Increasing nationalism in Turkey

[tabe at big.ozgurluk.xs4all.nl]

29 November, 1998, Turkish Probe issue 307

The Rise of the Nationalistic Wave 

     Racism: The events of the last week or so are racist in
nature. The ultranationalists have been allowed to implement their
racist ideology behind the cover of respectable parents of those who
lost their lives at a very young age during armed clashes in the
Southeast.
     These events are showing a tendency of becoming a campaign that
targets all Kurds Looking backward: The timing of the latest
developments that have had a direct impact on domestic policy,
somewhat coinciding with the recent flirting of the
'newly-nationalist' Motherland Party with the True Path Party, a party
known for its harsh approach to the Kurdish issue
     New face: Leaving behind the archaic communist or the 'terrorist
organization from the Middle East' image, through the dropping of the
Leninist party model and the elimination of the hammer and sickle
insignia from its flag, the PKK has made the impression that its
approach to social democracy is not any different to that of an
average social democrat in Europe
     Ineptitude: Military success achieved against the PKK is being
neutralized by inefficiency perpetually demonstrated by civilian
governments. The doors closed upon the Kurdish problem in Turkey are
being opened abroad by others Failures: By following their familiar
pattern of a counterproductive approach towards the Kurdish problem,
the civilian authorities have again displayed incompetence in their
pursuit for Ocalan's extradition to Turkey
     The ugly right: It has been observed that the police and the
ultranationalists have jointly raided HADEP buildings and beat those
inside. In some districts of Istanbul, the ultranationalist groups
have asked people for their ID's and then rough up those of Kurdish
origin

MUSTAFA ERDOGAN 

Ankara - Turkish Daily News 

The process that started with Italy providing support to Abdullah
Ocalan (Apo) has created an environment in which the military success
achieved against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) is being
transformed into a fiasco by the civilians. Rather than conducting
sensible policies and trying to seek a solution, the ruling Motherland
Party (ANAP) is displaying an inclination to escalate the political
tension through the actions demonstrated by the prime minister who
applied an embargo against Italy and has got involved in activities
that promote instability.  The announcements made with emotional
instincts, without a least bit of common sense, have led to physical
aggression against the Kurdish institutions, with primary target being
the pro-Kurdish People's Democracy Party (HADEP). ANAP suddenly
changed its stance at its recent party congress, which coincided with
current developments, and declared itself as the party of the
nationalist Turkey as opposed to its previous "leftist liberal" party
program decided upon at earlier congresses. In summary, as a
countermeasure against the spotlight being focused on this historic
dispute with Italy, which has placed Turkey in a difficult position, a
domestic crackdown on pro-Kurdish groups has been organized to attract
attention to the internal politics.

With Ocalan's appearance in Italy, the agenda in Turkey has become
extremely complex. By following their familiar pattern of a
counterproductive approach towards the Kurdish problem, the civilian
authorities have again displayed an inability in their pursuit for
Ocalan's extradition to Turkey. The government authorities have
transformed the issue into a crisis with Italy and are now just
observing the progress of their dangerous campaign, with people on the
streets escalating political tension by burning Italian flags,
trampling on Italian fruit and vegetables and dropping blood on
spaghetti. What makes the situation even worse is the fact that, other
than a few sensible journalists, no one seems to be bothered with this
development.

The diplomacy pursued for many years by some sub-organizations of the
PKK and the issues brought forward by many international organizations
that have influence over Turkey, particularly the European Union (EU)
paying more attention to the Kurdish problem than to Turkey itself,
has long given the signal that the PKK was trying to turn itself into
a political rather than terrorist organization. Since 1995, with
support from other Kurdish organizations, the PKK has openly declared
that it would abandon terrorism and initiate a politicization process.

This new attitude naturally attracted a great deal of attention from
the leftist social-democrat wave sweeping over Europe. Leaving behind
the archaic communist or the "terrorist organization from the Middle
East" image, through the dropping of the Leninist party model and the
elimination of the hammer and sickle insignia from its flag, the PKK
has made the impression that its approach to social democracy is not
any different to that of an average social democrat in Europe. As a
result of this development, countries such as Greece, Syria, Armenia
and Russia, countries that all have historical problems with Turkey,
as well as Italy, which has no problems with Turkey and moreover
wishes Turkey to become a member of the EU, have all provided support
to the PKK.

A domestic attitude to external problems 

It seems that Italy's volunteering to provide support for the Kurds
and subsequently receiving support from the Socialist International
resulted in Turkey adopting dangerous foreign policy
preferences. Degeneration of ties with the European Union, due to the
attitude displayed by the ruling Motherleft-D minority coalition,
coupled with the recently developing events, has probably been
detrimental for those who want Turkey to become an EU member. The
timing of these aforementioned developments, developments that have
had a direct impact on domestic policy, somewhat coincides with the
recent flirting of the "newly-nationalist" ANAP and the True Path
Party (DYP), a party known for its harsh approach to the Kurdish
issue. In other words, Turkey will try to find a solution to these new
and very significant problems with two old and previously used
political programs. At this critical point, it is to our advantage to
compare the domestic reaction displayed by ANAP, the party of
nationalist Turkey, against the recent crisis with Italy.

After numerous statements aimed at Italy, it is obvious that Prime
Minister Mesut Yilmaz has been gradually increasing the harsh tone of
his speech towards that country. Yilmaz is developing a new style of
protest by loudly sounding the horn of his official vehicle while
passing by the Italian Embassy and, furthermore, by including threats
in his speeches aimed at Italy. This attitude displayed by the prime
minister has obviously motivated people as well.  The protest rallies
often broadcast on all TV stations indicate a trend of expansion.
Relatives of those who died in the line of duty, those who lost their
children during the armed struggles in the Southeast, are organizing
protest rallies and calling for Apo to be extradited to Turkey, laying
black wreaths at embassies, boycotting Italian products, burning Apo
effigies and Italian flags. This resentment is developing into
aggression against HADEP facilities. HADEP offices are being raided by
police and subsequently by ultranationalist organizations. It is
observed that sometimes the police and the ultranationalists jointly
raid the party buildings and beat those resident. In some districts of
Istanbul, the ultranationalist groups have asked people for their ID's
and then rough up those of Kurdish origin.

Police squads who raided HADEP offices have arrested hundreds of HADEP
members and administrators for going on a hunger strike. Hamit Cakir
in Diyarbakir and Metin Yurtsever in Kocaeli have lost their lives
under police detention. While it is claimed by the security
representatives that these people died of heart failure, HADEP
administrators have alleged that both have died as a result of torment
and torture. It have been further stated that four HADEP
administrators are currently being treated for serious injuries that
occurred while they were in detention.

The offices of Ulkede Gundem newspaper, which was recently closed by a
court order and the Kurdish-language Azadiya Welad newspaper have also
been raided and many journalists working for these newspapers have
been taken into custody. A number of journalists with official press
cards who work for Ulkede Gundem were kept in custody for several
days. A number of them were later released but others were formally
charged.

Press release by Bozlak 

In reality, the crackdown began with a press statement released by
HADEP Chairman Murat Bozlak that was released the day following
Ocalan's appearance in Italy. Bozlak said that Ocalan's appearance in
Italy was a great opportunity and called on the Turkish authorities to
carefully evaluate the peaceful solution proposed by the Italian
government. This announcement was followed by a number of unscheduled
meetings in Istanbul supporting Ocalan that were disrupted by the
security forces. A number of the demonstrators were roughed up by
ultranationalist groups and it was the police who saved them from
being lynched. These demonstrations were followed by a series of
hunger strikes in support of Ocalan, which were staged in many HADEP
offices, particularly in Diyarbakir. At that point, it was announced
that Ocalan had been released from custody and moved into a
villa. Subsequently, many HADEP facilities, including the Ankara
headquarters, 50 city offices, 460 branch offices located in the
townships, and 500 regional offices were all raided and approximately
700 HADEP representatives, including Murat Bozlak and Deputy Chairman
Bahattin Gunel, were taken into custody. During these arrests, HADEP
representatives were beaten up by some ultranationalist groups that
entered the facilities with the police. State Security Court (DGM)
prosecutors brought charges against Bozlak and called for him to be
sentenced to 22.5 years in prison in accordance with article 168/1 of
the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) for being a member of an illegal
organization i.e. the PKK.

In summary, the events of the last week or so are racist in
nature. The ultranationalists have been allowed to implement their
racist ideology behind the cover of respectable parents of those who
lost their lives at a very young age during armed clashes in the
Southeast. These events are showing a tendency of becoming a campaign
that targets all Kurds.

Similar behaviour was demonstrated during 1994. The hatred against the
PKK was directed to the Democracy Party (DEP) deputies who were
legally participating in politics. The augmented nationalistic wave
resulted in the DEP deputies being sent to jail. The door which was
closed upon the Kurdish problem by Turkey has been opened in a
different country by different people under different circumstances.

-- 
Press Agency Ozgurluk
For justice, democracy and human rights in Turkey and Kurdistan!
Website: http://www.ozgurluk.org                          
mailto:ozgurluk at xs4all.nl / mailinglists: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl
List info: english-request at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl