
   Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, supporting Gurkan's decision to
   cancel the meeting, said it was the wrong timing for the joint
   commission to convene while Parliament was sitting.
   
   Gurkay's decision sparked objections by the commission's chairman,
   Ahmet Iyimaya, a DYP member. He said the Office of the Parliament
   Speaker had no right to ban a commission meeting. He said, he would
   apply for the annulment of Gurkan's decision.
   
   Ecevit, responding to questions about why the members from his
   Democratic Left Party (DSP) did not attend the commission meeting,
   declared: "Our fellow partymen were not informed that the commission
   meeting was going to take place then."
   
   Opposition Republican People's Party Secretary General Adnan Keskin
   also criticized the joint commission's decision. "This is completely
   challenging the popular will," Keskin said.
   
   Keskin was speaking at a press conference on Friday. He also lashed
   out at the members from the governing parties for not attending the
   commission meeting. "It has been revealed that some of those who work
   for the state, set up gangs and abuse the laws," Keskin said. He added
   that the current government was established to wipe out the gangs
   within the state, but has failed to fulfill its promise.

-- 
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