NEWS
1. KCDK-E calls upon Europe to prosecute Erdoğan
2. Guerrillas in Shengal: Our goal is Leader Öcalan’s freedom
3. Hunger strike in Şakran enters its 48th day, prisoners in a critical stage
4. Long line of ‘NO’ voters in front of the Turkish consulate in Paris
5. Brussels assailant turns out to be Erdoğan’s man
6. HDP Co-chair Demirtaş and deputies join prison hunger strikes
7. Hunger strike in Edirne Prison ends after dialogue with the management
8. No NO allowed on TV screens, and no HDP either!
9. HDP and DBP Co-chairs and MP Zeydan to go on hunger strike – UPDATE
10. Turkey deals death blow to Kurdish leadership with DBP conviction
11. Women and Defense workshop kicks off in Rojava
12. At least 5 Turkey-backed rebels defect to SDF’s Manbij Military Council
13. Turkey ‘ends’ Euphrates Shield campaign in Syria
14. Amal Clooney calls for collection of evidence of Isis atrocities
15. 107 defendants receive record prison sentences in KCK main case
OPINION, COMMENTARY, ANALYSIS
1. Turkey and the Kurds: A Chance for Peace? By Jonathan Steele.
2. Michael Rubin: Erdoğan has become a dangerous joke
3. What you need to know about Turkey and the Trump administration
4. Turkey recruits youth hackers to boost cybersecurity
5. Turkish checkpoint officer to New York Times reporter: “You are crazy! This place is very dangerous”
6. HRW: MPs Jailed, Elected Mayors Removed Ahead of Referendum
7. Kürkçü:Turkey’s future worse than Trump’s America if yes wins in referendum
8. Turkey’s main Islamic human rights organization faces internal upheaval
9. Kurds in Syria achieved what no dictator could, pluralism
10. Fake news about the Rojava revolution
11. MUSIC OF RESISTANCE: rebel ethics
DOCUMENTS, STATEMENTS
1. KNK DOSSIER: HUNGER STRIKE BY POLITICAL PRISONERS IN TURKEY
2. On the Attack on “No” Campaigners in Brussels
3. Imprisoned HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş and Deputies Join Prison Hunger Strikes
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NEWS
- KCDK-E calls upon Europe to prosecute Erdoğan
2 April/ANF News
In a written statement, Democratic Kurdish Society Center in Europe (KCDK-E) Presidency emphasized that Turkish president Erdoğan is creating the framework for and legalizing his dictatorship with the help of the MHP, and has began to use violence in order to manipulate the referendum result. KCDK-E described the attack on Kurdish voters as part of Erdoğan’s use of violence, and called upon European states to prosecute the Turkish president.
http://www.kurdishinfo.com/kcdk-e-calls-upon-europe-prosecute-erdogan2. Guerrillas in Shengal: Our goal is Leader Öcalan’s freedom
3 April/ANF NewsHPG / YJA Star guerrillas in Shengal spoke to ANF on the significance of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan birthday April 4, and said that their goal is to ensure Öcalan’s freedom. Guerrilla Bager Cudî expressed his excitement at April 4 and said “We feel resentment at the 18 year-long captivity of our Leader. Our goal is Leader Apo’s (Öcalan’s) freedom because his freedom is the liberation of Kurdistan and oppressed peoples.”
http://anfenglish.com/kurdistan/guerrillas-in-shengal-our-goal-is-leader-ocalan-s-freedom
3. Hunger strike in Şakran enters its 48th day, prisoners in a critical stage
3 April/ANF News
The indefinite and irreversible hunger strike that the political prisoners at İzmir Aliağa Şakran Prison launched on February 15th for ‘an end to the isolation of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan and the human rights violations in prisons’ entered its 48th day.
http://anfenglish.com/human-rights/hunger-strike-in-sakran-enters-its-48th-day-prisoners-in-a-critical-stage
4. Long line of ‘NO’ voters in front of the Turkish consulate in Paris
2 April/ANF News
Democratic Kurdish Society Center and Alevi associations carried voters to the Turkish Consulate in Paris in buses for the upcoming April 16 referendum, and long lines were formed in front of the consulate. Tens of vehicles left for Paris from the Billiers Le Bel suburb to vote no in the referendum.
http://anfenglish.com/news/long-line-of-no-voters-in-front-of-the-turkish-consulate-in-paris
5. Brussels assailant turns out to be Erdoğan’s man
31 March/ANF News
It came out that the man who attacked and stabbed 3 Kurds on their way to the Turkish Consulate in Belgium capital Brussels Thursday evening -66 years old Sultan Uğraş, Mahmut Yaşar and another Kurdish citizen named Hasan- is Mehmet Gargılı from Emirdağ, Afyon province of Turkey.
http://anfenglish.com/features/brussels-assailant-turns-out-to-be-erdogan-s-man
6. HDP Co-chair Demirtaş and deputies join prison hunger strikes
31 March/ANF News
On 31 March 2017, HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş and MP Abdullah Zeydan, both held captive in Edirne High Security Prison, have initiated a hunger strike in solidarity with the protest actions of political prisoners across Turkey.
http://anfenglish.com/human-rights/hdp-co-chair-demirtas-and-deputies-join-prison-hunger-strikes
7. Hunger strike in Edirne Prison ends after dialogue with the management
1 April/ANF News
“We are pleased to hear that the hunger strike that began on February 25, 2017 in the Edirne F Type Prison has come to an end pursuant to dialogue with the prison management and the mutual, well- intentioned commitments made for the resolution of the problems.
http://anfenglish.com/human-rights/hunger-strike-in-edirne-prison-ends-after-dialogue-with-the-management
8. No NO allowed on TV screens, and no HDP either!
23 March/HDP English
Demokrasi İçin Birlik (Unity for Democracy, DİB) has published a research paper revealing how far removed from impartiality television channels are. According to DİB’s research results that focus on the broadcast of 17 national channels including the state television, TRT; almost no time is allocated on discussion programs and news bulletins to those who argue for ‘No’ at the upcoming referendum.
http://www.hdp.org.tr/en/english/news/news-from-hdp/no-no-allowed-on-tv-screens-and-no-hdp-either/10161
9. HDP and DBP Co-chairs and MP Zeydan to go on hunger strike – UPDATE
30 March/ANF News
HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) Co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş and Hakkari MP Abdullah Zeydan will start a hunger strike tomorrow.
http://anfenglish.com/human-rights/hdp-and-dbp-co-chairs-and-mp-zeydan-to-go-on-hunger-strike-update
10. Turkey deals death blow to Kurdish leadership with DBP conviction
28 March/Al Monitor
One of Turkey’s most promising young Kurdish politicians was sentenced to eight years and nine months in prison for a questionable terrorism conviction today. A court in the mainly Kurdish southeast region pronounced Kamuran Yuksek, the charismatic co-chair of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), a member of a terrorist organization.
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/03/dbp-kamuran-yuksek-sentenced-eight-years-prison.html#ixzz4ce8hncrg
11. Women and Defense workshop kicks off in Rojava
2 April/ANF News
North Syria Democratic Federation Executive Council Co-president Foza Yusif, TEV-DEM Kobanê Co-president Eyshe Efendi, Syrian Democratic Council Co-president İlham Ehmed, Rojava Autonomous Administration Coordination member Berivan Hesen, Kobanê Executive Council Co-president Fayize Ebde, Kongreya Star Spokesperson Evin Siwed, Autonomous Administration representatives and many other guests are attending the Women and Defense workshop held in Kobanê.
http://anfenglish.com/kurdistan/women-and-defense-workshop-kicks-off-in-rojava
12. At least 5 Turkey-backed rebels defect to SDF’s Manbij Military Council
3 April/ARA News
A Kurdish official of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced on Sunday that five rebels defected from the Turkey-led Euphrates Shield campaign and joined the SDF-led Manbij Military Council (MMC).
http://aranews.net/2017/04/at-least-5-turkey-backed-rebels-defect-to-sdfs-manbij-military-council/
13. Turkey ‘ends’ Euphrates Shield campaign in Syria
30 March/BBC News
Turkey says it has “successfully” ended its seven-month Euphrates Shield military campaign in northern Syria. But Prime Minister Binali Yildirim did not rule out new military operations and did not say whether Turkish troops would now leave Syria.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-39439593
14. Amal Clooney calls for collection of evidence of Isis atrocities
30 March/The Guardian
Evidence of Islamic State atrocities needs to be collected urgently to ensure it is not lost and that those responsible for “the worst crimes of our generation” eventually face justice, the human rights barrister Amal Clooney has said.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/29/amal-clooney-calls-for-collection-of-evidence-of-isis-atrocities
15. 107 defendants receive record prison sentences in KCK main case
28 March/ANF News
154 people have stood trial in the scope of the ‘KCK Main Case’ held at Diyarbakır 2nd Heavy Penal Court for 8 years. While 43 defendants were acquitted, 107 others received record sentences. Cases of the 4 defendants who have lost their lives during the course of the trial were dismissed.
http://anfenglish.com/kurdistan/107-defendants-receive-record-prison-sentences-in-kck-main-case
OPINION, COMMENTARY, ANALYSIS
1. Turkey and the Kurds: A Chance for Peace? By Jonathan Steele.
3 April/Peace in Kurdistan Campaign
In the months following last July’s failed coup against him, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has mounted the biggest purge of public officials in a century. As has been widely reported, over 100,000 civil servants, teachers, prosecutors, judges, journalists, army officers, and police have been suspended or dismissed. Some four thousand are now in prison. Most of these are accused of links with the movement of Fethullah Gülen, the self-exiled Islamist who used to be Erdoğan’s ally in curbing the political power of the military in Turkey’s secular “deep state” but broke with him in 2013 and is accused of masterminding the coup.
https://wordpress.com/post/peaceinkurdistancampaign.com/7702
2. Michael Rubin: Erdoğan has become a dangerous joke
29 March/ANF News
Michael Rubin, academic and former staff advisor for Iran and Iraq at the Pentagon, spoke to ANF on Turkey’s 16 April referendum, the Kurdish question and the Erdoğan government. Rubin stated that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is so upset that Reza Zarrab is in the United States and talking to investigators, noting that there’s a number of bank accounts in Europe and Russia belonging to Erdogan and his family.
http://anfenglish.com/features/michael-rubin-erdogan-has-become-a-dangerous-joke
3. What you need to know about Turkey and the Trump administration
30 March/The Washington Post
The two countries share an important, long-standing alliance — Turkey boasts NATO’s second-largest army after the United States — and the Trump administration needs Turkey onside in its quest to defeat the Islamic State.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/03/30/what-you-need-to-know-about-turkey-and-the-trump-administration/?utm_term=.f41bb2843a4a
4. Turkey recruits youth hackers to boost cybersecurity
30 March/Al Monitor
Facing growing concern over cybersecurity, the Turkish government is trying to recruit thousands of youngsters for training in cyber affairs. The country’s National Intervention Center Against Cyber Attacks (USOM) even organized a competition called “Cyberstar” that attracted 27,000 young people.
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/03/turkey-tries-to-boost-cyber-security.html#ixzz4dBwLrTjf
5. Turkish checkpoint officer to New York Times reporter: “You are crazy! This place is very dangerous”
1 April/Turkey Purge
“It is hard to reach this part of Turkey, near the Syrian and Iraqi borders, at all these days, as the area is still under lockdown. There are now seven government checkpoints between Sirnak and the closest airport. When I reached the third, at the entrance to a town called Cizre, my passport was confiscated and I was questioned for an hour. Who am I? What am I doing here?” an article penned by New York Times’ Patrick Kingsley read on March 31, before adding:“You are crazy,” the senior officer concluded. “This place is very dangerous.”
https://turkeypurge.com/turkish-checkpoint-officer-to-new-york-times-reporter-you-are-crazy-this-place-is-very-dangerous
6. HRW: MPs Jailed, Elected Mayors Removed Ahead of Referendum
20 March/HDP Europe
The Turkish government has jailed 13 members of the pro-Kurdish democratic opposition in parliament on terrorism charges and taken direct control of 82 municipalities in the Kurdish southeast region, suspending and incarcerating elected mayors, Human Rights Watch said today. The crackdown on democratically elected officials not only violates their rights to political association and participation, and freedom of expression, but also interferes with the rights of constituents who voted for them and whom they serve in office.
http://www.hdp.org.tr/en/english/news/news-and-messages-from-others/hrw-mps-jailed-elected-mayors-removed-ahead-of-referendum/10141
7. Kürkçü:Turkey’s future worse than Trump’s America if yes wins in referendum
22 February/HDP Europe
Veteran Turkish political activist and Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Izmir deputy Ertugrul Kurkcu spoke to Kom News about the new people’s congress his party is forming across Europe, European institutions’ attitudes towards the Turkish government and the upcoming referendum in Turkey.
http://www.hdp.org.tr/en/news/press-coverage/kurkcuturkeys-future-worse-than-trumps-america-if-yes-wins-in-referendum/10027
8. Turkey’s main Islamic human rights organization faces internal upheaval
28 March/Al Monitor
In Turkey, there are various human rights organizations dedicated to defend oppressed groups or individuals. One of them, Mazlumder, is unique, because it has explicitly Islamic credentials, unlike most others that are more secular. Yet the same Mazlumder is going through a major purge these days under a government that also has explicitly Islamic credentials. The apparent irony here is worth examining, for it tells a lot about the nature of the regime that is being built in Turkey.
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/03/turkey-purge-within-islamic-human-rights-organization.html#ixzz4dC0FpWGF
9. Kurds in Syria achieved what no dictator could, pluralism
27 March/NRT
For decades, dictators have ruled Iraq and Syria, both Saddam Hussein and Hafez Assad led with an iron fist, eradicating all those who opposed their reign. Today Saddam is gone and Hafez is replaced by his son, Bashar, who has also lost legitimacy among civilians within the Syrian territory and the international community. The lack of governance in Syria left a void to be filled, not by the Islamic State (IS), but by the Syrian Kurds. Often branded as the Syrian experiment, the Kurds in the northern territory of the country have proven to be effective partners for locals who were frequently persecuted during the reign of the Assad’s.
http://www.nrttv.com/EN/birura-details.aspx?Jimare=5433
10. Fake news about the Rojava revolution
28 March/LINKS
Sharply different opinions have developed among the radical left in recent years towards the Syrian radical democratic movement led by the Democratic Union Party (PYD) — an initially Kurdish-based force which through a series of political and military struggles and alliances has recently formed the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria, as a model for a multi-ethnic, non-sectarian, federal and socially just alternative for the nation and the region. Some on the international left have accused this movement of human rights abuses, political repression and collaboration with the Syrian dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad.
http://links.org.au/fake-news-rojava-revolution
11. MUSIC OF RESISTANCE: rebel ethics
March/Music of Resistance
Music of Resistance has been set pu to support rebellious and ethical music all over the globe, including unsigned and amateur musicians, with a view to challenging systems of oppression and inspiring positive social, political and ecological change.
https://www.musicoftheresistance.com/aboutus
DOCUMENTS, STATEMENTS
1. KNK DOSSIER: HUNGER STRIKE BY POLITICAL PRISONERS IN TURKEY
30 March/Peace in Kurdistan Campaign
Hundreds of political prisoners are on an indefinite-irreversible hunger strike in several Turkish prisons. Their aim is tocondemn Turkey’s fascist and racist system, to protest the arbitrary practices of the prison administration and the increasing violations of their rights. The isolation of all political prisoners and especially that of Kurdish People’s Leader, Abdullah OCALAN, has been expanded to include all prisons.
https://peaceinkurdistancampaign.com/2017/03/30/hunger-strike-by-political-prisoners-in-turkey/
2. On the Attack on “No” Campaigners in Brussels
3 April/Peace in Kurdistan Campaign
The aggressive political climate of conflict and polarization that President Erdoğan has engineered in Turkey to win in the upcoming referendum is now targeting “No” campaigners in European capitals. On March 30, a group of “No” campaigners who went to the Turkish consulate in Brussels to vote were attacked by a group of Turkish racist ne-cons who reportedly affiliate themselves with the “Ottoman Hearts,” an organization that has repeatedly pledged allegiance to President Erdoğan.
https://peaceinkurdistancampaign.com/2017/04/03/on-the-attack-on-no-campaigners-in-brussels/
3. Imprisoned HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş and Deputies Join Prison Hunger Strikes
3 April/Peace in Kurdistan Campaign
On 31 March 2017, our co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş and MP Abdullah Zeydan, both held captive in Edirne High Security Prison, have initiated a hunger strike in solidarity with the protest actions of political prisoners across Turkey.
https://peaceinkurdistancampaign.com/2017/04/03/imprisoned-hdp-co-chair-selahattin-demirtas-and-deputies-join-prison-hunger-strikes/
Peace in Kurdistan
Campaign for a political solution of the Kurdish Question
Email: estella24@tiscali.co.uk
www.peaceinkurdistancampaign.com
Contacts Estella Schmid 020 7586 5892 & Melanie Gingell – Tel: 020 7272 7890 Fax: 020 7263 0596
Patrons: Lord Rea, Lord Dholakia, Baroness Sarah Ludford, Jill Evans MEP, Jean Lambert MEP, Julie Ward MEP, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Hywel Williams MP, Kate Osamor MP, Elfyn Llwyd, Dafydd Iwan, Former President Plaid Cymru, Sinn Fein MLA Conor Murphy, John Austin, Christine Blower, NUT International Secretary, Simon Dubbins, UNITE International Director, Doug Nicholls, General Secretary, General Federations of Trade Unions, Bruce Kent, Gareth Peirce, Julie Christie, Noam Chomsky, James Kelman, Margaret Owen OBE, Prof Mary Davis, Dr Thomas Jeffrey Miley, Mark Thomas, Nick Hildyard, Stephen Smellie, Derek Wall, Melanie Gingell, Steve Sweeney