[01] Denktash suffers heart attack.

[02] Denktash comments on missing persons issue.

[03] The Human Rights Association releases its annual report.

[04] EU Cyprus representative arrive in Ankara.

[05] Turkish Cypriot women warn of growing fundamentalism.

[06] True Path Party and Motherland Party agree on minority government coalition.

NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash suffers heart attack

According to illegal Bayrak radio (10:00, 3.3.96), the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, has been taken to a Nicosia hospital intensive care unit after suffering a heart attack yesterday morning. It has been announced that Denktash is comfortable and in stable condition.

In a statement to reporters, Denktash's private doctor Sait Kenan said that Denktash felt a discomfort at 3:30 in the morning and that he did not understand at first that Denktash had suffered a heart attack because he thought the discomfort was due to his previous ailments. Kenan added that the doctors were called at 6:30 in view of Denktash's continuing discomfort and that he was taken to an intensive care, unit at 7:30. Explaining that following an electrocardiogram, it was determined that Denktash had suffered an acute miocoronary infarction and that he was taken to the coronary intensive care, Kenan added that Denktash was undergoing the necessary emergency care that his condition was stable, and that all the necessary precautions were taken. Pointing out that the first 48 hours were crucial in these types of coronary ailments, Kenan attributed Denktash's heart attack to tiredness, age, and stress.

Meanwhile, it was determined as a result of the consultations undertaken with the hospital doctors that consultations should also be held with Turkish heart specialists. For this reason, heart specialists from Istanbul and Ankara were to arrive in the occupied area yesterday.

Turkish President Suleyman Demirel called the hospital to wish Denktash a speedy recovery. Demirel also told Serdar Denktash, Denktash's son and Democratic Party secretary general, with whom he talked on the phone, that they are ready to help in any way possible.

Meanwhile, according to illegal Bayrak radio (16:30 hours, 3.3.96) Rauf Denktash's health is improving. Prof. Dervis Oral, who arrived from Turkey and conducted a consultation with physicians at the hospital in the occupied area regarding Denktash' health, and Drs. Erden Diker and Bulent Bir announced that Denktash is in satisfactory condition and there is no emergency situation.

Oral, a member of the team that arrived from Ankara and examined Denktash, Dr. Sait Kenan and Health Ministry officials held a news conference and commented on Denktash's condition.

Pointing out that in such cases, it is customary to wait for two days and then do an angiogram, Oral noted, therefore, that Denktash will be kept under care for two days. Oral explained that the angiogram could be held in Ankara, adding that this will take place during the course of this week.

Following the angiogram, a balloon procedure will be conducted to unblock at least the affected artery, Oral remarked, and noted that a certain amount of time must pass before the procedure can be carried out. Oral said that an angiogram is usually conducted from 2 - 10 days after the incident depending on the condition of the patient. He declared that there is no emergency at the moment, adding that Denktash will be transported to Ankara, where the necessary tests will be done.

[02] Denktash comments on missing persons issue

According to TRT Television network (13:00 hours, 2.3.96) responding to allegations leveled against him by the Greek Cypriot media, Rauf Denktash made a statement to TRT. In his statement, Denktash claimed: "The Greek Cypriot efforts to squelch the missing persons issue in a great din are an indication of their guilt."

He also claimed that it has become clear that the Cyprus Government deceived the relatives of 400 Greek Cypriots, who are known to be dead, by keeping them on the missing persons list.

Stating that no information has so far been provided on any Greek Cypriot who is supposed to be missing and alive, Denktash alleged that "the Greek Cypriots will be put to shame if they use this issue as a propaganda tool."

He added: "I repeat: We are not holding any missing persons. There are those who were killed in the war."

[03] The Human Rights Association releases its annual report

According to Turkish Daily News, the Human Rights Association (IHD) released its annual report on torture for 1995 on Friday in which it accuses the Turkish government of using torture as a deliberate policy, contrary to claims that it was the work of isolated individuals or a few ignorant and uneducated police officers.

The report further charged that the cases of torture which were brought to the attention of the "Torture Investigation Commission" of the IHD's Istanbul branch were not far below totals for previous years in terms of its being a method of systematic inquiry and pressure. It certainly shows that there has been no lessening in the number of incidents. The IHD reported that in 1994 there were 347 cases of torture documented.

The number of documents which have been brought to the attention of the IHD Commission during 1995 have been categorized as follows:

Total number of applications: 371

Number of written applications: 280

Number of written applications

based on the Adli Tip (Morgue)

Report: 23

Number of those who only applied

through the Adli Tip Report: 91

Number of Women: 60

Number of Children: 36

Number of Men: 275

Non-political: 54

Political: 317

Official accusations of torture: 35

Rape: Twelve (11 men and one woman) were raped with a billy club, two women by hand and one man with a rod. Twelve people, six men and six women were threatened with rape and two men were threatened that their wives would be raped. The report, which covers allegations from more than just the Istanbul area lists 34 places where rape allegedly took place and range from police headquarters and stations to the street. Details of the types of physical and mental torture which it charges were applied to victims are far ranging and comprehensive. Physical torture is said to include everything from being beaten with a variety of instruments to being forced to listen to mehter (Janissary) band marches and the Turkish national anthem and then be made to sing it. Psychological torture centers more around threats made against families or death threats.

The report goes on to hypothesize that many other cases must exist because torture victims are too frightened to come forward and make accusations. Even those who merely observed torture being carried out are reluctant to talk for fear that they will at some point become victims themselves. Others don't know how to go about applying to the Prosecutor's Offices to make an accusation or are hesitant about the possible results of lodging a complaint.

The IHD report comes just one day after the Turkish Parliament began a debate on torture in Turkey. The Justice Minister, Firuz Cilingiroglu, admitted for the first time ever in Parliament that there was torture being carried out in Turkey. The figures which Cilingiroglu cited - 10,878 torture cases before the courts in the period between 1987 and 1994 - show the extent to which torture has been carried out. However for example in 1993 while there were 555 cases launched against 907 people, there were only convictions in 252 cases. In 1994 there were 768 cases brought against 1,375 people with only convictions in 224 of them. If nothing else, the figures bear out the charge made in the IHD report that actually bringing torturers to justice is difficult.

Cilingiroglu, during the same session, admitted that four high school students in Manisa bore signs of being tortured according to doctors reports, however he said the incident is still being investigated. This admission set against the accusation in the IHD report that the government is deliberately covering up the use of torture even while it allows its employees to carry out such acts, lends further credence to the report as the Interior Minister Teoman Unusan has issued a statement denying the Manisa case.

[04] EU Cyprus representative arrives in Ankara

According to Anatolia news agency (9:40 hours, 1.3.96) European Union (EU) Cyprus representative Federico Di Roberto arrived in Ankara last Thursday to hold contacts.

Di Roberto, who had contacts earlier in Nicosia and Athens, is scheduled to depart Turkey on March 3.

Di Roperto is scheduled to meet Inal Batu, deputy Under Secretary to the Foreign Ministry who is responsible for Cyprus and Greek affairs and Foreign Ministry Under Secretary Onur Oymen.

[05] Turkish Cypriot women warn of growing fundamentalism

According to the Turkish Cypriot daily Cyprus Today (10-16.2.96) three women "MPs" have warned of the dangers of a rise in religious fundamentalism in the occupied area and called for stern "government" action to halt what they see as an alarming trend.

Onur Borman, of the Democrat Party, and opposition "deputies" Ruhsan Tugyan (National Unity Party) and Gulsen Bozkurt (Communal Liberation Party) set aside their political differences to unite on the issue at a press conference in the so-called Parliament.

They stressed their determination to preserve the secular character of the Turkish Cypriot "state" and urged others--especially women--to be on their guard against creeping religious fanaticism.

The three women called for strict "state" control over the way religious education was handled in schools in the occupied area.

Mrs Tugyan said religion should be taught in Turkish, not in Arabic. Mrs Bozkurt demanded great care over the appointment of schoolteachers from Turkey.

[06] True Path Party and Motherland Party agree on minority government coalition

All of today's papers (4.3.96) report on the deal achieved yesterday between Tansu Ciller's True Path Party (DYP) and Mesut Yilmaz's Motherland Party (ANAP) for a minority government coalition in Turkey.

The deal between caretaker Prime Minister Tansu Ciller and ANAP leader Mesut Yilmaz envisages a rotating premiership for the first time in Turkey. (EF)