March 30, 2006
Riots in Diyarbakır
Mayor Osman Baydemir persuades a masked protester to end a protest in the southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir March 29, 2006. Hundreds of Kurdish protesters hurled stones and set tyres ablaze in the second day of street battles with police on Wednesday in Diyarbakir, a city in Turkey's impoverished, mainly Kurdish, southeast region. The violence erupted on Tuesday after funeral ceremonies for 14 guerrillas of the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) killed by security forces in a military operation last weekend. REUTERS/Anatolian News Agency
Despite the slowness of reforms and Turkish State's hesitance to intensify investments in the region, Turkey does not deserve this. Growing Kurdish autonomy in Northern Iraq and EU pressure on TR seem to encourage PKK's increasing bold moves in the region. It is unfortunate at this time because Turkey did never have this much of an open society (at least during my lifetime). Turkish state might re-initiate security measures in all over the country. Maybe PKK wants this, as it is an old revolutionary tactic: to heighten the crisis in order to polarize the fighting parties. But this has been tested again and again and ordinary Kurds and Turks will be affected only negatively. Nearly every day a Turkish soldier is killed and let me remind you that military service is mandatory. Even killing soldiers make "guerillas" guilty of killing civilians in the final analysis....
Guardian: Kurdish Protesters, Turkish Police Clash
A Turkish special forces member sits atop an armored personel carrier as he fires tear gas at Kurdish demonstrators in Diyarbakir, southeastern Turkey, Wednesday, March 29, 2006. Turkish police tried to disperse some hundreds of stone-throwing Kurdish rioters in a second day of violence in the city of Diyarbakir, while the city's pro-Kurdish mayor claimed two rioters were killed by gunshots. (AP Photo/IHA/Ihlas News Agency)
Meanwhile all AB Haber news of today are worthy of quoting:
Ahmadinejad to Turkey: Do not loose your nobility for EU
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad suggested on Tuesday that secular Turkey take Islam as the two countries' common foundation on global issues, adding, "If we rely on the great power of the Islamic world, we will make progress in all areas." Ahmadinejad also emphasized the necessity for Turkey to preserve its power and nobility during the membership talks.
Bryza: Turkey's EU membership has key role in countering radical Islam
A top U.S. diplomat late Monday stressed democratic, secular Turkey's crucial role in countering the rise of radical Islam, and stated that Washington's support for its European Union membership stems from Ankara's stance in the ideological divide within the Muslim world.
Turkey sees no reason for train crash in EU relations
Turkey stated yesterday that it sees no reason why there should be turbulence in relations between Ankara and the European Union over the Cyprus issue later this year, citing the responsibilities of both sides in the accession process.
Ankara welcomes possible Talat-Papadopoulos meeting
The Turkish Foreign Ministry yesterday expressed its support for the restart of Cyprus talks to discuss technical issues under the United Nations' auspices and stated that it welcomes a possible meeting between the leaders of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and the Greek Cypriot administration.
Keep our EU talks separate from Turkey, Croatian leader says
Croatian President Ivo Sanader says it is "logical" Europe is uneasy about future enlargement of the EU but that this should not affect current membership talks with Croatia.
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