Newsline 40 6.Indd
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ifteen Y 2 to 2007 F ears - 199 Kurdish Human Rights Project ISSN: 1462–6535 Kurdish Human Rights Project newsline Newsline 4, Winter 2007, Issue 40 15th Anniversary Issue Celebrating 15 Years 1992-2007 KHRP Conducts Fact-fi nding Director’s Letter Mission in Border Regions In November 2007, KHRP sent a fact-fi nding mission to Kurdis- tan, Iraq to conduct research on the recent human rights devel- opments in the region and to to 2007 follow up on the fi ndings from te Dear Friends, Fif en Y 2 the KHRP mission carried out in ear 99 January 2007. The mission con- As 2007 draws to a close, s - 1 sisted of KHRP’s Executive Di- KHRP can look back not only on rector Kerim Yildiz, Legal Offi cer a very successful year, but on Catriona Vine, Research Intern a decade and a half of tireless Johanna Nykänen, and Tanyel work for human rights in the Taysi, who is currently lecturing Kurdish regions and beyond. at the University of Kurdistan- December 2007 sees KHRP turn Hewler. fi fteen and on 12 December we During the 6-day trip, of began the fi rst in a series of an- which one day was committed niversary celebrations with an to NGO training in Sulemanya, exhibition of photographs of the mission delegates travelled Kurdistan from our upcoming anniversary photo book at the extensively around the Kurdis- Johanna Nykanen and Kerim Yildiz in Sersenk district together with the local Mayor. Th e Delfi na Foundation in London. tan region meeting with a large district was recently aff ected by Turkish bombardment. Over the past decade and a number of organizations and Democratic Party (KDP), intel- trict in the border regions who half the organisation has gone individuals. Among them were lectuals, lawyers and human have suff ered bombardment from strength to strength and representatives of the two rul- rights activists. by both Turkey and Iran dur- has made an enormous impact ing parties, Patriotic Union of The mission also met with ing the past months’ tensions. both on the human rights situ- ifteen Y 2 to 2007 ifteen Y 2 to 2007 Kurdistan (PUK) and Kurdistan villagers of the Sersenk dis- continued on page 2 ation in the Kurdish regions and F ears - 199 F ears - 199 on the continued development of an international human rights EUTCC Once Again Provides Space for Dialogue at Fourth culture. Back in 1992 we began International Conference on the EU, Turkey and the Kurds as a project working on the use of litigation at the European The Fourth International speeches were made by the tions surrounding democra- Court of Human Rights in order Celebrating 15 Years 1992-2007 Conference on the EU, Turkey 1994 Rafto Prize winner Ms. tisation, confl ict resolution, to bring Turkey to account for and the Kurds was held on the Leyla Zana, Ms. Bianca Jagger, reform and human rights in the widespread abuse of human rights there, particularly in the 3rd and 4th December in the EUTCC Patron and Mr. Francis Turkey and their relevance to Kurdish regions. From our hum- European Parliament, Brus- Wurtz, MEP. the EU-Turkey accession proc- ble beginnings we have grown sels. The two-day conference ess. The current context of a into a truly groundbreaking or- Opening remarks were brought together NGOs, poli- grave deterioration in the re- ganisation, renowned not only made by the EUTCC (EU-Turkey ticians, academics and activ- form and accession process, for the success of our litigation Civic Commission) Board Di- ists from Europe, Turkey, the and the growing risk of inter- programme, but for our region- rector Ms. Kariane Westrheim Kurdish regions and beyond, nationalisation of the confl ict al training, expert analysisKurdish and Human Rights Project Kurdish Human Rights Project and KHRP Executive Director seeking to openly address in south-east Turkey, added to the publication of leading fact- Mr. Kerim Yildiz. The opening the many outstanding ques- continued on page 3 continued on page 2 200 KHRP Marks its 15 Year Anniversary fteen to 7 Fi Ye 92 See Inside for details of upcoming celebrations Celebrating 15 Years 1992-2007 Celebrating 15 Years 1992-2007 ars - 19 1 ifteen Y 2 to 2007 ifteen Y 2 to 2007 F ears - 199 F ears - 199 Celebrating 15 Years 1992-2007 Celebrating 15 Years 1992-2007 ifteen Y 2 to 2007 ifteen Y 2 to 2007 F ears - 199 F ears - 199 continued from page 1: effects of such bombardments, mission learned, there is an ur- sion along with recommenda- KHRP Conducts Fact-finding particularly on children, are en- gent need to find effective ways tions for the improvement of Mission in Border Regions during and extremely worrying. to deal with the problem. KHRP the human rights situation in The mission learned that is greatly concerned about the Kurdistan, Iraq. KHRP is extremely concerned some improvements in the do- enduring practice of honour KHRP is very pleased with the about Turkey and Iran’s increas- mestic human rights situation crimes in Kurdistan. The mission outcome of the fact-finding mis- ingly aggressive troop build-up have taken place but that many members noted that some, al- sion and will be working closely on the frontier with Kurdistan, issues are still in need of serious beit by no means adequate, ef- with its partners in order to act Iraq, particularly following Oc- attention. The mission investi- forts have been made to tackle on the information gathered. tober’s motion in the Turkish gated the ongoing practice of the issue. KHRP is also delighted to have parliament authorising cross- unlawful imprisonments and Freedom of expression, further cultivated links with lo- border operations. The recent the treatment of detainees and conduct of local NGOs and the cal bodies and individuals in the bombardments on civilian-in- observed that despite some operation of legal bodies were region and is looking forward to habited areas have caused seri- progress, the situation remains also examined. An extensive working together and fostering cooperation in the future. ous disruption for local people, acute. Violence against women report on the mission will be including destruction of prop- continues to be among the published early next year. The For a selection of photographs erty, livestock, arable land and gravest of human rights viola- report will include information taken during the mission, please woodland. The psychological tions in the region and as the and the analysis from the mis- turn to page 11. continued from page 1: the north of Iraq. The outbreak of demonstrate that there is much the proceedings of last year’s Director’s Letter full-scale hostilities in the region left to do to ensure full human International Conference on the would be disastrous for Turkey, rights in the Kurdish regions. EU, Turkey and the Kurds. Decem- finding and research reports on Iran, Syria and their neighbours, Despite recent tensions ber 2007 sees the publication of key human rights developments. and would do nothing to bring KHRP‘s work in the regions has the twelfth issue of KHRP’s Legal When KHRP started back in an end to the conflict between been ongoing over the autumn Review, which continues to pro- 1992 the situation in the Kurdish them and Kurdish armed groups. and winter . Along with the vide unique analysis of human regions was bleak, characterised Indeed, though full-scale con- above-mentioned fact-finding rights-related legislative and pol- by discrimination, violence, op- flict has thus far been averted, mission to the region, KHRP has icy developments in the Kurdish pression, displacement and ex- the ongoing bombardment of conducted several important regions and in Europe. Further, trajudicial killings. The work of villages and countryside across training sessions in the Kurdish with the launch of our brand new KHRP has directly contributed the border by Turkish and Ira- cities of Van, Şirnak and Sule- website and online shop in Octo- to changing this. Thanks to our nian shells has already taken a manya on topics ranging from ber, the work of KHRP has been work detention periods through- great toll. In November KHRP taking cases to the European more visible than ever. out Turkey have been reduced, saw this first-hand when it con- Court of Human Rights and the The year ended with KHRP co- and with them, the likelihood of ducted a fact-finding mission to UN, to the establishment and de- organising the EUTCC’s Fourth In- torture and ill treatment. Rape is the Sersenk district of Kurdistan, velopment of successful NGOs. ternational Conference on the EU, now recognised as a form of tor- Iraq and met with Kurdish and These training sessions are cen- Turkey and the Kurds, which once ture across all 46 member states Chaldean villagers whose farms, tral to KHRP’s aim of supporting again provided a much-needed of the Council of Europe, while homes and livestock had been human rights practitioners in the space for dialogue and debate death penalty has become wide- destroyed by Turkish shelling. We regions in forging a real human on how to solve the ongoing ly recognised as having no legiti- also travelled to areas affected by rights culture. conflict in the Kurdish regions, mate place in modern democrat- Iranian shelling. Given the suc- Throughout the year we have and the central importance of ic states. The improved situation cess that the Kurdistan Regional continued to submit new cases this to Turkey’s EU accession bid. in the region today does not bear Government has had in creat- to the European Court of Human Hopefully 2008 will see an eas- comparison to those ‘dark years’.