Subject: KURDS/HUMAN RIGHTS (L ONLY) By GARY THOMAS/WASHINGTON From: "Demetrios E. Paneras" DATE=3/22/95 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-175906 TITLE=KURDS/HUMAN RIGHTS (L ONLY) BYLINE=GARY THOMAS DATELINE=WASHINGTON CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: TURKEY'S INVASION OF IRAQ HAS RAISED FRESH CONCERNS AMONG HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS ABOUT ALLEGED HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AGAINST THE KURDS. TURKEY SAYS THE INCURSION IS ONLY BEING MOUNTED AGAINST ARMED GUERRILLAS OF THE SEPARATIST KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY. AS VOA'S GARY THOMAS REPORTS FROM WASHINGTON, HUMAN RIGHTS WORKERS SEE THE INCURSION IN A MORE SINISTER LIGHT. TEXT: IN TESTIMONY BEFORE THE CONGRESSIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS CAUCUS, ACTIVISTS ROUNDLY DENOUNCED TURKEY'S INVASION OF IRAQ. THEY CLAIMED THE TARGET OF THE TURKISH ARMY IS NOT THE ARMED KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, OR P-K-K, BUT RATHER THE KURDISH PEOPLE THEMSELVES. KATHRYN PORTER, DIRECTOR OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS ALLIANCE AND SPOUSE OF CONGRESSMAN JOHN EDWARD PORTER, ALLEGED ANKARA IS MERELY USING THE INVASION AS PRETEXT TO WIPE OUT THE KURDS. // PORTER ACT // THE P-K-K IS BEING USED AS AN EXCUSE -- AN EXCUSE FOR THE MILITARY ARMIES OF THREE NATIONS TO DESTROY, TO COMMIT A GENOCIDE AGAINST THE KURDISH PEOPLE. // END ACT // THAT VIEW WAS ECHOED BY DANIELLE MITTERRAND, PRESIDENT OF THE "FOUNDATION FRANCE LIBERTES" AND THE WIFE OF FRENCH PRESIDENT FRANCOIS MITTERRAND. SPEAKING IN FRENCH, SHE ACCUSED THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY OF IGNORING THE PLIGHT OF THE KURDS. // MITTERRAND ACT IN FRENCH // FOUNDATION FRANCE LIBERTES ISSUED A REPORT EARLIER THIS YEAR ALLEGING VAST HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES BY TURKEY, IRAQ, AND IRAN AGAINST THE KURDS. THEY CHARGE THERE HAVE BEEN MASSIVE KILLINGS, ARBITRARY ARRESTS, DETENTIONS, AND TORTURE. MS. MITTERRAND SAID THEIR REPORT CONTAINS NOTHING NEW, BUT MERELY CORROBORATES REPORTS FROM OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS AND JOURNALISTS. SUCH ALLEGATIONS HAVE SPARKED OFFICIAL INDIGNATION IN THOSE COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLY IN TURKEY, WHICH HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN A LONG CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE P-K-K. TURKEY DENIES ALLEGATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, AND SAYS IT IS ONLY TARGETTING THE P-K-K, WHICH HAS BEEN USING BASES IN THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN OF NORTHERN IRAQ FROM WHICH TO LAUNCH ATTACKS ON TURKISH TERRITORY. NEVERTHELESS, SOME WESTERN COUNTRIES, SUCH AS FRANCE AND GERMANY, HAVE CONDEMNED THE USE OF MILITARY FORCE TO SOLVE WHAT THEY SAY IS ESSENTIALLY A POLITICAL PROBLEM. THE UNITED STATES SAYS IT UNDERSTANDS TURKEY'S REASONS FOR THE OPERATION BUT IS WORRIED ABOUT POSSIBLE CIVILIAN CASUALTIES. (SIGNED) NEB/GPT/LWM 22-Mar-95 4:52 PM EST (2152 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America ------------------------------------------------------------------------------