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Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 99-02-05Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIANo. 20/99 -- 5/2/99[A] NEWS ITEMS
[A] NEWS ITEMS[01] 1998 Human Rights violations in TurkeyAccording to Turkish Daily News (4/2/99), the pro-Islamic Organization of Human Rights and Solidarity For Oppressed People (MAZLUM - DER) says that human rights abuses continued in 1998 and that Turkey was ruled by governments that were not representative of the people.MAZLUM-DER on Wednesday released a preliminary report on human rights violations that looked at all aspects of human rights violations. The report pointed out that 1998 saw the Constitutional Court close down the biggest party in Parliament, the Welfare Party, and that again today there are attempts to close down the People´s Democracy Party (HADEP). The report said HADEP was a party that ``accepts the most sorrowful problem in Turkey as its main platform,'' referring to the party´s calls for an end to the Southeast or Kurdish problem. Yilmaz Ensaroglu, head of MAZLUM-DER, said the system in Turkey allows human rights violations to continue. ``The Prime Minister Crisis Administration Center, which was formed 1997 is still operating, which shows that the ´crisis administration´, or in other words , ´human rights violations´, has become a continual administrative policy in Turkey. The efforts of powers outside of politics to organize the political arena is still continuing'', said Ensaroglu. The report noted that in Turkey the state is perceived as a ``master'', that is responsible for training society, rather than an organization that is supposed to provide services for the people. ``The state is worshipped''. Ensaroglu said, adding that the judicial system is also flawed in Turkey. ``Justice is thought of as a mechanism that, in accordance with the official ideology and policies, is supposed to protect the state from the people rather than as a mechanism that is supposed to protect human rights within the framework of international legal principles,'' Ensaroglu said. Ensaroglu went on to explain that the system can be seen clearly by looking at the judicial processes in various trials. ``When one considers the judicial procedures of cases such (as the jailing of writer) Ismail Besiksi, (the charges brought against human rights activist) Akin Birdal, (the jail sentence handed down against former Istanbul mayor) Recep Tayyip Erdogan, (the jailing of journalist) Ragip Duran, (the trial of police officers accused of killing journalist) Metin Goktepe, (the trial of 16 teenagers) in Manisa, (the riots in the) Gazi district and Diyarbakir Prison, and the whole situation regarding the gangs, the situation in Turkey can be seen more clearly. Human rights violations in 1998 in Turkey, according to MAZLUM - DER The right to life Mysterious killings/suspicious deaths:235 : Deaths due to torture/summary execution: 53 Deaths and injuries in riots: 2, 164 dead.564 injured. Activities against civilians:98 dead, 110 injured Mine and bomb explosions:163 incidents, 78 dead, 328 injured Personal Freedom Torture/Claims of torture:710 Missing persons:73 - Threatening to kidnap, oppress, spying e.t.c: 371 Sexual abuse or rape while in detention: 20 Number of people taken into detention: 35,914 Number of people charged: 1,279 Harassment (Raids, forced migration, forced employment as village guards, food embargo): 868 Number of burnt or emptied villages:76 Number of incidents in prisons:279 Number of deaths in prison:28 Freedom of thought Number of years imprisonment demanded by prosecutors: 2,107 years Fines demanded by prosecutors: TL39,7 billion Number of years´ imprisonment given: - 470 years and 5 months. Fines given:TL 59 billion Total number of prisoners of consience 130 Freedom of the press Number of attacks, embargoes, investigations, raids on press establishments: 268 Number of journalists detained:124 Number of editions of publications confiscated: 239 Freedom of association Number of attacks, embargoes, invastiga tion, raids on NGOs:289. Number of parties unions and associations closed down:33 Religious freedom Number of students with headscarves detained:4,236 Number of students refused admission to school: 8,238 Number of player centers, Koran courses and religious dormitories closed down:31 Number of religious attacks on non Muslims:15 Total number of attacks against religious freedom: 26.669 Freedom of Education Attacks:2 dead, 340 injured Number of students detained and questioned:730 [02] Cem to visit occupied area tomorrowKIBRIS (5.2.99) reports that Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem will pay a short visit to the occupied area tomorrow.Quoting reliable sources in Ankara, KIBRIS reports that Cem will hold talks with ``TRNC officials'' and will return to Ankara the same say. KIBRIS adds that if the visit materializes Cem will discus the initiatives of the Western countries and the stalemate in the Cyprus problem. (MY) [03] Denktash welcomes Eroglu statement on confederationAccording to illegal Bayrak Radio (1130 hours, 4/2/99), Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has said that with the statement he issued the other day, so-called prime minister Eroglu eliminated the problem caused by the omission of the confederation proposal from the ``government program''.At his meeting with Ann Hercus, the UN secretary general´s deputy special envoy in Cyprus, Denktash assessed the statement Eroglu made. He said ``Had the confederation proposal been included in the government program, with due consideration given to the basic importance of the state, then we would not have faced any problems''. Denktash affirmed that there is no longer a problem now. He pointed out that the confederation is a formula posited for the solution of the problem. He asserted that from now on, the diplomats will know that the confederation is an important proposal. He thanked the ``government'' for its decision regarding this issue. Denktash noted that in his statement Eroglu spoke of a play on words being made in connection with the confederation. Denktash said ``Actually, the real play of words was in the government program'' [04] ``Coalistion agreement'' announces confederation proposal still validAccording to illegal Bayrak radio (1630 hours 4/2/99), the so-called council of ministers has stressed that the ``coalition government'' composed of the National Unity Party (UBP) and the Communal Liberation Party (TKP) is ready to contribute to the process of reaching an agreement that will endorse the existence and equality of the pseudostate, that will meet its security needs and that will accept the continued effective and de facto guarantee of Turkey without going into unnecessary domestic discussions based on names and concepts.So-called prime minister Dervis Eroglu made a statement to the press at the end of the meeting saying that the ``government program'' does not constitute an obstacle to advancing the proposal that was submitted to the Cyprus Government and the United Nations on 31 August 1998. He reiterated that a healthy dialogue will be maintained with Rauf Denktash during the talks to be conducted with the aim of reaching a mutually acceptable agreement in Cyprus. Eroglu noted that the ``coalition government'' preserves the view that domestic political disputes cannot be beneficial in advancing the ``national Cyprus cause''. Eroglu further stressed that the ``government program'' stipulates that the ``coalition government'' will determine and conduct its foreign policy in cooperation with Turkey. Pointing out that the ``coalition government'' will exert efforts to develop the ``TRNC'', its economy and democracy and to have it recognized, Eroglu added:``In the event of an agreement, our government will, at the same time, fulfill its responsibilities in a bid to enable the TRNC and all its institutions to take its part as one of the two equal parties''. Eroglu said that the proposal, which was accepted on 31 August 1998 and which was put on the negotiating table before the UBP - TKP ``government'' was established, is still valid within the framework of the principle of the continuity of the state. He continued: ``We reiterate that we shall maintain a healthy dialogue with President Denktash during the talks to be conducted with the aim of reaching a mutually acceptable agreement in Cyprus'' Mustafa Akainci, so-called state minister and deputy prime minister, who was asked whether there has been any change in the TKP´s Cyprus policy, said that ``it is not beneficial to use certain phrases and the national cause as the topic of domestic political discussions''. Akinci added that in line with the principle of the continuity of the ``government'' and ``state'', the proposal which was submitted before the current ``coalition government'' was established is still valid. He noted that there are attempts to create the wrong impression that there is a vacuum in the ``government´s'' policy concerning the Cyprus problem. Akinci continued:``The proposal is in effect and valid''. He stressed that the ``coalition government'' will obstruct the negotiations. Pointing out that the unity of views on various principles is still valid, Akinci continued: ``The TRNC exists. The Greek Cypriots should accept that. We want our security, our equality, and our sovereignty . We will decide on these issues together with Turkey and we will continue the negotiations. Naturally, a healthy dialogue will be secured with the president''. Noting that there are attempts to draw the ``government'' into a confederation- federation dispute, Akinci concluded by saying that if necessary, one can come up with a name, in the line with the tableau that will emerge in the process of the negotiations. [05] Patriotic Union Movement urges leaders to give up confederation proposalAccording to illegal Bayrak Radio (1130 hours, 4/2/99) the Patriotic Union Movement (YBH) has called on Rauf Denktash and the ``coalition government'' to give up the confederation proposal and to return to the high-level 1977- 1979 agreements.Izzet Izcan, YBH organizational secretary, issued a written statement maintaining that ``the establishment of a confederation based on two separate and sovereign states will make the partition and the lack of solution permanent''. [06] Eroglu: Future of Turkish Cypriots will be decided in CyprusBIRLIK (5/2/99) reports that so-called prime minister Dervis Eroglu has said that the future of the Turkish Cypriots will not be decided upon beyond the oceans (Tr Note: he means either Europe or the US) but here in Cyprus.He was speaking at a meeting with TMT Committee members yesterday. He added the Turkish Cypriots have taken up the Cyprus problem together with Turkey. (A.Th.) [07] No freedom of press in the occupied areaKIBRIS (5/2/99) reports that the so-called Near East University organized a meeting during which media representatives expressed views about how press is functioning in the occupied area. Representatives from KIBRIS, YENI CAG, BIRLIK, YENIDUZEN and AVRUPA complained that there is no freedom of press in the pseudostate and that press regulations currently in force are not the ones included in the so-called constitution but those in force during British colonial rule.Media representatives that attended the meeting expressed regret over the fact that very few media representatives were present at the meeting . (MY From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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