Kurdish problem

The European Court of Human Rights rules against Turkey in the case of journalist Sakine Aktan, who was punished by Turkey for interviewing the head of the Kurdistan Journalists Association.

Transsexual singer and celebrity Bülent Ersoy, on trial for alienating people from military service, defended his words by repeating that he was simply expressing his opinion for a solution without deaths.

Perinçek from the Human Rights Association and Bilgen from the Peace Assembly want the deputies to refuse the proposal to permit the Armed Forces to have operations in Iraq. Instead, they propose more peaceful options such as forming a commission for the Kurdish problem.

The newspaper Alternatif has been banned for publishing the views of Abdullah Öcalan, imprisoned leader of the Kurdish Workers Party, and Murat Karayılan, a high-level officer of the same party.

The court sentenced the members of the organization committee of the Adana Newroz celebration after two years for “doing propaganda work for the Kurdish Workers Party”. The members are planning to appeal the decision.

Sakarya’s Chief Prosecutor files a lawsuit against Aziz Koçak, the head of the Democratic Society Party's (DTP) Sakarya branch, for the “Peace and Brotherhood” night festival organized by them, which was attacked by a big crowd of far right nationalists and besieged for hours.

Journalist Cengiz Kapmaz is sentenced to 10 months in prison for his interview with former Democracy Party (DEP) deputy Orhan Doğan, who had said in the interview that the PKK should be permitted to do politics.

The Democratic Society Party is getting ready to take the arbitrary police raid to its Van branch office to the court. Recently there has been an increase in attacks to the DTP offices.

Şevket Köse, Adıyaman deputy for the Republican People’s Party (CHP), believes that the Constitutional Court should not close the Democratic Society Party (DTP) at least to be consistent with its previous decision in the AKP case.

Cizre District Governorship did not give permission for the investigation of the death of 15 year old Yahya Menekşe under a police panzer during a demonstration in Cizre on February 15, 2008. His family’s lawyer Rojhat Dilsiz describes the decision as unlawful.

Writer Murat Coşkun has been arrested for the book he wrote seven years ago. He is accused of having used expressions that provokes hostility and hatred among people.

According to journalist Faruk Balıkçı, in his Diyarbakır meeting, Chief of Staff İlker Başbuğ concentrated only on the economic dimension of the Kurdish Problem to prevent more people from joining the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK); the political dimension was missing.

Journalist Tahmaz and two more Birgün authorities are questioned by the authorities regarding the interview with one of the PKK leaders Murat Karayılan, which was published on daily Birgün.

Those who voted for the leftist candidates in the previous elections expect the left to start the necessary mechanisms. They think the socialist left should unite and carry the Kurdish problem to the agenda.

Journalist Vasi Köse is concerned that the soldiers dying in the eastern Turkey are causing ethnic tensions; it is causing the other identities of the country become silent.

Democratic Society Party deputy Geylani told how they had to walk the 70 Km to the opening of their branch office: The military banned driving on the way to their premises.

The peace meeting that will meet in three provinces on August 31 for the September 1 Peace Day defend peace against both sides, Kurdish and Turkish, armed struggle. They believe it is necessary to let know the decision makers and public that peaceful solution is possible.

Kurdish politician Ekinci thinks that the Kurdish Workers Party did not plan the bomb attacks in Güngören, Üsküdar, Mersin and İzmir. He says that both sides should lay down the arms to end the violence and those interested in peace should raise their voice and increase the pressure.

Bianet interviews figures of different opinion regarding Kurdish problem on the 24th year of PKK's declaration of war. CHP deputy Serter advises sticking to the same method, while writer Orhan Miroğlu urges for recognition of Kursih identity, and human rights activist Ayhan Bilen insists on facing up the past.

Following the attacks by the Turkish forces, the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) blew up an army truck, killing nine and injuring 2.