Turkey's EU bid

by iosaf Sun Oct 10, 2004 13:38

where European attempts under the Irish presidency (april 19-24 2004) to find unity over division of a small island shared by greeks and turks failed.
He has built up a pro-european profile since helping to soften criticism of the Turkish government in the crises period of 2000-2001 when Turkey hunted down and arrested Occilan (leader of the Turkish Kurdish armed seperatists) and subsequently announced they'd execute him.
This led to calls in ireland for the ending of diplomatic relations between the states.
this is the site of the entity that promotes closer co-operation between Ireland and Turkey-
http://www.irelandturkey.org/
harbourmaster 4, IFSC, Dublin 1, Ireland

We seem sure that Turkey is less a systematic violator of human and civil rights now than ten years ago. And the American administration is keen to establish a trade and political union between "democratic type" states in the Levant. No less an authority and trusted source of geopolitical wisdom as president Bush 2nd expressed his complete support for Turkish EU ambition during his summit meeting in Ireland.

At present the mean per capita income for Ireland is 35k € per annum, and for Turkey is 9k€ per annum. If you survive being taxed much less than 35k in Eire chances are there are very poor people in Turkey.

If Europeans are serious about welcoming Turkey into the Union they will have to redesign the Euro notes as at the moment only the "european" part of "anatolia" is represented but that's where the money making opportunities are. In contrast to the southern provinces and the east. Where terrorist and seperatist and fundamentalist voices have made themselves heard consistently since the days of AttaTurk the founder of the "secular muslim republic".

Examples of such "problematic" cultural adhesion groupings include-
Those who blew up the Istanbul synagogues last year. (the first to admit responsibilty came from the East of the country)
Those who trained and backed Ali Agca in his failed assasination attempt on JohnPaul2.(the "grey wolves" came from the region which borders Syria to the south)
Those who planted three car bombs the night before Blair arrived for discussions relating to NATO. (these were probably dissidents in the central Ankara region)
Those who probably were responsible for the failure of those negotiations to open a "turkish front" in Iraq, or to be more precise Kurdistan. An event which saw veto being used for the first time in NATO and the war on Iraq delayed by several weeks, and quite clearly showed the fractitious divisions which exist in the Turkish political class.

In addition there are many more reasons why Turkey the shining example of "modernising muslim republic" [ in that it has now finally in the XXI Century_ legislated_ against torture and the death penalty ] ought be _very seriously_ considered / discussed for it's EU bid.

This is a state which quite democratically almost reinstated adultery as a criminal offence in the last year.

This is a state which has been almost at war with it's immediate European neighbour (Greece) for the majority of the last forty years and has shown no ability to broker a satisfactory solution to the Cyprus problem.

this is the news portal of Turkey in english-
http://www.anatolia.com/anatolia/
in addition there are indymedia collective for Istanbul, and Cyprus. The Cyprus imc was alledgedly put under CIA surveliance earlier this year.

In terms of "trade", "economics", and "common cultural heritage",
Turkey is as European as Israel.
Israel is as European as Morocco.
can over 450,000,000 people be convinced that is true within 15 years?

by Ezetz Wed Oct 13, 2004 16:57

Why do we keep saying that the entrance of Turkey in the EU depends on its human rights record, when we know quite well that an EU country, such as the Spanish State, has an appalling human rights record?

Check links below for more info:

www.stoptortura.com/index.php?newlang=eng

www.behatokia.info/index.php/index.php?newlang=eng

by Latif Serhildan - KURDISTAN SOLIDARITY IRELAND Thu Dec 02, 2004 14:52 serhildantakak at eircom dot net

KURDISH PERSPECTIVES ON TURKEY AND EU


For some time now the subject of the accession date allowing Turkey into the EU has been a hot topic. However, despite all of the discussions a clear agenda has not been set. A condition of different opinions, voiced about whether or not Turkey should in fact be given a date for the accession talks to begin has been a controversial issue on the international agenda. Regardless of the difference of opinions on the subject, however, everybody knows that Turkey needs to take on some serious reforms prior to any entry considerations. Due to the fact that there are many different perspectives and ideas on how this must be accomplished it is natural that accommodations should be made on this basis. Since February 6 of 2002, Turkey has undergone numerous reforms; however, it is not so much the reforms themselves that are important, as is the actual implementation. It is in this area that there are serious problems.

The Turkish Government is actively distributing the propaganda that these changes regarding the human rights problem, democracy, The Kurdish issue and freedom are up to the European norms and standards. Turkey continuously insists that these reforms have ended inhumane treatment in the form of abuse, brutality and torture in the country.

The EP report (written by Mr. Oostlander on November 5, 2003) shows that Turkey is not appropriately implementing the changes required of them. In the media however, this lack of implementation is not being reflected. Moreover changes in the Kurdish regions have not been made. In actuality the Turkish Government, which claims to have complied with the EU's criteria, has continued with its campaign of military destruction against the Kurdish People and with its policy of not recognizing international law. Additionally, from these reports, one can still see that the military, as it always has, continues to have a strong hold on the political process.

The Kurdish issue as portrayed by the Turkish Government is not an issue of security; it is an issue concerning rights. This belief, that is only capable of considering a forceful, military solution, must be abandoned. The increase of corruption and the rise of warmonger gangs have come as a direct result of this defective mentality. The reality is that Turkey is in desperate need of true change. It is important to ensure that the changes are fundamental, and not merely in speech and in script. The primary barrier in Turkey's path is the Kurdish issue and the need for democratization; these two elements are inseparably related.

Kurds for decades and even centuries have been living discontentedly under unfavourable conditions. Since the formation of the republic, Kurds have had absolutely no right to develop their culture or even use their own language; collective rights have suffered in the same way. Turkey still refuses to see these things, and it seems like Turkey will continue to refuse seeing them for a long time still to come. The EU must bring Turkey face to face with what it refuses to see; it must be held accountable for not having met the required criteria. It must be stated that should the EU not start to play a more active role in ensuring the meeting of criteria now, then ensuring changes in the future will be all the more difficult.

The need for a solution to the Kurdish issue has constantly been voiced. Starting in 1992 the EP recognized the need for Kurds to have rights and for a peaceful solution, which were formally adapted in the 1998 EU report. Unfortunately however, the policy of distanced passivity is still mainstream. Kurdish politicians are still in prison. Villages that have been destroyed and emptied in the region have not been rebuilt. Locals have not been allowed to return and to re inhabit their homes. The “village guard” system, which officially employs 58,551 people, has not been removed. The path for peaceful dialogue in search of a solution has remained closed. Additionally, the Kurdish identity is not recognized at the fundamental levels of the state law.

Despite the fact that the EU requires Turkey to make changes, which are directly related to the Kurdish issue in Turkey, the Kurds are not made a part of the discussions to which they should be integral. Clauses from the European Constitution that cover human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, supremacy of the law, and respect towards human rights values should be valid for Turkey as well. Kurds are not waiting for a magical solution to the Kurdish issue, however, they want mutual respect, good intent, cooperation, and the Kurdish identity to be recognized and guaranteed in the constitution. With these demonstrations of sincerity Kurds can reach a probable solution.
All European governments and Turkish politicians know very well that the Kurd’s peaceful and democratic perspective will simplify achieving a solution. Should the EU allow the Kurds to provide their input on the issue, they will be more than willing to do all that is required of them. Not allowing for Kurdish input on an issue that directly involves them will not be good; this rightfully worries the Kurdish People.

Even though in this century it is known that solutions to problems such as these are to be found through dialogue the Kurdish issue in Turkey is being considered in a different light. There are many member countries in the EU that have similar problems. However, in Spain, Belgium and England solutions have been found through peaceful dialogue. Why is the Kurdish issue being held to a different standard?

The EU has expanded 5 times to include a total of 25 countries; all the requirements and processes that these countries implemented and followed should also be taken by Turkey. In order for Turkey to feel comfortable in accepting European values its institutions should be more flexible and open; otherwise to claim that a true change has occurred will be misleading and untrue.

Kurds have serious doubts about the intention of the Turkish Government over their desire to accept the European standards concerning the rights of the Kurds. It is clear that the Turkish Government is trying to impose it's own preferred conception and interpretation of the Copenhagen Criteria and the short and long-time goals of the Partenaria Document made public by the EC on the 8th of November 2000 to it's own advantage.
Indeed, through examining the official position of the Turkish Government on this matter, Kurds have been able to observe the following facts:

• Within the judicial field, Turkey is armed with an apparatus that prohibits (all sorts of) opposition in the country. More than 750 prohibitive paragraphs exist in Turkish Law, in particular with regards to the freedom of expression, creation of associations, education and publications related to the Kurdish issue.

• Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan continues to use the catch-phrase “Zero Tolerance” to describe the government's policy on human rights issues such as abuse and torture. However, rather than “Zero Tolerance” the problem is that the real policy is in fact “Tolerance” towards such abuses; reports from established human rights foundations and associations such as IHD, GÖÇ-DER, MAZLUM-DER, TESEV, and TOHAV over the past 6 months confirm this.

• Turkey is neglecting to sign international agreements. For example, Turkey has signed agreement of the UN on societal rights, and international agreements (economic, social and cultural rights); however, it has been rejecting the issues of changing minority rights and of education.

1. The politics of denial with respect to the Kurdish reality and existence is still being carried out in Turkey.
2. Cultural plurality is still staunchly rejected; freedom of cultural expression and rights for ethnic and linguistic groups other than that of the Turks are still forbidden.
3. Repressive judicial measures are still being applied to all cases regarding the freedom of expression and the freedom of association.
4. The continuation of the prohibition of the Kurdish language in (all forms of the) media and education system has allowed Turkey to further accelerate its policy of assimilation with regard to the Kurds; this condition has made it very difficult or impossible to take advantage of the assistance offered by EU aid programs, in particular MEDA.
5. Refusal to decentralize the country.
6. The continuation of the policy of economic development in the western parts of the country -- holding the Turkish majority – as opposed to the eastern regions; additionally it is important to note that the western regions make decisions for the eastern regions on their behalf, without their input.
7. There is a refusal to search for and to accept the need for a peaceful and political solution to the Kurdish issue; and a refusal to open dialogue with the Kurdish People (who have already taken numerous steps).
8. The hegemony of the Turkish Military over the political affairs of the country is still maintained.
9. Pressure and repression is still maintained over journalists and intellectuals.
10. Physical and psychological torture is still mainstream; the practice continues in full force against opposition elements to the Turkish nationalistic ideology.

How to attain a political and democratic solution to the Kurdish issue in Turkey?
In order to effectively resolve the Kurdish issue in Turkey, the Turks and the Kurds must be willing to take concrete steps to search for a political solution through an open-dialogue. Both sides must be willing and ready to compromise.

As a way to reassure the Turkish Government over the territorial integrity of the country, and to satisfy the demands, conventions and principles of the EU, the European Council, and the Kurds, the Kurdish political, social and cultural organizations once again undertake upon Kurds to solemnly respect the following principles:
1. Kurds will respect the territorial integrity of Turkey.
2. Kurds, as has been previously announced, will cease all armed resistance; political process will be the method devoted for finding a political solution to the problem.
3. Kurds would abide to the standards and principles of democracy recognized by the EU in judicial, economic, and human rights issues.
4. The entire Kurdish forces would abide by these rules should the Turkish State take steps toward finding a solution.

by perhaps Thu Dec 02, 2004 18:57

Its rather worrying the way that European style secularism has to be maintained by the Army, sometimes against the democratic wishes of the Muslim majority.