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Turkey: Kurdish Party Leader: "We insist
on Peace" 15.9.2006
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"Those against peace will be uncovered, if they
are not protected by the state" says DTP leader
Turk. Funerals held for those killed, protests
recorded, local businesses pull down shutters.
Governor's office: The bomb killing 10 was planted
in a thermos.
BIA (Diyarbakir) - Pro-Kurdish Democratic
Society Party (DTP) Chairman Ahmet Turk vows to
continue efforts for peace in Southeast Turkey
despite a recent deadly blast that killed 10 people
including 6 children in Diyarbakir.
The explosion that also left behind 15 wounded came
a day after Turk issued a public appeal to the
outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to declare a
unilateral ceasefire as over 200 Turkish and Kurdish
intellectuals issued their own declaration demanding
the organization to end all armed activities.
The DTP, albeit excluded from parliamentary
representation due to 10 percent national election
barrier, controls average 40 percent of local vote
in southeast provinces and more than 40 local
municipalities
On Monday, Turk had said he was hopeful the PKK
would accept the ceasefire appeal. Thursday,
visiting the scene of the explosion, he promised
attempts at provocation would not deter them from
seeking peace.
A statement issued by the Diyarbakir Governor’s
Office branded the incident as “an inhuman act of
terror” and condemned it but noted it was not yet
known who was behind the incident.
The statement said a preliminary investigation
showed the explosives were hidden in a thermos and
that a remote detonator device could have been
involved. Some Turkish newspapers said officials
believed the explosion might have occurred while the
device was being carried to nearby public housings
hosting army or police personnel and their families.
Only one of the ten bodies has not yet been
identified, mainly due it proximity to the
explosives. Believed to be of a man of about 25
years old, it is being investigated whether he could
have been carrying the thermos and its contents.
There are also reports quoting eye witnesses that a
thermos, left nearby, exploded when children
attempted to open.
Provocation, say all
A ceremony held at the scene of incident on Thursday
witnessed hundreds of people laying red carnations
to commemorate the dead as funeral ceremonies for
nine of the victims were held during the day.
Both government officials and DTP leaders, as well
as Diyarbakir’s Metropolitan Mayor Osman Baydemir
appeared to share one view. That the incident was a
provocation and that the people should be careful
not to fall for it.
A statement issued by Turkey’s Interior Minister
Abdulkadir Aksu after his visit to the city’s
governor promised that those behind the bomb would
be apprehended soon. "Our citizens” Aksu said, “have
enough common sense not to fall into the ruse of
those trying to plant seeds of dissent among them”.
DTP’s Turk, on the other hand, made a statement at
the scene of the carnage in which he stressed that
each bullet fired, every bomb thrown, were bombs and
bullets targeting peace.
'We will always insist on peace” he said, adding, "I
wholeheartedly share the grief of the families of
those who have died. Such an act in such a period
where searches for peace had concentrated, was
perhaps an act expected by those wanting peace. The
Turkish and world public opinion should know what
kind of a game is being played here”.
He noted that if the state did not cover-up this
incident, the explosion and many other similar
incidents could be uncovered, which would all show
who did not want peace.
Stressing that they would not fall for provocation
or return to previous conditions, Turk said "the
people of Diyarbakır very well know who was behind
the bomb. Clasping together even more strongly for
peace, we will escalate our demands for peace”.
Tugluk: We knew provocation could happen
DTP deputy chair Aysel Tugluk on the other hand
recalled the DTP ceasefire appeal in her own speech
and claimed that this was a very important appeal.
“It was an appeal of historic importance” Tugluk
said. “But we knew that in this country, the forces
that nourish on war, that nourish on blood, could
have carried out provocative actions as always”.
Metropolitan Mayor Osman Baydemir agreed that the
incident was provocative in nature and said “it was
a provocation that wanted to take us to the 1990s,
to 91, 92.”
Baydemir: How can TIT not be identified?
Referring to initial allegations that the extreme
rightwing Turkish Revenge Brigade (TIT) had claimed
responsibility for the bombing, Baydemir said the
TIT had in the past threatened many people.
“I myself must have received tens of letters of
threats until now. How can this [organization] not
be known, not identified? Who is this TIT? The
public opinion wants an explanation on this.
The Diyarbakir Womens Platform that held a separate
press conference on the incident referred to the
explosion as “ruthless” and said it could not be
justified, no matter who was responsible for it.
Suzan Mehmetoglu, reading a statement for the
platform, called on the public not to fall for
provocation and act in common sense.
Funerals held, city tense
Tension in Diyarbakir has escalated since the Baglar
explosion as funeral ceremonies for the dead were
conducted in their home towns.
On Thursday, police intervened in several protests
involving hundreds of people inclusive of using tear
gas on a large group of demonstrators who gathered
at the incident scene and wanted to march on.
City streets echoed of slogans “Murderer [Prime
Minister] Erdogan will pay” and “Long Live Leader
Apo” as news spread about the TIT’s possible
involvement in the attack, to which there was no
evidence but for a mockup temporary web site that
was publicly pointed out by a Kurdish news agency.
To protest the incident, Diyarbakir’s local
businesses closed shutters on many of the city’s
streets of high commerce and an even stronger sign
of protest was scene at the city municipality as
well as four other local municipal buildings where
white flags were raised for peace accompanied by
black flags of mourning.
The white flags boasted the words “Peace Undeterred”
while the black simply said “We condemn”.
TIT under suspicion
The first reference to a possible TIT involvement in
the Diyarbakir bombing came from the pro-Kurdish
Firat News Agency (ANF) after the incident with a
news report directing attention to a web site
allegedly run by the Turkish Revenge Brigade.
The site, that was removed from existence as swiftly
as it appeared, said the blast which had caused
civilian losses had been staged in memory of Turkish
soldier, private Er Ali Balıkcı, who was killed in a
clash in Siirt.
The bombing, suggested the site, was a “nationalist”
retaliation. One that believed in killing Kurds
indiscriminately.
Supposedly boasting photographs of the build-up to
the incident which appeared to have been removed
"due to high bandwidth usage", the site vouched to
"kill 10 Kurds for every Turk that the PKK
martyred". It said their oath was based "on our flag
that has been created with the blood of martyrs".
"The Best Kurd, Is a Dead Kurd" the site concluded.
bianet org
The use of the term "Kurdistan" is vigorously
rejected due to its alleged political implications
by the Republic of Turkey, which does not recognize
the existence of a "Turkish Kurdistan".
Others estimate as many as 40 million Kurds live in
Big Kurdistan (Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Iran, Armenia),
which covers an area as big as France, about half of
all Kurds which estimate to 20 million live in
Turkey
The Kurdish flag flown officially in Iraqi Kurdistan but
unofficially flown by Kurds in Armenia. The flag is
banned in Iran, Syria, and Turkey where flying it is
a criminal offence"
Southeastern Turkey:
North Kurdistan (
Kurdistan-Turkey) wikipedia
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