INSTITUT KUDE RPARD IS E Information and liaison bulletin N°288 MARCH 2009 The publication of this Bulletin enjoys a subsidy from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGCID) aqnd the Fonds d’action et de soutien pour l’intégration et la lutte contre les discriminations (The Fund for action and support of integration and the struggle against discrimination) This bulletin is issued in French and English Price per issue : France: 6 € — Abroad : 7,5 € Annual subscribtion (12 issues) France : 60 € — Elsewhere : 75 € Monthly review Directeur de la publication : Mohamad HASSAN Numéro de la Commission Paritaire : 659 15 A.S. ISBN 0761 1285 INSTITUT KURDE, 106, rue La Fayette - 75010 PARIS Tel. : 01-48 24 64 64 - Fax : 01-48 24 64 66 www.fikp.org E-mail:
[email protected] Contents • MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IN TURKEY: A DROP IN AKP VOTES, DTP GAINS IN THE KURDISH REGIONS • SYRIA: A BLOODY NEWROZ AND SERIOUS ATTACKS ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION • TURKEY: KURDISH LANGUAGE TEACHING IS IMPOSSIBLE ACCORDING TO ERDOGAN • IRAQ: THE FIRST VISIT OF A TURKISH HEAD OF STATE TO IRAQ FOR 34 YEARS • TURKEY: BRINGING THE “DEATH PITS” TO LIGHT RE- OPENS THE OLD WOUNDS OF THE DIRTY WAR • FILMS: “ I SAW THE SUN “ IS NOW BEING SCREENED IN TURKEY MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IN TURKEY: A DROP IN AKP VOTES, DTP GAINS IN THE KURDISH REGIONS ith just over 31% of the declared that he would consider very popular, despite the vote the justice and anything less than 47% of the government’s declared intention W development party vote (the score he won in the of capturing this symbolic (AKP) remains the 2007 general elections) a setback.