Maneuver in the Turkish mountains close to Iraq. Turkish soldiers practice combat agains the Kurdish PKK. The Kurdish rebels have a camp a hundred kilometres away in Northern Iraq. The Turkish army would love to do an operation crossing the border.
In Turkish Diyarbakir the population is mainly Kurdish. Peace is fragile due to the presence of the PKK in the mountains.
In the end of march at the funeral of four PKK-militants. PKK-Followers provoke the masses with propaganda. The situation escalates when the Turkish security forces opens fire on people. The pumpgun isnt used for de-escalation. Ten people are killed, three among them are children.
Many Kurde believe in provocation through the PKK and the police as well. Ali and his cousin Vedat went to the funeral but didnt join the riots.. A few days later Ali was arrested in front of his high school. The police just grabed 70 students for a journey to jail.
Ali Ates
They were beating us and blamed us to be terrorists. I still feel very puzzled psychologically, like most of us youngsters, having been in jail. They kept me there for one month. Now I am charged with ten years at the court.
The Human rights association is supporting the 250 arrested Children. The lawyer wants to know excactly how the police was treating Ali. He got beaten seriously and wasnt supplied properly with food or water.
Halil Bayhan,
Hunanrights Foundation Diyarbakir
The riots were escalating and there was damage been caused. But this is no reason for charging children and youngsters with up to 15 years of prison for PKK-support. Like Ali most of the kids havent really done anything..
Security forces need someone to blame. Scapegoats are chosen from the poor quarters of Diyarbakir. Ali is living in the wrecked part of the old city. The village of his family was burnt down 13 years ago. Also in those days they were blamed for PKK-support. Ali was four years old at that time.
Ali Ates
I only see a real peace as a solution. Then the PKK will come down from the mountains and will receive their legal punishment. This is a power struggle. There shall not be a Kurdish question any more, the Turks claim. For us here it is very real.
Alis mother is scared, that her boy goes to prison again.
Fatma Ates
I want him to see better days. When we arrived here we had lost everything. The animals were gone, the furniture, I didnt even have cups or plates. The neighbours helped us a little. Today we are poor, but we are getting along. What shall I do if my boy goes to prison again?
For Ali the PKK in the mountains is as far away as the Turkish government in Ankara. The violence at the funeral has carried the conflict into the city. His dream is an University degree. In the case of a sentence he can forget about that goal.
One of the shanty towns of Diyarbakir. The stories of the people living here are all similar. Their villages were burnt, because the military wanted to prevent the PKK to get food supplies from people. Diyarbakir is suffering from 70 Percent unemployment today. The city grew from 250.000 to a population of two million. Turkey has liberated some of the suppressing practices agains the Kurdish minority. Today Kurdish may be spoken and playing folkmusic isnt punishable any more.
Mayor Osman Baydemir is loved by the people. The lawyer was the head of the Human rights foundation in the troubled 90th.
Osman Baydemir, Mayor of Diyarbakir
First the fighting has to stop from both sides. In the positive atmosphere of non violence some practical reforms have to be made. For exampfe the living standarsds for people in prison has to be improved. Some of the seriously ill should be released from prison to get treatment. There should be la legal reform to reintegrate the armed Kurdish militants into the society if they are disarmed.
For the Turkish army the PKK either comes down from the mountains to go to prison or is engaged with military force.
Retired General Kuloglu sees a conflict between the Turkish minority-policy and the claims of the Europeam Union.
Turkey is a state build on the idea of a national identity. The European Unity has a structure that allows to emphasize generous minority rights. It is positive to provide the cultural rights for every group. But if Turkey has to change its structure as a political unified National state it will be endangered regarding the National security. Thats why we are sensitive about this point.
The population in the Kurdish region wants cultural rights step by step and the end of the military conflict. The Kurds had just began to get used to peace.
In the citytheatre the middleclass enjouy one of the rare entertainments.
The children Ballet is still a little awkward. The six year olds are only dancing for one year now. . The Kurdish families are enthusiastic.. The small Ballerinas are all locals. The premier is a big success.
Diyarbakir ioesnt only consisting out of shanty towns. A modern milldle class has been established, that wants to live an urban lifestyle.
For Helin the hours in the Ballet-scholl are the event of the week. Until a year ago she has been to shy to even tell her name to strangers. Her parents own a pharmacy in the modern part of town. They lived the clashes of the Kurdish conflict for years. They want to provide a normal childhood to their daughter. The Ballet is one step in this direction.
Betül Celebi
We still have a lot of political problems because of the catastrophical social circumstances for most of the people. The more wealthy families of course want their children to develop. Ballet and the arts are essential for the growth of a society. The trigger self confidence and a free mind.
The upper and midldle class is moving to the suburbs. The children are able to play outside of the troubled city life. But will this idyll remain, if the riots and clashes continue?
Hüseyin Celebi
When their isnt a real democratic mandate, the economical situation wont change and the educacional lack of the mass of people wont either. I still believe that the Kurdish question can bet solved. Instead of a state of violence possibilities need to be created for people. There is a limited accesses to progress now and a lack of democracy.
In September the trial against 91 children will continue. Their future is depending on the outcome as well as the peace in the region does.
In Turkish Diyarbakir the population is mainly Kurdish. Peace is fragile due to the presence of the PKK in the mountains.
In the end of march at the funeral of four PKK-militants. PKK-Followers provoke the masses with propaganda. The situation escalates when the Turkish security forces opens fire on people. The pumpgun isnt used for de-escalation. Ten people are killed, three among them are children.
Many Kurde believe in provocation through the PKK and the police as well. Ali and his cousin Vedat went to the funeral but didnt join the riots.. A few days later Ali was arrested in front of his high school. The police just grabed 70 students for a journey to jail.
Ali Ates
They were beating us and blamed us to be terrorists. I still feel very puzzled psychologically, like most of us youngsters, having been in jail. They kept me there for one month. Now I am charged with ten years at the court.
The Human rights association is supporting the 250 arrested Children. The lawyer wants to know excactly how the police was treating Ali. He got beaten seriously and wasnt supplied properly with food or water.
Halil Bayhan,
Hunanrights Foundation Diyarbakir
The riots were escalating and there was damage been caused. But this is no reason for charging children and youngsters with up to 15 years of prison for PKK-support. Like Ali most of the kids havent really done anything..
Security forces need someone to blame. Scapegoats are chosen from the poor quarters of Diyarbakir. Ali is living in the wrecked part of the old city. The village of his family was burnt down 13 years ago. Also in those days they were blamed for PKK-support. Ali was four years old at that time.
Ali Ates
I only see a real peace as a solution. Then the PKK will come down from the mountains and will receive their legal punishment. This is a power struggle. There shall not be a Kurdish question any more, the Turks claim. For us here it is very real.
Alis mother is scared, that her boy goes to prison again.
Fatma Ates
I want him to see better days. When we arrived here we had lost everything. The animals were gone, the furniture, I didnt even have cups or plates. The neighbours helped us a little. Today we are poor, but we are getting along. What shall I do if my boy goes to prison again?
For Ali the PKK in the mountains is as far away as the Turkish government in Ankara. The violence at the funeral has carried the conflict into the city. His dream is an University degree. In the case of a sentence he can forget about that goal.
One of the shanty towns of Diyarbakir. The stories of the people living here are all similar. Their villages were burnt, because the military wanted to prevent the PKK to get food supplies from people. Diyarbakir is suffering from 70 Percent unemployment today. The city grew from 250.000 to a population of two million. Turkey has liberated some of the suppressing practices agains the Kurdish minority. Today Kurdish may be spoken and playing folkmusic isnt punishable any more.
Mayor Osman Baydemir is loved by the people. The lawyer was the head of the Human rights foundation in the troubled 90th.
Osman Baydemir, Mayor of Diyarbakir
First the fighting has to stop from both sides. In the positive atmosphere of non violence some practical reforms have to be made. For exampfe the living standarsds for people in prison has to be improved. Some of the seriously ill should be released from prison to get treatment. There should be la legal reform to reintegrate the armed Kurdish militants into the society if they are disarmed.
For the Turkish army the PKK either comes down from the mountains to go to prison or is engaged with military force.
Retired General Kuloglu sees a conflict between the Turkish minority-policy and the claims of the Europeam Union.
Turkey is a state build on the idea of a national identity. The European Unity has a structure that allows to emphasize generous minority rights. It is positive to provide the cultural rights for every group. But if Turkey has to change its structure as a political unified National state it will be endangered regarding the National security. Thats why we are sensitive about this point.
The population in the Kurdish region wants cultural rights step by step and the end of the military conflict. The Kurds had just began to get used to peace.
In the citytheatre the middleclass enjouy one of the rare entertainments.
The children Ballet is still a little awkward. The six year olds are only dancing for one year now. . The Kurdish families are enthusiastic.. The small Ballerinas are all locals. The premier is a big success.
Diyarbakir ioesnt only consisting out of shanty towns. A modern milldle class has been established, that wants to live an urban lifestyle.
For Helin the hours in the Ballet-scholl are the event of the week. Until a year ago she has been to shy to even tell her name to strangers. Her parents own a pharmacy in the modern part of town. They lived the clashes of the Kurdish conflict for years. They want to provide a normal childhood to their daughter. The Ballet is one step in this direction.
Betül Celebi
We still have a lot of political problems because of the catastrophical social circumstances for most of the people. The more wealthy families of course want their children to develop. Ballet and the arts are essential for the growth of a society. The trigger self confidence and a free mind.
The upper and midldle class is moving to the suburbs. The children are able to play outside of the troubled city life. But will this idyll remain, if the riots and clashes continue?
Hüseyin Celebi
When their isnt a real democratic mandate, the economical situation wont change and the educacional lack of the mass of people wont either. I still believe that the Kurdish question can bet solved. Instead of a state of violence possibilities need to be created for people. There is a limited accesses to progress now and a lack of democracy.
In September the trial against 91 children will continue. Their future is depending on the outcome as well as the peace in the region does.