Wednesday, January 02, 2008

TURKEY BURNS

"The very existence of flame-throwers proves that some time, somewhere, someone said to themselves, You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I'm just not close enough to get the job done."
~ George Carlin.


Does anyone remember back in 2005, how night after night, cars were set on fire in Paris? Does anyone remember how the French car-burnings were all over the news?

Good.

You may not have noticed, because it hasn't been too prominent in the media . . . mainly because the AKP government has forbidden the Turkish media from covering it . . . but cars have been burning all over Turkey for the last few weeks.

TDN has reported that 50 cars have been burned in Istanbul in the last two weeks. Of course, that's an official figure--meaning that it's not likely to be accurate:


Six more cars were torched in Istanbul Thursday while police arrested three people carrying Molotov cocktails.

Unidentified culprits poured gasoline before setting a parked car on fire in the Eminönü district. Firemen arrived at the scene and extinguished the flames but the car incurred serious damage.

Three trucks and one van were also set alight in the Küçükçekmece region.

Two people who had torched a car with Molotov cocktails in the Aksaray district were apprehended but two police officers were injured in the scuffle. Relatives of the two arsonists also got involved, and the police were forced to fire warning shots to end the disturbance. One of the policemen who sustained stab wounds is in critical condition, reports said.


Talk about efficiency! Not only was a car torched but a police got a few well-deserved stab wounds. Not only were trucks and vans torched in Küçükçekmece, but it's possible that a small bomb went off in the same district that wounded three.

Good.

According to Zaman, it appears that luxury cars are particularly targeted.

Excellent!

What could possibly be the reason for so many barbeques-on-wheels? Let's check that Zaman link again:


Gazi University’s Önder Aytaç points out that there might be "political reasons" behind the attacks, noting that it might be the PKK or some provocateurs aiming to create a Turkish-Kurdish rift in society. He also underlines that it is a possibility that if the police cannot catch the perpetrators soon, the attacks may well spread.


It might be "political"? No shit, Sherlock.

I might add that there's no need "to create a Turkish-Kurdish rift in society" when, in fact, the rift already exists and bears more resemblance to a chasm than to a rift. And here's a news flash for the brilliant professor at Gazi University: The attacks have already spread.

There have been car-burnings in Amed (Diyarbakır), Mersin, Adana, Ankara, Sinop, and Wan (Van). İzmir.

In Yüksekova, they say that PKK is behind the car-burning. Fabulous! Then who's behind the car-burning in Amed, Mersin, Adana, Ankara, Sinop, Wan, and İzmir?

Is PKK everywhere? Or is this all just a matter of jealousy against those who buy luxury cars? Then how does one account for soldiers' cars that are burned in The Southeast? What about military or police vehicles that are burned? Can a Turkish conscript afford a BMW? Is the TSK or the Turkish police German, that they drive Mercedes?

These car-burnings are the proper response to a system that closes every avenue that Kurds try to take in the struggle, including all the political avenues. These attacks are just when considering that the victims here are the same ones who bomb Kurdish civilians in their homes, in the middle of the night, and have destroyed at least 4,000 Kurdish villages in The Southeast.

Remember--that 4,000 is only an official figure.

Yes, it's all political. Yes, PKK is everywhere because PKK is the people. Yes, these acts of resistance will continue.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

So when the Turkish press say Kurdish youths, are they talking about the Apoist Youth Movement group? I read somewhere (probably western press because I can't read Turkish or Kurdish), that the Apoist youths are actually a PKK youth group? I don't know if I agree completely with your last statement: "Pkk is everywhere because PKK is the people" It makes it seem as if all Kurds are PKK--which of course would also translate that all Kurds are terrorists?

The reason I disagree is kinda linked to the Diyarbakir bombing tonight--the press are saying "Kurdish rebels" (Turkish emphamism for PKK). I know that the PKK are the main group fighting for Kurdish rights, but there are other Kurdish organizations that are taking the less violent role.

I guess I'm just not 100% on board with the American mentality of "Every [insert nationality here] is a [spy, terrorist, insurgent, etc.]" way of thinking.

(I think I saw a press--probably Turkish--that as linking the diyarbakir bombing to the Teyrenbaz group, the revenge Hawks?--can't remember the full name.)

As always, greatly appreciate the posts!

Mizgîn said...

So when the Turkish press say Kurdish youths, are they talking about the Apoist Youth Movement group?

I don't know, Beritan. Are they? How far would some official PKK youth group get in Turkey? I mean, even if they had secret decoder rings and all, it would still be pretty difficult to survive openly as a PKK-affiliated youth group, don't you think?

"Pkk is everywhere because PKK is the people" It makes it seem as if all Kurds are PKK--which of course would also translate that all Kurds are terrorists?

Well, if you believe that PKK is "terrorist" then you would believe that all Kurds are also "terrorist." I don't happen to believe the PKK is "terrorist" so I do not link terrorism to PKK or Kurds. I do know who the real terrorists are, and they are not PKK. The real terrorists sit in big offices at the Genelkurmay Baskanligi. They sit in big offices all over Ankara. They sit in big offices all over DC, they sit in corporate boardrooms the world over . . .

But I realize that a lot of Kurds have a very hard time with that "terrorist" label and it's too bad they can't get over it. By believing in it the way the real terrorists want them to, they strengthen the propaganda of the enemies.

Is Turkish media really saying "PKK rebels"? Then why are they always complaining when Western media says "PKK rebels"? Turkish media always says "PKK terrorists," sending shivers up the spines of Kurds who are terrified of the word "terrorist."

The American mentality which you mention is also the same as the Turkish mentality. Americans and Turks are so closely related in their mentalities. I guess it's a result of being propagandized from cradle to grave.

TAK didn't do the Amed bombing. Serok Apo called for a ceasefire and their loyalty is to him. When he calls it off, they'll go back to work.

It was the Turkish state which carried out today's bombing in Amed.

Serkeftin!

Anonymous said...

"TAK didn't do the Amed bombing. Serok Apo called for a ceasefire and their loyalty is to him. When he calls it off, they'll go back to work."

As I have observed, TAK’s job description does not seem to include bombing on the scale of the recent Amed bombings or any bombings in Amed anyway.

They are rather specialised in low scale bombings in western Turkish metropolis with no or little civilian impacts.

srusht

Anonymous said...

Thank you both for your comments! It is hard for people who do not have the real knowledge to make sense of it all. I know I get confused with all the press and so-called "official" information but they never seem to say which "official".

I must admit I did forget about the ceasefire (that was over a year ago?). I guess with the air bombings on PKK I forgot that the PKK were still observing it (even if the Turks were not).

Thanks to you srusht for the info on TAK. Again, I guess that's what happens when the only press we get is bad press, bad information gets around.