Kurdish Info, Germany
April 7 2006

Kurdish terrorists of Turkey

by Dr Rebwar Fatah

07.04.2006 Kurdish Media -It has become Turkish logic that every Kurd
is a potential terrorist. Under the Turkish regime, Kurds are now put
in an impossible position. A citizen of Turkey must have Turkish
blood. Therefore a Kurd in Turkey cannot be called a citizen.

However, refusing to become Turkish (when one is Kurdish) instantly
makes one a separatist: a term often used to describe terrorists.
Hence Turkey no longer bothers to distinguish between Kurds and
terrorists.

So I must declare that I am a terrorist as I am a staunch believer in
the establishment of a Kurdish state in Northern Kurdistan. And I
have no doubt many of you are also terrorists under this Turkish
logic.

And now the Turkish Prime Minster has labelled Kurdish women and
children pawns of terrorists. Our security will make the necessary
intervention against those who have become the pawns of terrorism,
even if they are children or women, said Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Turkish definition of terrorist expands to all aspects of Kurdish
and Kurdistani life, and has recently been taken to a new extreme.
The Turkish government have changed the names of three animals found
on its territory to remove references to Kurdistan or Armenia. The
ministry said the old names were contrary to Turkish unity. Are we to
suppose that a red fox, formerly known as the Vulpes Vulpes
Kurdistanica and now known simply as Vulpes Vulpes, is a terrorist
threat too?

In a word, yes. Some Turkish officials say the names are being used
to argue that Kurds had lived in the areas where the animals were
found. So the Turkish government have changed these animals names
because they are separatists. Turkey believes that many old names
were contrary to Turkish unity, Unfortunately there are many other
species in Turkey which were named this way with ill intentions. This
ill intent is so obvious that even species only found in our country
were given names against Turkeys unity,” said a statement made by the
Turkish Environment Ministry.

These simple examples show how insecure the Turks are, and perhaps
they have reason to be. After all, Turkey has been built on the
foundations of Kurds, Armenians and Greeks. And any form of rebellion
is met with instant oppression. A Kurdish youth was recently crushed
to death by an armoured Turkish vehicle. Turkish Security went on to
kill 16 Kurds and arrest hundreds more. Are we really to believe that
this is based solely on Turkeys fear all Kurds are potential
terrorists?

In his recent visit the United Nations, Special Rapporteur observed
that, the definition of terrorism as contained in article 1 of the
Anti-Terror Act of 1991, which defines terrorism based on its purpose
or aims rather than referring to specific criminal acts, is
formulated vaguely and in very broad terms.

The question boils down to this: who is a terrorist?

The Special Rapporteur stated, It therefore raises concerns in
respect of the principle of legality as prescribed in article 15 of
the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), a
provision that allows for no derogation even during states of
emergency. When applied in conjunction with other provisions of the
Act, this definition of terrorism may result in prosecution and
conviction in cases where the individual concerned is not personally
linked to any terrorist acts properly defined, i.e. acts of deadly or
otherwise grave violence against persons, or the taking of hostages,
in the furtherance of aims covered by the international understanding
of terrorism.

Turkey argue that they legislated terrorism laws to combat
international terror. The UN Special Rapporteur does not think so.
The Anti-Terror Act of 1991 does not meet the requirements of
international conventions in the fight against terrorism. Not all
specific forms of international terrorism, as defined in these
conventions, are covered by article 1 of the Act, which was drafted
at a different time in response to domestic needs. Whereas the
Special Rapporteur received indications that the 1991 Act was being
reconsidered, he was unable to obtain specific information about the
review and the relevant timelines.

So who are the terrorists in Turkey? The Turkish Prime Minister has
the answer. They are Kurdish women and children. Or foxes.

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