I would note that the Turks have not gotten off
scot-free from their repression of the Kurds. It is one
of the reasons, although anti-Muslim prejudice is
another one, for why Turkey was refused admittance
to the EU, indeed refused even to be put on the waiting
list. This has led to considerable resentment in Turkey,
surprise surprise.
Of course the US continues to barely bat an eyelash
and provides Turkey with substantial military aid, along
with all kinds of approval due to its continuing membership
in NATO.
Barkley Rosser
-----Original Message-----
From: Doug Henwood <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Sunday, May 16, 1999 7:08 PM
Subject: [PEN-L:6885] Re: Re: Re: "military euro"
>Peter Dorman wrote:
>
>>Bark, I've heard the figure "one million displacements" tossed around
>>regarding Turkey and the Kurds. Can you or anyone else verify? And
>>what does displacement mean in this context? Were they expelled through
>>terror the way the ethnic Albanians were, or did they pick up and leave
>>because the fighting was getting too close?
>
>Human Rights Watch
<http://www.hrw.org/hrw/worldreport99/europe/turkey.html>:
>
>"Five provinces in southeastern Turkey-where an armed conflict between
>security forces and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) has raged since 1984,
>resulting in the deaths of approximately 35,000 people, mostly civilians,
>and the forced depopulation of thousands of villages and hamlets-remained
>under a state of emergency. There was little change in six neighboring
>provinces-provinces that had previously been under emergency rule-because
>extraordinary measures continued to give state-appointed governors extended
>and restrictive powers. Despite government promises to compensate
>villagers, little effort has been made to facilitate the return of
>displaced persons to their homes in the southeast or to compensate them for
>the destruction and loss of their property."
>
>UN High Commissioner for Refugees
<http://www.unhcr.ch/world/euro/turkey.htm>:
>
>"The government estimates that the ongoing conflict in southeast Turkey has
>created an 350,000 internally displaced people, many of whom live in shanty
>towns at the outskirts of urban areas."
>
>If the Turkish government says 350,000....
>
>Doug
>
>
