Iraq: Turkish invasion could have devastating regional consequences

The Iraqi Foreign Minister, Hoshyar Zebari, commented about continued pressure from Turkey in a recent interview with the BBC. An invasion would have serious consequences for stability in both countries and for the region as a whole, Zebari said, according to The Sidney Morning Herald.

Zebari said that the present crisis was “dead serious” and that Turkey had shown no interest in Iraqi proposals to calm the situation.

According to the article “Turkey has massed up to 100,000 troops, backed by warplanes and tanks, on the border between the two countries for a possible offensive against an estimated 3,000 Iraq-based rebels.”

There are fears that the Turkish military build-up will be used to carry out a larger incursion into northern Iraq than anticipated, Zebari said. He added that, according to the article, such a step would have disastrous consequences for stability in both countries.

Turkey’s demand for Iraq to hand over senior members of the outlawed PKK sheltering in Iraq was deemed impossible to fulfill by Zebari.

For the full article, click here.

European Parliament representative works on missing person issues in Cyprus

European parliamentarian Ewa Klamt plans to report to the European Parliament on her experience in Cyprus working with the families of Greek Cypriot missing persons, the Cyprus Embassy in Washington, D.C. reported on Thursday.

The missing persons in question became prisoners of the Turkish military during Turkey’s 1974 invasion of Cyprus; their bodies remain both lost and unidentified.

“Behind each number, there is a family, a name, a friend, it is still very hard for the families, as identification and return of remains opens up wounds again for them. I am very grateful to the families who have accepted to see me during my short visit to Cyprus,” Klamt said, noting that this was a “very emotional” encounter for her.

Klamt will now look to educate members of Parliament on the issue, while working to expedite funding requests in order to secure more scientists and equipment to identify remains.

“Identification and return of remains, which is what is happening now, is an important first step,” she said.

For the full article, click here.

Religious minorities struggle to obtain rights and identity in Turkey

In February 2006, Father Andrea Santoro, a Catholic priest, was murdered in Trabzon, Turkey. In April 2007, three Protestant men were murdered in the Eastern town of Malatya. In light of these incidents, and in response to personal threats on their own lives, the most senior patriarch of the Orthodox Christian community and the Armenian Patriarch Mesrop – who both reside in Istanbul – have been assigned police officers for their protection. However, these police officers are unarmed, and the religious figures have both been advised to hire private security protection, according to an article in Norway’s Forum 18 News.

As threats and violence towards religious minorities, especially non-Muslims, increase in Turkey, the international community and the European Union have taken a hard look at what measures, if any, the country has taken to combat intolerance.

Additionally, the recent rise in Muslim conservatism has been reflected in the Turkish media, and by politicians. In May 2006, a television station aired an interview with Professor Ali Bardakoglu, the head of the government’s Presidency of Religious Affairs, in which he stated, “We are not only telling our people in Turkey that Islam is the right (only) religion, but we also inform them about missionaries’ activities threatening our people.”

The article accuses Turkish media of hostility and bias when reporting attacks against religious minorities.

Many are calling for fundamental constitutional changes to better protect minorities. Those feeling vulnerable to attacks by hostile Turkish nationals are now turning to the European Court of Human Rights to help ensure their safety. Appeals to the Turkish court have only provided them with official recognition, not any official guarantee of legal protection.

For the full article, click here.