Baykal: Terrorism Being Experienced In Turkey Has No Official Name

ANKARA - Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said on Tuesday that terrorism experienced in Turkey had no official name.
Speaking in the group meeting of his party, Baykal said, ''what is as dangerous as terrorism is circles being afraid of giving a name to terrorism. If you aren't afraid, you will overcome terrorism. But, if you refrain from naming it, you may face trouble. Is there any oppression? What is the reason of this uneasiness?''
Baykal noted that recent attacks in Istanbul were the broadest incidents that Turkey had faced and said that those incidents should be considered an opportunity for Turkey's self-interrogation.
Stating that Turkey had faced terrorism for 15 years, Baykal said that it had overcome terrorism in the end.
Baykal went on saying, ''when we said we have overcome terrorism, we faced this biggest terrorist threat. This is not an issue which can be passed over lightly. All its dimensions should be well-evaluated. Some realities have once more been revealed. Terrorism is a threat for everybody and everybody can be a target of terrorism. There is not any efficient way and method of defending yourself when this threat occurs. Terrorism is merciless and doesn't regard any target.''
''We once more experienced and saw all these. A remedy should be found against terrorism not only for us, but also for whole humanity. Nobody can fight against terrorism on his/her own. There is need for universal solidarity and international cooperation in countering terrorism. Terrorism is a threat for humanity,'' Baykal said.
Baykal drew attention that making terrorism a method of political struggle was the real threat.
He had no doubt that Turkey could succeed in ending violence, Baykal said.
Baykal said, ''the name of this terrorism has not been given for two weeks. Terrorism experienced in Turkey has no official name at the moment. What is this terrorism? Who makes it and why?''
Finding answers of those questions was necessary for success in fight against terrorism, Baykal stated.
Baykal said that they were curious about the reason why those questions were left unanswered and asked the government why they were not giving a name to terrorism.
''What is as dangerous as terrorism is circles being afraid of giving a name to terrorism. If you aren't afraid, you will overcome terrorism. But, if you refrain from naming it, you may face trouble. There is such a problem in Turkey at the moment. Turkey doesn't want to name terrorism it is being facing at the moment and prefers not to name it. The most important side of our current situation is that the government has been afraid of and refrains from giving a name to this terrorism which threatens our country. The reason why they are assuming such an attitude is very important,'' Baykal stated.
Baykal emphasized that security officials could not fulfil their duties when the government refrained from naming terrorism.
It was revealed that terrorist Hezbollah organization started to form its own area of sovereignty when fight against PKK terrorism continued, Baykal said.
Baykal noted that dead bodies were unearthed in the basements of houses after 1993 and 9 thousand people were arrested on charges of being a member of terrorist Hezbollah organization.
CHP leader Baykal recalled that names of 20 thousand members of the organization were found in a house raided in Istanbul.
It was revealed that the terrorist Hezbollah organization was behind many murders, including Diyarbakir Police Chief Gaffar Okkan and author Gonca Kuris, Baykal said.
Baykal went on saying, ''is this organization lost? Is this organization with 20 thousand members and 9 thousand arrested members erased from Turkey? Or is it disappeared? According to polished expression of our Chief of General Staff, Turkey is subject to a terrorism initiative based on religious understanding. But, nobody recalls Hezbollah. Governors try to make statements that terrorist Hezbollah organization no more exists. There are members of Hezbollah among the captured who have been wanted for eight years. Are they no more members of Hezbollah? Is this organization which has shed blood in Turkey for 10 years disappeared? The state is trying to explain that this organization has no connection with the ongoing incidents in Turkey. So, who is responsible for these incidents?''
''What has happened? Is there any oppression? What is the reason of this uneasiness? Do they want to say that 'they were about to legalize them and now such an incident occurred'? Do they feel guilty about pulling back security officials who were important personalities in fight against this terrorism? Do they feel sad about not dealing with these files determinedly? Or do they feel sad about releasing Hezbollah convicts by Return Home Law? They should overcome their feelings. This uneasiness is very concerning for the future. They should overcome it and cope with the issue with determination,'' Baykal added.
BAYKAL: ''A PRIME MINISTER WHO TAKES FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY WITH SHEIKS, MEMBERS OF AL-QAIDA, AND KNEELS DOWN IN FRONT OF HIKMETYAR MAKES ME UNEASY''
Baykal accused the government of being insufficient in dealing with recent terrorist incidents.
Baykal claimed that inconsistent policy and ''Return Home'' law of the government were effective on recent terrorist incidents and criticized the government of their practices.
Religion and politics were two concepts which were away from each other, Baykal said.
Baykal stated that in case those two concepts were introduced alongside each other, their real functions could not be exerted.
The western world had left behind such discussions on religion, Baykal said.
Baykal noted that Turkey was a Muslim country which was an example to whole world with its model and said that any initiative which could harm that understanding could harm that model.
Those who continued policy based on religion should clearly express their views and themselves, Baykal said.
Baykal added, ''the government should assume a clear attitude about this issue. We hope it has changed. But, they can't even name those who staged this terrorism. The prime minister had evaluated terrorist attacks in Istanbul by saying that those attacks made him uneasy. And, a prime minister who takes family photograph with sheiks, members of Al-Qaida organization in Afghanistan, kneels down in front of Hikmetyar and continues his relations with those circles and can't say 'these are terrorist Hezbollah organization', makes me uneasy.''

(BRC-AÖ) 02.12.2003