Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 97-05-09

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA

No. 82/97 -- 9/5/97

CONTENTS

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] POLITICS AND ORGANIZED CRIME IN TURKEY DEBATED

[02] DENKTASH ON PRESIDENT CLINTON'S STATEMENT ON DELIVERY OF SHIPS TO TURKEY

[03] T/C BUSINESSMEN TURN DOWN INVITATION BY GILLES ANOUIL

[04] AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER TO GIVE LECTURE IN THE OCCUPIED AREA

[05] THE PIRI REIS IN OCCUPIED KYRENIA PORT

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] POLITICS AND ORGANIZED CRIME IN TURKEY DEBATED

Speakers from Turkey, Germany, Italy, Belgium and Spain attended the one- day symposium, ``Politics and Gangs, '' organized by the European Parliament (EP) Greens Group and Bilar, an Istanbul-based research and academic organization.

`` We are not here to prosecute and accuse Turkey,'' Claudia Roth, co- chairwoman of the EP's Greens Party Group and a frequent critic of Turkey, told the audience. `` We are forced to discuss the evolvement of organized crime and politics in the world as well as in Turkey.''

Roth said Turkey had already been severely criticized for its poor human rights record, and issues related to people reported missing under police detention and the illicit transfer of weapons.

By debating of open cases of corruption in the world and Turkey, she stressed, the participants would be able to lift the fog surrounding organized crime and politicians.

Speaking at the same symposium, Omer Erzeren, correspondent of the Berlin Tages Zeitung and a member of Bilar, said organized crime rings were in control in Turkey.

`` The eskiya (brigands) are in power in Turkey, '' Erzeren asserted, citing the example of how a gang of gunmen last week raided the offices of Flash TV channel after it broadcast an interview with a fugitive crime boss.

In the broadcast, the Mafia kingpin accused Deputy Prime Minister Tansu Ciller and her husband of having ties with the underworld.

`` Police did not interfere, and one hour later authorities shut down the TV channel,'' Erzeren said.

He also suggested that the anti-terror Counter Guerrilla organization and the extreme Islamist Hizbullah (Party of God) group had both secret and open ties with the state in carrying out political murders.

`` Anticommunism was [the excuse] used for all these mustery murders and blood letting,'' Erzeren added. `` Then Turkish idealism was stressed in a fight to destroy the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Those who form alliances with the devil become devils themselves. To say that all these murders were carried out in the name of the state is no longer sufficient.''

Erzeren was referring to the pre-1980 period as well as Turkey's continuing 13-year military operation against the PKK. In the two years that preceded the September 12, 1980 military takeover, 5,000 Turks, including university students, journalists and professors, were killed in an explosion of left-right feuding, political murders and sectarian violence.

Member of European Parliamentary Greens Group and the mayor of Palermo in Italy, Leolico Orlando, gave a wide periodical information about gangs and Mafia. Orlando stated that if the Mafia is a gag, new ``gangs'' should be formed against these gangs which consists of civilians NGOs.

``The Mafia develops within the culture and tradition of the society that it exists in. Friendship is very valuable for Sicilians, and the Sicilian Mafia is based on the same values. The church, the state and these traditional big families have cooperated against the Italian Communists and established the Italian Republic, which contributed even more to the development of these relations.

``The Russian Mafia today tries to use the same relations by cooperating with the church and the state'' he said.

Orlando's statement that Mafia resembles radical Islam received considerable criticism from pro-Islamist commentators, such as Abdurrahman Dilipak.

Dilipak claimed Orlando's information on Europe is insufficient, both heroin and arms come to the middle East over Europe, Europe is both the dealer and consumer of heroin. Dilipak also stated that comparing the Mafia to radical Islam is not ethical. Orlando elaborated on his statement, saying he did not discriminate between countries or races. ``I submitted the general functions and operations. Mafia crimes discriminate the least among organized crime. Other crimes may discriminate. I am a Catholic. I compared the Mafia to radical Islam because when a radical Islamist makes a statement about Catholicism it is evaluated as the statement of the Islamic world.

``This shows two mistakes,'' he continued. ``First the generalization of one radical Islamist's statement to the whole Islamic world, and secondly to provide the speaker with the opportunity to hide himself.''

[02] DENKTASH ON PRESIDENT CLINTON'S STATEMENT ON DELIVERY OF SHIPS TO TURKEY

He alleged that President Bill Clinton's decision will encourage the Greek - Greek Cypriot side's intransigence further. `` This decision is in every aspect regrettable and unacceptable'' claimed Denktash.

(MY)

[03] T/C BUSINESSMEN TURN DOWN INVITATION BY GILLES ANOUIL

Businessment Engin Ari, Salih Boyaci, Dervish Besimler, Omac Cin, Erdil Nami, Eren Rifat Ertan and Hasan Songur have turned down the invitation for the reception which will take place tomorrow in the free areas of the Republic.

(MY)

[04] AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER TO GIVE LECTURE IN THE OCCUPIED AREA

(MY)

[05] THE PIRI REIS IN OCCUPIED KYRENIA PORT

KIBRIS reports that the so-called Minister of Agriculture of the pseudo state Kenan Akin visited the ship and said that the Piri Reis will conduct research as regards fishing grounds. He claimed that the findings will help the developing of the fishing industry in the occupied area.

(MY)

From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/

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