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Clashes as Turkey's Kurds mark new year
20.3.2006
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ISTANBUL, March
19, - Demonstrators threw Molotov cocktails as
Turkey's restless Kurdish community celebrated its
new year Sunday amid tight security with renewed
demonstrations of support for its separatist
movement.
In the port of Izmir, demonstrators hurled Molotov
cocktails and stones when police moved in to
disperse a crowd carrying banners of the forbidden
separatist Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), NTV
television reported.
The gatherings followed overnight clashes between
police and Kurdish groups in working-class areas of
the city. Molotov cocktails were thrown in one
incident but no injuries were reported.
In Istanbul, tens of thousands of people rallied
relatively peacefully Sunday, lighting bonfires to
signal springtime in the New Year ceremony known as
Newroz.
Stones were hurled sporadically at police as some
members of the crowd waved the green, yellow and red
flags of the PKK, AFP photographers at the scene
reported.
Security forces kept a tight grip on the
celebration, with 4,500 police backed by armoured
vehicles, plus 1,000 soldiers and 500 military
police on guard, the Anatolia news agency reported,
citing security sources.
Members of Turkey's 12,000-strong Kurdish minority
regularly mobilise on Newroz to demand more rights
and display their support for the PKK, classed as a
terrorist group by Turkey, the European Union and
the United States.
Militant leaders of the 12-million strong Kurdish
community want an independent state carved from
southeastern Turkey (Kurdistan-Turkey).
Some members of the crowd called for the release of
PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, in jail since 1999 for
treason. The PKK's struggle against Turkish forces
has killed 37,000 people since 1984.
The PKK published on its website a call for Kurds to
"rise up" against the Turkish state and to step up
the fight against Turkish forces.
In the southern city of Mersin security forces
searched participants in Newroz ceremonies to
confiscate flags and banners referring to the PKK,
an AFP photographer reported.
More than 1,000 police were deployed for the Mersin
celebration which drew thousands of people and
passed off peacefully. Newroz ceremonies in the city
last year had seen clashes between participants and
police.
AFP
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