Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris

REVUE DE PRESSE-PRESS REVIEW-BERHEVOKA ÇAPÊ-RrvrsTA ST-\\fr".OENTRO nE LA PRENSA-BASlN ÖZET;
restored --even on a temporary basis-- in
March.
"The PKK may declareanother unilateral
. ceasefire," he explains. "It may.not say i~as
openly, but it could put a tr~ce mto. pracl1ce,
ceasing its allac~s for a Specl~C reno~. Aud,
if Turkey gives signs of ch~ng.mg ItS views ~n
the Kurdish problem, the mCldents here will
come to an end and free elections can be
held."
Some argue this is wishfulthinking and that
the state should take aH possible measures to
insure the safety of the ballot boxes and
ballots. Others claim that the DEP, seen by
hard-liner Turks au PKK "front" cannot be
trusted.
What is dear, however, is that from
whatever party they ~e, e~eryone is in fav~ur
of holding local electIOns m March and ttlkmg'
the risks. "These risks are worth taking ..:for
the continuation of democracy," Seydoglu
says.
Party leaders here believe that postponing
the elections will close any existing chances of
democracy for the people. "If the conditions
are paved for the people to vote without fear,
and in peace,"says SHP's Kahraman,
ballot boxes will reflect the true political
"the
will
of the people." ,
What Kahraman says is probably true. But it
is also an indirect reference to Ankara's
unpronounced concern. Rather than the
possibility of PKK militants going away with
ballot boxes or attacking. them, Turkey fears
what the "true political will" of the Southeast
people might turn out to be.
"It does not matter who the people will vote
for. I don't say they should vote for the DYP.
They will know which candidate is bes! for
them," Ensarioglu says. He bluntly adds that
as long as Turkey insists on seeking military
solutions to the problem, the winners of the
elections will be the same.
"The PKK will not interfere by saying 'vote
for this or that candidate.' The people will be
the determining factor. Because of this, I don't
think it [the PKK] will be againstthe will of
the people," says Ylldlz.
"In other words, if the p'eople see someone
fit for the seat, the PKK will respectthis."
ANAP's' Seydoglu also offers a meaningful
argument: "The greatest values of our people,
to live, speak and to express their free will,
and'reflecttheseto the ballot boxes must be
'realized.'"
Both the people on the street and their
politicalleaders believe the military policies
put into effect until now have only deepened
the, crisis and are leading to a vicious CIrcles.
Here; no one wants to hear of Martial Law
which, even according to the ruling party's
local chairman, "is only a change of reference
to the existing system.'
There appears to be a consensus between all
parties that, let alone the issue imposing
Martial Law, even the current State of
Emergency should be lifted and a rapid
democratization based on restoring human
rights and freedoms should begin.
"The people want rights. This is their
priority," Ensarioglu explains.
There is also fear that coming six days after
the March 21 celebrations for the Kurdish new
year of Nevroz, March could be a month of
Immense violence despite all the hopes for a
peaceful election.
If, for instance, the PKK fails to halt its
armed campaign, the blood shed of Nevroz
could spill over to the elections" creating the
circumstances for Martial Law as well. "What
will happen now?" is perhaps the most heard
question in this region where everyone,
including security personnel, is frustrated at
Ankara's failure to draw up concrete policies
with regard to the problem.
But no one has an answer, Can the elections
really be held and will the ballots reflect the
free will of the people? More important, what
will happen if the elections are postponed?
With thesequestions raised, about six months
in advance of the crucial poll, Diyarbaklr's
parties reflect the blood pressure of the whole
region.
Despite everything, will the ballots reflect
the true choice of the pearle? Moreover, if
they. do, but if the PKK supported
candidates" still win the elections, what will
Ankara do? Here in the troubled region, and
especially in rural areas, local elections are
more an expression of political willthan the
determining of mayoral executives. Neither
the parties nor their politics matter. What
matters are the candidates and how much trust
the people can place on them ...
--------------------- ...- ..-------- -----------------
Ankara debatesSpanish
• Çiller expected to
meet tough resistance
from system
PM discovers the Basque reality
When
Professor Tansuçil/er. the prime
minister of Turkey.met with her
Spanish counterpart Felipe Gonzalez
and found out how Spain overcame its
own separatist problem she was gripped
by euphoria and decided this was what
we needed in Turkeyto cope with the Kurdish militants.
Turkish Daily News
ANKARA. Prime Minister Tansu
Çiller and President Süleyman
Demirelthis week fell at odds over
suggested, solutions for the country's
age-old Kurdish problem
with Demirel closing all doors on
any alternative to military poliCies
currently underway. Days after Çil-
1er suggested that Turkey should sembling what the Spanis"h did
review the Spanish Basque model when faced with Basque terrorism.
to splve its own separatist problem, Gonzales had reportedly exPlaithe
president said in an interview ned Spain's threefold campaign on
that Turkey would continue figh- the Basque issue, which was su m-
ting the outlawed Kurdistan Wor- . marized as agreeing with neighbokers'
Party (PKK) without changing ring Syria, Iran, Iraq and Armenia
style in any way. "There is no se- to pre vent the PKK from using thecond
solution but the form of ir territory (as Spain had done with
struggle put into practice today," he France), reaching a consensus betsaid,
clearly referring to theongo- ween all parties in Parliamentto taing
military campaign in the troub- ke a joint and concrete stance agaled
southeast. and eastern regions. inst terrorism, and to gi ve more
Çil.ler I~st ~eek told Turkish jo- authority to local administraliol1s --
urnahSl$Jm Vienna after a meetmg if need be differing between regiwith
her Spanish counterpart Felipe ons. ,
Gonzales that she was in favor of To put such a plan to practice,
debating administrative changes re- ' Turkey would not only have to se~
cure full and sincere cooperation
with its neighbors, but also take simultaneous
steps to restore Kurdish
rights and freedom. This means lifting
all bans on Kurdish culture, allowing
them to learn in their own
language, have radio and television
rights, and be acknowledged as a
separate culture.
, Demirel's reaction, say parliamentary
sources, is actually what a
majority in the ruling True Path
Party (DYP) believes and is the
first obstacle Çiller faces.
The Prime Minister was due to
attend a crucial summit meeting of
state and military officials on Monday
evening' where she was
expected to hear further reaction.
In the words of Demirel, the situation
in theSoutheast is completely
model for
Kurdish
• •
crisIs
different from the situation in :Spail~.
"To approach the issue açcordmg
to a Basque model is a waste
of tIme and would only Irean dampening
the struggle. There is no other
way but to take the gunout of
the hands of armed men In the mou.ntains,"
Demir~1 said .. He emph,!-
s,lzed t~a.t.a solutIOn against separatist
activitIes lay only m the success
of the country's security forces. "
Turkey currently has around
180,000 security personnel, ,thousands
of heavy artiHery and.armo~
red vehicles, as well as dozens of
helicopters and warplanes in the troubled
region. According to Chief 01
Staff 2nd commander Gen. Ahme!
Çörekçi, the PKK has around
j75,000 sympathizers. But the
organization also has I0,000 fighter~
and an alleged 60,ooo-strong militia
force. About7,300 people have been
killed in the past nine years since the
50