International Initiative
Freedom for Ocalan – Peace in Kurdistan
P.O. Box 100511, D-50445 Koeln
E-Mail: info@freedom-for-ocalan.com
Url: www.freedom-for-ocalan.com

Cologne, 7 November 2003

INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVE BRIEFINGS:
The Turkish Dilemma Or One Swallow Doesn't Make A Summer

The European Commission's regular report on Turkey's progress towards accession has been published. In fact, the report notices some progress in view of achieving compliance with the Copenhagen political criteria. Again, however, it is observed that this progress can not yet be seen in Turkish everyday life. The Commission, therefore, invites Turkey to follow up its legal reforms with actions. This is the point where the real Turkish dilemma becomes obvious. Although an impressive number of laws was changed within a short span of time - including improved cultural liberties for the Kurdish community - as soon as the practical implementation was on the agenda the reforming zeal soon came to a standstill.
Both the powerful military and the traditionally Kemalist bureaucracy still eye these reforms sceptically. Hence, the reforms only exist on paper so far. The human rights situation is still disastrous, and the most simple democratic demands of oppositional parties only meet with repression. There is still no substantial change of views.

The EU, however, confines itself to the role of an observer. There is the belief that the mere task of complying with the Copenhagen Criteria might kick off evolutionary dynamics that will eventually solve the Turkish problems. This is not a realistic approach. In particular the Kurdish question is not simply one problem among many. It is Turkey's main problem. The conflict that cost about 40.000 lives and has made millions suffer is still smouldering, waiting for a solution. Therefore, the problem needs to be recognised and called by its name - by the conflict parties as well as by the enlargement strategists of the Union. The Commission has again shied away from this, thus not playing a very constructive part. It is not the job of the candidate countries only to provide security and stability at the present EU-borders, particularly when the Turkish-Kurdish conflict is again heading for an escalation.

The situation of the Kurdish leader Ocalan is still a source of tensions in the Kurdish community in Turkey. In many cases protests ended in clashes with Turkish security forces. It was only last weekend that 15.000 Kurds gathered in the Eastern Turkish city of Van to protest against Abdullah Ocalan's solitary confinement. After his illegal abduction from Kenya on 15 February 2003 Ocalan is imprisoned on the Turkish island of Imrali as the only prisoner under severe conditions. The solitary confinement has already deteriorated his health markedly.
The increasing number of clashes between Kurdish rebels and the Turkish military make it clear that the ceasefire is more than fragile. Furthermore, the unilaterally declared ceasefire might be all over and done with on December 1, if the Turkish government does not take some real steps towards a solution of the Kurdish question by then. This would probably mean war once again. It is highly questionable if this can be averted by the simple trust in the miraculous workings of the Copenhagen criteria alone.