Turkey's EU negotiations from the Kurdish perspective - Observations on the situation of the Kurds in Turkey and comments on the EU Regular Reports on Turkey 2004

Published by the Peace for the Kurds Forum of Finland, 2004

Peace for Kurds Forum of Finland is a non-governmental organisation established in 1995. It is both non-political and without religious bias. Peace for Kurds Forum promotes peaceful negotiations and supports the search for a political solution to the Kurdish question. Our target is to promote discussion between all the parties involved in the conflict. The Forum collects and distributes information about the Kurds and their concerns. It supports the rights of the Kurds. The Forum has arranged a number of seminars and has produced publications about the Kurds in co-operation with other NGOs.


Executive board

President
Göran von Bonsdorff, Professor

Vice president
Leo R. Hertzberg, Lawyer

Members
Siw Handroos-Kelekay
Elina Järvenpää
Kristiina Koivunen
Ville Komsi
Helena Lipponen
Pertti Multanen
Fredrik ThermanContacts

Address: Korkeavuorenkatu 41 A
FIN-00100 Helsinki
Tel: + 358 40 771 92 67
Fax: + 358 9 323 64 95
E-mail: helena.lipponen(at)sask.fi


Contents

• Foreword

• Kristiina Koivunen:
Observations on the situation of the Kurds
• Introduction
• Important issues for the Kurds regarding Turkey's membership negotiations with the EC
• Human rights
• Freedom of expression
• Women's rights
• Situation of the children
• Situation of minorities
• Internally displaced persons
• Kurdish language
• Civil society and role of the military
• Conclusion
• Notes
• References

• Elin Järvenpää: Accession of Turkey to the European Union seen from the perspective of Kurdish people living in Turkey
• Introduction
• Accession criteria (Copenhagen criteria)
• The Kurdish Question in general
• Demands of Kurds to the Accession of Turkey to the EU
• Question of Identity and Attitudes
• Closing words
• References

• Helena Lipponen: Trade Union Rights in Law and in Practice
• A strong and democratic trade union movement is a cornerstone of a functional civil society
• Many restrictions on trade union rights
• The struggle of trade union activists in Turkey
• Violations in 2003
• Thousands of workers have been tortured, sentenced and imprisoned
• References