Theater of absurd: Genocide books used as evidence of ‘terror activity’ of Turkish publisher

November 5, 2011 - 09:20 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - It’s not new that the Kurdish issue has always been one of the most painful problems in Turkey, whose habit of assimilating national and religious minorities sometimes goes beyond all possible borders.

The anti-Kurdish policy intensified, when terrorist acts organized by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in August 2011 were followed by large-scale offensives into Northern Iraq.

The silence of superpowers on the escalation of the conflict and Turkey’s intrusion into another country is more that odd. The countries like the United States, which loudly speak of human right protection and “spread” democracy across the globe, and countries like Russia, which seek to strengthen their regional influence, did not react to violation of Iraqi border by Turkish troops.

Furthermore, the military operations grew more aggressive after the devastating earthquake in Van. While the entire world was lending a helping hand to the survivors, Turkish army continued exterminating the Kurdish population.

The recklessness of the Turkish authorities became even more observed when well known human rights activist and publisher Ragip Zarakolu and a number of Turkish intellectuals were arrested and accused of having links with a Kurdish Communities Union, the alleged urban wing of the PKK.

In his first letter sent from prison Zarakolu said: "My arrest and the accusation of membership of an illegal organization are parts of a campaign aiming to intimidate all intellectuals and democrats of Turkey and particularly to deprive the Kurds of any support."

Zarakolu said that during the raid in his house the police confiscated only few books as "evidences of crime" and found nothing about his so-called relations with any organization.

The books confiscated as “evidences of crime” are the 2nd volume of Vatansiz Gazeteci (Stateless Journalist) by Dogan Özgüden, chief editor of Info-Turk, Habiba by Ender Öndes, Peace Process by Yüksel Genç and three books about the Armenian Genocide and the Armenian history.

He added that at the police headquarters, all his bank and credit cards were confiscated.

Reminding that he is invited as speaker to many conferences abroad, mainly next week to Berlin, later on to the U.S. University Colgate, Los Angeles and Michigan, Zarakolu said: "The government should give them an answer explaining the real raison of my arrest."

Zarakolu concluded his letter with the following appeal: "During my interrogation, they did not ask any question about the organization of which I was accused of being a member. They questioned me only about the books that I wrote or edited for publication, the public meetings where I spoke or attended. I think that everybody should jointly react against this campaign of arrests that turns into a collective lynching. These illegal practices should be stopped."

With Genocide books being the only evidence of Zarakolu’s links with an alleged terror organization, the authorities’ actions seem really absurd. However, Turkey’s attitude towards minorities suggest a restart of a cruel and repressive policy which is pregnant with unpredictable consequences.