Subject: TURKEY / NORTHERN IRAQ BY LAURIE KASSMAN/DOHUK, NORTH IRAQ
Topic: voa
From: yanni@ix.netcom.com (Ioannis Bousnakis)
 
DATE=4/28/95
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-20345
TITLE=TURKEY / NORTHERN IRAQ
BYLINE=LAURIE KASSMAN
DATELINE=DOHUK, NORTH IRAQ
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

// EDITORS NOTE:  KURDISH SOUND RELATED TO THIS REPORT CAN BE 
OBTAINED FROM AUDIO SERVICES.  IT WAS SENT VIA LONDON AT 10:45 
A.M. WASHINGTON TIME ON FRIDAY //

INTRO:  TURKEY HAS PULLED BACK THE BULK OF ITS 35-THOUSAND TROOPS
FROM NORTHERN IRAQ WHERE IT WAS POUNDING AWAY AT SUSPECTED CAMPS 
OF THE RADICAL TURKISH KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY (PKK) THEIR 
OBJECTIVE WAS CUT OFF THE P-K-K'S SUPPLY ROUTES TO SOUTHEAST 
TURKEY.  NOW, IRAQI KURDS ARE SLOWLY RETURNING TO THEIR VILLAGES 
BUT THEY STILL FEAR MORE TURKISH ATTACKS IN THEIR AREA.  V-O-A 
CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN TRAVELED TO THE SMALL VILLAGES IN 
NORTHERN IRAQ THAT WERE IN THE LINE OF FIRE AND FILES THIS 
REPORT.

TEXT:  KURDS IN NORTHERN IRAQ ARE GLAD TO SEE THE TURKISH TROOPS 
LEAVE.  BUT THEY DO  NOT  THINK THEY HAVE SEEN THE LAST OF THEM. 
MANY WHO WERE FORCED TO EVACUATE THEIR HOMES DURING THE PAST 
MONTH EXPECT THEY WILL HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN, AS THEY HAVE IN THE 
PAST.  THEY ARE ANGRY AND FED UP.

IN THE TINY HAMLET OF DEHIKI, SOME 50 KILOMETERS NORTH OF THE 
PROVINCIAL CAPITAL OF DOHUK, BASMA HID WITH HER HUSBAND IN A 
LARGE DRAINAGE PIPE WHILE THE TURKISH ARMY SHELLED THE ELUSIVE 
P-K-K GUERRILLAS IN THE MOUNTAINS ABOVE HER VILLAGE CONSISTING OF
SEVEN MUD AND STRAW DWELLINGS.  THE SHELLS FELL ON HER VILLAGE 
AND KILLED MANY OF THE ANIMALS. 

                // BASMA ACT IN KURDISH AND FADE //

BASMA SENT HER 12 CHILDREN TO THE SAFETY OF A MAKESHIFT TENT CITY
DOWN THE ROAD.  BUT SHE DID  NOT  WANT TO LEAVE HER COWS, AFRAID 
THEY WOULD BE STOLEN OR KILLED.  SHE FINALLY FLED TO SAFETY.  THE
COWS DIED.

IT WAS  NOT  THE FIRST TIME SHE AND HER NEIGHBORS HAD BEEN FORCED
TO RUN.  SADDAM HUSSEIN'S ARMY DESTROYED THE VILLAGE IN 1988.  
SHE AND HER NEIGHBORS REBUILT IT ONLY TO SEE IT DESTROYED AGAIN 
DURING THE 1991 UPRISING AGAINST BAGHDAD.  SHE FLED TO IRAN THEN,
BUT RETURNED TO REBUILD THE VILLAGE YET AGAIN.

                  // BASMA KURDISH AND FADE //

ALL MY LIFE I SPENT RUNNING FROM HERE.  NOW, I JUST WANT TO WAIT 
HERE TO DIE, SHE SAYS.

ABDEL AZIZ TAYYIB IS THE GOVERNOR OF DOHUK PROVINCE WHERE MOST OF
THE FIGHTING BETWEEN TURKISH TROOPS AND THE P-K-K TOOK PLACE. HE 
IS ANGRY AND DESCRIBES THE IRAQI KURDS AS VICTIMS.

                     // KURDISH AND FADE //

HE SAYS WE ARE VICTIMS OF THE FIGHT BETWEEN THE P-K-K AND TURKEY.
THEY ARE FIGHTING ON OUR SOIL, HE SAYS ,AND ADDS THAT MANY HOMES 
WERE DESTROYED AND FAMILIES DISPLACED.  HE SAYS TURKEY SHOULD 
RESOLVE ITS PROBLEMS ON ITS SIDE OF THE BORDER,  NOT  ON HIS 
LAND.

MORE THAN 21-THOUSAND VILLAGERS IN THE LINE OF FIRE EITHER FLED 
TO SAFETY OR WERE FORCED TO EVACUATE THEIR VILLAGES BY TURKISH 
TROOPS.  MR. TAYYIB SAYS 71 VILLAGES IN ALL WERE EVACUATED. 

WESTERN AID WORKERS SAY VILLAGERS HAVE COME TO THEM WITH 
COMPLAINTS OF FAMILY MEMBERS OR FRIENDS DISAPPEARING, OF HUMAN 
RIGHTS ABUSES, OF LOOTING BY THE ARMY, OF ANIMALS KILLED AND 
CROPS DESTROYED.  TURKEY SAYS IT WILL INVESTIGATE THE 
ALLEGATIONS.

GOVERNOR TAYYIB WANTS TO SEE TURKEY POLICE ITS OWN BORDERS BUT HE
SAYS THE KURDS IN NORTHERN IRAQ MUST DO THE SAME. 

                    // TAYYIB ACT AND FADE //

SINCE THE GULF WAR, THE BORDER SITUATION HERE IS  NOT  NORMAL.  
GOVERNOR TAYYIB SAYS REBUILDING VILLAGES DESTROYED IN PREVIOUS 
ATTACKS AND REPOPULATING THE BORDER AREA CAN PROVIDE THE BEST 
SECURITY FOR NORTHERN IRAQ.  BUT HE SAYS THE KURDS NEED FINANCIAL
HELP FROM OUTSIDE TO DO IT.

MEANWHILE, FAMILIES ARE SLOWING RETURNING HOME TO INSPECT THE 
DAMAGE AND TRY TO RESTART THEIR LIVES.  BUT THEY DO  NOT  EXPECT 
MUCH STABILITY. 

TURKEY HAS BEEN CARRYING OUT AIR STRIKES AND INCURSIONS ACROSS 
THE 340 KILOMETER BORDER FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.  TURKEY SAYS
THE OPERATION IN NORTHERN IRAQ HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND THAT MORE 
THAN 500 P-K-K GUERRILLAS WERE KILLED.  AND, PRIME MINISTER TANSU
CILLER HAS WARNED SHE WILL SEND HER ARMY ACROSS THE BORDER AGAIN 
TO PREVENT THE P-K-K FROM USING NORTHERN IRAQ AS A REFUGE.  
(SIGNED)

NEB/LK/SKH/CF

28-Apr-95 11:35 AM EDT (1535 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America