ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on February 7th, 2008. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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HUMANITY HAND-IN-HAND
When State Minister Said Yazicioglu was laying a wreath in front of a building in Germany in which nine Turks burnt to death, emotional moments were experienced. German Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration Maria Bohmer laid a wreath in front of the building, on behalf of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. She said she is sharing the agonies of those who lost their loved ones in the fire. "We will do everything we can to illuminate the disaster," she also said. On the other hand, Yazicioglu said, "if there is sabotage, everything should be illuminated and nothing should remain dark. We will continue to be the pursuer of this incident." Based on testimonies of two girls at the ages of 8 and 9 who were living in the building, German police are drawing the robot picture of a person suspected to be an arson attacker.
MEN CREATED HEADSCARF
Deputy Parliament Speaker Meral Aksener said, "those who created the headscarf problem are men. If they did not involve, we should not come to this stage and solve the problem in a better way." Aksener said, "we should say stop to men's making policy over women." Aksener said girls and women suffer from this policy. "We want this unjust treatment to end and secularism to be preserved," she also said.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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NEO-NAZI SIGN IN DISASTER
The reason of the fire --which broke out in an apartment building where nine Turks died in Ludwigshafen city of Germany-- could not be found yet. German police who examined the building found the letters "SS" on the first floor that symbolize guard unit of Hitler and probably written before the fire broke out.
COURT OF APPEALS SELECTS ITS NEW JUDGE
Supreme Court of Appeals --which could not select its chief judge in 95 votes held since December 2007-- finally solved the problem on a critical day. While debates were continuing on constitutional amendment bill on headscarf at parliament and the draft which will change the structure of Supreme Court of Appeals were being discussed, Hasan Gerceker, the head of the Ninth Penal Department, was elected the new chief judge of the Supreme Court.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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GREEKS RESCUED 31 TURKS
Turkish cargo ship "UND Adriyatik" burned off Croatia. 31 Turks in the ship were rescued by a Greek passenger ship. The Turks are now in Venice.
FIRST ROUND OK
Turkish parliament took the first step for headscarf issue (liberating students to wear headscarves at universities) which divided Turkey into two parts. First round of voting on Constitutional amendment bill was held in a tense milieu yesterday.
VATAN (INDEPENDENT)
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THREE-POLED TURKEY
On one hand, there are circles who are concerned that "Turkey is becoming a religious state", on the other hand, there are circles who want the secular system to be made more flexible saying that "it is his/her right to experience his/her religion as how he/she wishes." Also, there is a party which is hand-in-hand with the separatist organization and wants autonomy and a certain group of people following it.
REGIME DISCUSSIONS
The first round of voting on constitutional amendment bill that will end the headscarf ban in universities was a scene for harsh discussions on secularism. State Minister Cemil Cicek said, "secularism which is wanted by a circle in Turkey is a north Korean-type secularism and this nation does not allow it." Onder Sav, MP of Republican People's Party (CHP), said those who are making politics over headscarf will lose in the end. Bekir Bozdag, the deputy chairman of the Justice & Development (AK) Party group at parliament, said, "what part of granting the right to equal education to every citizen is wrong?" Kemal Anadol, the deputy chairman of CHP group at parliament, said the problem is secularism, not headscarf. On the other hand, Aysel Tugluk, an MP from the Democratic Society Party (DTP), said, "we are against political fundamentalism."
NEW CHIEF JUDGE OF SUPREME COURT: GERCEKER
Hasan Gerceker, the head of the Ninth Penal Department, became the new chief judge of the Supreme Court at the end of 95th voting in 48 days. Gerceker is a founder member of the Union of Judges & Prosecutors (YARSAV), which the government wants to close. Gerceker will be the chief judge of the Supreme Board till 2011. He was the head of delegation that ratified the verdict sentencing Hrant Dink, and the head of delegation that decided to pave the way for releasing non-commissioned officers who were Semdinli suspects. He signed the decision releasing former Democracy Party (DEP) deputies and was a member of the delegation that rejected head terrorist Ocalan's request for an early release.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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TURKISH SHIP SINKS
Fire broke out in a Turkish ship --which was carrying 200 trucks and nine tons of hazardous material-- off Croatia in Adriatic Sea. A total of 31 people (the crew members and passengers of the ship) were rescued but the ship sank despite all efforts. Croatian Maritime Ministry stated that the ship was coming from Istanbul for Trieste (port of Italy).
GERCEKER NEW CHIEF JUDGE
Hasan Gerceker, the head of the Ninth Penal Department, who is known to support Kemalism, was elected the new chief judge of the Supreme Court of Appeals. During a ceremony which will be held today, Gerceker is expected to deliver a speech regarding the debates on headscarf bill. He will remain in this post till 2011.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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IF TARGET IS GIRLS' EDUCATION, HEADSCARF ONLY A DETAIL
Headscarf ban is ranked the eight among obstacles before education, according to a survey on "women in working life, executive positions and politics". The number one reason for girls who cannot go to universities is failing in the university entrance exam. 29 percent of girl students cannot enter universities because they fail in the exam. 14 percent of girls do not have university education because they marry, and 10 percent because they are forced to work. Only 1 percent of girls cannot go to universities for they are wearing headscarves.
AK PARTY-MHP BEGIN WITH LOSSES
Discussions on constitutional amendment freeing headscarf began tense in the parliament. The Republican People's Party (CHP) stressed the unamendable principle of secularism, whereas the Justice & Development (AK) Party stressed unamendable principle "democracy". AK Party-MHP (Nationalist Movement Party) bloc was present in the voting with 403 MPs.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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TRUST US, WE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN
Turkish President Abdullah Gul said that economic and political reforms made Turkey an attractive country in the aspect of foreign investments. Gul, who spoke at Turkish-Qatari Business Council meeting, said, "Turkish businessmen can undertake important roles in development of Qatar. They do not let you down."
SNOW AND RAIN ON WAY
Meteorology stated that heavy rain is expected across Turkey as of tomorrow. It added that a snow wave will enter Turkey from its northwestern province of Edirne in the weekend.
'NEIGHBOR' RESCUES FROM DEATH
Turkish ship "Undadriyatik" --which was carrying 200 trucks and nine tons of hazardous materials to Italy-- caught fire off Croatia. A Greek-flagged ship which saw the fire rescued 31 crew members and passengers, and carried them to Venice.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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THEY THREATENED TURKS SAYING "WE WILL BURN YOU"
Allegations that the fire disaster in Germany was caused by an arson attack are becoming stronger each passing day. Racists threatened relatives of Kaplan family three days before the attack that "they would be burned."
OYAK SEPARATES ITS PATH WITH FRENCH AXA
Oyak announced that it will sell 50 percent of its shares in insurance company to Axa in return for 525 million USD. The French company drew reactions with its decision to pay compensation to the Armenians, who claimed to be the victims of so-called genocide.
PARLIAMENT TAKES FIRST STEP FOR HEADSCARF FREEDOM IN UNIVERSITIES
The first round of voting on the constitutional amendment bill that will free headscarf in universities was held at the parliament on Wednesday. The first article of the bill aiming to amend the article 10 of the Constitution (equality before law) was adopted with 401 votes against 110 votes. The second article amending article 42 of the Constitution (right to education) was passed with 404 votes against 99 votes.
YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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THEY WROTE HATRED AND SET ABLAZE
It has been revealed that some wrote "HASS" (hatred) in front of a building in Ludwigshafen, Germany just before a fire that killed nine Turks. Aylin and Bedriye, two sisters who survived the fire with injuries, talked to experts who then found out that this word was written at the entrance of the building just beside a Nazi sign. When Ibrahim O. told police that he received threat calls that "their house would be burnt" three days before the fire, police broadened the investigation. A sketch of the suspect has been drawn and distributed throughout Germany.
WE WILL SOLVE IT HAND-IN-HAND
State Minister Said Yazicioglu and German Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration Maria Bohmer gave hand-in-hand with each other in front of the building in Ludwigshafen and gave the message, "we will solve it hand-in-hand with each other."