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

Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa';Dentro de la Prensa-Baszn Özeti
• Abolishing of capital punishment
Plans to abolish the capital punishment were met by resistance from the MHP. It was agreed
~~--~ --~-~---after-debates-that----"in~the-shorhterm,-the_moratoriunLon_the_execution_oLcapitaLsentences __will
continue and in the medium-term, the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) will be amended, during
which EU standards will be observed."
• Broadcasting and education in Kurdish
On that, Bahceli took up a clear stance. He stated that it was impossible to grant individual
cultural rights and the right to educate and broadcast in one's mother tongue. Faced with this
blockade, Ecevit and Yilmaz told Volkan Vural, Secretary-General responsible for EU affairs, to
find a new formula. At that point, the most interesting development was the General Staffs
signaling that it will soften its stance on the same issue. According to a high-ranking official
participatiri.g in the meeting, the military wing said, "it will not have a big opposition to
education and broadcasting in the mother tongue in the medium-term provided that terrorism
is over." The same official also says that though Bahceli seems to be extremely rigid on the
issue, hopes for finding a solution are yet to be dashed .
• Cyprus
The EU has placed the issue among the political criteria. But leaders say Cyprus cannot be seen
as a political criterion and agreed that it would be sufficient to cite phrases reiterating Turkey's
already known views on the issue in the Program's section containing "wishes."
To be settled next spring
The current situation we have now is that Turkey has failed to prepare a program which will
reciprocate the Accession Partnership Document, that is, show how and when Turkey will
fulfill the reforms required in the Document. Cyprus is a particular point of contention. It was a
very big warning for Turkey when the EU Commissioner Responsible for Enlargement, Gunter
Verheugen, said in a recent press conference that as long as the Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus (KKTC), remained as a Turkish territory, it can never be an EU membêr, while the Greek
Cypriots were quite close to becoming a full member. It was showing the priority the European
Union is attributing to Cyprus. In the coming weeks, the most important debates between the
coalition partners will be on Cyprus and broadcasting-education in mother tongue. The
impression arising from the Leaders' Summit was to the effect that Turkey would not hurry to
submit the National Program to the EU and would wait for the Framework Regulation to be
- announced by the EU by the end of February. In sum, Turkey has entered a period of reform.
With great doubt and concern, it took its first few steps. There are still two big steps yet to be
taken. It is clear that, even if delays occur, this process is irreversible.
Zurban, 17-23 janvier 2001
Zoom sur...
Anne
Delassus
Elle passe par le Nord, par la
Turquie, par la Syrie, au Kurdistan.
Depuis huit ans déjà. Avec _
la distanèe du reporter et, pourtant,
avec un engagement qui rend
primordial le contact avec les gens,
avec les femmes. Il y a dans
ses photos une lumière surgie des
ténèbres. Il y a du décor aussi,
des personnages absents, flottants:
« Eux-mêmes doivent se tenir à
distance, de façon consdente ou pas.
Les lieux de refuge dans lesquels
'"
CI
Kurdistan d7rak, 1997.
ils vivent sont les endroits où ils ont
été arrêtés, torturés. Dans l'andenne
prison, éétait de la terre battue et
des cages, une odeur de mort et des
carrelages blancs. J'étais suffoquée.
Les femmes étaient là, réfugiées,
U n'y avait plus d'hommes. Tout était
nettoyé tous les jours, et elles se
tenaient, altières, parce que, malgré
tout, la vie continue. » Il y a aussi les
paysages, les vallées fertiles ravagées
par les bombardements au napalm
de la guerre Iran-Irak. Les mines qui
-se déplacent avec le ruissellement.
-Les femmes vont, les pieds nus dans
la neige, les pieds nus dans la boue. Il
y a « le déchirement de l'absence, la
difficulté d'y retourner, l'angoisse de
ne rien voir, de ne plus rien sentir. Et
je pensais: moi, je vais pouvoir partir,
mais elles, elles restent. ('est d'une
violence... » Silence. Emma Bajac
Terre de lumière,
galerie Esther-Woerdehoff.
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