TURKEY: Progress on National IDP Policy Paves Way for Further Reforms
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TURKEY: Progress on national IDP policy paves way for further reforms A profile of the internal displacement situation 26 July, 2007 This Internal Displacement Profile is automatically generated from the online IDP database of the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC). It includes an overview of the internal displacement situation in the country prepared by the IDMC, followed by a compilation of excerpts from relevant reports by a variety of different sources. All headlines as well as the bullet point summaries at the beginning of each chapter were added by the IDMC to facilitate navigation through the Profile. Where dates in brackets are added to headlines, they indicate the publication date of the most recent source used in the respective chapter. The views expressed in the reports compiled in this Profile are not necessarily shared by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. The Profile is also available online at www.internal-displacement.org. About the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, established in 1998 by the Norwegian Refugee Council, is the leading international body monitoring conflict-induced internal displacement worldwide. Through its work, the Centre contributes to improving national and international capacities to protect and assist the millions of people around the globe who have been displaced within their own country as a result of conflicts or human rights violations. At the request of the United Nations, the Geneva-based Centre runs an online database providing comprehensive information and analysis on internal displacement in some 50 countries. Based on its monitoring and data collection activities, the Centre advocates for durable solutions to the plight of the internally displaced in line with international standards. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre also carries out training activities to enhance the capacity of local actors to respond to the needs of internally displaced people. In its work, the Centre cooperates with and provides support to local and national civil society initiatives. For more information, visit the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre website and the database at www.internal-displacement.org. Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre Norwegian Refugee Council Chemin de Balexert 7-9 1219 Geneva, Switzerland Tel.: +41 22 799 07 00 [email protected] www.internal-displacement.org 2 CONTENTS CONTENTS 3 OVERVIEW 10 PROGRESS ON NATIONAL IDP POLICY PAVES WAY FOR FURTHER REFORMS 10 CAUSES AND BACKGROUND 19 BACKGROUND 19 THE KURDS: HISTORY AND PROFILE 19 THE KURDISH CONFLICT (1984-1999) 21 STATE OF EMERGENCY IN SOUTH-EASTERN TURKEY: SEVERE RESTRICTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS (1987-2002) 23 PKK LEADER OCALAN CALLS FOR CEASEFIRE (1999) 25 STATE OF EMERGENCY ENDED IN TWO OF THE FOUR REMAINING OHAL PROVINCES (JULY 2002) 26 OSCE: PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS DEMONSTRATED VIBRANCY OF TURKEY'S DEMOCRACY YET PUBLIC DEBATE IS LIMITED (2002) 27 TURKEY’S SOUTHEAST EMERGES POOR AND DEVASTATED (2004) 29 PKK/KONGRA-GEL ANNOUNCES END TO CEASE-FIRE (JUNE 2004) 30 DEVELOPMENTS IN IRAQ AND THEIR IMPACT ON TURKEY (2005) 31 PKK/KONGRA GEL CALLS FOR ONE MONTH SUSPENSION OF HOSTILITIES (AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2005) 33 EUROPEAN UNION OPENS ACCESSION DISCUSSIONS (OCTOBER 2005) 33 KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY DECLARES A UNILATERAL CEASE-FIRE (OCTOBER 2006) 35 TURKISH MILITARY BUILD-UP ON THE NORTHERN IRAQ BORDER (JULY 2007) 35 CAUSES OF DISPLACEMENT 36 STUDY IN VAN PROVINCE IDENTIFIES VILLAGE EVACUATIONS AS PRIMARY CAUSE OF DISPLACEMENT (2006) 36 UP TO 3500 VILLAGES IN SOUTH-EASTERN TURKEY HAVE BEEN FORCIBLY EVACUATED, MOSTLY BY THE TURKISH ARMY (1984-1999) 37 THE PKK IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR SIGNIFICANT INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT (1984-2000) 39 SERIOUS VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS BY SECURITY FORCES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST THE PKK (1984-2000) 41 A SOURCE OF INSECURITY: THE "VILLAGE GUARDS" (1984-2001) 44 INTERNAL EXILE: A DISCRETIONARY DECISION OF THE STATE OF EMERGENCY REGION'S GOVERNOR (1987-2001) 45 TURKISH AUTHORITIES IMPOSED FOOD EMBARGO ON SEVERAL KURDISH VILLAGES (1991- 2001) 46 REPORT STATED THAT VILLAGE GUARDS SERVED LOCAL LANDLORDS RATHER THAN STATE (NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2001) 46 3 VILLAGERS WERE EVACUATED BY FORCE (AUGUST 2001) 47 VILLAGE EVACUATIONS AND FOOD EMBARGO IMPOSED (AUGUST 2001-MARCH 2002) 48 SUMMARY OF THE MAIN CAUSES OF INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT IN TURKEY (2002) 49 RETURNING REFUGEES JOIN RANKS OF THE INTERNALLY DISPLACED (2002) 51 GÖC-DER’S MIGRATION SURVEY SHOWED CAUSES OF DISPLACEMENT (JANUARY 2002) 51 NGOS’ REPORT SOME CASES OF ONGOING DISPLACEMENT IN THE SOUTH-EAST PROVINCES (2003) 52 NGOS REPORT VILLAGE EVACUATION (JULY 2004) 52 OTHER CAUSES OF DISPLACEMENT 56 DEVELOPMENT INDUCED DISPLACEMENT 56 NATURAL DISASTER-RELATED DISPLACEMENT 56 POPULATION FIGURES AND PROFILE 58 GLOBAL FIGURES 58 NEW NATIONAL IDP SURVEY ESTIMATES THAT 953,680 - 1,201,200 PEOPLE WERE DISPLACED BETWEEN 1986-2005 (DECEMBER 2006) 58 OFFICIAL FIGURES INDICATE BETWEEN 362,000-560,000 ARE FORCIBLY DISPLACED (1998- 1999) 61 COMMENT ON FIGURES OF DISPLACEMENT (2005) 62 GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION 65 GOVERNMENT FIGURES BY PROVINCE OF DISPLACEMENT (2005) 65 PATTERNS OF DISPLACEMENT 67 GENERAL 67 HACETTEPE UNIVERSITY’S POPULATION SURVEY ASSESSES TWENTY-YEAR DISPLACEMENTS (2006) 67 IMPACT OF CONFLICT-INDUCED DISPLACEMENT ON TURKEY'S URBANISATION (2001) 68 PHYSICAL SECURITY & FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT 70 PHYSICAL SECURITY 70 OVERALL HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD: PROGRESS NEEDED IN IMPLEMENTATION OF REFORMS (2007) 70 ATTACKS BY ARMED GROUPS INCREASE (2007) 72 CLASHES BETWEEN PKK AND TURKISH ARMY RESURFACE IN SOUTHEAST (2007) 72 INVESTIGATIONS INTO VIOLATIONS BY MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY FORCES CONTINUED TO BE FLAWED (2007) 74 LANDMINES IN THE SOUTHEAST PROVINCES POSE THREAT TO PHYSICAL SECURITY (2007) 78 FEWER REPORTS OF TORTURE (2007) 81 MAJORITY OF ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES AFFECT ETHNIC KURDS IN SOUTH-EAST TURKEY (2003) 82 ACCESS TO JUSTICE: FEAR OF RETALIATION PREVENTS THE DISPLACED FROM REPORTING ABUSES (2003) 84 WOMEN 86 MULTIPLE VULNERABILITIES OF DISPLACED KURDISH WOMEN (2007) 86 4 "POVERTY, URBANISATION, DISPLACEMENT AND INTERNAL MIGRATION ARE THE CONTEXTS WITHIN WHICH SUICIDES OCCUR" (2007) 88 UN EXPERT SAYS INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO HIGH RATE OF SUICIDES AMONG WOMEN IN SOUTHEAST (2006) 90 CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS 91 SURVEY IN VAN PROVINCE SUGGESTS HIGH RATES OF CHILD LABOUR IN AREAS WHERE DISPLACED LIVE (2006) 91 PROTECTION ISSUES FOR DISPLACED CHILDREN (2006) 92 FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT 93 SOME RESTRICTIONS IN FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT IN PARTS OF THE SOUTHEAST (2007) 93 OTHER CONCERNS 95 SOME LOCAL HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS FACED GOVERNMENT OBSTRUCTION AND RESTRICTIVE LAWS, PARTICULARLY IN THE SOUTHEAST (2007) 95 SUBSISTENCE NEEDS 97 GENERAL 97 AFTER HIS MISSION TO TURKEY, UN EXPERT RECOUNTS CONCERNS ON IDPS’ ENJOYMENT OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RIGHTS (2006) 97 MULTIPLE AND INTERRELATED PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED BY IDPS LIVING IN CITIES (2006) 97 SITUATION FOR IDPS REMAINS AN "ISSUE OF CONCERN" (2006) 98 BASIC PROBLEMS OF DISPLACED AFTER MIGRATION (2002) 99 HEALTH 100 RESEARCH ASSESSES SOCIAL SECURITY AND HEALTH SITUATION OF IDPS IN VAN (2006) 100 CONSEQUENCES OF INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT ON CHILD HEALTH (2005) 101 IDPS FACE HEALTH AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS (2005) 102 SHELTER 105 DISPLACED LIVE IN PRECARIOUS AND CROWDED HOUSING CONDITIONS (2005) 105 HOUSING INITIATIVES FAVOUR FORMER VILLAGE GUARDS (2002) 107 SHELTER NEEDS OF THE DISPLACED HAVE NOT BEEN ADDRESSED ADEQUATELY (2002) 108 ACCESS TO EDUCATION 110 GENERAL 110 CHILDREN WHOSE MOTHER TONGUE IS NOT TURKISH CANNOT LEARN THEIR MOTHER TONGUE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM (2006) 110 RESEARCH STUDY AMONG IDPS IN VAN PROVINCE REVEALS THAT EDUCATION IS A MAJOR CONCERN (2006) 110 DISPLACEMENT’S IMPACT ON CHILD EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT (2005) 112 LOW LEVELS OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE PARTICULARLY AMONG GIRLS IN PARTS OF THE SOUTHEAST (2006) 115 SURVEY IDENTIFIED CAUSES OF SCHOOL ABSENCE OF DISPLACED KURDISH CHILDREN (2002) 116 ISSUES OF SELF-RELIANCE AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 117 SELF-RELIANCE 117 POVERTY AND RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT HIGH AMONG DISPLACED (2006) 117 5 STUDY SUGGEST 40 PER CENT LIVE BELOW POVERTY LINE IN RURAL AREAS (2006) 119 RESEARCH REVEALS THAT OVER 45% OF IDPS IN VAN DECLARE THEMSELVES AS UNEMPLOYED (2006) 120 HRA/OMCT SURVEY FINDS HIGH RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG IDPS (2003) 121 GOCDER SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS DIFFICULT SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS FOR THE DISPLACED (2002) 123 DOCUMENTATION NEEDS AND CITIZENSHIP 125 DOCUMENTATION NEEDS 125 SOME PEOPLE FACED DIFFICULTIES REGISTERING THEIR NEWBORN BABIES WITH KURDISH NAMES (2005) 125 HIGH PROPORTION OF KURDS WHO MOVED TO CITIES WERE NOT REGISTERED (2000) 125 ISSUES OF FAMILY UNITY, IDENTITY AND CULTURE 127 GENERAL 127 KURDS ARE NOT RECOGNISED AS AN ETHNIC MINORITY (2007) 127 SEPARATE IDENTITY CREATES INTEGRATION PROBLEMS FOR DISPLACED KURDS (JANUARY 2002) 128 CULTURE 128 LIMITED BROADCASTING IN KURDISH ALLOWED, BUT OTHER RESTRICTIONS ON MINORITY LANGUAGES IN PUBLIC ARENA REMAIN (2007) 128 EUROPEAN COMMISSION CALLS ON TURKEY TO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE MINORITY RIGHTS (2006) 129 PROPERTY ISSUES 131 GENERAL 131 UN EXPERT COMMENDS COMPENSATION LAW, BUT POINTS TO CONCERNS RELATED TO ITS IMPLEMENTATION (2006) 131 EU PROGRESS REPORT OUTLINES PROBLEMS RELATING TO COMPENSATION LAW (2006) 132 HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH REPORT FINDS DETERIORATION IN IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPENSATION LAW SINCE IÇYER DECISION (2006) 132 MRG RAISES SERIOUS CONCERNS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMPENSATION LAW (2006) 134 CONCERNS RELATED TO THE COMPENSATION LAW