Adana: 3,155 Children Arrested in 2009

Adana is a city where a lot of Kurd who were forced to move out of Kurdistan have relocated. The governor of Adana has threatened Kurdish parents by taking their children away from them if the children were to participate in demonstrations. Bianet article summarizes how children are treated in Turkey by building on the situation in one city alone.

A report prepared by the Human Rights Association (İHD) Adana Branch revealed that 3,155 children aged 13-18 were arrested in Adana in 2009. 122 of them were taken into custody in the course of social uprisings. 299 children were taken into detention, 54 of them in the scope of social uprisings.

The association demands: "Detained children who came into conflict with the law should be released immediately".

According to the data compiled by İHD Adana, 48 children were sentenced to a total of 203 years, three months and 15 days imprisonment under charges of "throwing stones to police forces" and "spreading propaganda of illegal organizations".

Torture in police cars, at police stations and in prison

İHD Adana received 62 applications related to children in 2009. According to the report, the children were beaten in police cars and at the Police Department; they were threatened and restrained by hand-cuffs or chains when they were taken to another place.

Two children claimed to have been beaten by the police when they came back from a wedding ceremony. They were allegedly taken to an orange grove where they were beaten and threatened to "confess their crimes".

16 people detained in the children's prison of Kürkçüler Prison in the town of Pozantı stated that they were beaten by soldiers. Moreover, the soldiers supposedly told the guards that the children were terrorists and that "they could do with them whatever they wanted". One child said that he was insulted by the house physician and was made to clean the infirmary bathroom.

Violations in the Pozantı Children's Prison as revealed by the report read as follows:

- 13 people are forced to sleep in bunk beds designed for six people

- Beating wet hands with plastic pipes

- Neglect of health problems

- Implying pressure on the children regarding the election of the ward headman

- Forced education of the National Anthem

"Stop prosecuting children for terror crimes"

These are some of the recommendations comprised in the İHD Adana report:

The respective articles of the Anti-Terror Act and the Criminal Code providing for the prosecution of children for "terror" crimes should be amended as well as politics assessing children as "members of terror organizations".

Children should be tried at juvenile courts.

A Social Studies Report should be prepared to understand the reasons behind the crimes committed by children and to establish recommendations for prevention.

Experts should prepare reports regarding 12-15-year-old children's understanding of their crime and of the consequences of their behaviour.

No child should be deprived of his or her rights, including the right to education. Psychological and developmental support should be provided to children throughout the duration of prosecution and afterwards.

All kinds of violence against children should be prevented and forbidden by law. (TK/VK)

This is the Turkey who is sympathetic to Palestinian children throwing stones at IDF soldiers. Yet, when Kurdish children express their frustration against the forces that burnt their homes and killed their relatives, the children immediately become terrorists. Ridiculous.

Advanced Democracy Closes the DTP

Obama's advanced democracy has closed down the DTP. DTP has been the single voice of North Kurdistan that is in the parliament. Apparently that was too much for Kurds. Lesson learned, AGAIN.

The supporters of fascist Turkish state keep talking about how PKK uses children in demonstrations. Mithat Sancar recently wrote a piece in which he touches upon this issue:

Without understanding the sociology and psychology that created PKK it doesn't seem possible to find a proper and practical method for ending violence. If the environment to discuss everything openly and the hope for peace was not undermined, we would be objectively discussing the PKK issue today.

What would be the tangible benefits of this [discussing the PKK reality]? First, we could understand what a superficial perspective it is to explain the scary scenes on the street based on the centimeter calculation of Öcalan's cell. A reflection of this perspective is trying to analyze every development through Öcalan's personal and PKK's organizational structure. When this is the case, the structure, perception, and properties of the masses responding to Öcalan's and PKK's calls are missed.

Majority of people throwing Molotov cocktails and destroying stuff are 15/20 years old kids/lads. Who are these people really? The answer is evident to those who are familiar with the issue: these people are those we call as "90's generation". These are kids who were born when thousands of villages were razed and families were thrown onto the streets; these are kids who opened their eyes as the children, brothers, relatives of the over 17 thousand people who were victims of extrajudicial killings [in the hands of the state security forces] and grew up as such. These are children whose conditions for a decent life were destroyed and who were denied everything but anger.

It seems these people see Öcalan as an "identity reference" and PKK as a "guarantee of existence". This is the main identifier for their compliance to Öcalan's calls and owning up to the PKK. Without seeing this and trying to explain the issue with "cult and obedience culture" makes it impossible to find a solution to Kurdish and PKK question.

The observation above is actually over simplification. Let's not forget the other oppressed people, friends and relatives of everyone associated with people who are in the Kurdish struggle.

Attacks against the DTP and its politicians and finally DTP's closure is official confirmation from the Turkish state that Kurdish people need to have their own defence forces, the HPG.

Give us the roadmap!

KCK Executive Council's leader Mr. Murat Karayılan spoke to Firat News Agency on 07 September 2009. Below is partial translation of the text. Full text of the interview can be read here.

Karayılan: Give us the roadmap [Öcalan's]!

HALİT ERMİŞ-ANF

Behdinan, 07 September 2009

The leader of the KCK Executive Council, Murat Karayılan asked that the roadmap submitted by Kurdish Leader Abdullah Öcalan be handed to them. Not receiving the roadmap could impact the unilateral conflict avoidance phase which is in effect by the PKK. Karayılan said "This is necessary for the conflict-avoidance to continue" and invited the government to take risks "for turning a historical page". Karayılan, who answered ANF's questions proposed [Nelson] Mandela and South Africa as a solution for Öcalan's situation. Karayılan stated that if operations [against PKK guerrillas] stopped there would be no losses, and reminded that their conflict-avoidance phase has been extended until the end of Ramadan. He stated again that he hoped for some positve steps within the two weeks left [until the end of Ramadan when conflict avoidance phase was extended recently].

*The roadmap Mr. Abdullah Öcalan submitted to the prosecution on 20 August [2009] is not yet given to the lawyers. What do you think about the fact that the roadmap is not given?

-The stand our people made in the 29 March [2009] local elections made it necessary to start a process for a democratic solution to the Kurdish Question. Based on this, as a movement, we started the conflict-avoidance phase on 13 April 2009. We extended this conflict-avoidance phase a few times to date. Our leader [Mr. Öcalan] stated that he would turn in the roadmap to both sides in order to transform the current process into a permanent democratic solution process. The media reported this and it became public knowledge. Our leader's roadmap is a roadmap submitted to the Turkish state, our movement, and the public so that the democratic solution turns into a permanent process.

The roadmap must be given to us

Our leader turned in the roadmap, the state took it. The state is reading the roadmap and determining it's politics accordingly. It toughens it's stand, takes measures accordingly. The state makes some speeches that constitute a response. But the state didn't give the roadmap to us or the public. If the Turkish state wants to solve this problem permanently, first it must quit such approaches. Hiding the solution formula prepared by the most important actor, meant for solution, and turning in for the stakeholders will not help the solution. Especially taking the solution formula and benefiting from it without giving it to others is not only unlawful but also not moral either. If they were not going to share the roadmap, they could have not taken it. They could say that they are not taking it. But they took it; they are benefiting from it; they are confiscating it. This is a stand that doesn't help a solution. In other words, this is a continuation of the mentality that doesn't care about Kurds and that says "I can do whatever I want." A solution can't be developed with this logic, with this approach.

I would like to state clearly again: If the state of the Turkish Republic and its government, at this stage in history, want a permanent solution to the Kurdish question, they should give up on these kinds of policies. In other words, they need to quit the policy that ignores Kurds and the Kurdish will and give us the roadmap.

It will affect the conflict-avoidance phase

*In this case [the state not giving Mr. Öcalan's roadmap], how will the conflict-avoidance phase will evolve?

-We extended the conflict-avoidance phase until the end of Ramadan festivities for two reasons. The first reason is the respect we have for Ramadan. The second reason is that we expect the Turkish state to give us the roadmap during this time. Hiding the roadmap and not giving it [to us] will hurt the discussion environment. The process will not move forward without the roadmap. Let me put it clearly: it will be very problematic for us to extend the conflict-avoidance phase. Of course we are discussing the events from every angle. It is obvious that the current phase will face serious difficulties and problems unless the roadmap reaches us by some means. We too have sensitivities, we have a base, we have different organizations, forces. They [the state] say there is the army, the army will do this and that. We have an army too. There are organizations and matters we have to consider. We have to consider all these phenomena. Therefore, such approaches are not right. Our people make demonstrations for this and demand. Our people's expectation, our movement's and democratic organizations' expectation is that the state gives the roadmap right away. Because this is necessary for the continuation of the process. Not giving the roadmap, despite these, will mean that the state doesn't want a solution. Then it is up to them whether to give it or not.

[...]

*The initiative that started as the "Kurdish initiative", later turned into the "democratic initiative, and lastly stated as "national unity project," is going on with intensive discussions. What does the change of names reflect in terms of correct comprehension of the problem and its solution?

-First, our movement's initiative on starting the process, then our leader's talks, and then our statements aimed to the public media, put the need for a democratic solution to the Kurdish question in Turkey on the agenda. The president's words, "good things will happen," and the government officials' words gave hope to people. An expectation and impression was created that the Turkish state would now try to solve the problem in a different way. But then, the process was slowly pulled back. First they said "Kurdish initiative," then they said "democratic initiative" and now they converted it to "national unity project." For example, the minister [of interior Mr. Beşir Atalay] spoke on the matter for 50 minutes without interruption, then for about 50 more minutes he answered questions but he was so careful that he didn't use the word "Kurd".

[...]

What kind of a unity is this that it's being protected by a force 400 thousand strong! Another point is that these forces [state's] defend a narrow, nationalistic, and racist line. These forces insist on 20th century's politics rather than today's. These forces often talk about unity. They talk about unity and brotherhood. What kind of a unity is this that it is being protected by a force of 400 thousand soldiers, police, and paramilitary guards [korucular]. If there is unity and brotherhood why have so many soldiers been placed in Kurdistan? According to the state's official figures, until now 40 thousand people died. That means this unity is being held up by weapons and killing. Now the problem is to transform this forced unity into a voluntary one.

[...]

What kind of a brotherhood is this!

You reject Kurdish identity and oppress Kurds and then talk about brotherhood. What kind of brotherhood is this? My language, culture, history, and names are forbidden, I can't own my identity but you say you are brothers. You say Kurds are our brothers but forbid everything belonging to them. This is slavery, slavery by force. We are in the 21st century and the Kurdish people have been enlightened with Apocu culture will not accept this [slavery]. Forcing slavery under the name of brotherhood and doing this by spilling blood with police batons and soldiers' weapons has nothing to do with brotherhood. In the current era this is not possible either. MHP and CHP need to understand this.

[...]

Empathy

[...]

You [the state] say that yours are martyrs, but the Kurdish people see you as the invading forces. You say you are protecting the homeland and dieing for the homeland, but the Kurdish people think their language, culture, and homeland are under invasion. There are people who go up to the mountains [join the guerrillas] for their honor, pride, and culture. These people give up everything. Haven't the people who put their lives on the line for their belief, ideals, and honor done so for a more sacred cause? If you compare in this way the martyrdom of Kurdish people, freedom guerrillas' are martyrdoms for protecting the Kurdish reality and for freedom of the Kurdish people, and they see this as a more sacred cause. Everyone has their reality but the important thing is to see the reality through the other side's eyes.

There is nothing more sacred and honorable than taking all the risks in Kurdistan and putting your life on the line for your language, identity, culture, and the people's freedom.

[...]

*As the KCK, you are in a conflict-avoidance position since April [2009]. However, the Turkish state didn't take a step and there has been no work for identifying representatives. Mr. Erdoğan and the general staff signaled, during the last meeting, that this wouldn't happen [reciprocating conflict-avoidance and identifying a representative for the Kurdish side in talks]. How would the continuation of this policy affect the conflict-avoidance phase?

-For the next two weeks we will analyze the other side's stand and approach to the issues. We want to learn if the state really wants to solve the problem. If they want to solve it, how they are planning to solve it. There were some well-meaning words. Some nice and fancy speeches were given. But like I said before, the process narrowed down and pulled back. It's obvious that the problem cannot be solved with this kind of approach. Therefore, we want to learn what the state truly wants to do.

If there is a policy to be devious again, this will bring great disasters. There are talks in various sections of the society. The press is maturing but, on the other hand, the state hinders the process by red lines. The observation is that there are some other things the state is seeing. For example, the military is getting ready. The minister of foreign affairs is visiting many places for some preparation. The state's representatives come to the south [South Kurdistan, Iraq] and try to convince people for their solution. They [the state] are trying very hard to find grounds for their official policies and sideline the PKK and the leader of Kurdish people [Mr. Öcalan]. This is very dangerous.

[...]

They are saying the DTP is being very rough. What has DTP done? In fact DTP says how the problem can be solved. DTP says that there cannot be a solution by sidelining the PKK and leader Apo, who represent millions of people. This is a reality! As this is not being rough or soft, it is not being close or far from the PKK either. It's stating a truth directly.

[...]

I say what's in Kurds' hearts. I am putting my life on the line for their interests. Even if you raise heavens, you can't separate my people and I from each other. You can kill, destroy, oppress, but this movement and its leadership will always have a big place in the Kurdish people's heart. You have to know this. You cannot separate this. Today the things leader Apo says from İmralı [prison] are what someone in Amed's cafe's, Hakkari's plains, and Dersim would say. The reality is this: the Kurdish people have established a unity with its leader and movement.

[...]

If you see my cultural values as divisive then how am I going to unify with you?

We ask if you [the state] are going to end the animosity against the Kurdish people's leadership, values, language, culture, and name. If you are going to end this animosity, let us see it in practice. The state officials talk but we don't see anything positive in practice. Can the AKP government say, "Look, we have been developing the process for the past thee months and we have done this and that"? They keep talking about TRT6 [state owned TV station broadcasting in Kurdish]. You started TRT6 but why are there so many prohibitions still in place? A poet in Kurdish history, Cigerxwin, is a very important person for the Kurdish people. The state considers it divisive that a municipality wants to name a library after Cigerxwin. If you see my cultural values as divisive, then how am I going to unify with you? In fact, what you are doing is divisive. Why don't you see it? It's divisive to ignore and sideline the Kurdish people and belittle and disrespect their values.

[...]

Nobody should miscalculate

It's being said that the international conditions are against us. No; that may be your opinion and it may seem that way to you. There is also the side that's visible to us. In this respect, we have reserves and potential to defend ourselves and advance our cause for years. Nobody should make miscalculations on this and approach correctly. We don't talk big. But we are not a simple force either. We are a force that successfully stood up, renewed itself, got stronger, and strengthened its belief and decisiveness despite the attacks against us, supported internationally. In this respect we are in a position in which we have established high morale and motivation, increased belief and decisiveness, and strengthened tenacity for success. I have to state that those who couldn't weaken us during the most difficult years [for us], of 1999-2004, can't ever weaken us today. There is no way for a movement that didn't weaken during that term to weaken today. [...] There are powers interested in conflict and no solution for the Kurdish question. But we are saying that we have to solve our problem ourselves before there is further wear between us. Our people's interests require this. This is to Turkey's benefit. It has to be seen correctly.

Denial...

The Republican People's Party (CHP) has always been the true face of the fascist Turkish state. The current speeches of the party's leader is nothing more than the ultra right wing and racist National Movement Party (MHP) says. Let's rewind back to 1930, when many massacres were being committed against Kurds, including the Zilan Massacre:

"Because this party (CHP), with the things it has done, has returned back the position of Turks, the true masters... The master of this country are Turks. The ones who are not pure Turk have only one right in the Turkish homeland, that is to be servants, to be slaves." (Hakimiyeti Milliye 19 September 1930)

The CHP and the Turkish state mentality represented by it tried to wipe off the very existence of Kurds and Kurdistan then and they are pretty much repeat the same tune now. CHP leader Baykal recently claimed there has been no Kurdish problem in Turkey for the past 87 years. I swear, I don't get him and so many that are like him (hint hint the TSK generals and their heard of ducks) who can openly tell such stupid lies that a five year old wouldn't believe. They do deserve an Oscar or two though because even Forrest Gump couldn't genuinely be that stupid.

So all these sorry excuses for humanity, including the generals who kill their own soldiers to undermine the peace process can talk and say all kinds of nonsense and it's all good. But if DTP, Mr. Öcalan, or PKK talks the whole Turkish media starts screaming about how that is out of line.

It seems to me that Turks want to solve the Kurdish problem without talking to Kurds. These people seem to have forgotten why all the Kurdish uprisings, including the last one lead by the PKK came into existence. Here is just a summary of human rights abuses that happened so far in 2009. It's not, by any means, a comprehensive list.

The fascist Turkish regime must understand that "life is like a box of chocolate..."

Stop Military Operations and Solve Kurdish Question

From Bianet:

Parties of the left and NGOs have called for a democratic and peaceful solution to the Kurdish question.
Bawer ÇAKIR
bawer@bianet.org
Istanbul - BİA News Center
16 July 2009, Thursday

On Wednesday, 15 July, representatives of NGOs and political parties gathered in Galatasaray Square to call on the government to act.

Following the announcement by the militant PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) that they would extend their unilateral ceasefire until 1 September, the crowd called on the government to stop armed operations.

The group read out a press statement, and then handed out a flyer headed "Make your voice heard for peace".

Hüseyin Akçiçek of the Socialist Platform for the Oppressed (ESP) said in the statement that both the Turkish and the Kurdish people were paying the price for the ongoing 30-year war:
Denial and opportunism

"Those who meet the existence of a Kurdish people with denial and methods of destruction protect their own children, while not hesitating to send the children of the poor people into the war to die. They then use their dead bodies for their politics."

He added, "It is necessary to demand brotherly, equal and free coexistence of the people of Turkey in order to obstuct the games of those who want war."

He called on the "proletarian Turkish people to be aware of the game being played with their future" and to support the voices calling for peace and the Kurdish people's peace efforts.

As for the government, the statement called on the government to match the Kurdish demands for peace and the decision by armed groups to cease fighting with an end to operations.

"Yes, we believe that there are opportunities for a fair and honourable solution to the Kurdish question and for peace."

The protest was supported by the Democratic Society Party (DTP), the 78'ers Initiative, the Human Rights Association (İHD), the People's Houses (Halkevleri), the Socialist Labour Movement (SEH), the Labour Party (EMEP), the Socialist Democracy Party (SDP), the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP), the Socialist Party, the Labour Movement Party (EHP), the ESP, the Revolutionary Socialist Workers' Party (DSİP), the Social Freedom Platform (TÖP), the Teori ve Politika magazine, the KESK trade union confederation, Anti-Kapitalist, the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) and the Free Democratic Alevi Movement. (BÇ/AG)

I am becoming more pessimistic day after day as I know very well that a fascist regime and people who have been brainwashed don't easily change.

Common Cause

Serouj Aprahamian wrote a comprehensive piece titled Kurds and Armenians: Finding Common Cause. I will quote a few sections from the article but you should take time to read the full article:

Motivating Factors

There are two major underlying aspects behind the principle of solidarity. One is the moral aspect which considers freedom to be a social, rather than mere individual, pursuit. It is based on the belief that one can only truly be free when freedom becomes achieved for all others around them as well; for how can one truly be content and secure in their freedom if they are surrounded by suffering and injustice? This concept is perhaps best captured in Martin Luther King Jr’s famous quote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

The other dimension for solidarity hinges on a more practical political calculation: the belief that by coming together with others around a common goal, one can help build a broader base of power and improve social conditions. Indeed, by pooling resources and manpower, movements which are able to collaborate with one another are logically much more likely to achieve victories. The smaller a group or movement is, the more central this consideration becomes in their hopes for pursuing justice.

Against the tactic of dividing a conquering which is perfected by Turkey against its minorities to facilitate cultural genocide, solidarity is the only way out:

Just as Turkish authorities once viewed Armenians’ call for equality and democracy as a “threat” to their empire, Ankara today interprets the Kurdish people’s demand for basic human rights as meaning “separatism.” Just as the Ottoman authorities refused to recognize the national identity of Armenians and called them “Christian Turks,” the Kurdish people have had to fight Turkey’s attempts to officially classify them as “Mountain Turks.” Just as they once did to Armenians, the Turkish government continues to suppress the language, history, and identity of Kurds; ransacks their schools and cultural monuments; bans their political parties and newspapers; pillages their towns and villages; terrorizes their families and children; subjects Kurds to a policy of Turkification; and attacks their human rights workers and journalists.

The solidarity of oppressed peoples of Turkey should not be limited to only Armenian and Kurdish peoples. But it's a start.

Turkish-Arab Alliance

Surprise, surprise to brothers and sisters in Kurdistan-Iraq. Turkey and are Iraqi central government are at work hard to make sure Kurds cannot rise their heads. How delightful it is to be surrounded by brothers some of whom are "progressive democracy" in the region. Read the article titled "A Troubled Pipeline" that just appeared in Newsweek. Here is an excerpt from the article:

[...]

The deal quickly drew criticism from Baghdad and Ankara, which have actively sought to block Kurdistan's oil ambitions over fears that independent energy revenue could help bolster the region's bid for political autonomy. Earlier this month the Iraqi government vetoed the Kurds' Nabucco arrangement, saying that the Kurdish regional government could not strike its own energy deals without violating Iraq's Constitution. Baghdad offered to supply Europe from another field instead—one not under Kurdish control—but it couldn't promise gas until 2014 at the earliest. Oil has long been a source of simmering tensions between the Kurds and the central Iraqi government, which has also moved to bring border controls in the Kurdish region under Baghdad's authority.

Turkey, too, has expressed its unhappiness over the Nabucco deal. Rather than allowing Iraqi Kurds to enrich themselves with gas money—which would likely bolster their de facto independence from Baghdad—Turkey prefers to bank on the chance that its ally Azerbaijan will be able to produce enough gas to fill the pipe.

[...]

Êdî bese.

Kurdish MPs Get Worse Treatment than State Terrorists

Turkey has always been a country of contradictions. Ahmet Altan's article summarizes the reality of contradictions nicely. Partial translation of his article dated 16 May 2006 is below:

[...]

Now we are up against a new issue.
Prosecutors want to question five DTP parliamentarians.
They [prosecutors] claim the crime these parliamentarians committed are "crimes against the state" and therefore is not covered under "immunity".

And a chain of strange events start...

One of the parliamentarians they want to take and try was in prison when she was elected. She became a candidate from the prison and because she was elected and "gained immunity" she was let go.

The "immunity" that parliamentarian has gained could get her out of prison but another prosecutor could say that her crimes was not covered under "immunity" and wanted to imprison her again.

The crime one of the parliamentarians had committed for which the parliamentarian wanted to be questioned was to say "Mr. Öcalan".

How is it a crime to call someone "Mr.", that's a mystery in itself, but...

The real funny thing is the fact that the other day a court has decided that the words "Mr. Öcalan" did not constitute a crime.

Courts says "it's not a crime" but prosecutor says "no no", "you don't know it, this is a crime".

Of course, there are also quite "grave" sides of the story.

Mehmet Ağar and Sedat Bucak [two Susurluk criminals who have blood of a lot of innocent Kurds on their hands] are on trial for the crime of "building a terror gang".

"Building a terror gang" is not a crime committed against the state but calling someone "Mr." is a crime against the state.

You obviously see that it is not the "law" that's important here but the "person".

Ağar is immune regardless of whatever he does because he is "the state's" man.

DTP parliamentarians are not immune because they are men of their peoples and the opposition.

Now, are we to call this jurisprudence?

DTP parliamentarians are saying that "we will not go to get questioned", "let the prosecutor come and take us."

Truth be told, everything is possible in Turkey but still I don't think the prosecutors will be crazy enough to raid the Parliament.

I don't know what they [prosecutors] will do but either DTP parliamentarians will sit at the Parliament and start an opposition or they [DTP Parliamentarians] will be taken into custody by the police as they leave the Parliament, like it happened in 1994 [also in 1991].

All these will happen during the time President Gül says "good things will happen".

[...]

As long as you break the laws as one of the thugs in state's heroin trade business then you are alright. If you actually try to do your duty as a parliamentarian and try to actually represent the people who elected you, then you will face all kinds of prosecutions! This is "the strong democracy in the region" for you.

Commanders of the armed forces request that Mayor of Diyarbakir [Amed] be removed from his post

AKPasha Inc's efforts to get rid of DTP and its politicians is nothing new. Check the discussions during AKPasha Inc's Security Meeting held on 4 January 2006.

[...]
Commanders of the armed forces request that Mayor of Diyarbakir [Amed] be removed from his post:

All units of government must show their decisiveness about terrorism. We have two expectations. The first one is that the mayor of Diyarbakir is committing a crime. Conditions for his [Mr. Baydemir] removal [from his post] by the Ministry of Internal Affairs have ripened. This request is not out of legal norms. If tolerance continues, the terrorist organization will bring its activities all the way to the cities. Our second expectation is that the village guards [korucular] are targets of sympathizers of the terrorist organization; we benefit from their contribution to the security forces. There are two problems regarding these issues. First: we cannot make up for the loss of village guards. We want the declaration and action plan of 2000 to be reviewed. The second [problem regarding village guards] is with softening down the volunteered village guard system.

Minister of Defence: The Ministry of Internal Affairs thought about removing Diyarbakir's Mayor [Amed's Mayor Mr. Baydemir] from his post. But because of problems with legal justification of such an action, they changed their mind.

Prime Minister: As you know, we discussed the issue of Diyarbakir's Mayor at the National Security Council Meeting (NSCM) [MGK]. There are some judicial problems regarding this issue. The issue of carrying of a corpse [of a slain guerrilla] was taken to the court. However, the court decided in their favor. His removal from his post by the the court is different than if we were to do it. If we remove him it will be misunderstood. These mayors are not one, there are 56 of them.

Well, now there are 99 of them! Is it clear now why DTP is being attacked and its mayors and party members are being arrested? Erdogan continues:

They tried to do something during the latest disaster but as the government we cut them off. We have something in the works regarding temporary village guards. We will issue a new law.


Right after the meeting, the following discussion took place between the commanders of forces [pashas]:

Commander of Gendermerie Forces: When a mayor goes out [of country] he must request permission from the governor. We will have Governor of Diyarbakir not let Mayor Baydemir go out [of country].

Chief of General Staff [Gen. Özkök. Replaced by Buyukanit later in the year]: In fact DTP doesn't like it when mayors (especially Baydemir) go abroad without permission. If we can find bad seeds to plant, cause division among them so they will fight one another, then weakening them will be easier.

Commander of Army Yasar Buyukanit [the previous General Staff who recently left the post]: I don't believe the government is sincere. On this issue, I concur with the Commander of Gendermerie Forces. Most of the advisors for the Prime Minister have originated from the region [Kurdistan] and this is one of the issues negatively impacting the fight against terrorism [emphasis added].

Fast forwarding to 29 April 2009, we see pretty much the same thing at play:

The reporters, during the press meeting today, asked Chief of General Staff Ilker Başbuğ about soldiers coming to the parliament during the visit of Obama and not coming to the parliament at other times.

Chief of Gen Staff Başbuğ said "As armed forces we can never have a position or thought on protesting the parliament or political parties" then he continued on, referring to the DTP group in the parliament:

"However, without a certain political party clarifying its relationship with the terrorist organization or its position on the terrorist organization, it's impossible for us to be in the same environment with them. The public will understand it that we won't be in the same environment with a political party that can't distance itself from the terrorist organization and can't clearly express this. Nobody should expect us to be in the same environment with them."

What changed from 2006 to 2009, with three different Chiefs of General Staff taking post? Nothing, really. DTP members are being singled out, arrested, talked down, discriminated. Kurds, even when they try to serve the state at AKPasha Inc's side are still not trusted and viewed as a threat.

DTP Parliamentarian Hasip Kaplan said the following on 22 April 2009 during a session at the parliament:

"I would like to make this clear: tomorrow we are going to celebrate National Sovereignty Day, right? Since the day I was elected -(showing the inscription on the wall behind him) here 'sovereignty belongs to the nation without any condition'- my general staff, the land forces commander, came and sat here only when Obama was here. I came out of ballots; if they don't respect the votes of 3 million people... The head of ruling party, the prime minister of 7 years, still refers to my party as "that party". If he doesn't acknowledge me or the will of the people on 22 of July, he just lost on March 29, in the east and southeast, if he is losing the local election in the town that made him the prime minister (Siirt), if he loses in Van and Diyarbakir from where he has ministers, if he cannot enter Şırnak, he cannot come here and call me "that party"

Tell me Mr. Hasip doesn't have a point!

Kurdish Children and AKPasha Inc

Everyone knows AKPasha Inc wants to close DTP but they can't do so. That would cause serious problems in accession talks to EU. EU frowns on shutting down political parties. What was left for the AKPasha Inc to do was arrest the DTP politicians and not close the party. Essentially same thing only more passive aggressive. Being passive-aggressive is the modus operandi for the fascist thugs like the AKPasha Inc.

In Colemerg (Hakkari), on 23 April 2009, a group of 50 people were protesting against recent AKPasha Inc attacks on DTP; arrest and detainment of over 300 DTP officials and party members. Police intervened with tear gas and water cannons and the group responded by throwing stones.

Additional support arrived for the police and they attacked the crowd. Of the many children running from the police, one of them, a 14 year old, fell off the cliff and hit his head on a rock. He is dead. The other child, who is 15 years old, was caught by one of the special forces and repeatedly beaten by the butt of an automatic rifle and kicked. Although this is not something unusual for the AKPasha Inc, this time it was caught on camera.The child will have to stay at the hospital because his life is still in danger. His skull is badly cracked. Hevallo has posted a video which shows the whole thing including another police officer who walks over to beat the kid but he doesn't. He walks away to his buddy and congratulates him. The kid is on the ground, unconscious. No calling of medical personnel. They just left him to die. His family members arrived on the scene to call an ambulance.

AKPasha Inc police last year caused mayhem during 1 May celebrations in Taksim. Here is their picture congratulating one another after their victory over public:
I wonder how they celebrated killing one and deadly injuring another Kurdish child? They must have rushed to hamam.

Here is one thing many people don't know because it's hardly reported:

"Yesterday [23 April 2009] at about 18:00 power to the city was cut. There is still no power. The public still didn't see the images of the child being beaten by butt of a rifle. There is no Internet either."

Perhaps you didn't know but AKPasha Inc cuts off power and all communication lines, including cell phone communications when they attack the public. It's common practice. TSK has been using this tactic for years.

Passive Resistance Alone?

A Kurdish Tale
The hunter asked the rabbit. "You have shorter legs than my dog, yet you can run faster. How come?" To which the rabbit responded: "I am running for myself, your dog is running for you"

Discussions have been going on for some time about how Turkey generously will let PKK to disarm itself and those who haven't been a part of armed conflict would be allowed to return home based on a "regret and cooperation" law again courtesy of AKPasha Inc. There are a few problems with this:

• PKK guerrillas didn't go up to the mountains for a picnic. They are individuals who chose the way of armed struggle because they didn't see any hope for any change in the fascist and brutal Turkish Regime.
• These people experienced that passive resistance alone meant you are sheep for slaughter. Passive resistance needs backing of someone powerful.
  

I would like to hear from those who support passive resistance alone. Please explain to me about 17500 civilians who went missing (killed) in the regime's hands after they were taken into custody. What did the world do about these missing people other than calling the fascist regime "an advanced democracy"? Who, just who is going to justify torturing two month old babies to get a guerrilla speak? Who is the real terrorist here?

A note for those who spend their lives for protecting the fascist regime with lies and misinformation. It's a Turkish paper (Radikal) that wrote about torturing of a two month old baby by the interrogators.

I challenge those who get into polemics on armed struggle to simulate a luxurious version of guerrilla lifestyle at the comfort of their home. Here are a few pointers:

• Take a few cold showers in the winter. Make sure you have no fire to warm you up.
• Don't eat anything for two days. Make do with 2 liters of water meanwhile.
• Ok, you were not required to sleep in the snow or on the rocks. But sleep on the carpet, no covers allowed.
  

Please understand, this is a luxurious version. You were not asked that you should be constantly on the move, walking atop mountains. You were not asked to refrain from using toilet paper, painkiller, and so on. You could have been asked to give up on hundreds of other things you currently enjoy. Just to make sure things are in perspective for you, you were not asked to be a small group of people (say four or five) who has nothing but AK-47s with limited ammunition and you have thousands of soldiers and guards coming at you. The soldiers have access to F-16s, Cobra helicopters, night vision, artillery, phosphor bombs, and every other state of the art military hardware. So, you are ballsy enough to do all that and someone will come and be generous enough to let you apologize for rebelling against their wrongdoing. What would you do?

The guerrillas don't drop from the outer space. They are people who are courageous enough to say NO to being hurt, mistreated, and sacrificing themselves for their loved ones. You can't tell people you are going to deny them their basic rights, massacre them, kill their brothers and sisters, humiliate them, and have them just sit back and thank you for it by supporting your system and basically give up on the values that make them human.

Let's now bring the recent "operations" of the AKPasha Inc against Democratic Society Party (DTP) to put things in perspective a little better. Turkey says "lay down the guns, come down from the mountains, and be a part of the democratic political process". So, you will detain over 240 people because they work at or belong to a legitimate party which kicked your as* in the elections? You will then put them up in jail and call that a democracy? That's AKPasha Inc's current Political Process for you. The detained and arrested people are politicians, lawyers, and alike who didn't touch a gun. God forbid if these people even had a toy water gun in their possession or be part of any corruption (AKPasha Inc, hint hint), I am sure the magazinews channels would be running stories 24/7. Does this revenge-for-losing-elections-in-Kurdistan campaign presented by AKPasha Inc give you an idea of what they would do to PKK guerrillas if they laid their arms and came down to cities without democratization of the fascist system?

Given the status quo, Kurds need both passive resistance but they also need an armed force for defence of their people. If you don't want someone to have to defend themselves, you don't attack them. Killing civilians at a peaceful event where they simply want to plant trees is just off-limits.

Turkey's Strong Democracy

Each time an American President visits Turkey, they say something along the lines that Turkey is a strong democracy, it's an advanced democracy, and so on. It's quite strange to call a regime which cheats on elections, oppresses and tortures people, and denies them their identity.

Let's show two examples of Turkey becomes a strong democracy. The first Youtube video is during Newroz celebrations of 2008. Can you count how many police officers gang up on the boy at the beginning of the video? They never let him go, nor do they detain him. Everyone of those cops try to reach and make his mark for the strong democracy Turkey has. In a democracy, the police uses force only in self defence and then detains the person without torture. These cops are just beating that kid up endlessly. It doesn't stop, they keep going. They remind me of African wild dogs going after a lone zebra. Brutal. This boy and other "demonstrators" were trying to celebrate their new year, Newroz, at their home. Really a strong democracy isn't it?

On April 4, some people wanted to celebrate Mr. Ocalan's birthday in Amara. All these people wanted to do was to be able to go to Amara and plant some trees. They didn't want to make a demonstration, they didn't have guns, nothing. They wanted to plant trees. Two people were killed by security forces and many wounded. This Youtube video shows Mustafa Dağ's blood spilling out on the ground after he had been hit in the head by brutal Turkish "security" forces. You need to have a Youtube account to access the video because it is restricted to 18 years or older.

One thing is certain. It's not the Kurds who benefit from the "strong democracy" in Turkey.