arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)

20 June 2005

Diyarbakir Branch of the Human Rights Association
(IHD) has said that a total of 2,262 violations of
human rights occurred and 140 people were killed in
clashes in the Kurdish-populated provinces in March,
April and May. There was a drastic increase in human
rights abuses in the past three months.
IHD Diyarbakir Branch unveiled its reports about human
rights violations observed in the Kurdish-populated
provinces in March, April and May 2005. In a statement
he made at the headquarters of the branch, Selahattin
Demirtas, head of the branch, said that "there had
been a drastic increase" in human rights violations in
the past three months as compared with the previous
periods, adding that a total of 147 people had been
killed in hostilities since the beginning of 2005,
including 140 killed over the past three months.
"Begging the United State for a solution"
Blaming the government for the reported abuses,
Demirtas said that the government was making efforts
in the United States to escalate hostilities rather
than to take steps to achieve peace in response to
calls made by the Kurdish people for years. Accusing
[Prime Minister Recep Tayyip] Erdogan of fanning the
fire, Demirtas went on saying: "If the government
wants to ensure Turkey's accession to the EU, it must
resolve the Kurdish question. If it wants to resolve
the Kurdish question, it must establish dialogue with
the other parties concerned with the problem. In other
words, Turkey could join the EU only if it agrees to
sit at the negotiating table with the Kurdish
opposition groups and find a democratic solution. We
advise the government, which is begging the United
States to find a solution and trying to escalate
hostilities, to take a more honorable approach and to
resolve the Kurdish question with its own citizens."
Torture incidents decreased while convictions for
"thought crimes" increased
Expressing satisfaction about progress made in the
fight against torture, Demirtas commented: "Incidents
of torture, which tended to decline last year,
maintained the downward trend in the past three
months." Noting that the legal arrangements made in
the field of freedom of expression had not been put
into practice yet, Demirtas complained that more
intolerant attitudes were observed in that field.
Pointing out that legal proceedings had been
instituted against 2,811 persons for expressing their
opinions in the region over the past five months,
Demirtas stated: "Those facts indicate that achieving
an overall improvement would not be possible before
making serious progress regarding all aspects of human
rights. Ups and downs observed in human rights
violations are an important indication of wavering
policies and insincere attitudes."
"The ban on mother tongue has not been lifted"
Noting that education in mother tongue was another
crucial issue, Demirtas said that assuming that the
problem could be resolved by opening several private
language centres would be a serious mistake.
Emphasizing that private language centres charging an
enrolment fee could not contribute to resolution of
the problem related to mother tongue, Demirtas went on
saying: "Kurdish children, who want to receive
education in their mother tongue, are denied this
right, which conflicts with the related international
agreements, especially the Lausanne Treaty. The
problems being experienced by the Kurds about their
cultural rights have remained unaddressed and there is
no sign of improvement."
140 killed in clashes
Following Demirtas' statement, Mihdi Perincek, IHD
regional representative, outlined the report about
human right abuses reported in the Kurdish-populated
provinces in March, April and May in 2005. According
to the report, 140 people were killed in hostilities
while 21 others were wounded. Five people were
murdered and six others were wounded as a result of
attacks carried out by unidentified assailants.
Landmines and bombs killed 13 victims and wounded 12.
A total of 491 persons were detained during the
three-month period and 48 incidents of torture and
maltreatment were reported, including nine committed
by gendarmerie officers and 37 by police officers. The
report says that five people have been reported
missing and a total of 93 people were arrested.
According to the report, 452 security officials were
subjected to disciplinary actions as a result of
administrative investigations. It said that a total of
2,262 human rights violations had been reported.