Domestic Reactions to PKK Attack

In reaction to the PKK attack on soldiers in Hakkari yesterday (Sunday), President Abdullah Gül scheduled meetings with all the political leaders of parties represented in parliament today.

All parliamentary parties at Cankaya

The meetings began at 10 am at the presidential residence, Cankaya Palace. The politicians have been invited in the following order:

Deniz Baykal, chair of the main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP)
Devlet Bahceli, chair of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP)
Ahmet Türk, parliamentary group leader of the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP)
Zeki Sezer, chair of the Democratic Left Party (DSP)
Muhsin Yasicioglu, chair of hte Great Union Party (BBP)
Ufuk Uras, chair of the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP)

Erdogan: Waiting for military justifications

Prime Minister Erdogan has said that the parliamentary authorisation to carry out incursions into Northern Iraq would only be used if there were military justifications.

Speaking after the security summit last night, he said: "As soon as all the military justifications, and the justifications by our security forces have been put in front of us, we will not hold back in this issue, we will take steps."

Erdogan said that the US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice called him during the security summit yesterday evening. "While they emphasised the sensitivity they felt about this issue and our justified stance, they also said 'Give us a few days'."

Reacting to MHP chair Bahceli's call for a state of emergency, Erdogan said: "When fighting terrorism, emotions should not dominate. Common sense must dominate. We cannot announce a state of emergency because someone demands it, be it a politician or the public; we are governing a state."

Joint statement by human rights activists

The Human Rights Association (IHD) and the Turkish Human Rights Foundation (TIHV) condemned the attack in a joint statement:

"We share the pain of the families and condemn these bloody actions. We repeat, as human rights activists, that armed methods do not solve problems. We call on the PKK to lay down their weapons immediately. We are extremely worried that with every bullet and every exploding mine Turkey is being swept towards a civil war and conflict."

Some media calling for action, some for caution

In the domestic mainstream media, there were quite a few newspapers saying that "patience has run out". The Hürriyet and Sabah newspapers also accused Mesud Barzani, head of the Kurdish region in Northern Iraq, and Iraqi President Celal Talabani of not doing anything to prevent the PKK from attacking Turkey.

Some columnists, such as Umur Talu from Sabah and Ali Bayramoglu from Yeni Safak, warned Turkey not to fall into the PKK's trap by using the authorisation given by parliament last week to carry out cross-border operations.

Protests around the country 

In several cities around Turkey it came to spontaneous protests against terrorism: in Ankara, Istanbul, Adana, Eskisehir, Kocaeli, Bursa, Mugla, Nigde, Edirne, Izmir, Tekirdag, Karabük, Zonguldak, Aksaray, Hatay, Mersin, Antalya, Afyon, Erzurum, Elazig, Trabzon, Malatya and Adana.

Carrying Turkish flags and pictures of Kemal Atatürk, the protesters shouted slogans against the PKK. In some provinces, it has been reported that people went to gendarmerie command centres and asked to be taken into military service to fight against the PKK.

Cancelling entertainment

When 13 soldiers died in Sirnak on 7 October, television channels had been criticised for not changing their entertainment programmes. Yesterday (Sunday) evening, many channels rescheduled and broadcast news programmes instead.

Other entertainment has been cancelled, too. Concerts, cocktails and parties organised for the 44th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival were cancelled.

The Fenerbahce football club in Istanbul has cancelled a Beyonce concert scheduled to celebrate the club's 100th birthday.

Identities of seven hostage soldiers revealed

Meanwhile, local sources in Hakkari have said that eight soldiers were taken hostage by the PKK after the attack, and seven of their names have been revealed. With the exception of one sergeant, they are all infantry privates. (TK/GG/EÖ/AG)