Topic: voa
Subject: TURKEY/KURD (L ONLY) by AMBERIN ZAMAN/ANKARA
From: Yanni@ix.netcom.com (Ioannis Bousnakis)
 
Topic: voa

DATE=4/5/95
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-176623
TITLE= TURKEY/KURD (L ONLY) 
BYLINE= AMBERIN ZAMAN 
DATELINE= ANKARA 
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  THREE TURKISH AID WORKERS AND FOUR IRAQI KURDS WERE
KILLED IN NORTHERN IRAQ.  AS AMBERIN ZAMAN REPORTS FROM ANKARA
IT WAS THE FIRST OVERT DEMONSTRATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST
TURKS IN NORTHERN IRAQ SINCE THE ARRIVAL OF 35-THOUSAND TURKISH
TROOPS THERE LAST MONTH.  
 
TEXT:  TURKISH OFFICIALS SAY THREE TURKISH AID WORKERS FROM
THE TURKISH RED CRESCENT SOCIETY AND FOUR IRAQI KURDS WERE
KILLED NEAR THE NORTHERN IRAQI TOWN OF DOHUK AFTER A CROWD OF
IRAQI KURDS OPENED FIRE ON THEM.
 
THE OFFICIALS SAY THE VIOLENCE WAS PROVOKED BY WHAT THEY
DESCRIBED AS AGENTS OF THE OUTLAWED KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY
OR P-K-K.  THEY SAY THE CROWD FIRED ON THE TURKISH AID WORKERS
AND FOUR IRAQI KURDISH EMPLOYEES, KILLING ALL SEVEN, AS THEY
WERE DISTRIBUTING RELIEF SUPPLIES TO LOCALS.  
 
BUT IRAQI KURDISH OFFICIALS SAY THE INCIDENTS BEGAN DURING
THE FUNERAL OF SEVEN IRAQI KURDISH SHEPHERDS WHOM LOCAL PEOPLE
BELIEVE WERE KILLED BY TURKISH TROOPS.  ANKARA SAYS THEY WERE
KILLED BY THE P-K-K.  
 
EYEWITNESSES WERE QUOTED AS SAYING THAT WHEN MOURNERS
ATTENDING THE FUNERAL SPOTTED A VEHICLE FLYING A TURKISH RED
CRESCENT FLAG PARKED AT A NEARBY GAS STATION, THEY BEGAN
MARCHING TOWARDS ITS CHANTING ANTI-TURKISH SLOGANS.
 
ONE OF THE THREE AID WORKERS WAS THEN REPORTED TO HAVE
PULLED OUT A PISTOL, WHICH HE BEGAN FIRING AT THE CROWD
KILLING FOUR IRAQI KURDS.  THE ENRAGED MOB IS THEN REPORTED
TO HAVE SEIZED TWO MACHINE GUNS MOUNTED ON THE TURKISH
VEHICLE AND TO HAVE SPRAYED THE TURKISH AID WORKERS WITH
BULLETS.  ALL THREE ARE REPORTED TO HAVE DIED INSTANTLY.
 
WESTERN DIPLOMATS HERE SAY IT IS HARD TO VERIFY WHICH VERSION
OF THE INCIDENT IS ACCURATE.  WHAT IS CERTAIN, THEY ADD, IS THAT
THE LONGER TURKISH TROOPS STAY IN NORTHERN IRAQ THE MORE LIKELY 
IT IS THAT SIMILIAR INCIDENTS WILL BE REPEATED.
 
WESTERN GOVERNMENTS HAVE BEEN JOINED BY NEIGHBORING IRAN IN
CALLING ON TURKEY TO WITHDRAW ITS TROOPS FROM NORTHERN IRAQ
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  ANKARA SAYS IT WILL DO SO ONCE IT HAS
DESTROYED ALL P-K-K BASES IN NORTHERN IRAQ BUT IT HAS  NOT  YET
SET A TIMETABLE FOR A PULL OUT. (SIGNED)

NEB/AZ/MH/MMK

05-Apr-95 11:23 AM EDT (1523 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America