Zaman, Turkey
Oct 8 2005

European Politicians Think `Kurdish is Still Prohibited in Turkey’
By Habib Guler
Published: Friday, October 07, 2005
zaman.com

European Parliament (EP) Human Rights Subcommittee members visiting
Turkish Parliament experienced difficult moments when they asked
questions that revealed a lack of information.

Human Rights Commission Head Mehmet Elkatmis replied to the question
of when Kurdish will be permitted in Turkey saying, `Education and
broadcasting in Kurdish is free in Turkey.’ The delegation, under the
presidency of Helene Flautre, French member of EP, was informed by
Elkatmis about the developments in turkey. Flautre spoke at the
beginning of the meeting and congratulated Turkey for its efforts to
enter the EU. However the EP delegation asked questions about the
agenda in the part of the meeting which was closed to the press and
were surprised when they got answers they did not expect. It is
reported that the EP authorities brought a staged photo shot at
Bakirkoy Mental Institution and which had been published in some
newspapers in Europe recently and asked about torturing in Turkey.
Elkatmis said that the photo describes a scene which was totally made
up and emphasized that there is no tolerance to torture in Turkey.
Polish member Jozef Pinior raised the case opened against Orhan Pamuk
after he affirmed the Armenian Genocide in an interview and asked
when Turkey will change its policy on its history. Elkatmis replied
`The case against Orhan Pamuk can be seen in any country. There were
punishments for the ones who speak for Jews in Poland. There is an
investigation against the President of Turkish Historical Society
(TTK) Yusuf Halacoglu in Switzerland for denying the Armenian
Genocide. Armenians occupied 20 percent of the lands of Azerbaijan
and massacred 250,000 Azeri. Why do not you ever raise questions
about that?’

EP members said after they had eaten that they were impressed that
they had been served food even though the people welcoming them were
fasting for Ramadan.