Hunger strikes in Turkish prisons reach critical phase

Kurdish prisoners’ hunger strike grips Turkey as their health conditions deteriorate.

Hundreds of mostly Kurdish prisoners are nearing the 50th day of what they call an “indefinite and irreversible hunger strike,” launched to draw attention to political demands.

About 680 prisoners in 58 prisons across the country have joined the strike since it started September 12th, according to media reports. More …

Van: One year after massive earthquake

Residents, including local officials, continue to rebuild their lives after the October 23rd 2011 quake that killed hundreds and left an estimated 60,000 people homeless.

One year after the earth shook Van and destroyed their home, Namet Isnas and his family has finished building a new house. The construction worker is now busy with similar projects for others.

One year after the …

Hunger strike in Turkey: will people die in vain?

What’s going on?
Since 12 September an increasing number of inmates in Turkish prisons have been on a hunger strike. Recently, on 15 October, a huge new group of prisoners joined in, exactly how many is not clear, but at least 628.

Who are these prisoners?
Kurds, mostly political prisoners. Many of them are imprisoned (on remand) for the KCK case, but …

Hello crowd, it’s your turn!

Do you want a Kurdish senses package, normal size or XL? A package that lets you smell, feel, watch and listen to the Kurdish regions of Turkey? There is a way! It’s one of the perks I thought of to stimulate the crowds to contribute the funds I need to continue working on my book about the Kurdish issue. Want …

Inside all those houses

I’m on the sixth floor of a big apartment block of some twelve floors. From the balcony I look out on the surroundings and chat with R., the lady of the house. The area is called Diclekent, a huge and still new part of the city. The block where R. lives with her husband and three children was completed in …

Turkey disappointed by EU report

ISTANBUL – Turkey is deeply disappointed by the latest so-called progress report of the European Union. The report was presented in Brussels today. It is full of generalisations and prejudice, and it sounds like the EU listened too much to action groups, declared Egemen Bagis, chief negotiator with the EU and Minister of EU Affairs.

The report acknowledges that Turkey has …

UN condemns mortar strike on Turkish town

Russia blocked a draft version of the resolution that would have justified greater international involvement by the Security Council in Syria. The UN Security Council unanimously condemned this week’s mortar strike by Syria that killed five civilians in Akcakale.

The statement on Thursday (October 4th) called on Syria to “fully respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neighbours” and said that …

Big anti war demonstration in Istanbul

ISTANBUL – At least some 8,000 people demonstrated in Istanbul Thursday night against a possible war with Syria. Several NGO’s joined hands to express their disapproval of a law that the Turkish parliament passed today. The law authorises military operations outside Turkey’s borders.

The law was approved today after a mortar coming from Syria killed five people in a town at …

A loudly barking…

No, Turkey is not going to go to war. Yes, it adopted a law that makes cross border operations into ‘foreign countries’ possible, but that should be considered a warning, absolutely not a declaration of war. 

Turkey is shouting itself down somewhat. It is trying to demand things: a no fly zone, a safe haven across the border, an end to …

Why Erdogan is politically lazy

Ten years of AKP rule. Turkey has indisputably changed. Erdogan talked about that extensively in his speech to the fourth AKP congress yesterday. The economy had stabilized and grew despite global economic problems, the power of the army had been limited, steps had been taken towards reconciliation with the Kurds. All history. No great visions of the future, although the …