Turkish News: The Ocalan Trial
This is an important issue for Turkey and for the way that Turkey is perceived by the International Community. If you'd like some deep background on the events that have led to this trial here are a couple of links that should provide enough.
Turkish Forum - A site that seems to be in sympathy with Turkey's official point of view.
AKIN - The American Kurdish Information Network will give you a different and opposing explanation.
Week 2 - The court readjourned on the 8th of June to hear the closing statements of the prosecution. Estimates for the duration of the remainder of the trial run from a couple of weeks to a month. The first week opened with Ocalan dismissing the legal issues that were hovering around the trial and starting the process of portrayimg himself as a potential conciliator. He has characterized his role within the PKK as one of a leader unable to control the excesses of his own forces and therefore not really responsible for them. Ocalan also went to great lengths to stress his belief in Turkey as an example of a democracy that could absorb and represent those Kurds on whose behalf the PKK claim to be fighting. It is hard to avoid the conclusion that these are the words of a man caught between a rock and a very hard place. Without commenting on the openness or fairness of this trial I think it is fair to say that the majority of people in this country would be very surprised if Ocalan was not found guilty and sentenced to death. Whether that sentence is carried out is, I guess, another issue.
Day 2 - As the court focuses on specific instances of terrorist activites over the past 25 years or so, Abdullah Ocalan is telling the story of a man unable to restrain the excesses of the organisation he has created. The attack mounted on unarmed Turkish soldiers in 1993, killing 33 men and destroying the fragile (and unilateral) ceasefire, was of particular interest to the court. Mr. Ocalan claimed that this incident had been carried out by a regional commander. He did however state that "I am the person with the highest responsibility for the deeds and actions of the organisation."
The existence of training camps in Greece and Yugoslavia was confirmed by Mr. Ocalan who listened as relatives of soldiers killed in the conflict addressed the court and asked for his execution. When questioned about the assassination of Olaf Palme Ocalan stated that statements to the effect that he had been involved in the murder were made by factions hostile to his leadership and were untrue. Ocalan's call for the end of violence and his offer the turn the PKK into a political organisation in a 'swords to ploughshares' deal have been ridiculed and derided in the national press this week.
Day 1 - As day 1 of the trial of Abdullah Ocalan comes to an end the form seems pretty well established. The accused is presenting himself as someone seeking to unite the Turkish Republic rather than to divide it. After the request to postpone the trial pending reform of the laws regarding military courts was turned down the trial began this afternoon with Mr. Ocalan admitting the PKK's responsibility for the attacks mentioned in the indictment and stating that he was personally aware of other PKK activities that should be included in the charges.
Mr. Ocalan went on to say that he haid called for ceasefires many times but had been unable to engineer them. He called for those still participating in the struggle to give up their arms and come forward. Apart from occasional exchanges with observers, some of whom held up pictures of Turkish military personnel who have died in the conflict, Mr. Ocalan seemed to keep pretty much to a display of repentance and moderation, perhpas in an attempt to portray himslef as a key element any future peaceful solution to the current situation.
Reinforcing this point hre claimed to be able to "Bring the men down from the hills in 3 months" if given the opportunity to do so. He also warned that his execution might lead to outbreaks of volence within Turkey and abroad.
Defence seeks postponement - The Ocalan trial will begin on the 31st of May. There seem however to be conflicting opinions regarding how smoothly it will proceed. The defence are planning to seek an immediate postponement pending reform of the State Security Court system. The point of contention is the inclusion of military judges on the three judge panel that forms the court. This structure was re-introduced following the coup of 1984 and has been criticised by international human rights groups. There are indications that the newly formed government is prepared to legislate a reform of the system but it seems unlikely that they will allow the Ocalan trial to wait until this takes place. Court officials have stated that the trial will proceed uninterrupted from the 31st onwards until a verdict is reached and a sentence passed.27/05/99
Precautions - Turkish Institutions in Europe have been warned against possible terrorist activity related to the trial. The foreign ministry has stated that the PKK has links with various left wing groups in Italy and Germany and that and Institution identified with the Turkish government should place take measures to reduce its vulnerability. 27/05/99
Attendees - Rooms have been set aside in hotels for journalists attending the Ocalan trial. 46 foriegn journalists are expected and the national press have been allocated 66 places. 16 foreign members of parliament are also expected to attend.27/05/99
Observers? - Concerns are still being raised by voices outside Turkey over the conditions under which the trial will take place. Turkey's original refusal to allow access to international observers, or even to recognise the concept of an observer within the Turkish legal system, has been slightly softened by recent statements. Sermet Atacanli, speaking for the Foeriegn Ministry, has stated that foreign nationals need to apply to the State Security Court through the offices of their embassies.
Trial Date set - The starting date for the trial has been set as May 31st. The trial will take place on Imrali island, Ocalan's personal prison, and Turkish authorities are obviously looking for a rapid conclusion. The panel of judges, one military and two civilian, stated that the trial would procede "Without delay". The announcement of the trial date was not an event free of controversy. Ocalan's defence lawyers, who were subjected to a barage of insults by a crowd of anti-PKK protestors, claim that they were beaten by police officers after the announcement was made. The lawyers were driven away from the courthouse in a bus which stopped in a commercial area of central Ankara, lawyer Zeki Okcuoglu described the events that followed, "After they stopped the bus we were on they told us to get out and as we were getting out they began beating us with their truncheons, and kicking us". A spokesman for the police has denied these allegations. This is the latest incident in what could be interpreted as a campaign against the defence team and it is little wonder that they are considering abandoning their client. 03/05/99
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