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A Quest for Equality: Minorities in Turkey Kurdish Girl in Diyarbakır, Turkey report A Quest for Equality: Minorities in Turkey Kurdish girl in Diyarbakır, Turkey. Carlos Reyes-Manzo/Andes Press Agency. Acknowledgements Minority Rights Group International This report was prepared and published as part of a project Minority Rights Group International (MRG) is a non- entitled ‘Combating discrimination and promoting minority governmental organization (NGO) working to secure the rights in Turkey’, carried out in partnership with Minority rights of ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities and Rights Group International (MRG) and the Diyarbakır Bar indigenous peoples worldwide, and to promote cooperation Association. and understanding between communities. Our activities are focused on international advocacy, training, publishing and The aim of this project is the protection of the ethnic, outreach. We are guided by the needs expressed by our linguistic and religious rights enshrined in European worldwide partner network of organizations, which represent standards (and reflected in the Copenhagen Criteria) of minority and indigenous peoples. minorities in Turkey. The project focuses on the problem of displacement, anti-discrimination law and remedies, and MRG works with over 150 organizations in nearly 50 educational rights of minorities in Turkey. countries. Our governing Council, which meets twice a year, has members from 10 different countries. MRG has This report was prepared with the financial support of the consultative status with the United Nations Economic and EU. The contents of the document are entirely the Social Council (ECOSOC), and observer status with the responsibility of the project partners, and in no way represent African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights the views of the EU. (ACHPR). MRG is registered as a charity and a company limited by guarantee under English law. Registered charity For further information about the EU, please visit the official no. 282305, limited company no. 1544957. website of the Union: http://europa.eu/index_en.htm © Minority Rights Group International 2007 All rights reserved Material from this publication may be reproduced for teaching or for other non-commercial purposes. No part of it may be reproduced in any form for commercial purposes without the prior express permission of the copyright holders. For further information please contact MRG. A CIP catalogue record of this publication is available from the British Library. ISBN 1 904584 63 2. Published September 2007. Typeset Kavita Graphics. Printed in the UK on recycled paper. A Quest for Equality: Minorities in Turkey is published by MRG as a contribution to public understanding of the issue which forms its subject. The text and views of the author do not necessarily represent in every detail and in all its aspects, the collective view of MRG. A Quest for Equality: Minorities in Turkey Contents Map 2 Executive summary 3 Turkey – an EU Timeline 4 Turkey – Key events and minority rights under the Turkish Republic 5 Introduction 6 International standards on minority rights 8 Turkey’s minority policies: the legal framework 10 Key minority groups in Turkey 11 Issues regarding minority protection in Turkey 15 Ways forward 32 Recommendations 33 Notes 37 Turkey RUSSIA BLACK SEA BULGARIA GEORGIA Sinop Kirklareli Edirne Bartin Zonguldak Kastamonu AZER. Karabük GREECE Tekirdag TURKEY MINORITIES IN FOR EQUALITY: QUEST A Düzce Samsun Trabzon Artvin Istanbul Ardahan Izmit Adapazari Ordu Rize Çankiri Amasya Bolu Giresun ARMENIA Çorum Kars Bilecik Bayburt Çanakkale Bursa Tokat Gümüshane Erzurum Ankara Igdir Kirikkale Eskisehir Yozgat Erzincan Balikesir Sivas Agri AZER. Kütahya TURKEY Kirsehir Tuneceli Bingöl Manisa Mus IRAN Afyon Nevsehir Usak Kayseri Elazig Van Izmir Malatya Bitlis Batman Aydin Nigde Diyarbakir Siirt Isparta Konya Denizli Kahramanmaras Hakkari Burdur Adiyaman Simak Mugla Mardin Karaman Osmaniye Sanliurfa Adana Gaziantep Antalya Kilis Mersin Antakya IRAQ Cyprus SYRIA MEDITERRANEAN SEA LEBANON 0 200 km 2 Executive summary Turkey is a land of vast ethnic, linguistic and religious strate, carrying placards that read ‘We are all Armenian.’ diversity. It is home not only to Turks, Kurds and Arme- Dink's murder, the outcome of ingrained hatred against nians, but also millions of Alevis, Ezidis and Assyrians. minorities, was met by a nationwide affirmation of soli- There are also Laz, Caferis, Roma, Rum (Greek Ortho- darity. Turkey has made some real steps towards dox), Caucasians and Jews. A centuries-old mix of European standards of minority protection but much languages, cultures and traditions are practised within its remains to be done. Turkey is at a turning point. Will it borders. go forward to real equality? But instead of celebrating this diversity, the history This report sets current law and practice in Turkey of the Republic of Turkey is one of severe and some- against the backdrop of equivalent international stan- times violent repression of minorities in the name of dards. It considers the impact of the EU accession nationalism. Since the foundation of the state, the only process, showing how far Turkey’s attitude to minorities protection for minorities has been that set out in the has changed in the last six years, and how far it still has 1923 Treaty of Lausanne. Turkey has been violating the to go. Treaty since it was adopted, not least by restricting its Although some laws have been reformed, often this scope to Armenians, Jews and Rum Christians. has not resulted in real change. In April 2006, the Minorities excluded from the Treaty of Lausanne mandatory declaration of religion on ID cards was abol- rights have been banned from using their languages in ished. But the state continues to ask citizens to declare schools and in media, and from fully exercising their their religion. Non-Muslims who leave the section blank religious rights. Others have been subjected to policies are therefore just as vulnerable as if they stated their reli- aimed at homogenizing the population of Turkey and gious affiliation. Thus it is vital that the EU focuses on destroying minority language, culture and religion. Nor- the actual situation of minorities in Turkey and ensures mally, only Turkish language, culture and history have that all minorities are considered equally. been tolerated in education and political life. One of the most positive developments motivated by Minorities are disadvantaged in Turkish society. A 10 the accession process has been the rise in the number of per cent electoral threshold prevents minority parties minority organizations demanding recognition of their from gaining access to parliament. In the media, broad- distinct identities. Minorities are speaking out in the casting in minority languages, having been banned for national courts and the European Court of Human years, is severely restricted. Use of minority languages in Rights; they are beginning to claim their rights for political life and in public services is still forbidden. themselves. In order for minorities to continue this work School textbooks reproduce negative stereotypes of without fear of imprisonment and murder, the EU minorities. There is no effective legal mechanism against should put more pressure on the state to tackle minority discrimination. Generations have therefore been sen- rights violations at every level of society. tenced to lack of access to political participation, The state now has a key opportunity for further illiteracy and denial of their right to freedom of expres- reforms and better protection of minority rights. A new sion, with no recourse to justice. Over a million people, constitution is on the government’s agenda; the re-draft- largely Kurds and Assyrians, remain displaced from their ing must change discriminatory constitutional homes in the south-east. provisions, such as that on mandatory religious educa- Violence has been a part of life for many minorities tion. The state must then implement a comprehensive under the Turkish Republic and it has been increasing in anti-discrimination law that prohibits and punishes both the last year. On 19 January 2007, respected Armenian direct and indirect discrimination. human rights campaigner Hrant Dink was shot dead in The lack of official and public acceptance of all groups Istanbul. The suspect was a teenager who told police as minorities and as equal citizens, regardless of religion, that Dink was Armenian and ‘had insulted Turkishness.’ language or ethnicity, remains the biggest barrier. Once But there is another side to Turkey. The killing of this acceptance comes, the many practical steps that are Dink inspired more than 100,000 people to demon- still needed for equality may be more easily attained. A QUEST FOR EQUALITY: MINORITIES IN TURKEY 3 Turkey – an EU Timeline September 1959: Turkey applies for associate membership of the December 2004: The European Council defines the conditions for European Economic Community (EEC). the opening of accession negotiations. April 1987: Turkey makes an application for full EEC membership. June 2005: The Commission adopts its proposal for a revised Accession Partnership and a Communication on the civil 1993: Adoption of Copenhagen Criteria by EU for states seeking society dialogue between EU and Candidate countries. accession. States must prove they have the ‘institutions According to the EU: ‘This communication sets out a gen- guaranteeing … respect for and protection of minorities’. eral framework on how to create and reinforce links between civil society in the EU and candidate countries. December 1997: At the Luxembourg Summit, Turkey is declared The dialogue will have a special focus on Turkey, as the eligible to become a member of the European Union. state of mutual knowledge is particularly weak with that country and misconceptions and concerns more December 1999: EU Helsinki Council recognizes Turkey as an EU widespread’. candidate country on an equal footing with other candidate countries (see p. 6). 03 October 2005: Adoption by the Council of a Negotiating Framework setting out the principles governing the negotia- March 2001: The EU Council of Ministers adopts the EU–Turkey tions followed by the formal opening of Accession Accession Partnership. negotiations with Turkey.
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