Stop labelling PKK-fighters as terrorists
Turkey is bombing PKK camps in Northern-Iraq in retaliation for the killing of soldiers by the PKK. The first civilian deaths have been reported. The EU doesn’t protest the violence, because the PKK is on the EU list of terrorist organizations. But the label ‘terrorist’ contributes to maintaining the crux of the problem, which is the still unsolved Kurdish issue. …
Professional journalism? Not in Turkey!
Blue murder is being cried over the lack of press freedom in Turkey. You never hear about the other side of the medal: journalists give themselves too many freedoms. Journalist Banu Güven (photo): ‘Extreme language and polarization sell.’
There is a huge red board in the hallway at Hürriyet, one of the biggest papers in Turkey: Our Basic Principles …
Turkey continues fight after loss of 13 soldiers
ANKARA – The Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan said he is determined to continue the fight against the PKK. He said this after an emergency meeting with the army after thirteen Turkish soldiers died in an attack by Kurdish seperatist movement PKK. Also seven PKK-fighters died.
It was the biggest PKK attack in about a year time. The soldiers prepared an …
Deadlock after opposition boycots parliament
ISTANBUL – A first in Turkish politics: the new parliament was inaugurated Tuesday the afternoon, but only about two third of a total of 550 MP’s took their oath. Two opposition parties refused to take part in the ceremony because some of their group members are in jail. Prime Minister Erdogan didn’t comment yet on the situation.
The raising tensions reduce …
Chaos feared during inauguration Turkish parliament
ISTANBUL – The inauguration of the new Turkish parliament, on Tuesday, is feared to turn out chaotic. Nine elected MP’s won’t be present because they are in jail, there is heavy discussion about a seat that might go from the Kurdish block to governing party AKP, and the biggest opposition party threatens to boycot the ceremony. The pro-Kurdish MP’s who …
Joost Lagendijk: ‘Turks want change’
ISTANBUL – The winner of the Turkish elections of last Sunday, the AKP, will have to come with a reasonable offer for a new constitution, says Dutch Joost Lagendijk, teacher at the Istanbul Sabanci University and former Euro Parlemetarian. He is optimistic: ‘The Turks want change.’
Lagendijks optimism is mainly based on the power of social institutions, like business associations and …
ISTANBUL – Metin (47) votes for Abdullah Öcalan. That the leader of the Kurdish seperatist movement PKK is in jail, is not relevant. Hij points at the posters of the candidate for pro-Kurdish party BDP. ‘I vote for Öcalan via him.’
The neighborhood Tarlabasi, a few minutes walk from Istanbuls central Taksim Square, is old, dilapidated and poor, and mainly inhabited …
Third term for ‘Islamist’ Erdoğan
ISTANBUL – The Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will most probably start his third term as the most powerful man in tyhe country. With that he is on the way to become the longest ruling democratically elected leader of Turkey. Erdoğan became PM in 2003 and can continue in that position after Sunday till 2015.
During the reign of the …
Turkish ultranationalists switch to pro-Kurdish party
ISTANBUL – In a remarkable decision by a politician of ultranationalist political party MHP in Turkey, he has switched to pro-Kurdish party BDP, along with 16 members of the local MHP Board, daily Radikal reported on Tuesday. There are hardly any parties more ideologically opposed than the MHP and the BDP.
The ex-ultranationalist, Ömer Bozkurt, was a local leader of …
Headscarf conquers Turkish parliament
The Turkish parliament has up to now been a forbidden area for women wearing a headscarf. And in the labour market women who cover their hair are discriminated against. Aynur Bayram tries to change that by standing as an independent candidate in the upcoming general elections.
A hundred thousand votes. That’s how many votes Aynur Bayram (30) has to collect in
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