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TERROR IN TURKEY: WHO IS TO BLAME?
Al-Ahram Weekly
August 30, 2012
Egypt
With Syria imploding on its borders, Turkey is increasingly worried
about armed groups in the vicinity using force to press their demands,
writes Sayed Abdel-Meguid in Ankara
The past two weeks were traumatic in Turkey, where forest fires
threatened border areas, secessionists struck in some areas, and
long-dormant terrorist organisations threatened to resume their
bloody activities.
It all started with the forest fires on the borders with Syria. The
fires, close to refugee camps, triggered accusations of arson and
suspicions that agents of Bashar Al-Assad were involved. As Turkish
authorities scrambled to fight the fires, more Syrian refugees were
crossing the border, adding to the burden on humanitarian aid and
threatening a replay of the 1991 situation, when 0.5 million Iraqis
crossed the border en masse.
To make things worse, secessionists associated with the PKK, the
Kurdish Workers' Party, may have used the turmoil on the borders to
infiltrate deep into Turkey. On the second day of the feast, a police
station in Gaziantep was blown up. The explosion took the lives of
nine people, including four children. The death toll may rise, as
other casualties are still in a critical condition.
The PKK denied any connection with the blast, but in the mind of most
Turks, it is the only group capable of such brutality. In reprisal,
a mob burned down the offices of the Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party,
closely linked to the PKK.
In another tragedy, a traffic accident led to the death of 10,
including nine military servicemen, on the Sirnak-Uludere road.
Samil Tayyar, the Justice and Development Party parliamentarian for
Gaziantep, blamed Syrian intelligence for the blast, saying that the
refugee camps in Hatay and Orfa have been infiltrated with agents of
the Syrian regime.
The government is taking a lot of heat over what many Turks consider
to be a laxity in security. Before the Gaziantep blast, warnings
were issued of an impending attack by a booby-trapped vehicle, but
no precautions were taken.
Bulent Arinc, the deputy prime minister, tried his best to calm
down critics. But throughout the media, politicians including those
associated with the government -- slammed the authorities for not
taking enough action to protect the public against possible terrorist
attacks.
The situation grew particularly tense when the defunct ASALA (Armenian
Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia), mysteriously rising
from the ashes, warned that it would resume its operations unless
the government distances itself from the civil war in Syria. The
terrorist organisation, which disbanded in 1986, said that the Turkish
government should cease its support for the Free Syrian Army, which
allegedly carried out attacks against Armenians. In a statement sent
to the press, ASALA said that if the Turkish army were to conduct
any military action in Syria, the group would resume its attacks on
Turkish facilities and diplomats.
Feeling beleaguered, the Turkish government is now blaming the
Americans for failing to give it the support it needed. It is
particularly upset that armed elements apparently arriving from
northern Iraq were able to launch an attack inside its territories.
President Abdullah Gul, who had cut short a visit to Kirgizstan
because of a middle ear infection, urged Washington to do more on
the anti-terror front.
In an attempt to remedy the situation, Turkey and the US have agreed
to take extra measures to confront the PKK, Al-Qaeda and other
extremist groups. The main aim, Turkish officials say, is to prevent
extremist groups from using the political vacuum in north Syria to
their advantage.
American diplomats in Baghdad say that they intend to hold talks with
Massoud Barzani on ways to stop Kurdish secessionists from launching
operations from Iraq.
Kurdish secessionists, some say, are not only coming from Iraq,
but also from Iran. The Iranians used to cooperate with the Turks on
anti-terror matters, but their cooperation ended about 18 months ago,
when the Turks decided to install an anti-missile shield in Malataya
despite Iranian protests.
To stem further trouble on its border areas, Turkey wants the UN to
agree to a safe zone in northern Syria. If a five kilometre-deep
strip of land is declared a safe haven along the Syrian borders,
then the Turks will have less work, expense, and risk dealing with
the issue of Syrian refugees, goes the argument.
The proposal is going to be discussed soon at the UN, but may run
into Chinese and Russian opposition.
From: Baghdasarian
Al-Ahram Weekly
August 30, 2012
Egypt
With Syria imploding on its borders, Turkey is increasingly worried
about armed groups in the vicinity using force to press their demands,
writes Sayed Abdel-Meguid in Ankara
The past two weeks were traumatic in Turkey, where forest fires
threatened border areas, secessionists struck in some areas, and
long-dormant terrorist organisations threatened to resume their
bloody activities.
It all started with the forest fires on the borders with Syria. The
fires, close to refugee camps, triggered accusations of arson and
suspicions that agents of Bashar Al-Assad were involved. As Turkish
authorities scrambled to fight the fires, more Syrian refugees were
crossing the border, adding to the burden on humanitarian aid and
threatening a replay of the 1991 situation, when 0.5 million Iraqis
crossed the border en masse.
To make things worse, secessionists associated with the PKK, the
Kurdish Workers' Party, may have used the turmoil on the borders to
infiltrate deep into Turkey. On the second day of the feast, a police
station in Gaziantep was blown up. The explosion took the lives of
nine people, including four children. The death toll may rise, as
other casualties are still in a critical condition.
The PKK denied any connection with the blast, but in the mind of most
Turks, it is the only group capable of such brutality. In reprisal,
a mob burned down the offices of the Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party,
closely linked to the PKK.
In another tragedy, a traffic accident led to the death of 10,
including nine military servicemen, on the Sirnak-Uludere road.
Samil Tayyar, the Justice and Development Party parliamentarian for
Gaziantep, blamed Syrian intelligence for the blast, saying that the
refugee camps in Hatay and Orfa have been infiltrated with agents of
the Syrian regime.
The government is taking a lot of heat over what many Turks consider
to be a laxity in security. Before the Gaziantep blast, warnings
were issued of an impending attack by a booby-trapped vehicle, but
no precautions were taken.
Bulent Arinc, the deputy prime minister, tried his best to calm
down critics. But throughout the media, politicians including those
associated with the government -- slammed the authorities for not
taking enough action to protect the public against possible terrorist
attacks.
The situation grew particularly tense when the defunct ASALA (Armenian
Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia), mysteriously rising
from the ashes, warned that it would resume its operations unless
the government distances itself from the civil war in Syria. The
terrorist organisation, which disbanded in 1986, said that the Turkish
government should cease its support for the Free Syrian Army, which
allegedly carried out attacks against Armenians. In a statement sent
to the press, ASALA said that if the Turkish army were to conduct
any military action in Syria, the group would resume its attacks on
Turkish facilities and diplomats.
Feeling beleaguered, the Turkish government is now blaming the
Americans for failing to give it the support it needed. It is
particularly upset that armed elements apparently arriving from
northern Iraq were able to launch an attack inside its territories.
President Abdullah Gul, who had cut short a visit to Kirgizstan
because of a middle ear infection, urged Washington to do more on
the anti-terror front.
In an attempt to remedy the situation, Turkey and the US have agreed
to take extra measures to confront the PKK, Al-Qaeda and other
extremist groups. The main aim, Turkish officials say, is to prevent
extremist groups from using the political vacuum in north Syria to
their advantage.
American diplomats in Baghdad say that they intend to hold talks with
Massoud Barzani on ways to stop Kurdish secessionists from launching
operations from Iraq.
Kurdish secessionists, some say, are not only coming from Iraq,
but also from Iran. The Iranians used to cooperate with the Turks on
anti-terror matters, but their cooperation ended about 18 months ago,
when the Turks decided to install an anti-missile shield in Malataya
despite Iranian protests.
To stem further trouble on its border areas, Turkey wants the UN to
agree to a safe zone in northern Syria. If a five kilometre-deep
strip of land is declared a safe haven along the Syrian borders,
then the Turks will have less work, expense, and risk dealing with
the issue of Syrian refugees, goes the argument.
The proposal is going to be discussed soon at the UN, but may run
into Chinese and Russian opposition.
From: Baghdasarian