Human Rights in Turkey

I was annoyed by John Tirman’s article (Commentary, Dec. 19), which I found offensive, misrepresentative and unprofessional. The facts are quite to the contrary.

There is not even one country in this world which is free of human rights violations. Every country and every society share this problem in differing forms. Turkey is neither the best nor the worst.

Turkey is a democracy just like the U.S. The difference with respect to human rights lies in national income and public priorities to spend it. As governments respond to public demands with limited resources, it is usually investments in the justice system, law enforcement and education that suffer. Therefore, as long as you do not have the majority of people behind the human rights issue, there will not be a substantial change.

Regarding the Kurdish issue, no one can claim that there is discrimination in Turkey according to ethnic, religious, language and race factors. This is true for the state and it is true for society. The Kurdish Turks have the same potential for success as anybody else in Turkey. They enjoy newspapers, magazines, television and radio networks in the Kurdish language. They participate in the democratic process. The Turkish state is not fighting against the Kurdish Turks but the PKK, which is a terrorist organization based abroad and supported by foreign funds. According to the party manifesto, its aim is to establish a separate Marxist-Leninist Kurdish state.

Turkish foreign policy is built on the national interests of Turkey in compliance with the international law. We want peace, stability and cooperation. We are against settlement of disputes by force, historical irredentism, circumvention or violation of treaty obligations and, most importantly, discrimination. We cooperate with all countries that share these principles.

H. HAYRET YALAV

Consul General of Turkey

Los Angeles