Council of State to Decide on Kurdish

The state owned Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) applied to the Council of State demanding the cancellation of the ordinance, which allows Kurdish broadcasts. According to lawyer Fikret Ilkiz, TRT, with this application, demonstrated that it does not want the law to be implemented.

Ilkiz underlined that TRT did not bring forward any suggestions about Kurdish broadcasts and did not start a debate about it. "The application to cancel the ordinance means being against the EU reforms. The ordinance by the Radio and Television Supreme Board (RTUK) was a step toward implementing the reforms," said Ilkiz.

Ilkiz advocates that all private television stations should be able to freely broadcast Kurdish programs. "TRT had announced that it would comply with any ordinance, and that it had initiated the necessary preparations. But on the other hand, it applied for the cancellations of the ordinance. This is far from seriousness," Ilkiz said.

"Both the TRT and private television and radio stations should broadcast Kurdish programs"

Seyhan Sincar, the head of Radio Dunya (World) which broadcasts in the province of Adana said the radio was ordered off the air for a month because, opposing RTUK's ordinance, they aired programs in Kurdish. "It would be a violation of the principle of equality in the Constitution if TRT had the monopoly over Kurdish broadcasts," Sincar said.

Sincar said Radio Dunya would apply to the Council of State for the cancellation of the RTUK decision, citing the constitutional principle of "equality." Sincar said the state should support broadcasts in different languages but should not have monopoly over it.

Sincar said Kurdish broadcasts would not cause any problems. Although they knew it was against the ordinance Radio Dunya broadcasted a program called "Kurdish Language and Literature." Because of this program, RTUK ordered the station off the air for a month. Sincar said they had opened a case to overturn RTUK's decision but that the court decided to wait for the Council of State's decision.

"TRT has to broadcast programs not only in Kurdish but also in other languages like the Laz language, or Circassian because everyone has the right of broadcasts in their mother tongue, " said Sincar. "Only with the state's support the private television and radio stations will have this right and be able to air programs without being fined," he added.

"Not long ago, we used to be fined for airing Kurdish songs. And now we are continuously being monitored and being unfairly fined."

Ban on Kurdish songs

"Despite amendments to broadcasting laws, the authorities are still against Kurdish broadcasts," said Mehmet Can Toprak, head of Radio Ses (Voice) which was fined by RTUK for airing Kurdish songs.

Toprak also said that according to the RTUK ordinance, the Turkish translation of the program should be aired right after a broadcast in another language, and that there were time limits on such broadcasts. These limit the EU reforms and are a result of a mentality that does not want to implement the reforms.

"Even if the private radio and television stations are allowed to broadcast programs in Kurdish, we are faced with RTUK's limitations and fines," said Toprak. "RTUK has to be annulled or its principles should change. Even though local RTUK administrations have been annulled, we are still being monitored by the police who has no knowledge over broadcasting," he added. (OG/NK/EA/NM)