I: DELEGAZIONE ITALIANA AL NEWROZ: notiziario n.2 (19/3 ore 14)

["azad" <ass.azad@libero.it>]

NEWROZ 2001
Centro d'informazione sulle attività della delegazione italiana in Turchia
e sulla situazione in occasione della celebrazione del Newroz

Riferimenti in Italia:
Uiki (Ufficio d'informazione del Kurdistan in Italia) 06.42013576 - fax
06.42013799 - E-mail uiki.onlus@tin.it
Associazione Azad - 06.57302933 - fax 06.57305132 - E-mail ass.azad@libero.it

Riferimenti della delegazione in Turchia: E-mail delegazione@hotmail.com
Francesca (0347.5089734) e Antonio (0335.7564743) per il gruppo
Istanbul/Diyarbakir
Simona (0339.3684700) e Claudio (0328.3245816) per il gruppo Istanbul/Van
Ritrasmettiamo, scusandoci per le eventuali ripetizioni dello stesso
messaggio, il comunicato elaborato ieri sulla base di informazioni di prima
mano dalla delegazione italiana a Istanbul, circa il fermo degli attivisti
dell'Associazione diritti umani che proprio due ore dopo dovevano
incontrare la stessa delegazione.

Alleghiamo inoltre la versione inglese di alcuni articoli pubblicati oggi
sul quotidiano kurdo in Europa Ozgur Politika (sito in inglese:
http://www.kurdishobserver.com/ ), sul teso contesto nel quale si sta
preparando la grande festa di piazza del 21 marzo.

(Per una migliore comprensione: Amed è il nome kurdo di Diyarbakir; la
"questione della W" è il significativo cavillo giuridico cui si attaccano i
governatori per vietare o attaccare le manifestazioni, dato che la W di
"Newroz" nell'alfabeto turco non esiste, la versione "folklorica" inventata
dall'establishment per svuotare di senso il Newroz si chiama Nevruz ed è
ovviamente disertata dalla gente, e la Costituzione golpista dell'82
ammette una lingua sola...)

Rinnoviamo, anche sulla base del grave attacco all'Ihd, il nostro invito a
partire per Diyarbakir, rivolto in particolare alle figure istituzionali ad
ogni livello.

La delegazione italiana incontrerà oggi a Istanbul il partito Hadep, e Odp,
il sindacato Kesk (reduce dalla dura repressione di una manifestazione
sindacale ad Ankara), le famiglie dei prigionieri organizzate nella
Tuad-Der, le "Madri per la pace", il Goc-Der (Associazione profughi),
l'Istituto kurdo e la fondazioen giuridica Tohav. Domani 20 marzo, vigilia
del Newroz, volerà in due gruppi a Diyarbakir e a Van.


Roma, 19 marzo 2001


TURCHIA: FERMATI IERI A ISTANBUL ATTIVISTI PER I DIRITTI UMANI

Sessantasette attivisti dell'Associazione per i diritti umani (Ihd) di
Istanbul, fra cui la presidente, avvocata Eren Keskin, sono stati fermatie
detenuti ieri mattina dalla polizia per "manifestazione illegale"mentre,
vestiti di nero, tenevano una conferenza stampa nella centrale via
Sultanahmet in solidarietà con i detenuti politici. A mezzogiorno di oggi
nessuno di loro è stato ancora scercerato.

Il governo turco sta lasciando morire lentamente ben 496 detenuti, di cui
150 sono ormai al 150.mo giorno di digiuno e gli altri al 90.mo giorno,
senza dare risposte alla loro richiesta di fine dell'isolamento carcerario.

La notizia degli arresti è stata data alla delegazione italiana che proprio
nel pomeriggio di ieri è stata ricevuta nella sede dell'Ihd dagli attivisti
ancora liberi. Fra loro era Leman Yurtsever, sorella dell'attivista
dell'Hadep Metin Yurtsever, per il cui assassinio sotto tortura il 4 aprile
del '99 (durante le manifestazioni seguite al sequestro di Ocalan) la
polizia di Istanbul sarà sotto processo su denuncia dell'associazione.

L'Ihd, che per ritorsione rispetto al proprio impegno sulle carceri ha già
subito la chiusura delle sue sedi di Barman, Malata e Bingol, ha chiesto
presenze e solidarietà internazionale in occasione del processo.

La delegazione italiana, forte di 43 persone provenienti da quindici città,
ieri a Istanbul ha incontrato anche l'Associazione profughi (Goc-Der), i
redattori del quotidiano di opposizione Yeni Gundem, il Centro di cultura
della Mesopotamia e le famiglie dei prigionieri politici, ed ha espresso
all'Ihd ed a tutte le vittime della repressione la sua piena solidarietà.
Per oggi è previsto un nuovo fitto calendario di incontri a Istanbul.



Dal "Kurdish Observer" del 19 marzo

 Another 'W' crisis

The 'W' phobiaof some state officials has become a problem this year as
well. While the Antep Governor's Office refused permission for Newroz
celebrations because the letter 'W' was found in the application,
applications were also rejected in Maras, Bitlis and Tatvan and the people
were invited to official celebrations of 'Nevruz.' Preparations in
provinces and districts in which permission was granted continues full
speed.

Whereas last year Istanbul Governor Erol Cakir refused to authorized Newroz
celebrations because of the letter 'W', the Antep Governor's Office has
refused permission for celebrations this year for the same reason. The
application presented by People's Democracy Party (HADEP) Antep
organization for Newroz celebration in Station Square was rejected on the
grounds that "There is no 'W' in the Turkish alphabet."

HADEP Provincial Chairman Abdullah Ince noted that the rationale was
ridiculous and continued to say: "Applications were accepted in a number of
provinces. Is a different alphabet being used in these provinces? Newroz is
a personal name. How can we change it? Above all, they are not documenting
the non-acceptance of our application." Ince said that prohibitions would
not be an obstacle to their celebrations and that everyone would celebrate
Newroz in their neighborhoods.

Officials also rejected Newroz celebration applications in Maras, Bitlis,
and Tatvan, saying, "We are in any case celebrating Nevruz. Join our
celebrations as the people."

Newroz fire is rising

Large crowds gathered and danced the halay around fires they lit, chanting
slogans and trills with great enthusiasm, to celebrate Newroz in the
Yenimahalle and Akkopru neighborhoods of Van, in Hilal, Batman, in the
Pinarbasi and Karsiyaka districts of Izmir, in Anadolu neighborhood and
Topdagi in Adana, and in the Gundogdu, Yenipazar and Toroslar neighborhoods
of Mersin.

Police intervening in celebrations in Van detained seven people.

Meanwhile, about 60 students of Antalya's Akdeniz University arranged an
outing called "2001 Peace Outing" to the historical Perge region.


Newroz delegations on their way to Kurdistan

Delegations are coming from various centers in Europe to watch Newroz
celebrations in North [Turkish] Kurdistan. Members of the delegations are
calling themselves "Doves of Peace."

SAVAS POLAT

While Newroz excitement began with Kurdistanis weeks ago, this year, just
as every year, delegations from various centers in Europe are going to
North Kurdistan to watch Newroz celebrations in person.

Delegations formed in Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, and Belgium
include people from various nongovernmental organizations and professional
organizations, as well as politicians.

'Doves of Peace'

The teams, which began departing for North Kurdistan as of March 10, will
all participate as observers in Newroz celebrations in various provinces of
North Kurdistan on Newroz, March 21. Among those on the Newroz delegations
are a great number of people traveling to Kurdistan for the first time.
Answering questions for our newspaper, delegation members said they were
calling themselves "Doves of Peace." "We believe in brotherhood of
peoples," they said, adding, "and we believe in the brotherhood of the
Turkish and Kurdish peoples." But they also called attention to the fact
that Turkey had not given serious response to the steps taken by the
Kurdish side and to the increase in provocative actions aimed at sabotaging
the peace process. The Newroz delegations, comprised of peoples from
different places, said they would strive for peace and stressed that they
would do everything they could for the Kurdish problem to be solved through
peaceful means.

Members called attention to the fact that, along with watching Newroz
celebrations,the delegations would also be meeting with nongovernmental
organizations, municipal officials, and the people in the Kurdish provinces
that they visit and that they would relay their impressions and the results
of their contacts in statements to the press upon their return to Europe.

Centers of the delegations and where they will be going in Kurdistan:

- Germany/Hamburg delegation (15 people) - Kars
- Germany/Cologne delegation (12 people) - Hasankeyf, Nemrud, and Amed
- Belgium Delegation (10 people) - Amed, Van, Hakkari
- Italy delegation (43 people) - Amed, Van
- Switzerland delegation (4 people)


Soldiers raid villages

Soldiers raided somevillages tied to the Lice and Kulp districts of Amed
(Diyarbakir), warned villagers about giving assistance to the PKK, and also
wanted them to fill out forms asking their ethnic identity, language,
economic situation, and where their children living outside the district
were residing.

AMED

Soldiers have arranged raids in the past week against the Cirali, Kiyi, and
Zumrut villages in the Amed district of Lice and on the Karaagac, Hevidan,
and Kafa villages of Kulp. Soldiers raiding the three villages in Lice
district said that there had been undesirable clashes experienced in the
region in the past, but that those responsible for this were those who gave
support to the PKK, saying that the villagers were to inform the security
station from now on if any outsider came to the village.

Soldiers who raided the villages in Lice and Kulp, after searching the
homes, additionally gave the villagers forms asking them to fill out
"ethnic identity, language, economic situation, if you have quit being a
village guard, why?, and the names and addresses of any children who are in
prison, in Europe, or who are guerrillas." The soldiers also asked the
village muhtars for sketches of the villages, the number of streets, the
population, number of households, how many people migrated and to where,
and for a panoramic photograph of the village.


Women called for peace

The artists, writers,and journalists who came together as the "Women's
Solidarity for Peace" were greeted with trills, victory signs, and slogans
of peace. The group, which listened to the women, the greatest victims of
war, possibly faced Amed (Diyarbakir) for the first time listening to these
stories.

EVRIM ALATAS/LALES ARSLAN

The people of Amed have experienced yet another 'extraordinary' day. The
women, wearing their white head scarfs, met every 'hello' of the female
writers, journalists, and artists coming from Istanbul and Ankara with
trills and warmth, they explained their problems, called for
responsibility, and asked for help. Some of the guest women, including
writers who had recently lost their jobs due the mass layoffs in the
newspaper business, listened and took notes with the intentions of being
mediators to the best of their abilities.

Amed, the city in which it is thought that every person or group which
comes with the concept of 'peace' has brought peace, that 'Extraordinary
Rule' had become 'ordinary', the city in which thousands of people greet
with enthusiasm even the opening of municipal water purification
facilities, was with its new guests on Saturday.

The women, who came together as the "Women's Solidarity for Peace" through
the efforts of sociologist Pinar Selek, arrived in Amed early on Saturday
morning. Even though there was great disappointment that Turkan Soray, who
had been named as part of the group, did not come because of illness, the
tableaux presented at Amed overcame such disappointment quickly, because
this was the first time that these women who write or report the news in
various newspaper columns and television stations came before the camera
objectives and became the news themselves.

Hundreds of women were waiting early in the morning to greet them in front
of the Diyarbakir Municipal Building, wearing their national clothing and
with carnations in their hands.

But Diyarbakir Security Director Atilla Cinar, who had served in the
Istanbul political section and was transferred to Amed after the death of
Gaffar Okkan, was not accustomed to such a scene and disturbed it,
dispersing the crowd, even if "without using force" and only partial
success, in order to "not give ground to provocations."

But a great uproar, special to Amed, broke out when the guest women went
out on the Municipal balcony and waved to the crowd waiting below. The
women of all ages in their white head scarfs below greeted their guests
with victory signs and trills. The guests, who had met with Kurdish women
in one fashion or another during the years that they served in news
agencies, were nevertheless surprised at the first time they were greeted
with slogans of "Biji Asiti" (Long live peace). The square swelled with
trills and applause as their names were read out. Justice in applause and
trills was only broken when the name of Pinar Selek was read. The women of
Amed had a special soft spot for Pinar Selek. While some of the women
guests lost themselves in the excitement of the atmosphere and greeted the
crowds with victory signals, they soon realized "what they were doing" and
"pulled themselves together."

'We are here for peace'

After all the greetings, Duygu Asena and Pinar Selek spoke on behalf of the
group. Duygu Asena, a feminist writer who recently lost her job, began her
speech saying, "We came here to say 'Long live peace'." Asena, who was
applauded at the end of every sentence even by women who did not understand
what she was saying, continued to say the following: "Our efforts will
continue. In every place where there is not peace, democracy, freedom of
thought, and human rights, a number of forces will make us into slaves. You
and we will live separate slaveries. We came to send the message to women
here, over there, and elsewhere that you are not alone."

Pinar Selek, for her part, said, "All of us feel the same thing. We came
here in one and a half hours. This is not a great distance, but there is a
great difference in what is experienced. We came here to listen, to share,
to understand. There is only one path to ending the pains we experience,
and that is for women to come together." Selek was greeting with unending
trills when she said, in the Kurdish she learned in prison, "Biji asiti,
biji yekitiya jinan" (Long live peace, long live the union of women).

Possibly the most important detail explaining the aim of the visit was the
discomfort felt by the guest women because they did not understand the
Kurdish announcement introducing them from the podium and that the women
below applauded their guests even though they did not understand their
speeches in Turkish. The Kurdish women let doves fly, while the guest women
rained carnations down on them, thus ending the welcoming section of the
visit.

Face-to-face:

Still awaiting the guest women was the "difficult part" of their day.
Hundreds upon hundreds of women joined those who had greeted them in the
morning, filling the municipal conference hall. The women were again
greeted with great applause as they took their places on stage. Following
this, there was a dialogue full of questions between the guest author and
journalist women and the victimized women of Amed. The guest women were
going to see that translation remained insufficient because the wounded
women of Amed could not speak any language other than Kurdish and the
translators did not know Turkish very well.

'Em asiti dixwazin'

For a short while, the women just looked at each other. After that,
journalist Sukran Soner took the microphone and summarized why they had
come and what they wanted to talk about in the dialogue, and handed the
microphone to the crowd. An aged women who took the microphone began with
'Slav u hurmet' (greetings and regards) and explained her life in a flash.
"Dayiken Kurd u Tirkan ji gunehin," she said, asking for the dirty war to
end. The entire hall applauded the old woman.

She sat down, and another woman took the microphone, saying she was Leyla
Zana's sister. A great commotion broke out. Her name is Pirozhan Dogru. She
explained her troubles, ending her words with the sentence, "Em asiti
dixwazin." The first half of the women's one-day program passed packed full.

The problem is war, the solution is peace?

Some of them had a loved one missing, some of them had been assaulted under
detention, some of them had had their village burned, while some of them
lost relatives to "perpetrator unknown" murders. When the tragedies are the
same, the stories all resemble each other, all ending with death and pain.
They said from the stage that the story was well known, so they should talk
about how they could find a solution. Actually, the answer to this desire
comes out of every conversation. Because, according to women, the problem
is war and the solution is peace? The suicides in Batman come up. Young
women who stood up to speak said that suicides were inevitable in places
where women had no social life, were experiencing cultural shock because of
migration, and had economic problems.


NEWROZ IN ITALIA

Il Newroz sarà celebrato in Italia, anche con collegamenti in diretta con
la delegazione presente a Istanbul:

- A ROMA martedì 20 marzo, fuochi, musica e danze dalle ore 18.30 davanti
al centro Ararat, nell'area del Campo Boario;
- A CATANIA martedì 20 marzo dalle ore 18, c/o Casa dei popoli in via V.
Emanuele 121, video e dibattito dedicato a Leyla Zana ed a tutti i
prigionieri politici
- A VENEZIA martedì 20 alle ore 18 fiaccolata da piazza Roma a Campo S.
Margherita, dove si canta e si danza fino alle 22
- A FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BRINDISI) proiezione di "Ax- La Terra", cucina e
musica kurda, dalle ore 19 presso l'Arci
- a LECCE  e a BADOLATO, martedì 20 celebrazione del Newroz nei centri di
raccolta dei profughi kurdi
- A ROMA mercoledì 21 marzo dalle ore 19 filmati, dibattito e musica presso
il centro sociale Forte Prenestino


- A BOLOGNA sabato 24 marzo, grande festa nazionale nel Teatro occupato di
viale Lenin, dalle ore 14 alle 22, con i gruppi Koma Azin, Koma Car Navan;
"Dol u Zurna" (percussioni e flauto kurdo), filmati, mostre e spettacoli:
bus da Roma e Milano (da Roma p. ore 9:30 Piramide, pren. £. 30.000 a/r
presso Uiki 06.42013576). L'ingresso di lire 10.000 è devoluto ai profughi
del campo di Mahmura.