Wednesday, April 02, 2008

SUSPICION OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN TURKISH BOMBARDMENT

"One important question that needs to be resolved concerns the status of an alleged secret directive of the Turkish Army permitting the use of chemical and biological measures in counter-terrorist activities."
~ The Sunshine Project Country Study No. 3.


From yesterday's Özgür Gündem:


Suspicion of chemical weapons in TSK bombardment


In the Levce village of Qendil, hundreds of goats died in the area where Turkish aircraft bombed. As a result of the bombardment, 186 baby goats died and, according to the investigation, poisonous material has been found in the goats' milk.

Mam Hasan, who makes his living through animal husbandry in Levce village, said that he made his goats graze in the area where Turkish aircraft bombed on 16 December. After a while, he said, all the baby goats died, one after the other.

We made an analysis, medication did not cure.

Hasan Mecid said the ongoing events after the bombardment, as follows: "When Turkish aircraft bombed this region, nothing happened to my animals. However, when I grazed my animals in the region that had been bombed, almost 200 of my animals died. Some other animals also died in the village. But after my animals died altogether, we went to Dîyana, Hewlêr, and Silêmanî veterinarians, bought medication, and made the laboratory analysis. None of the medication given had cured them. The animals continued to be sick and die."

Poison found in goats' milk

For a more detailed laboratory analysis, we took samples of goat meat and milk. As a result, poison was found in the milk. However, Hasan Mecid said the doctors did not mention anything about the reason for the poison. Mecid continued: "Nothing like this has happened before in our village. There is only one reason, and that is the Turkish aircraft bombed the region where the goats were grazed, and those weapons spread poison. The expert veterinarians also asked where I grazed my animals, and I said the region where the airplanes bombed. They, too, mentioned that it might be the reason for the poison in the milk."

We cannot give goat milk to the children

Hasan Mecid's daughter, Şuno Mecid, said that the newborn goats became ill very soon after they started nursing, and later they died while they were convulsing. Because the baby goats died, they do not use goat milk and they do not give it to their children. Şuno Mecid said: "Now we milk the goats and we pour out the milk. Since the baby goats died, we are worried that this milk will harm people, too. We are also concerned about the occurence of any disease in children."

Earlier the KRG environment minister Dara Muhammed Emin had also mentioned that they have evidence that the Turkish state was using weapons that violate laws of war. This incident that occured in Levce village reminds us one more time of the suspicion of Turkey's use of chemical weapons. For that reason, the villagers called international institutions for a delegation of independent experts to investigate the matter.

The Levce villagers said that if their claim is corroborated, they will sue Turkey.


Gordon Taylor has an update on Cüneyt Ertuş. Surprise, surprise, surprise!! The police lied!


Yesterday the Emniyet of Hakkari province posted a press release on their website. [The Emniyet is the "Public Safety" or, rather, "State Security" office of the Turkish government. They're the police, in other words. Turkey is a rigidly centralized state; thus the Emniyet is everywhere. If you know the novels of Eric Ambler ("A Coffin for Dimitrios", "Journey into Fear", or "The Light of Day", from which the movie "Topkapi" was drawn), then you should know the word Emniyet.] Yesterday's press release dealt with Cuneyt, who was identified only by his initials, C.E.

The heading reads, "Release concerning the person whose arm was allegedly broken." This is in Turkish, of course, and I am very loosely translating. "Having been taken twice to the doctor," it says, "C.E. has no serious damage to his arm, according to their reports." C.E.'s arm, the report continues, has been X-rayed at the Hakkari State Hospital, and these have found no breaks. He remains in custody, etc., and the claims which have been made about his condition are untrue.

[ . . . ]

Hakkari, the remotest of Turkey's provincial capitals, is now, incredibly, a part of the global village. When I was there in 1977, I was astounded to find oranges from the Mediterranean coast on sale in the market. From the miracle of oranges, we now have digital video of a Hakkari kid's arm being broken, video that's flashed to Denmark, beamed up to a satellite, and then beamed back to the TV sets of the boy's relatives, who in the past would have known nothing about it. Thus a press release about a 15-year-old boy from police-state apparatchiks who formerly would never have bothered.

There is, moreover, new information. This morning I heard from a contact in Germany. He had just talked to Cuneyt's father. Cuneyt is still in jail, but lawyers from the Hakkari Bar Association have been allowed to visit him. The lawyers confirmed that Cuneyt's arm had indeed been broken. It is in a sling, swathed in bandages. In other words, the Emniyet's press release was a lie. My point is this: At least they were forced to say something. Once again, the digital revolution has made history.


Now, Hevallo has an interesting commentary on Gordon's post:


It also forcibly reminded me, like nothing else could, of all of the innocent Kurds, rounded up during Newroz and facing serious charges, not to mention torture, languishing in Turkish prisons, snatched from their loved ones and now suffering torture and a nightmarish future.

For what? Because they are Kurdish!

Nothing more, nothing less, many of the Kurdish people detained during Newroz will of set out on the day they ended up being detained, in their best clothes, hair made up, looking forward to a day of celebration, hoping to see some of the friends and listen to some nice music. A special day out.

But now, having been attacked by police, grabbed off the street and find themselves now locked in a cell, labelled as terrorists and facing a long prison sentence. A horrendous nightmare!


By the way, there's a fascinating backgrounder on Tibet that is a must-read. Did you know the Dalai Lama was on the CIA's payroll? That Indian intelligence also financed him? Isn't that just like a cleric?

Did you know what life was like under the rule of the religious and the secular Tibetan elites? If not, open your eyes.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Finally this act of violence against the Southern Kurdistan People may bring end to Barzani's dictatorship family clan in this poor and oppressed region of Iraq. After all it was the Southern Kurdistan Clans made the arrangements with the Turks and Iran to destroy their own land and poison Kurdish people!

Supporting Jash Barzani Clan or Arab Taliban is as same as supporting the Turks bombing the innocent civilians in South Kurdistan and this makes me sick and remind me of people in Turkey who blindly support their government or the administration who oppress Kurds.

Anonymous said...

Hamo, your statements are a bit over the top. No act of violence should be spoken about the way you conveyed your thoughts in an equivalent manner to praise regardless of your opinion of the Kurdish leaders in Southern Kurdistan.

On another topic... mizgînîya xêrê heye...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7328238.stm

Anonymous said...

Did you know what life was for a villager under the rule of a Kurdish agha or sheikh? How Kurds honour kill their own women. We shouldn't give independence to Kurds...

ehh.. Just politics.

Anonymous said...

Do you know what life is like as a Kurd under the Turkish pashas? No one should have given independence to Turks...

Just a reality...

Anonymous said...

Dear anonymous,

If you think that, I am little over the top then please explain me, why these southern dictators turned hozan Dino and hozan Aydin from the Hewler Airport back to Frankfurt with their abusive manners without given any explanation.

Tell me dear nameless Kurd, Why do you think Kurdistan Regional PM Necirwan Barzani backed Turkish bombing against the southern Kurds without even raising any serious concerns? Is this not because his personal investments worries in Turkey (namely his cigarette business and of course woman trafficking)?

You see my friend, if you reward the people who perpetrated genocide against their own people (Barzani and Taliban) in Halebja and Anfal (doing nothing, escaping or kissing the Saddam's hand also considered partnership in genocide)Should have known what it was coming next.

How do you explain Peshmerga cowards not even firing a single bullet against the invading Turkish forces? Don't you think it’s a little weird? What about Arab Taliban's visit to Turkey and now Necirwans possible visit?

Anonymous said...

Hamo,

Don't think that Southern Kurds or their leadership can't defend themselves against your accusations and throw out a few accusations and insults of their own against the PKK.

Why don't you get off your high horse and learn a little bit of respect before you accuse the southern Kurds of Genocide.

Your claims:

"Kurdistan Regional PM Necirwan Barzani backed Turkish bombing against the southern Kurds without even raising any serious concerns"

Since when did he BACK the bombing???? Show me one statement.

"southern dictators turned hozan Dino and hozan Aydin from the Hewler Airport back to Frankfurt with their abusive manners without given any explanation."

Give us some proof that no explanations were given. And, democratic countries ROUTINELY turn down people without valid visas, or passports or if the customs officer even suspects that their intentions are to work or for an extended visit. I'm sorry, but, maybe Hozan Aydin isn't as famous around the world as he is in your corner of the world. I've never heard of him.

"his (Barzani) personal investments worries in Turkey (namely his cigarette business and of course woman trafficking)"

Give us some proof that he engages in woman trafficking. Did you get that from Mizgin's website or Hurriyet?

"How do you explain Peshmerga cowards not even firing a single bullet against the invading Turkish forces?"

Maybe because they didn't want to provoke Turkey into a wider war??? That's a pretty rational conclusion wouldn't you say?

Remember the Barish Sureci? The PKK guerrillas never fired on Turkish fascist soldiers even though they attacked many times....doesn't make them cowards.

"What about Arab Taliban's visit to Turkey and now Necirwans possible visit?"

So what? It's about WHAT they discuss not the FACT that they visit Turkey.

I mean, seriously, the PKK and the DTP would like the very same outcome for itself, eventually: DIALOGUE and NEGOTIATION.

So, yeah your comments, hamo, are WAY OVER THE TOP!

~nistiman

Anonymous said...

Heval Hamo...

Perpetrated genocide against their own people? That's what I mean when I say over the top.

I encourage criticism but I highly advocate one citing sources to ensure credibility and making statements that are suitable for the facts at hands. In fact, if you know Kurdish, I would encourage you to go write for an audience in S. Kurdistan where your criticisms would actually make a difference.

But above all, I don't think making gratuitous insults or far out claims is any better than when the Turkish government makes similar outrageous claims against Kurds.

Anonymous said...

Dear Nistiman,

I did not intend to insult or accuse people in South Kurdistan or the leaders of that region. Raising few facts and strongly critizing, their involvement in wrong doings not considered insults or accusations in modern and democratic countries. I have my full respect for the Southern Kurds and their leadership but in the same time, I have great expectations because of their important role in Kurdish matters.
I will try my little best to answer some of your claims that accusing me of misinforming you.
1- Since when did he BACK the bombing???? Show me one statement.
A- I don’t have to show you any statements at all! Do you remember when the USA was attacked, what sort of statements Bush made? Only statement that I recall from the Necirwan was that he thought Turks would invade Hewler and Suleymani. I also remember Masoud Barzani’s escape to unknown location in Europe (at least it was kept secret at the time).
2- Give us some proof that no explanations were given. And, democratic countries ROUTINELY turn down people without valid visas, or passports or if the customs officer even suspects that their intentions are to work or for an extended visit. I'm sorry, but, maybe Hozan Aydin isn't as famous around the world as he is in your corner of the world. I've never heard of him.
A- http://www.kurdistan-post.com/News-file-article-sid-24130.html Read this unless you accuse the singer Aydin liar. Also you can read this in Kurdish http://www.yeniozgurpolitika.org/?bolum=haber&hid=29979 . I read a similar statement from Hozan Dino also but unfortunately can not remember the link.
3- Give us some proof that he engages in woman trafficking. Did you get that from Mizgin's website or Hurriyet?
A- World does not just turn around Mizgin and Hurriyet websites. Some of us actually rely on business directories and police records when we have to make important judgments. I will give you more prove and inside latter in the subjects above.
4- "How do you explain Peshmerga cowards not even firing a single bullet against the invading Turkish forces?"

Maybe because they didn't want to provoke Turkey into a wider war??? That's a rational conclusion wouldn't you say?

A- Halas, I rest my case! How can I argue with someone who try his best to find excuses not to defend your own land when its attacked? Your statements are as similar to Barzani’s top adviser’s answers to the Kurdish businessperson in London who accused KRG of corruptions in Al-Jaazera TV station (Inside Iraq Today). He too, went on to say how the Kurdish state was so young and corruption can not be stopped even in London.


5- Remember the Barish Sureci? The PKK guerrillas never fired on Turkish fascist soldiers even though they attacked many times....doesn't make them cowards.
A- I never even mentioned even once about the PKK? Where is PKK coming into this equation when we are talking about something else!
6- So what? It's about WHAT they discuss not the FACT that they visit Turkey.
A- You know and I know what the Arab Taliban discussed with Turks in his visit! Mainly – How to destroy Kurdish struggle for more rights – How to delay further the Kerkuk referendum.
7- I mean, seriously, the PKK and the DTP would like the very same outcome for itself, eventually: DIALOGUE and NEGOTIATION.
A- I never mentioned the PKK even once. Furthermore the investigation in concern here not the PKK but Barzani and Taliban Clans fairs in Kurdish matters.

Anonymous said...

This is the link for Hozan Dino's statement. If you don't know Turkish then you have to trust me that he says the same thing that I briefly described above or you can ask Mizgin to translate it.

http://www.rojaciwan.com/haber-34918.html

Another thing that keeps me occupied in this time of morning. I wonder what will happen to Arab Taliban's Iraqi terror list where PKK is also included after EU's court decision to withdraw Kurdistan Freedom Fighters and I wonder if PKK's isolation will stop in the Qandil Media Circles by the Southern Kurdish Clan Barzanis'?

Anonymous said...

To put it simply and succinctly: it bothers me when Kurds try their damnest to “prove” that the Southern Kurdish Leadership is corrupt and that Southern Kurdistan will never amount to anything. Why do you feel that task falls on you? There’s already plenty of people working around the clock to make sure that happens. Kurds remind me of a people with a great big chip on their collective shoulder and the only way they feel comfortable in their own skin is by criticizing other Kurds. From the microcosm of Kurdish families to Kurdish ‘derneks’ and ‘communities’ to the macrocosm of our national politics, it is sad to watch as Kurds are preoccupied with internal fighting. For years, for millenia, we have had a dream to have our own state, a land where we can develop our culture and ourselves as a people. We are the closest to the realization of that dream and rather than proclaiming Southern Kurdistan as OUR land and an extension of our own sovereignty, we (the Northern Kurds) are too busy trying to relieve the burden of the chip on our shoulder.

No one is saying that Southern Kurdistan is the beacon of DEMOCRACY and that its democratic institutions and statesmen are an awe to the rest of the world. We must hold them to the standard of the reasonable and not the exceptional. They have practiced democracy since the early 1990s and only after great repression and Genocide. Hold them to that standard! And when you accuse their (and our) Leaders of being ‘dictators’ and 'Clan leaders' and their Fighters as ‘cowards’ and their Powerlessness as an act of ‘Genocide’ and Rumours as Proof positive that they engage in women trafficking and God knows what else might come to your mind, ask yourself if you Truly benefit from these accusations? Although it might temporarily relieve the burden of the chip on your shoulder, I daresay it is not in your best interest, my friend.

~nistiman

Anonymous said...

Nistiman, you are only fooling yourself with these cheap nationalist-fascistic craps...

Do I want Kurdistan in any cost? Do I want Kurdistan without honor, dignity and no-people - simply NO THANKS...

Do I want Kurdistan where the head of the state perpetrated or got involved in genocide against her own people (Halepje and Anfal)? Do I want Kurdistan where the PM involved in woman trafficking and poisoning his citizens with his cigarette company in enemy country? Do I want Kurdistan where her leaders negotiate with enemy to bomb and destroy part of their own country? Do I want Kurdistan where I am not allowed to enter it without any reason?

Anonymous said...

:))) Nationalistic-fascistic crap??? To encourage the development of a state in Southern Kurdistan is nationalistic-fascistic???

You're merely advocating using "democracy" as a stick to beat down the seeds of nation-building in Southern Kurdistan.

If it makes you feel better though, you can remember me as the Big Bad Evil Nationalist :) At least, maybe at the end of the day, due to nationalists like me we might have a state of our own rather than begging for scraps from those nice democracies in the Middle East ....

~nistiman

Mizgîn said...

Necirvan claimed that the Turks had not affected any civilians at all during its recent aggression, at the same time that Cehs Celal was sucking up to Ankara by declaring PKK to be a "terrorist" organization. Of course, he did this at the time that he was begging for an invite to Ankara.

As soon as Cehs Celal got to Ankara--which DTP felt was at the absolutely WRONG TIME--the licking really began:


Cumhurbaşkanı Gül, Başbakan Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ve hükümete de teşekkür eden Talabani, ''Bizi konukseverlikle onurlandıran ve bizi her zaman iyi bir biçimde karşılayan Türk ordusuna ve Türk komutanlarına da şükranlarımızı sunmak istiyorum'' diye konuştu.


Now, the funny thing about that quote is that no Turkish military greeted Cehs Celal at his arrival. What is he thanking them for then? The land operation fiasco that they had just recently conducted--and had cut short to save their own chestnuts.

Leyla Zana told Cehs Celal to come with honor, but can he come with something he doesn't have? That all had to do with the timing of his visit, not to a visit per se.

And you're VERY wrong, Nistiman, about Necirvan's women-trafficking problem being reported by me. Maybe Necirvan is trafficking and maybe he's not; I don't know. I do know that there's plenty to pin on him and his government for the lousy state of affairs for ordinary Kurds so that I don't need to investigate the women-trafficking angle.

But that's okay; I chalk up your implication to your partisanship.

Anonymous said...

Here, I'll "more agree" with Nistiman than with Hamo whereas being a PKK-sympathiser since "before my birth".
Nistiman is right when he/she denonces the partisanship of Hamo.
We Kurds need upon all UNITY and COOPERATION for the sake of Kurdish Cause.
We won't achieve anything by fighting each other all the time because of "mistakes" of the other BUT by thinking of OUR best COMMON interest first. That's our duty in service of our beloved and oppressed people.

Bijî Yekitîya Kurdan! Bijî Kurdistan!

Sincerely yours,
Elîshêr from France.

Anonymous said...

Dear Mizgîn,
that will be the first time since you started this excellent blog that I doubt the pertinence of one of your analyses or links.
That's about the Tibetans.
The way you write about them here may make happy a Chinese or a Turkish nationalist apparatchik because it makes to forget that any badness of Tibetan rule on Tibetans cannot forgive or justify the oppression and the Cultural Genocide committed by China on Tibetan people as any badness of Kurdish rule on Kurds cannot forgive or justify the oppression and the Cultural Genocide committed by Turkey on Kurdish people.

Best regards,
Elîshêr.

Anonymous said...

Mizgin,

Politicians paying lip-service to Ataturk or the Turkish military or to the average Turkish citizen who is supposed to be our brother, or to Saddam, etc... is something that I've heard ad nauseum and not just from Talabani.

Believe me, I despise it as much as any other ordinary Kurd. That certainly wouldn't be my style or my understanding from diplomacy.

Yet, such things are not the stuff of real treason and certainly do not give you moral legitimacy to call Talabani a jash. He is 70 plus years old; I doubt he is driven now (or ever) by his 'economic' empire. He is the most senior of the living Kurdish politicians and simply for that he deserves a few indulgences.

Talabani, Barzani and Ocalan have led the Kurdish people, through bad and good, in my generation and my father's generation and I'm grateful for their leadership. Kurds need Leaders. Even ones who make mistakes and when I see the the turmoil in Africa with warring tribes and the effects of imperialism, I think that the Kurds have been spared a lot of the violent bloodletting. I'm with Elisher -- more unity, less scathing criticism.

I'm certainly not commenting on this website to detract from the justice that the Kurds of Turkey deserve.

Sometimes the political climate requires partisanship and in such times, I wouldn't hesitate to state mine. And in such times, it is good to walk with hevals.

But God has given me my rational faculties and I intend to use them, so at all times, I'd like to be a partisan of Reason and on that path, we must be prepared to walk alone, if necessary....


~nistiman

Anonymous said...

You see nistiman, some of us fortunately desire to make this world better place to live for ourselves and for our children. I would not keep silent when I hear fascist, nationalist, racist or militarist propaganda. I would rather call myself a Turk then having fascist, nationalist, militarist and racist Kurdistan.

Do you remember the story about a priest in Germany during the II WW. He kept silent when they come for Jews, he kept silence when Nazis came for Romans, he kept silence when they came for homosexuals and when they come for him, and there was no one to speak for him!

You are admitting yourself of being fascist and nationalist as similar to Bush administration and even Hitler's Nazi regime. Do you think anyone who is going to read this blog would sympathies a person like you who is admitting to be fascist and nationalist? You are going much further then that by asking every Kurd to be like yourself! Think before you reply --please...

Anonymous said...

Well, Hamo, if you must know, most of my thinking is spent towards analyzing the factors necessary to propel the Kurds into strategic and regional importance so that we can one day replace Turkey and Israel as America’s regional allies and then, only then, implement the necessary measures to propel ourselves towards world domination -- which may well require the prodigious use of ethnic cleansing, border revisions, dependence on drugs and women trafficking, nuclear and chemical weapons – if we can get them in time, with a sprinkling of Genocide here and there ... so that the Kurds can finally be recognized as the Great Race.

Kudos to you for being able to uncover my Grand Ambitions from my comments. And all this time I thought I was effectively hiding these ambitions by advocating for the Kurds to be given a chance, just like the many other peoples of this world – small or large, for self-rule, in a fashion they deem worthy for themselves.

Since my Grand Ambitions don’t give me much respite, I haven’t spent as much time differentiating between concepts such as racism, fascism, militarism and nationalism and why I haven’t learned to use them interchangeably as you have.

they do say ignorance is bliss...

~Nistiman

Mizgîn said...

Re-read the article on Tibet, Elisher. I agree with the author on his conclusions and I don't think you read them.

If there are many Tibetans who would not wish to go back and live under religious/elite tyranny, why should I expect them to, or why should I support a pack of Hollywood hypocrites who want them to?

Elisher said...

Birayê Hamo,
your words are really hard and insulting.
They aren't destinated to me but they hurt me because it's obvious that Nistiman does not deserve them.
You cited well the story about a priest in Germany but Nistiman doesn't seem at all to be "fascist and nationalist as similar to Bush administration and even Hitler's Nazi regime".
Dear Hamo, don't get angry but Nistiman is right when he/she ironically says:
"Since my Grand Ambitions don’t give me much respite, I haven’t spent as much time differentiating between concepts such as racism, fascism, militarism and nationalism and why I haven’t learned to use them interchangeably as you have."
and when she/he ends with
"hey do say ignorance is bliss..."

By the way, I want to say that in fact you are both right in one way;
One can not separate Kurdistan cause from Democracy cause.
The mistake you make, dear Hamo,
is that you think Nistiman wants an independant Kurdistan at all cost. But even if she/he seems to want an independant Kurdistan before all, that doesn't mean that she/he doesn't want a democratic one!
I'll be very happy that you both agree with me and with each other on that point.

Ji dil,
Elîshêr ji France.

Anonymous said...

You're right dear Mizgîn:
I hadn't read the article of the link.
I just commented the fact you seemed delegitimizing the Tibetan cause by showing disappointement about these facts:"Did you know the Dalai Lama was on the CIA's payroll? That Indian intelligence also financed him? Isn't that just like a cleric?" and by making readers think that Chinese oppression is better than Tibetans living free:"Did you know what life was like under the rule of the religious and the secular Tibetan elites? If not, open your eyes."
But I followed your advice and I read (not even re-read!)the article of the link and his conclusions.
Thus I now agree with you and recognize I 've made a mistake.

I too,"agree with the author on his conclusions" like you and I apologize for my criticism because he too says :"To welcome the end of the old feudal theocracy in Tibet is not to applaud everything about Chinese rule in that country" and " To denounce the Chinese occupation does not mean we have to romanticize the former feudal régime. Tibetans deserve to be perceived as actual people, not perfected spiritualists or innocent political symbols. “To idealize them,” notes Ma Jian, a dissident Chinese traveler to Tibet (now living in Britain), “is to deny them their humanity.”"

So, as you see, Xwîshka hêja, the day "I doubt the pertinence of one of your analyses or links" is indeed not arrived yet.

Elîshêr

Anonymous said...

Thanks Elisher for stating our common purpose. I completely agree that even though I do want above all to see the day where the Kurds can enjoy self-rule, I would of course not tolerate to shed the yoke of foreign tyranny only to have it replaced by Kurds oppressing Kurds -- or any other peoples.


~nistiman