TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 112/13 18/06/13
1.
EU has no respect for democracy, says Turkish PM Erdogan
2.
Reactions by EU leaders on Erdogan’s criticism over Gezi Park protests
3.
AKP to continue holding rallies this week
4.
Trade Unions call strike in support of Gezi Park protests; Minister warns
workers of “consequences of illegal strikes”
5.
Arinc said Turkey could use army if needed; later he retracted his statement
6.
“Standing man” protest; Police detained protesters and raid homes
7.
Government working on draft to restrict social media in Turkey
8.
Commentaries on Gezi Park protests
9.
Kurdish conference ends with list of demands from government
10.
Turkish Cypriot trade unions express support to protestors in Turkey
11.
Efforts to promote halloumi cheese abroad continue
12.
Siber reads her “interim government’s” program at the “assembly”
13.
Developments within the Turkish Cypriot political parties prior to the “elections”
14.
The regime launches a campaign to paint its flag on occupied Pentadaktylos
Mountains
1.
EU has no respect for democracy, says Turkish PM Erdogan
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News
(online, 17.06.13) with the above title reported that Turkey and the EU have
‘different opinions on freedom’ and the EU ‘does not respect democracy,’ says
PM Erdoğan, as international pressure on Ankara grows regarding the police
crackdown on protesters.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
continued his harshly-worded criticisms against the European Union yesterday,
accusing Brussels of being "undemocratic" in his latest reaction
against the recent European Parliament resolution critical against of the
government's handling of the ongoing protests.
“Do you have the right to take such a
decision [on Turkey]? You stay silent about what’s happening in France, in England
and elsewhere in Europe, and you dare to take a decision on our security
forces, who are exercising their duty of law enforcement against those
demonstrators. You are anti-democratic,” Erdoğan said at a meeting in Ankara on
Monday.
“You [EU] do not respect democracy. Your
definition of freedom is different. You support those who attack the freedom of
others,” he added.
Describing the activities of the Gezi
Park activists as an attempt to restrict the freedom of him and others, Erdoğan
repeated his attack on the European Parliament by saying he did not
"recognize" it. “I do not recognize this Parliament of the European
Union,” he said.
The prime minister sharpened his tone
against the EU and European countries in two mass rallies he held over the weekend,
accusing some "world powers" of being partners of "internal
plotters" aiming to weaken his government. He said he did not recognize
the decision of the European Parliament last week, but on Monday he took it
further by saying that he no longer recognized the entire European Parliament.
Almost all the heavyweights of the EU
issued criticism of the Turkish government with calls to respect the right to
freedom of assembly and the right to freedom of expression, and calls to end
the police's excessive use of force against peaceful activists. The response
from Turkish officials was harsh and also included counter-accusations of these
countries’ and their international media of provoking demonstrations through
misinformation and distortion.
Giving examples of how the international
media was playing its role in a "defamation" campaign against the
government, Erdoğan again took aim at CNN International. “CNN’s [International]
subtitle described our rally [on Sunday] as a demonstration against the
government. But it deleted this one or two hours later without feeling ashamed.
There were more than one million people there. They have all been gathered
there to stand against anti-democratic demonstrations,” he said.
Erdoğan also categorized this campaign
against his government as directly targeting Turkey’s growing economy and
"improving democracy."
2.
Reactions by EU leaders on Erdogan’s criticism over Gezi Park protests
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (online,
17.06.13), under the title “Erdoğan, EU leaders exchange criticism over Taksim
protests”, reported that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan lashed out once
again at the European Parliament on Monday, saying he does not recognize the EU
body, as criticism from Europe flooded in over the way he handled the three-week
protests against his government.
According to the paper, German
Chancellor Angela Merkel and some leading members of the European Parliament
criticized the Prime Minister's response to the protests.
Merkel
said on Monday she was shocked at Turkey's tough response to anti-government
protests but stopped short of demanding that the European Union call off
accession talks with the candidate country.
"I'm appalled, like many
others," Merkel said of Turkey's handling of two weeks of unrest that began
over a redevelopment project in Istanbul's Gezi Park but has grown into a
broader protest against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his government.
"I would like to see those who have
criticism, who have a different opinion and a different idea of society, having
some space in a Turkey that moves into the 21st century," Merkel told
German broadcaster RTL.
Asked whether Ankara's response to the
protests was in line with the way an EU accession candidate should act, Merkel
said, "What's happening in Turkey at the moment is not in line with our
idea of the freedom to demonstrate or freedom of speech.
"They are terrible images. ... I
can only hope that the problems will be solved peacefully," she was
reported as saying by Reuters in the televised interview, which was due to be
aired later on Monday.
On Monday, the European politicians
continued to point criticism at the Turkish government over the handling of the
protests. Hannes Swoboda, the
President of the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament,
slammed Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for refusing to recognize the
European Parliament resolution on the Turkey protests and said that Erdoğan's
remarks could only mean that he does not want to become a member of the
European Union.
"Mr. Erdoğan has said he refuses to
recognize the European Parliament and he refuses to recognize those who protest
against him, his government and his policies. Ignoring the European Parliament
can only mean he does not want Turkey to become a member of the European
Union,” a statement issued by Swoboda's office said on Monday.
The European Parliament resolution
received a lot of criticism from the Turkish authorities who described it as
unacceptable and one-sided.
The Socialist Parliamentarian also condemned
the Turkish government for a new round of clashes with protesters at Istanbul's
Gezi Park on Saturday night where the protesters were dismantled and chased
away with tear gas and water cannons. “Again we ask him [Erdoğan] to act as a
statesman and not just as a party political leader," said the statement.
"Ignoring the voices of his people
means that he is failing as a head of government. It should be his job to bring
people together and not to divide them further,” the statement added.
Andrew
Duff, a British politician and a senior member of
the European Parliament, urged leaders at the G-8 summit taking place in
Northern Ireland to make a clear statement on the “escalating crisis in
Turkey.”
In a statement, Duff said he wrote to
G-8 leaders and told them not to miss the opportunity of their meeting to
condemn the provocative stance adapted by Erdoğan.
Underlining the European Parliament
resolution, Duff said the bloc has every right to comment on a democratic
crisis in a country that is trying to join the EU. The statement asked the
summit leaders to call on Erdoğan's government to “scrap the Gezi Park
development and promise to improve urban planning laws in a democratic
direction.”
Besides, the statement asked the
protesters to stay away from the violence.
Another European official who called
Turkish officials to be more careful with police intervention was Thorbjørn Jagland, secretary general of
the Council of Europe. “Authorities have to take appropriate measures with
regard to demonstrations in order to ensure their peaceful conduct and the
safety of all citizens,” he said in a statement and called for proportionate
police intervention.
The statement branded the use of tear
gas in confined places, including hospitals as unnecessary and
disproportionate.
“I believe it is important to recall the
legally binding standards set by the European Convention on Human Rights
regarding the freedom of assembly -- and its limits,” it added.
In the meantime, Elmar Brok (EPP, DE), chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs,
issued the following statement today on the postponement of the committee
delegation visit to Turkey, scheduled to take place on 19 and 20 June:
"In the face of the declarations
made by representatives of the government of Turkey the committee has decided
to postpone its visit. I regret this. Turkey is and remains an important
partner for the EU but should understand how to deal with criticism. We will
pursue contacts with our counterparts in Turkey to re-establish a constructive
dialogue with them."
Moreover, Ankara Anatolia news agency
(17.06.13) reported that Turkish Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek has spoken on
the phone with the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz about
EP's recent resolution concerning Taksim protests.
Cicek restated EP's decision on Taksim
protests was not fair and thus not accepted by Turkey.
3.
AKP to continue holding rallies this week
According to Ankara Anatolia news agency
(17.06.13), Turkish Prime Minister and the Justice and Development Party (AKP)
leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan will continue the "Respect to National
Will" campaign rallies this week.
The rallies under the theme of
"Let's spoil the big game and write history" will continue in the big
cities of Anatolia as reaction to the Taksim Gezi Park protests.
The next rallies, where Erdogan will
speak to the people will take place in the central Anatolia province of Kayseri
on June 21, in the eastern province of Erzurum on June 22 and in the northern
province of Samsun on June 23.
4.
Trade Unions call strike in support of Gezi Park protests; Minister warns
workers of “consequences of illegal strikes”
According to Ankara Anadolia news agency
(17.06.13), a number of Turkish Unions and Union Confederations began a strike
Monday [17 June] to show their support for Taksim Gezi Park protests.
Among the unions were The Confederation
of Revolutionary Workers' Trade Unions (DISK),
Confederation of Public Workers' Unions (KESK), Union of Chambers of Turkish
Engineers and Architects (TMMOB), Turkish Doctors' Union (TTB), Turkish Dental
Association (TDB).
Demonstrators rallied at noon in the
Turkish capital of Ankara chanting slogans in support of the Taksim protests.
"Prime minister and the Government
should do what the Taksim Platform demands, if peace is expected," DISK chairman Kani Beko said, adding that they
would keep on the protests until their demands were agreed by the Government.
"There is an excessive use of force
by police in Turkey against legitimate requests," claimed Secretary
General of TTB Beyazid Ilhan criticising the police tactics in Taksim Gezi Park
protests to disperse protesters.
On the other hand, Confederation of
Unions of Civil Servants (MEMUR-SEN)
criticised the strike, saying the strike "only helps the international
pro-coup mind-set."
MEMUR-SEN
said in a statement that the Gezi Park protests turned into plot to overthrow
the government in undemocratic ways.
Stating that the protests all served for
"interest rate lobbies", MEMUR-SEN
said, "We agree with the legal strikes and actions of civil disobedience
of all the unions and non-profit organisations in Turkey. However, Taksim
protests have lost their legitimacy destroying our country in every field
including economy and tourism. We call for an end to the protests before they
do more harm to our country and people."
Furthermore, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily
News (online, 17.06.13), under the title “Turkish minister warns workers of
‘consequences of illegal strike’”, reports that workers joining a strike
declared by several unions and organizations against the police violence during
20 days of protests will face consequences, the Interior Minister has said.
“I request public servants not
participate in illegal actions,” Muammer Güler said while answering questions
from journalists in Ankara today. “Otherwise you will have to bear the
consequences,” he said.
The strike decision is illegal and no
one has the right to disturb daily life with such protests, Güler said.
5.
Arinc said Turkey could use army if needed; later he retracted his statement
Under the title “Army may step in to
stop protests if need be: Deputy PM Arınç”, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News
(online, 17.06.13) reports that Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç has given
almost unconditional support to the police, while affirming that
environmentalist protests have ended and the remaining protests will be
suppressed immediately by the police. He added that if the police do not
suffice, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK)
could take on the responsibility.
“What is required of us is to stop it if
there is a protest against the law. There is the police, if that's not enough
there's the gendarmerie, if that's not enough there is the TSK. These authorities exist in the laws,” Arınç
said today in a televised interview.
“They [the police] will use all the
authority given to them. Nobody should complain about the police,” Arınç said
in a live show on A Haber new channel, while claiming that those who criticize
the police are the ones who vandalize cities.
“Demonstrations have gone out of a Gezi
protest. They have gone out of being legal. These can continue on the streets,
in districts. They will be immediately suppressed and legal process will be
commenced about those responsible. I think the innocent demonstrations that
began 20 days ago have completely ended,” Arınç said, hinting at yet more
police intervention.
On the same issue, Ankara Anatolia news
agency (17.06.13) reports that Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc
strongly condemned Monday [17 June] BBC
over featuring a news story which he said was used in a misleading way.
Arinc sent a letter to BBC editor-in-chief concerning the matter.
“The interview that I gave to A Haber, a
news outlet based in Turkey, on Monday was taken out of context by the BBC and used misleadingly and at variance with its
intended meaning," said Arinc adding he expected that the story be
corrected.
In the letter, Arinc said "The BBC piece that featured bits from the interview
created the misperception that the Turkish government might use its army and
all its forces to suppress the protests."
Referring to the rights of the
government as per law, Arinc reminded the following:
"The AK Party would never consider
declaring a state of emergency or anything similar. We are in charge of
everything in Turkey. Our government keeps everything under control and exposes
the perpetrators of every lawless action, and holds them to account. Just
twelve days after establishing our first government, we ended a state of
emergency that had been going on for twenty years. We have neither the will nor
the intention to enforce it again. The powers that we are entitled with are
sufficient to settle such events. The obligations of our law enforcement
officers are clearly specified. When a societal event breaks out in a region,
our governors are responsible for restoring order and security. In such a case,
they deploy firstly police forces, then gendarmeries. If the incidents become
widespread, armed forces might be also called on the governor's order to
establish peace. This should not be misperceived. The powers that Law 5442
grants to governors are used to their full extent so that our governors can
maintain order."
Arinc stressed in the letter that he
specifically emphasized during the interview that the phrase "armed forces
might be also used on the governor's order to establish peace" should not
be misunderstood.
"I condemn this attitude which I
find exemplary of the BBC's biased
journalism," said Arinc, "in covering the Gezi Park protests since
the very beginning."
6.
“Standing man” protest; Police detained protesters and raid homes
Under the title “Turkish civil
disobedience protester detained briefly”, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News
(online, 18.06.13), reported that a man’s single act of defiance tonight turned
into a group of people’s silent struggle for the right to protest in Taksim
Square.
However, after almost six hours of
standing silently in Taksim Square he and the group that gathered were detained
by police, according to daily Hürriyet. Eyewitnesses said he was immediately
released after being held by police for a short period of time.
The "standing man" was
identified as performance artist Erdem Gündüz. The young man started standing
after police conducted a bag search. He then stood in the same place without
moving, staring at the flag of modern Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk,
which is hung on the Atatürk Culture Center (AKM), a scene of the struggle
between police and protesters over the last three weeks.
He was soon joined by a group of fellow
demonstrators, who all came to stand in silence beside him, staring in the same
direction.
News of the “standing man” began
spreading on social media shortly after the act of defiance began, and the
Twitter hashtag@duranadam (“standing man”) quickly became the world’s top
Twitter trending topic.
The various banners and flags hanging on
the AKM cultural center and the Atatürk statue were removed by police on June
11, and only two Turkish flags and an Atatürk poster remained on the AKM. The
standing man has his eyes fixed on the three remaining flags.
However, Turkish police at the scene
reportedly called on the crowd to disperse from the square, ominously echoing
warnings that preceded harsh interventions in demonstrations in the square
recently. They then intervened to detain the group that had gathered.
-------
Moreover, news portal World Bulletin
(17.06.13) reported that police detained 112 protesters including a Russian, a
French and an Iranian during Gezi Park demonstrations in captial Ankara and neighbouring
province of Eskisehir.
Early Monday morning, police intervened
in the Gezi Park demonstrations in Eskisehir's Yenibaglar neighbourhood and
detained 7 people including a French citizen.
Furthermore, Turkish daily Hurriyet
Daily News (online, 18.06.13) reported that anti-terror security teams detained
several people in raids at their homes in Istanbul and Ankara early today as
part of the Taksim Gezi Park protests.
The places raided as part of this
operation included Atılım Newspaper and Etkin News Agency in Istanbul, daily
Hürriyet reported. After the health checks, the detainees were sent to the
police department at Istanbul’s Vatan Street.
Meanwhile, the Peace and Democracy Party
(BDP) deputy Sırrı Süreyya Önder wrote on his Twitter account that around 70
people were detained early this morning including the Socialist Party of the
Oppressed (ESP) member Alp
Altınörs.
Separately, 193 people were detained in
Istanbul in total and 22 of them were accused of “organizing violent protests
and calling on people to attend illegal demonstrations.” These 22 people will
be interrogated for four days.
Police also raided 26 addresses in
Ankara, Doğan news agency reported. The agency said there were detention orders
regarding the demonstrations held in the capital to support the Gezi Park
protests, the report said.
7.
Government working on draft to restrict social media in Turkey
According to Turkish daily Hurriyet
Daily News (online, 18.06.13), the Turkish Government launched yesterday a
study to restrict social media, an attempt that has been inspired by the Gezi
protests that have spread across the country.
The Justice Ministry has started working
on a draft on crimes over the Internet, Ministry sources told the Hürriyet
Daily News yesterday. “International implementations regarding the issue are
being inspected,” the source said.
Yesterday’s remarks by Interior Minister
Muammer Güler also confirmed that social media websites are on the Government’s
radar, as the protesters who have been shaking the country for nearly 20 days
have widely used social media as a tool to organize demonstrations. The police
are making efforts on this issue, Güler told a group of journalists in Ankara,
noting that some people had been detained in Izmir because of their allegedly
provocative tweets during the protests.
“We have a study on those who provoke
the public via manipulations with false news and lead them to actions that
would threaten the security of life and property by using Twitter, Facebook or
other tools of the social media,” Güler said. “Still, we think that the issue needs
a separate regulation,” he said.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has
already taken a bold stance against Twitter, calling the micro-blogging site a
“troublemaker” on June 2.
Citizens cannot be permitted to conduct
a “witch hunt” over Twitter, President Abdullah Gül said June 7, according to
Turkish Bar Association head Metin Feyzioğlu, who met with the head of state
over the Gezi Park protests. “In this process, everyone needs to act
responsibly and with restraint. I will not allow a witch hunt over Twitter. I
will be following the judicial and executive investigation,” Gül said,
according to Feyzioğlu.
A state department working against
cybercrimes has already started to investigate some 5 million tweets about the
Gezi Park protests.
8.
Commentaries on Gezi Park protests
Columnist Utku Cakirozer, writing in
Turkish daily Cumhuriyet (17.06.13),
under the title “Phones calls from Washington, Could Syria be there real
reason?”, argues that there is a link between Gezi intervention and US decision
on Syria.
Cakirozer writes: “Most of us may not
have paid attention to the ‘simultaneous’ occurring of the US decision to give
arms support to the opposition with a more active policy on Syria and the AKP
[Justice and Development Party] government's initiatives to bring the Gezi Park
resistance to a halt at whatever cost.”
Columnist wonders why Erdogan did not
show a little more patience as the number of participants in the Gezi Park
would have been a lot reduced compared to the past weeks, and he gave the order
to intervene, by adding: “The park was evacuated with an intervention carried
out by an extremely merciless police force that took aim even at children. The
critical question here is: Why did Erdogan choose an emergency police
intervention instead of dissolving the Gezi resistance in due course since it
was already on the wane?
At this point we can return to the
Washington link we made at the beginning. We think Erdogan and his officials
knew in advance from the ‘very high-level contacts’ made with Washington that
Obama was going for a change in the policy on Syria. As this was a change that
Ankara had been wanting for a long time, they were conscious of their
obligation to give full support to the Obama administration.
After the US decision, news came to the
agenda that a ‘no-fly zone’ would be implemented in the south of Syria to be
controlled from the Jordanian border. Before long, there will be scenarios of a
similar practice put in place in the north from Turkey. The AKP government
needs public support to be able to respond to such demands.
It is because of this that Erdogan may
have concluded that the country's focus needed to shift at once from ‘the issue
over a few trees’ to the issue over Syria.”
Cakirozer concluded as following: “Who
can guarantee that the hundreds of thousands of people who put up a resistance
for two whole weeks to save a few trees without fear against the bullets,
batons, gas, and water cannons of the police, will not fill up the city squares
to prevent our country from participating in a bloody war in Syria that does
not have any legitimacy?”
On the same issue, columnist Barcin
Yinanc, writing in Turkish daily Hurriyet
Daily News (online, 18.06.13), argues that not only Erdogan gives credit to
conspiracy theories in Turkey, but also the older generations among the
protestors are very fond of them. She writes that at the beginning people
started talking about Washington’s decision to finally “scrap” Erdogan, adding
that “numerous statements coming from Washington criticizing the Turkish
government’s reaction to demonstrators and CNN international’s nonstop live
coverage of the police crackdown on Gezi on June 11 led some to conclude that
the United States would like to see Justice and Development Party (AKP) gone”.
However, she continues, “the new
conspiracy scenario voiced by some of the protestors is now completely in
contrast to the first one. Washington apparently wants to support Ankara
against the demonstrators. The fact that Washington decided to arm Syrian
rebels after stating that its red line about the use of chemical weapons had
been crossed, is intended to divert attention and the sudden lack of interest
from CNN international (indeed the news channel went mute on Saturday when
police entered Gezi park) was not a coincidence; according to some.”
Columnist Rusen Cakir, writing in
Turkish daily Vatan (17.06.13),
under the title “The victor on this path is considered the vanquished”, calls
on Erdogan to stop '”confrontational” language.
He considers that the state/government
is the loser at this fight, arguing that “the state thought it could easily
break a disorganized and spontaneous resistance using police, tear gas, water
cannons and arrests. It failed to
understand that the resistance drew its strength from this lack of
organization, and it failed to predict that after a certain point the fear
barrier could be overcome.”
Cakir writes that “Erdogan has made the
most critical mistakes of his political career at this time. First off, this time he not demonstrated the
cool-headedness and calmness that he had shown in so many other previous
incidents that were much more critical.
This being the case, he is trying to portray the Gezi resistance as one
of the biggest conspiracies ever to be staged against Turkey.”
He also argues that Erdogan holds
certain power centres both at home and abroad responsible for this conspiracy,
sometimes naming them and sometimes by implication. However, Cakir adds that “there is a serious
problem here. Most of the power centres
he mentions have been a kind of insurance for the AKP government for more than
10 years. For example, would the AKP
have been able to overcome the many obstacles before it in the past were it not
for the backing and the legitimacy provided by the international media and such
institutions as the EU and the European Parliament?”
Columnist writes that perhaps the AKP
leader thinks he no longer needs these forces as much as he used to.
Sedat Laciner, columnist in Turkish
daily Star (16.06.13), under the
title “Plans of chaos via Gezi Park”, argues that Gezi Park is preparation for
coup.
Laciner writes that Gezi Park turned
into a virtual magnet that attracts all anti-Erdogan elements, adding “It would
be wrong to attribute these to coincidences because the protests that were
staged after Gezi Park were the most organized and best planned demonstrations
I have ever seen”.
He considers that Turkey, especially in
foreign policy, has pushed the limits of its power too much and the Government
has miscalculated the effects of foreign policy on domestic politics.
“The incidents that were organized after
Gezi Park were clearly part of a project. Their goal was to create chaos in
Turkey and to portray Turkey as an ungovernable and undemocratic country. The
events are an obvious preparation for a coup. Recep Tayyip Erdogan is the
person in their crosshairs. An attempt has been made to start an Arab Spring in
Turkey and to create a dictator out of Erdogan”, Laciner writes.
Under the title “Will Erdogan benefit
from demonstrations?”, columnist Semih Idiz, writing in Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 18.06.13),
argues that Erdogan has enjoyed a support by many different groups and circles.
He was supported by liberals on his approach on the Cyprus problem in 2003, and
on his bold opening on the Kurdish issue.
In addition to these liberals also
admired Erdogan for putting a halt to military undemocratic interferences in
the political domain.
Idiz writes: “Put another way, the
overwhelming support Erdogan has been enjoying since the AKP came to power in
2002 was not based solely on his and his party’s Islamist identity. His
supporters included a diverse coalition comprising various interest groups that
were promoting genuine democracy and human rights, getting even with the
military for its past misdeeds, or merely hoping to line their pockets more in
the stable economic environment.
With such support behind him and a
massive mandate from the electorate Erdoğan, with proper governance, could have
truly etched a place for himself in the history books as one of the greatest
leaders Turkey has produced.”
Idiz continues: “Now it appears more and
more that it is the Islamist Erdogan who is up front and as such he has no
interest in making peace with the secular elite… this will make him a man of
the past and not of the future.” He concludes: “It is therefore a wide open
question as to whether those elements that supported him for reasons other than
his Islamism in the past will continue to do so in the future.”
9.
Kurdish conference ends with list of demands from government
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (online,
17.06.13) reports that a two-day conference in the city of Diyarbakır held June
15-16 has ended with a declaration listing the demands of Turkey's Kurds
including freedom for the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party's
(PKK), Abdullah Öcalan, and special autonomous status for Turkey's
Kurdish-dominated regions.
The conference, titled the “North
Kurdistan Unity and Solution Conference,” was reportedly organized by pro-PKK
groups as per the request of Abdullah Öcalan. The declaration that came out of
the conference will be shared with Öcalan, who is serving life on İmralı Island
in the Sea of Marmara, the PKK headquarters in Kandil, northern Iraq, the
United Nations and the European Union.
The declaration was read out loud by
Kurdish politician Aysel Tuğluk, who is an independent deputy representing Van,
and a co-chair of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) organization. The DTK,
the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) and the Participatory Democracy Party
(KADEP) also signed the declaration as well as many civil society
organizations.
The declaration stated that “The peoples
of Kurdistan have the right to determine their own status in the form of
autonomy, federation or independence.” It also said the conference participants
had agreed on principle that the right of “the peoples of Kurdistan” to
self-determination can only be exercised through the votes of the people of the
region. The declaration demanded freedom for Öcalan and also that the PKK be
taken off of Turkey's and other international organizations' list of terrorist
organizations.
The declaration also demanded the right
to education in the Kurdish language, and the recognition of Kurdish as an
official language in Turkey. The declaration also called on the creation of a
democratic constitution for Turkey. It also demanded affirmative action for the
region, calling on economic incentives and financial stimuli for the Kurdish
region. The declaration further demanded the release of “political prisoners,”
referring to arrestees and convicts who have been imprisoned as part the
investigation regarding the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), which Turkish
prosecutors say is the mother network of the terrorist PKK. It also called on
the state to undertake its responsibilities for finding the perpetrators of
state-sponsored killings in the region.
The declaration also demanded an end to
discrimination against women at all levels and an end to state policies
threatening the wellbeing of Turkey's Armenians, Syriacs, Arabs, Mihallemi,
Turkmen and other ethnic groups as well as religious groups such as Christians,
Jews, Muslims, Ezidi, Alevi and others. It also called for the convention of a
“national conference,” that would bring together Kurds of Iraq, Turkey and
other countries together.
10.
Turkish Cypriot trade unions express support to protestors in Turkey
Under the title “They came face to face
with the police barricade”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (18.06.13)
reports that the Turkish Cypriot “civil servants” trade union (KTAMS) held
yesterday a three-hour general strike and a demonstration yesterday morning
between 09.00 and 12.00 in order to express its support to the “resistance
fighters” in Turkey and its solidarity with the Turkish trade unions DISK and KESK which back the resistance. A group of
100 persons marched towards the Turkish ‘embassy” to the occupied part of
Lefkosia but came face to face with so-called police barricades. The
demonstrators held a two-minute sitting protest in the middle of the street and
after that they went away peacefully.
The demonstration was supported by the
Trade Unions Platform, the New Cyprus Party and the Baraka Cultural Centre.
Slogans such as “Everywhere is Taksim, everywhere resistance”, you give us one
and take five from us and without feeling ashamed you call us handmaiden” and
“We are by DISK and KESK’s side in
the struggle for freedom and democracy”.
In statements during the protest, KTAMS
chairman, Ahmet Κaptan said that the people of Turkey will suffer a lot from
Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) tyranny and added that the Turkish
Cypriots will be in the same situation. He recalled the rallies organized by
the Turkish Cypriots on 28 January 2012 and 2 March 2012 with the participation
of 60 thousand persons and noted that some called them “handmaiden” then. He
said that they accept to be “handmaiden”, if this means that they defend the
values of their community and their country. Kaptan noted that the Turkish
Prime Minister Erdogan, who had called on the Syrian president Assad to listen
to the voice of his people, ignores his people’s voice demanding for more
freedom.
In statements on behalf of the Trade
Unions’ Platform, Tahir Gokcebel, chairman of the Turkish Cypriot secondary
school teachers’ trade union (KTOEOS), said that a “plundering system” exists
in Turkey, all the private and public fields have been given away to the
supporters of the government and the economy has been shared between 3-5
families. Gokcebel noted that the same thing has been done in the occupied area
of Cyprus as well by the previous self-styled government.
(I/Ts.)
11.
Efforts to promote halloumi cheese abroad continue
Under the title “We explain that it is
our product”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (18.06.13) reports that
Ali Cirali, chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry has said that
they are holding contacts in the direction of including the Turkish Cypriots in
the registration of halloumi cheese which will be made in the European Union.
In statements yesterday during a press
conference of the “Hellim [Translator’s note: the name of Halloumi in the
Turkish language] Promotion Group”, which has been established by his chamber,
Cirali said that during their contacts in 2012 with the desk established by the
European Commission for the Turkish Cypriots and with EU member countries they
explain that halloumi is not a product of the Greek Cypriots only, but of the
Turkish Cypriots as well.
Cirali said that the exports of halloumi
cheese constituted 17% of the exports of the Turkish Cypriots in 2012. He noted
that producers, stakeholders and experts participate in the “Halloumi Promotion
Group”.
He said that the aim of the group is to
determine and promote the patent, registration, branding and standards of
halloumi.
Within the framework of promoting
platforms such as halloumi the social media are used, notes the paper referring
to the information given at the press conference, according to which the group
also aims at participating in fairs in Turkey, Germany, Iraq and Dubai for
promoting halloumi.
According to the same information, the
production of halloumi is continuously developing in the occupied area of
Cyprus, which exports halloumi to countries such as Turkey, the Gulf and Japan.
Noting that these exports constitute 20% of the total exports of the regime, the
paper writes that approximately 4.500 livestock producers work in the halloumi
sector in which around 50.000 persons earn their living.
(I/Ts.)
12.
Siber reads her “interim government’s” program at the “assembly”
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(18.06.13) reports that the program of the self-styled coalition government of
the Republican Turkish Party – United Forces (CTP-BG), Democratic Party –
National Forces (DP-UG) and Social Democracy Party (TDP)
was read out yesterday at the self-styled assembly of the breakaway regime in
the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus. The 31-page program was read out
by the self-styled prime minister, Sibel Siber and the “minister” of finance,
Zeren Mugan. The “vote of confidence” to the program is expected this week
after its discussion at the “assembly”.
Reading the program, Sibel Siber said
that the “government’s” practices will be based on the “superiority of the law”
and added that they will annul or stop the implementation of decisions or
practices, which have been put into practice by the former “government” and are
contrary to the “rule of law” and the “public interest”. These “illegal”
practices will be taken to “court” to the extent this is possible, she
said.
Referring to the property issue, Siber
noted that they will evaluate the possibilities for lifting the impediments and
paving the way of compensation and/or exchange of property for “natural or
legal persons”, who according to the “law” of the “TRNC” are holders of right
of ownership or use on properties for which legal impediments exist according
to the international law. Siber said that they will start working as regards
the issue of making more productive the “Immovable Property Compensation
Commission”. She noted that they will launch initiatives for making the
necessary “legal arrangements” on the issue of correcting the registries at the
“land and surveys department” as regards the status of the compensated
immovable properties through the above-mentioned “commission”.
On the Cyprus problem, Siber said that
they will carry out the solution process in solidarity and cooperation with
Turkey and they will develop their relations with Turkey on the basis of mutual
respect and solidarity. She said that Turkey’s political, technical and financial
support is of great importance “in order for providing the possibility to the
Turkish Cypriot people to administrate themselves”.
Siber noted that her “government” will
exert every necessary effort and exhibit good will in order for “positive developments”
to happen on the issue of the lifting of the so-called isolations and
restrictions allegedly implemented on the Turkish Cypriots and for their
integration with the world. She said that they attach importance to the
development and strengthening of their political, economic, social, cultural
and sporting relations with the Turkic countries, the members of the
Organization for Islamic Cooperation and other countries.
She noted that her “government’ will do
its part for reaching an agreement to the Cyprus problem, which will be
including “the sovereignty, political equality and absolute security of the
Turkish Cypriot people”.
(I/Ts.)
13.
Developments within the Turkish Cypriot political parties prior to the
“elections”
Under the title “Earthquake in the
DP-UG”, Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (18.06.13) reports that the
Democratic Party – National Forces (DP-UG), which has been established with the
participation of eight “MPs” who abandoned the National Unity Party (UBP), is facing the danger of being dissolved a few
days before the “elections” of the 28th of July.
The paper argues that the eight “MPs”
who left the UBP under the
leadership of Ahmet Kasif have been divided into two groups, because DP-UG’s
chairman, Serdar Denktas did not want to nominate self-styled MP in occupied
Trikomo area, Ejder Aslanbaba as candidate for the “elections”.
In statements to Star Kibris and Ada TV,
Aslanbaba said that Serdar Denktas had told him that he would be a candidate,
but afterwards changed his mind saying that there is reaction from the member
of the party in Trikomo against Aslanbaba’s candidacy. Aslanbaba noted that he
discussed the issue with his seven colleagues and all except two gave him
guarantees that they will act together. He said that Ahmet Kasif promised him
that they would not let him down. According to the paper, Aslnababa “gave the
signal” that he would not vote in favor of the newly established “government”
during the “vote of confidence” at the self-styled assembly on Thursday.
Aslanbaba claimed that some of the eight “MPs” will act together with him on
this issue.
Meanwhile, according to Turkish Cypriot
daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (18.06.13), in statements to another television
program, Aslanbaba expressed his admiration for Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan
and supported Erdogan’s stance during Taksim incidents. “I am against the use
of brute force, but you come to a point where you are forced to use it”, he
said. Noting that he comes from Adana, Aslanbaba argued that many things
changed in Turkey with Erdogan in power. “You can sacrifice 10 persons for the
sake of 75 million”, he alleged.
Moreover, under the title “Shocking
resignation in the TDP”, Halkin
Sesi (18.06.13) reports that Mehmet Barissever, member of Social Democracy
Party’s (TDP) council and
committee on agriculture as well as chairman of the party’s committee for the
environment, has withdrawn his candidacy for the forthcoming “elections” and
resigned from the party arguing that TDP’s
chairman Mehmet Cakici acted contrary to the regulations of the party in the
process of the appointment of the “ministers”.
He said that Cakici suggested some names
without submitting them to the council of the party. Barissever noted that as a
person who has been chairman of the Chamber of Agricultural Engineers and
worked at all levels of the “ministry” of agriculture and the party, he was
offended because of the appointment of an electrical engineer to the post of
the “minister” of agriculture in the interim “government” of technocrats.
(I/Ts.)
14.
The regime launches a campaign to paint its flag on occupied Pentadaktylos
Mountains
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(18.06.13) reports that the so-called association for illuminating the flag of
the breakaway regime on Pentadaktylos Mountains has launched a campaign for
painting the flag. According to a statement issued by the chairman of the
association, Tanju Muezzinoglu, the slogan of the campaign is “together for our
flag”.
(I/Ts.)
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TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
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