Kerim Yildiz' tal vid Amnestys årsmöte i Uppsala 1997


Friends,

First of all I would like to introduce you to the work of the Kurdish Human Rights Project (KHRP). KHRP is an independant, non-political NGO that was founded in Britain in 1992. The purpose of the organisation is to work for the protection of the human rights of Kurds. This means, to work through the mechanisms of international human rights law in order to make the governments of Iraq, Iran, Syria, the former Soviet Union and Turkey respect the rights of the Kurds. The KHRP is not a political body, it is a human rights body. It takes no stand on specific questions, such as how the Kurds should be governed or what particular solutions should be sought to problems in the different parts of the Kurdish region.

Concerning the human rights situation in Turkey, there was no significant improvement during 1996. The practice of torture is still systematic in places of detention all over Turkey. In spite of the legal reforms in October 1995, which we welcomed, freedom of expression continues to be severely restricted in the name of "national unity".

In Southern Turkey the conflict between the Turkish State and the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) continued unabated. Since this conflict began in 1984, an estimated 21.000 people have died and some 3.000 villages in the Southeast have been forcibly evacuated and destroyed. Currently, there are about 3 million people who are internally displaced.

In an address to the Turkish Parliament on 3 July 1996, the Government indicated that the state of emergency would be lifted. Nevertheless, on November 1996 a state of emergeny was renewed in 9 provinces. The Government also introduced a new legislation, which grants additional powers to all provincial governors throughout Turkey, similar to the powers already provided for under the State of Emergency Law or the Martial Law Act.

The powers of the military and the impunity with which members of the security forces are free to act, is one of the greatest obstacles to improving the human rights situation in Turkey.

The issue of links between ultra-rightist militants and security forces came to the fore in November 1996, when the head of the Istanbul police academy was accidentally killed while travelling in a car carrying guns. Along with him in that car were also an ultra-rightist militant implicated to have been involved in seven political killings and wanted by Interpol, as well as a Kurdish Member of Parliament, who was a chief of a pro-state village-guard militia. This incident has provoked widespread debate in Turkey about the role of the security forces and the country's human rights record.

One important legislative change occurred in March 1997 with the introduction of a change in law concerning pre-trial detention. However, the reform fell short of what had originally been promised, as provisions, aimed at narrowing the range of offences under the jurisdiction of the state security courts, were excluded at the last moment.

The PKK also has been accused of indiscriminate attacks on civilians as well as attack on members of the security forces.


Despite its ratification of a number of international human rights instruments guaranteeing fundamental human rights, Turkey has long been subjected to international criticism of its human rights record. The KHRP has assisted over 400 individuals in bringing their cases before the European Commission on Human Rights and the European Court. These are the most serious violations of human rights that have ever come before the Commission and the Court, such as disappearances, torture, rape, village distructions, restrictions on freedom of expression, association, thought, long detention periods, use of chemical weapons, mutilation of bodies etc. Turkey is now among the top number of states in terms of the complaints registered against them. It is important to mention here, that most of the applicants argued that the domestic remedies are not effective, because of the fact that these remedies never were excerted.

Consequently, the Commission and the Court have agreed with them, and it has been proved that these violations are a part of the administrative practice of the state. Despite of the judgement of the European Court in 1996, the violations of human rights is still continuing.

The reality is, of course, that Turkey is not a member of the European Union. Its Kurdish problem and human rights record is continuaing barrier to membership. The question is whether Turkey genuinely wishes to be a member, and if that can still be used as an effective lever on the Government to change the situation.

We believe that the time has come to start to mobilize and pressure states in Europe to bring about another attitude towards Turkey at the level of state. We feel that these states, have a duty to act where the public order of the community of Euorpe is at risk as a consequence of the violations by Turkey.

The methods of torture are so many. I would like to end my speech by telling you something about what I myself experienced.

I was held in detention for 12 days. During this time I was tortured. I was blindfolded and subjected to what is called Palastinian hanging. They hit me on the soles of my feet, a torture method called falaka, as you are well aware of. I was given electric shocks. I was deprived of sleep and food. At one time I was forced to eat salt, and afterwards they would not give me any water to drink. I was deprived of sleep, of food, and had to listen to the screaming of others receiving the same treatment as I did.

Thanks to Amnesty's letters and campaigns I was finally released and I want you to know that your work made difference. A letter can make a difference and may save a life.


____________________________________________________________________________________________

Skapat av : Sven Bodin	Index: ORG 51/001/1997	Kategori: Organisation - Årsmöten 1964 -
Ändrat: 98-01-05	År: 1997	Status:

____________________________________________________________________________________________