TURKEY’S KURDISH LEADER DEMANDS RE-TRIAL, CALLS FOR PROMOTING CEASE-FIRE

Roj TV, Brussels
17 Nov 06

[Presenter] The leader of Kurdistan Democratic Confederation [KKK],
Abdallah Ocalan, met his lawyers, on Wednesday, and assessed their
curriculum. Ocalan said that in order for him to be re-trialled, a new
case had to be forwarded to a special tribunal. He had linked his case
to the Kurdish issue and other cases in Turkey. Ocalan commented on
the cease-fire stage as saying that he could not carry out his duties
[towards cease-fire] for more than another few months.

[Reporter] Ocalan has said that a new case had to be opened in a
special tribunal in order for him to be re-trialled. He added that
there was a situation similar to the ban on the Roj TV at his prison
cell, the prison authorities were telling him that they were going to
repair his radio, but they had not. This seemed to be the [Turkish]
state’s game. However, listening to radios was a legal right.

Regarding his re-trial in the European Court, European Human Rights
Tribunal or in Rome, Ocalan reminded that he had exhausted all legal
means; therefore the duty of the European ministers’ committee had
become more important.

[Passage omitted, example of Greece case].

Ocalan added that his trial was not the trial of one person, it
was the trial of a nation. He said that his case was related to the
Kurdish issue and many other cases in Turkey.

Ocalan commented on the current cease-fire as saying that he had not
considered the current stage as a positive stage. He said that the
Turkish authorities assumed that he did not deserve a radio; they did
not deliver his letters; they continued [military] operations. He said
that the Justice and Development Party [known as AKP] did not carry
its duties. The AKP wanted to use this stage for its own benefits in
the next presidential elections.

Ocalan said that he would carry out his responsibility towards the
cease-fire stage. He added that if the Turks used this stage as a
[political] game and preparation for the massacre and displacement
of millions of Kurds, he would withdraw and told the Kurds to take
their decision. Ocalan warned that the current cease-fire was the
final change and had to be dealt with carefully.

[Passage omitted, parties should work for the success of cease-fire]

He said that Truth Commissions should be considered, because, it might
lead to permanent peace. [Passage omitted, Ocalan praises Democratic
Society Party leadership]

Ocalan commented on Cyprus crisis as saying that the European Union
[EU] was not serious in resolving the Kurdish issue. [Passage omitted,
Ocalan’s view on Cyprus]. He believed that there were agreements
between Turkey and the EU included ban on the Kurdistan Worker’s Party
[PKK], his prison condition, and deferment of his case in the European
Human Rights Tribunal. The EU had promoted the nationalist interests
in Cyprus whereas they ignored the Kurdish nationalist interests.

Ocalan said that there were plans, similar to that happened to
Armenians, for expelling Kurds. He said that they were against the
PKK because the PKK was considered as an obstacle for implementing the
plan. He added that the USA and many sides in Turkey were supporting
that plan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress