NOVANEWS

An injured journalist is filmed and helped by his colleagues during clashes between riot police and May Day protesters in central Istanbul, May 1, 2013. (photo by REUTERS/Murad Sezer)

If US President Barack Obama brings up the controversial issue of freedom of speech tomorrow [May 16], at his meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House, it would be the most surprising news of all. Not only is the US administration facing its own flap over the seizure by the Justice Department last year of phone records at The Associated Press, the world’s most widely disseminated news service, Turkey has long been mired in issues of press freedom even as it espouses such values.

Wiretapping of media personalities and acquiring access to the privileged information of journalists is commonplace in Turkey. While no government is perfect in holding up the highest standards of press freedom, there are still major differences between civil rights and their implementation in Turkey and the United States. Even as the imperfections in the United States make the rest of the world question the sincerity of its democratic principles, Max Hoffman and Michael Werz of the Center for American Progress, question Turkey’s role as a “model” for the rest of the Muslim Arab world in transition to democracy in their new study, “Freedom of the Press and Expression in Turkey,” released on May 14.

“The sidelining of press freedom, minority rights and judicial reform now threatens to impact the joint strategic project being advanced by the United States and Turkey to establish secure and democratic governance in the region and foster economic growth,” they write. “The fact that Turkey has regressed on issues of press freedom and stalled on judicial reforms undermines the persuasive power of the Turkish democratic model in the wider region.” They also admit that Washington almost never makes this issue a priority in bilateral talks. “As such, US officials and policy analysts focused on defining a cooperative regional agenda. Questions surrounding Turkey’s ongoing democratization, including issues of press freedom and freedom of expression, were therefore often sidelined.”

This, however, has always been the case — meaning freedom of the media has never been a priority when state interests are involved. It was not really a major issue in the 1990s, when the military imposed strict media controls covering the fight against Kurdish terrorism. In fact, Erdogan often refers to this kind of military rule and the fight against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) as the two main obstacles to Turkey’s democratization and the freedom of the media. “The 2014 presidential elections may also reveal the extent to which the current controversies are the product of specific leadership personalities or a case of the familiar tools of power wielded by new hands,” Hoffman and Werz write.

Without getting into much detail, though, Hoffman and Werz provide an informative summary of all the challenges that a free press faces in Turkey — from imprisoned journalists to government pressure and media ownership — and propose some suggestions for correcting the system, as well as related laws to help build a freer atmosphere for the media and expression.

While theirs is not the first or the last analysis focusing on the growing concerns about freedom of the press in Turkey, the timing of its release just two days before Erdogan’s visit to the White House shows how Washington think tanks are focusing on this critical issue.

Obama and Erdogan may not even have time to talk about this issue as a good part of their discussion will focus on how to handle the Syrian civil war, and their differences may appear to be substantial. In a snapshot, Turkey is skeptical about giving a chance to the ideas that came out of the US-Russian led Geneva meeting between the Syrian opposition and Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Erdogan’s government — along with Qatar — prefers regime change in Syria. Surprisingly, even the Saudis are showing some restraint and siding with the more secular groups in the Syrian theater. In addition, Turkey wants the United States to impose a no-fly zone over Syria and provide lethal arms to the opposition. It would be a mistake to expect Obama to give Erdogan what he wants, but he still has to please Turkey so that their differences are not visible.

“Given the turmoil in the region,” write Hoffman and Werz, “Turkey cannot afford to come across as undemocratic or as cracking down on freedom of expression. The issue of press freedom is at the core of Turkey’s development as a modern democracy. Vigorous — and often controversial — internal debate is necessary to help reinforce Turkish leadership in the region and the strategic partnership with the United States.” They write: “The United States wants Turkey to be a capable and secure democratic partner with whom it can engage the broader Middle East, and therefore it should more clearly voice its concerns about the deterioration of press freedom and freedom of expression in the domestic political context.”

That said, Turkish authorities claim that the United States has no right to pass judgment on the practice of governmental restrictions on the press. Trying to rationalize the Turkish court’s order that brought heavy censorship and strict blackout to all kinds of visuals, audio and written publications of the terrorist attacks in Reyhanli on May 11, Deputy Prime Minister Huseyin Celik said, “Try to remember the September 11 attacks. There was such a situation in the US as well.”

There was, however, no court order that imposed censorship after 9/11 of the kind Celik refers to. Although it is unlikely that this issue of freedom expression and press freemdom will be addressed at the meeting between the two leaders, it would be best for US authorities to put these misguided comparisons into context and help build awareness in Turkey on these critical issues and prevent the spread of misinformation. The United States may not be the paragon of virtue on freedom of press issues, but Turkey’s press would be freer — and the Erdogan government more respectful of press freedom — if US rules and practices were applied.

hurriyetdailynews.com

Former leader of the organization that was accused of the recent twin blasts that killed over 50 people in Reyhanlı, denied all accusations and claimed the incident was Israel’s work, according to daily Radikal. 

Mihraç Ural, member and former leader of “Acilciler,” or the Hasty Ones, claimed the incident was similar to previous acts of Israel, and denied any connections to his organization. 

“Acilciler hasn’t been around for two decades, and has not committed any military acts for the past 30 years,” Ural told daily Radikal. “How can you bring such a group into such a complicated act?”

Ural said such an act could have been made by those “wishing to alter all balances in the Middle East, and to pin the Syrian and Turkish people against each other.” 

“Israel has an interest in this, since the Syrian army’s recent gains show that Bashar al-Assad is here to stay,” Ural said. 

Several reports have claimed that Acilciler, cooperating with Mukhabarat, the Syrian secret police, are responsible of the attack that killed 51 people in Reyhanlı. Forty-one of the victims have been identified, including 36 Turkish citizens. 

Turkish authorities have blamed the supporters of President Bashar al-Assad for the blasts, but Syria speedily denied the accusations.

reuters.com

Turkey accused a group with links to Syrian intelligence of carrying out car bombings that killed 46 people in a Turkish border town, and said on Sunday it was time for the world to act against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

The two car bombs, which ripped through crowded shopping streets in Reyhanli on Saturday, increased fears that Syria’s civil war is dragging in neighboring states, despite renewed diplomatic moves to end it.

Damascus denied involvement, but Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said those behind the attacks were from an “old Marxist terrorist organization” with ties to Assad’s administration.

“It is time for the international community to act together against this regime,” he told a news conference during a visit to Berlin.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said in a speech broadcast later on Turkish television: “We will not lose our calm heads, we will not depart common sense, and we will not fall into the trap they’re trying to push us into.”

But he added: “Whoever targets Turkey will sooner or later pay the price.”

NATO-member Turkey has fired back at Syrian government forces when mortars have landed on its soil, but despite its strong words has appeared reluctant to bring its considerable military might to bear in the conflict.

It is struggling to cope with more than 300,000 refugees but is not alone in fearing the impact of Syria’s war, which is stirring the Middle East’s cauldron of sectarian, religious and nationalist struggles.

“We, like Jordan, are hosting hundreds of thousands of Syrians. Security risks to neighboring countries are rising,” Davutoglu said.

DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS

The bombings took place as prospects appeared to improve for diplomacy to try to end the war, after Moscow and Washington announced a joint effort to bring government and rebels to an international conference.

Officials from Syria’s opposition coalition, in crisis since its president resigned in March, said it would meet in Istanbul on May 23 to decide whether to participate.

A Syrian opposition group said the toll from two years of civil war had risen to at least 82,000 dead and 12,500 missing.

Syrian Information Minister Omran Zubi, speaking on state TV, held Turkey responsible for the bloodshed in Syria by aiding al Qaeda-led rebels. He said Damascus had no hand in Saturday’s bombings.

“Syria did not and will never do such a act because our values do not allow this. It is not anyone’s right to hurl unfounded accusations,” he said.

Authorities have arrested nine people, all Turkish citizens and including the alleged mastermind of the attacks, Turkey’s deputy prime minister Besir Atalay told reporters.

Interior Minister Muammer Guler said the bombings – the deadliest incident on Turkish soil since Syria’s war began – were carried out by a group with direct links to Syria’s Mukhabarat intelligence agency.

The blasts scattered concrete blocks and smashed cars as far as three streets away.

LOCAL ANGER

There was a heavy police and military presence on Sunday in Reyhanli, where security forces cordoned off both blast sites while bulldozers shifted the rubble and shattered glass.

Men stood loitering around the town, looking on and discussing, often heatedly, the previous day’s events.

There was palpable anger against the tens of thousands of Syrian refugees in the town, which has become a logistics base for the rebels fighting Assad just over the border.

As the conflict has dragged on, local people have grown increasingly resentful over stretched economic resources and the violence being brought to their door.

Some smashed Syrian car windows, and others railed against Turkey’s foreign policy.

“We don’t want the Syrians here any more. They can’t stay here. Whether we even wanted them or not, they can’t stay after this,” said a teacher in Reyhanli, who gave his name as Mustafa.

He said the prime minister’s Syria policy was to blame.

“It’s Tayyip Erdogan’s politics that have done this. Turkey should never have got involved in this mess. We have a 900-km (550-mile) border with Syria. They come and go in wherever they like. Everyone here is in fear.”

Syrian families stayed inside their homes on Sunday, too afraid to come out.

SUNNI-SHI’ITE TENSIONS

Davutoglu said the Reyhanli bombers were believed to be from the same group that carried out an attack on the Syrian coastal town of Banias a week ago in which at least 62 people were killed.

Syria’s conflict has fuelled confrontation across the region between Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims, with Shi’ite Iran supporting Assad, and Sunni powers like Saudi Arabia backing the rebels.

Israel launched air strikes a week ago, aimed at stopping Iranian missiles near Damascus from reaching Tehran’s Lebanese allies Hezbollah for possible use against the Jewish state.

Days later, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said his forces would support any Syrian effort to recapture the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, raising the prospect of renewed conflict after decades of calm on that border.

In a separate development on Sunday, Syrian rebels freed four Filipino U.N. peacekeepers whom they had captured on the ceasefire line between Syria and the Golan last week.

NOVANEWS

The protesters on Monday condemned the violence, noting that the outbreak of violence was due to the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s support for armed insurgents in Syria.

Saturday’s twin bombings left 46 people dead and dozens wounded in Reyhanli.

A similar demonstration was held in Ankara on Saturday, in which dozens of people marched in the street and chanted slogans criticizing Erdogan and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

Turkey has accused Damascus of being behind the violence, but Syria has dismissed the claim.

Syria Information Minister Omran al-Zohbi told a news conference on Sunday that his country “did not commit and would never commit such an act because our values would not allow that.”

He blamed Ankara for the Saturday bombings in Reyhanli as well as the ongoing unrest in Syria by facilitating the flow of arms, explosives, vehicles, militants and money across the border into the Arab country.

Turkey has been one of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s harshest critics and has supported the foreign-backed militants fighting to topple his government.

Turkish opposition parties have censured the Turkish government for its intervention in Syria’s internal affairs.

Last July, the leader of the Republican People’s Party warned the government against dragging the country into the “Middle Eastern quagmire” with its aggressive anti-Syria stance.

Yesterday, Ankara announced it arrested nine Turk citizens allegedly involved in the twin car bombing on Sturday that killed 46 and injured  another 120 inReyhanli town near Syrian border. Turkish foreign minister immediately after the terrorist attack, blamed Syrian intelligence agency for carrying out the bombing without any proof.

Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay said the assailants were from Turkey, but were linked to Syria’s intelligence service.

Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan while addressing a rally in Istanbul, raised rhetoric against Assad regime over twin car bombing by accusing Damascus for trying to drag Turkey into its civil war by such provocations.

Turkey’s opposition criticized the government’s policy on Syria, saying its active support of the rebels had put the country’s security at risk.

Mehmet Akif Okur, assistant professor at the Ankara-based Institute of Strategy, suspects a link between the Reyhanli bombings and the agreement to hold a joint conference on Syria, reached by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his US counterpart Israel-Firster John Kerry during their talks in Moscow last week.

“It looks like the story of a Turkish fighter jet shot down by Syria is repeating itself. Back then, as soon as the Geneva conference was proposed, our plane was downed. Now, another such conference on the Syrian problem is being planned, and again Turkey shudders, this time over deadly blasts. People who committed those crimes appear to have a certain strategy. And we see how, within the framework of that strategy, a potential response or no response is pre-calculated. When our fighter jet was gunned down, Turkey was evidently expected to openly wage a war against Syria and refuse to participate in the Geneva conference. In that case, it would have been in impossible for Turkey, as a country at war with Syria, to engage in dialogue about ways of ending the Syrian conflict. Also, there has been a sharp decrease in support of Ankara’s Syrian policy among the Turkish public. If we look at opinion polls, we’ll see how incidents like these encourage that process. The latest terrorist acts will predictably spark outrage among Turks and may prompt Ankara to revise its support of the Syrian opposition.”

Any political aware person knows that Turkey had violated Syrian airspace several times and along with French, Israeli and NATO officers, is providing military training to anti-Assad rebels since day one. In the past, even Turk soldiers had been captured by Syrian forces allegedly aiding the rebels.

Damascus, which has nothing to gain from such provocations – denied being involved in killing fellow Muslim Turks. Furthermore, Assad is not stupid enough to tangle with Turkey which has the fourth largest army among the NATO countries. In fact, Damascus had kept peace with even the Zionist entity since the 1967 Israeli invasion and occupation of its Golan Heights. The only two parties which gain from such terrorism – are pro-USrael rebels or the anti-Ankara Kurd militias who want to sabotage the recent agreement between Washington and Moscow to resolve Syrian conflict through dialogue between the parties involved.

US-born Eric Margolis, war reporter, author and syndicate investigative journalist wrote the following on May 10, 2013.

Moscow has been calling for such a conference for two years. But Washington rejected the idea in hope the Syrian rebels it was backing would prevail. However, now that the Syrian war is in stalemate, the US has opted, albeit reluctantly, for a diplomatic effort to end its war before the whole region goes up in flames.

The Assad government in Damascus was for decades a tacit Western ally that suppressed militant Islamists, kept its border with Israel quiet, and interrogated prisoners for US intelligence services. Damascus even muted claims to its Golan Heights, illegally annexed by Israel after the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.

But good behavior and cooperation did not help Syria when the US, Britain, France and Israel decided to go after Iran, Syria’s leading ally. When Syria’s President Bashar Assad refused to join the US-led alliance of western powers and conservative Arab states against Iran, his nation’s fate was sealed.

What is clear: Syria is being ground up and pulverized. Like Iraq, it is being severely punished for a defiant, independent policy and refusing to comply with western plans for the Mideast. Syria is also serving as a whipping boy in the place of Iran – a graphic message to Tehran of what can happen if its nuclear program is not switched off.

Watch a video below in which Brazilian investigative journalist Pepe Escobar describes how Israel provokes conflicts and wars in the Muslim world.

Several blasts rocked Reyhanli town in the southern province of Hatay on Saturday, with Interior Minister Muammar Guler telling Turkish media that they were caused by car bombs.

The minister said two vehicles packed with explosives detonated near the town’s post office and municipality.

“We are going to launch an inquiry into all this, so that everything becomes clear,” Guler added.

Earlier reports said four blasts shook the town, which is located only a few kilometers from the Syria border.

Officials have noted that the number of casualties could rise.

In February, thirteen people were killed and dozens injured after a minibus exploded at a crossing on Turkey’s border with Syria near Reyhanli.

The Cilvegozu border post is one of the main crossing points for Syrian refugees into the neighboring country, according to Turkish officials.

The 10-day Yildirim-2013 Mobilization Exercises began on Monday in the southern province of Adana near the Syrian border and would wrap up on May 15, according to a statement issued by the Turkish General Staff.

The Turkish military says the drills aim to test its preparedness for battle and coordination with government ministries at a time of mobilization and war.

Meanwhile, Israeli troops participated in military exercises in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, near the border with Syria, on Monday.

A former director of Israel’s security service says the regime has to make full preparations for a possible war anytime. Israel has also deployed two Iron Dome missiles near the Lebanese border.

The Syria crisis began in March 2011, and many people, including large numbers of soldiers and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.

The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.

In an interview recently broadcast on Turkish television, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that if the militants take power in Syria, they could destabilize the entire Middle East region for decades.

“If the unrest in Syria leads to the partitioning of the country, or if the terrorist forces take control… the situation will inevitably spill over into neighboring countries and create a domino effect throughout the Middle East and beyond,” he added.

Syria’s official news agency SANA cited a report by Lebanese newspaper Ad-Diyar published on Saturday that Turkish authorities transfer young injured Syrians to certain hospitals in the Turkish cities of Antakya and Iskenderun.

The report added that the Turks leave the injured Syrians alone to die after their body organs are removed in the hospitals. The dead are later sent to the Syrian border region to be buried.

Turkish doctors have confirmed that out of 62,000 injured Syrian civilian and military people who were transported into Turkey, body organs of over 15,600 of them were excised and their bodies were sent back into Syria to be buried, Ad-Diyar stated.

Turkish officials have made no comments over the issue so far.

The Lebanese newspaper also states that the body organs including livers, kidneys and hearts are given to people waiting for treatment in Turkey.

Ad-Diyar said European scientific websites acknowledged that body organ transplantation operations had increased in Turkey over the past two years, since the beginning of the crisis in Syria.

The Syrian government says the chaos that began over two years ago is being orchestrated from outside the country.

Several international human rights organizations have said the militants are committing war crimes in Syria.