MARCH  2000  BULLETIN

APRIL 2000 BULLETIN ARBITRARY OPPRESSION CONTINUES IN TURKEY

Newroz: In March the Kurdish spring festival Newroz was banned in Istanbul and Malatya on the grounds that the non-Turkish letter " w " was used in the publicity materials; but for the first time in years the festival was allowed in Diyarbakir. Token concessions are being made by the regime to impress the EU, while the reality of exile and oppression continue for the vast majority of ordinary Kurds and others. Martial law remains in force in the Kurdish regions and arbitrary arrests continue; recently of HADEP (Kurdish Party) leaders and of three elected mayors (all subsequently released).

Akin Birdal imprisoned again (29 March): Former Human Rights Association President Akin Birdal has been re-imprisoned, an application to postpone his prison sentence due to deteriorating health having been refused. Birdal was first imprisoned in June 1999 under a one year sentence for having referred to Kurdistan on World Peace Day three years earlier.

Harassment of human rights lawyers: The Lawyers Rights Centre (CHD) reports (6 April) that 80 lawyers have complained to them about harassment from the authorities while carrying out their duties in defence of their clients. They have been charged with arbitrary offences such as "insulting the judges" and "resisting the security forces". Lawyers have also been attacked by security forces (35 lawyers), arbitrarily summoned to court (7) and attacked by relatives of the other party in the case (4).

Students attacked by fascists and police: 81 students suffered arrest and/or injury at the hands of members of the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) and the police when fascists met at Ankara University in commemoration of Alparslan Turkes (former MHP leader). One student, Selma Simsek remains in intensive care, while another, Gorkem Papuccuoglu, has received serious eye damage. (6 April 2000)

Attack on children in prison: 10 children aged 11-15 in prison in Adana were attacked in their cell after requesting a TV. The 24 children in the prison are there only because their mothers are servingsentences. They have no access to education.

PRIVATISATION AND ATTACKS ON WORKERS' RIGHTS

rivatisation: Aiming to meet the "adjustment criteria" for the EU and the demands of the IMF and the World Bank, privatisation continues apace in Turkey. The oil company POAS was privatised in March, with 8 public companies to follow in April. Privatisation will include the railways, public banks, the energy and telecom sectors, petro-chemicals and major food industries. Government subsidies for agriculture will be cut. The insurance and health departments in the Institution for Social Security will also be privatised. 22 thousand workers are expected to lose their jobs in the first stages of privatisation. Denied the right to work, most will not have access to benefits. On the 2nd of March 4 thousand POAS workers in Izmir protested, as did thousands of rail workers from the 22-29 March. Workers demands are against privatisation, MAI, privileged retirement plans for MPs and for jobs, welfare rights and better working conditions.

Attacks on labour rights: The government is planning to revise 210 articles of labour legislation. The aim is to weaken organised labour in preparation for privatisation by introducing individual contracts and undermining collective bargaining and the right to strike.

Trade unionist supporters attacked: On the 8th of March hundreds gathered at a cemetery in Istanbul in remembrance of Suleyman Yeter, the trade unionist tortured to death in custody last year. Hundreds including women and children were injured in a police attack and almost 200 hundred were detained.