Prime Minister Erdoğan disappoints in Diyarbakır meeting

NEWSCENTRE (DIHA) – Speaking to a crowd of around 20 thousand participators Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan disappointed in Diyarbakır meeting where Kurds did not satisfy his speech since there is no new steps were offered. Erdoğan visited Diyarbakır accompanied by 7 ministres and 63 deputies of AKP Erdogan delivered a speech in support of constitutional referendum on 12 September and did not even mention ceasefire declaration of Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) or PKK's demands to extend the ceasefire which will last on 20 September.

Erdogan's speech was no different from his usual referendum speeches despite expectations.

Referring his speech, Selahatting Demirtaş, Co-Chair of Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) said that: “PM Erdoğan made history by his empty talk in Diyarbakır. Everybody’s expectation from him was to say something about the cease-fire since it will end on September 20. The speech means also mocking Kurds as well as Diyarbakır residents. He did not mentioned about Kurdish problem, Diyarbakır Prison, general amnesty or any cases which need to be solved in the Region.

Erdoğan spoke about rights and freedoms in Turkey while 323 reporters are currently in prisons, many cases in European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), closed newspapers, many deadly ill prisoners and more than 17 thousand unknown perpatrators are still on agenda.

Kurdish newspapers’ distributors punished with 13 years in prison
13 distributors of Dengê Welat and Ülkeye Bakış including Necat Yılmaz, Kurtalan Mayor from BDP, were sentenced to 13 years in prison for selling these papers for solidarity against oppressions. Court accused them for “Making propaganda for an illegal organization” by selling these newspapers. Yılmaz condemned the punishment: “PM is still alleging that speaking Kurdish is free in Turkey. We believe that this rule works for politicians from AKP but not for Kurds or their politicians. We cannot speak in Kurdish when we try to communicate with our mother language. This is an unbelievable contradiction which PM is still defending opposite. TRT 6 is broadcasting 24 hours but we can’t. What we should do to make them to see this contradiction.”

A committee of DTK and BDP to go to Kurdistan Federative Region

A committee of Democratic Society Congress (DTK) and BDP will go to Sulemania in the Kurdistan Federative Region on Monday to meet Celal Talabani, President of Iraq. Ahmet Turk and Aysel Tuğluk, DTK Co-Chairs, Bengi Yıldız, Sırrı Sakık, BDP deputies, Ruşen Mahmutoğlu, BDP Erbil Representative and writer Altan Tan will be in the committee which also meet Neçirvan Barzani, Vice President of Kurdistan Democratic Party. The agenda of the Committee will be the cease-fire and making it permanent.
Kurds did not forget murdered DEP MP Sincar

Seventeen years after his murder, Mehmet Sincar was remembered in his hometown Kızıltepe, district of Mardin, Batman where he was shot and Diyarbakır.

It has been 17 years now since DEP (Democracy Party) Mardin MP Mehmet Sincar was murdered in Batman on 4 September 1993. While the perpetrators, however, have not been showed up yet; Sincar was recorded on court’s report as “organization member caught in operation”.

DEP Mardin MP Mehmet Sincar was in Batman on 4 September 1993 to search the murders of DEP PM members Habip Kılıç and Hikmet Kılıç with an armed action; when he lost his life at the armed attack on him and DEP Batman Province Head Metin Özdemir. While the inquest about Sincar’s death takes place also on Susurluk Report, Sincan’s murderers were indicated on the report as “Green” code named Mahmut Yıldırım, confessors Alattin Kanat, Mesut Mehmetoğlu and İsmail Yeşilmen. However, the perpetrators haven’t been inquired yet. On the other side; according to the statements of secret witness Emek on 2. Ergenekon bill of indictment, it was remarked that “Green” code named Mahmut Yıldırım, confessors, some known pashas and Veli Küçük have part in Sincar’s murder. Still, Sincar’s murder remains as a black mark in Turkey’s history.
Forest fires in the region condemned in Istanbul

Continuing forest fires in Tunceli was condemned by NGOs and human rights associations in Istanbul since there is no attempt to extinguish them.

Dersim Associations Federations (DEDEF) held a protest meeting to condemn government which did not try to extinguish it. There are also some other environmentalist associations demonstrated in Istanbul against forest fires. Writers, entellectuals, actors, actrists and many representatives from various NGO’s showed up these demonstrations in order to condem AKP administrations, opposite political parties and local government because of their approach to forest fires.

On the other hand, howitzer shells have been found on the fired forest in Tunceli, reported by Şerafettin Halis, BDP Tunceli deputy. He said that: “We strongly condemned that these forests in Tunceli have been burnt by security forces despite government’s opposite announcement. Here now we have evidences found on the burned forest. The howitzer shells we found on the forest prove us that these forest have been burning by military.

Germany may consider withdrawing from Kurdish gas agreement

Germany signaled considering withdrawal from a gas distribution agreement with Federal Kurdistan Government after Baghdad has rejected as illegal, ANF reported.

The deal foresees a future role for RWE, a leading German energy company, in developing infrastructure for gas distribution network.

The Iraqi oil ministry has said the agreement between RWE and the Kurdish Regional Government is illegal because the country's oil and gas are federal resources to be administered centrally.

Asked about the dispute, a spokesman for the German economy ministry said: "RWE is a consortium member of the Nabucco project, which is of central importance for the diversification of European gas supply. RWE is responsible for its own business decisions."

"It is not up to the German government to judge the legality of the aforementioned contract," Stefan Bredohl from the foreign ministry told a regular government news conference in Berlin.

RWE says it is aware of sensitivities in the region, and is seeking dialogue with all sides in order to implement the deal.

"We are very much aware that we have to speak with all relevant authorities in Iraq, and are taking steps now to prepare for the dialogue with the government in Baghdad," the company said in a statement.
Turkish military operation in Mus

Turkish army launched a military operation against PKK in Mus province while Turkish artillery bombarded Zap region, reported ANF. Armed wing of PKK, People Defence Forces (HPG) said Turkish army conducted a military operation against them yesterday near Varto, a district of Mus province.
According to HPG's statement cobra helicopters bombarded Gabzo, Bagir, Sehid Cihad, Gole, Sirkut and Sehid Hasan areas of Pulumur, a district of Dersim province.

No causalities were reported in result of the attack.

Turkish army continues it's military operations despite an unilateral ceasefire declaration by the PKK on 13 Au

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