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

REVUE DE PRESSE-PRESS REVIEW-BERHEVOKA ÇAPÊ-RIVISTA STAMPA-DENTRO DE LA PRENSAJR\SlN ÖZETi
76
Turkish Probe A~gust 24, 1993
Realizing the "Kurdish Problem"
ismet G.imset
A
massive operation was launched by Turkey
last week in the Southeast region, targeting
to destroy a major unit of the outlawed Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK) near the Iranian and
Iraqi borders.
Although initial reports leaked to the domestic
press claimed over 250 dead on the PKK side, it
now appears that the operation may have damaged
the state's longer term interests in the region rather
than actually serve to curb violence.
Witnesses are reporting an increase in the number
of village raids and burnings over the past weeks,
a new death squad campaign aiming at killing
pro-Kurdish activists in the region and ruthless policies
targeting more and more of the civilian population.
All such practices are clearly raising doubts
about the true intentions of Ankara and those running
the show for the time being.
It also appears that the presidency now lacks all
hope of finding a peaceful solution (or any solution
for that matter) to the Kurdish problem.
Talking to Turkish Daily News editors at a luncheon
theprevious Monday, President Süleyman Demirel
reflected a hardened stance on the issue and
openly closed all doors to Kurdish reforms -- describing
them as concessions on the country's integrity.
His views were those of the military, showing once
again whois actually in charge of the Kurdish policy,
if anyone is really still in control.
Hürriyet newspaper's midweek bannering report
that 250 PKK militants had been killed has not yet
been proved authentic. By the time this issue of the
T.P. went into print, the death toll was still counted
in tens. And, looking at past experience, it hardly
matters how many militants are really killed since
mistaken policies force more and more recruits into
the arms of the PKK every day.
What is evident is that the operation concentrating
mainly on the rural zones of YÜksekova, Hakkari, is
in any case going to be portrayed as a major military
victory. Just like the 1992 operation launched
into northern Iraq during which a separatist death
toll of about 180 was inflated to "casualties of up to
4,000."
Now that Ankara has openly resolved on a military
solution to the crisis, Prime Minister Tansu Çiller also
appears to have carefully sidestepped any responsibility
and has given over a.1Icommand to the
Chief of General Staff office.
But the cost is too great. More than Turkey can afford...
First, operations supposedly concentrating on
the rural zones have inflicted great harm on the local
civilian population. Secondly, local assessments
of the situation sent to Ankara are hardly close to
regional realities and the policy drawn in the Turkish
capital is no more than a policy drawn on misinfor-
mation.
When told of how many villages had been burned
down by Turkish troops over the past month and
that this "Vietcong-style" practice was actually recruiting
for the guerillas, Demirel's first reaction was
one of surprise and immediate denial. "This cannot
happen," he said. "But I will check it out with Gen.
Güre~." Later, after consulting with Chief of General
Staff commander Gen. Dorian Güre~, the president
request~d a full report on the situation. According to
him, the military was denying all involvement in such
practices.
This denial, though, has little meaning when confrOntedwith
local accounts and witnesses of a policy
which is forcing Turkey day by day away from a lasting
solution.
And, it brings no explanation to local claims that
two recent massacres, in Diyadin, Arif! and Bahçesaray,
Van, were committed, not by the rebels, but
by government forces.
If any of these claims can be proved true by independent
international bodies, Ankara will obviously
end up in serious trouble.
Last week, a group of parliamentarians prepared a
report in which they said at least 500 villages had
been forcefully evacuated in the region.
Earlier, pro-Kurdish Democracy Party (DEP) deputies
claimed that nearly 400 villages had been torched
by troops soas they could not be reused by
their occupants. .
The Turkish Probe, working through human rights
activists, DEP deputies and confirming its findings
with local sources, has established a handful of raids
in the months of July alone. Obviously there are
plenty more claims to be confirmed, adding up to some
100 raids in the recent months alone. But, these
examples speak for themselves.
On the night of July 2, for instance, a group of
PKK militants rë:iideda local gendarmerie station near
the Çelik village of Dargeçit, Mardin. On July 3,
troops entering the village gathered villagers into a
main square, torched all houses and allegedly shot
seven civilians -- all believed to be PKK supporters.
On July 4, an Emergency Law Governor's Office
statement claimed nine militants had been killed in
clashes. On July S, villager~ said seven of the dead
were civilians. One was a 70-year-old villager identified
as Mehmet Kavakllorllu. This, however, was not
an isolated incident. On July 13, troops entered the
Kumur village of Mazidag, Mardin, and torched about
a dozen houses after evacuating them.
Between July 19 and 21, troops escorted by village
guards entered the KaYlkll, Güne~li, Kelekci and
Keçeli villages of Siirt. Witnesses said the gendarmerie
came from neighboring Mardin province. They
evacuated the villages. Güne~li was completely bur-