TURKEY / DISSENT (L-ONLY) BY AMBERIN ZAMAN/ANKARA
DATE=6/19/95
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-180684
TITLE=TURKEY / DISSENT (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN
DATELINE=ANKARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: FOUR ANTI-WAR ACTIVISTS ARE SCHEDULED TO GO ON TRIAL IN A
TURKISH MILITARY COURT ON TUESDAY. AS AMBERIN ZAMAN REPORTS FROM
ANKARA, THE TRIAL COMES AT A TIME WHEN THERE ARE MOUNTING
CASUALTIES AMONG TURKISH TROOPS IN THEIR 11-YEAR BATTLE AGAINST
KURDISH SEPARATIST REBELS.
TEXT: THE ANTI-WAR ACTIVISTS ARE ACCUSED OF VIOLATING ARTICLE
155 OF THE TURKISH PENAL CODE, UNDER WHICH SPREADING
ANTI-MILITARY PROPAGANDA IS A CRIME PUNISHABLE BY BETWEEN TWO
MONTHS TO TWO YEARS IN PRISON.
THE FOUR DEFENDANTS, WHO DECLARED THEMSELVES CONSCIENTIOUS
OBJECTORS A YEAR AGO, CALLED ON ARMY CONSCRIPTS NOT TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE 11-YEAR-LONG WAR AGAINST P-K-K REBELS IN THE
MAINLY KURDISH SOUTHEAST.
OSMAN MURAT ULKE IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE IZMIR WAR RESISTERS
ASSOCIATION AND IS ONE OF THE MEN THAT WILL GO ON TRIAL. HE
BELIEVES AN INCREASING NUMBER OF TURKS ARE BEGINNING TO QUESTION
THE MILITARY CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE P-K-K, WHICH HAS COST OVER
15-THOUSAND LIVES SINCE REBELS LAUNCHED THEIR FIGHT FOR AN
INDEPENDENT KURDISH STATE IN 1984.
// ULKE ACT //
I THINK THAT THE VIETNAM SYNDROME HAS ALREADY STARTED IN
TURKEY. THE NUMBER OF DRAFT EVADERS IS A VERY HIGH
NUMBER AND THE MILITARY HAS SERIOUS PROBLEMS TO GET
CONSCRIPTS. LAST YEAR THEY EXTENDED THE (PERIOD OF)
MILITARY SERVICE FROM 15 MONTHS TO 18 MONTHS. WHEN THEY
EXTENDED THE MILITARY SERVICE, A LOT OF PEOPLE DESERTED
AND OTHERS BURNED MILITARY BUILDINGS.
// END ACT //
MR ULKE ESTIMATES THERE ARE ABOUT 400-THOUSAND DRAFT DODGERS IN
TURKEY. THE TURKISH MILITARY SETS THE FIGURE AT HALF THAT NUMBER.
AND ONLY 30 OF THESE ARE SELF-DECLARED CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS.
SOME OBSERVERS REJECT MR ULKE'S COMPARISON WITH WHAT HAPPENED IN
THE UNITED STATES DURING THE VIETNAM WAR. THEY POINT OUT THAT
MOST TURKS SUPPORT THE MILITARY CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE P-K-K, AND
MOST SOLDIERS BELIEVE THEY ARE FIGHTING TO PRESERVE THE UNITY OF
THE TURKISH STATE.
// OPT // DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT HAS SEIZED POWER THREE TIMES
IN THE PAST 40 YEARS, THE TURKISH MILITARY IS LARGELY RESPECTED
NOT ONLY AS THE PROTECTOR OF THE SECULAR REPUBLIC, BUT OF TURKISH
DEMOCRACY AS WELL.
ACCORDING TO MR ULKE, HOWEVER, DEMOCRACY DOES NOT EXIST IN
TURKEY. HE ARGUES THAT THE FACT THAT HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES, ALL
CIVILIANS, ARE BEING TRIED IN A MILITARY COURT IS AMPLE PROOF.
/// ULKE ACT ///
IT IS NOT RIGHT TO BE JUDGED AT A MILITARY COURT WHEN
ONE IS A CIVILIAN. YOU KNOW THERE IS A SO-CALLED
DEMOCRATIZATION PACKAGE OF TURKISH PRIME MINISTER CILLER
AND IT DOES NOT COVER ARTICLE 155, WHICH RESTRICTS
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION BY PROHIBITING CRITICISM OF THE
ARMY. THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO US. IF TURKEY IS TO
BE A DEMOCRACY THEN THERE MUST BE FREEDOM TO CRITICIZE
ANYTHING AND THAT'S A PART OF OUR DEFENSE.
/// END ACT //
MR. ULKE'S LAWYERS ARE HOPEFUL THAT MOUNTING PRESSURE FROM
TURKEY'S WESTERN ALLIES ON PRIME MINISTER CILLER TO IMPROVE HER
GOVERNMENT'S HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD WILL HAVE A POSITIVE EFFECT ON
THEIR CLIENT'S CASE.
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT HAS WARNED THAT UNLESS TURKEY TAKES
URGENT ACTION TO BETTER RESPECT HUMAN RIGHTS IT WILL VETO A
CRUCIAL CUSTOMS UNION DEAL SIGNED WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION EARLIER
THIS YEAR. (SIGNED)
NEB/AZ/SKH/BG
19-Jun-95 12:04 PM EDT (1604 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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