GERMANY / TURKS (S ONLY) BY DAGMAR BREITENBACH/BONN

From: yanni@ix.netcom.com (Ioannis Bousnakis)

DATE=7/26/95

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-182562

TITLE=GERMANY / TURKS (S ONLY)

BYLINE=DAGMAR BREITENBACH

DATELINE=BONN

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: ARSONISTS HAVE FIREBOMBED THREE MORE TURKISH PROPERTIES IN GERMANY AFTER SEVEN SIMILAR ATTACKS THE PREVIOUS NIGHT. V-O-A'S DAGMAR BREITENBACH IN BONN REPORTS INVESTIGATORS SUSPECT KURDISH ACTIVISTS ARE PROBABLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ARSON.

TEXT: UNKNOWN ARSONISTS FIREBOMBED THE BUILDING OF A TURKISH NEWS AGENT, A CULTURAL CENTER, AND A GROCERY STORE OVERNIGHT IN DIFFERENT CITIES IN SOUTHWESTERN GERMANY.

REGIONAL INVESTIGATORS SAY THE CIRCUMSTANCES POINT TO THE KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY -- THE P-K-K -- WHICH IS BANNED IN TURKEY AND IN GERMANY. NO ONE WAS HURT IN THE ATTACKS.

SIMILARLY, NO ONE WAS HURT IN SEVEN FIRE-BOMBINGS OF TURKISH SHOPS AND OFFICES THE PREVIOUS NIGHT. INVESTIGATORS ALSO BELIEVE THE P-K-K WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EARLIER ATTACKS.

IN A MORE-PEACEFUL EFFORT TO PROTEST THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT'S CRACKDOWN ON KURDISH ACTIVISTS IN SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY, KURDS IN MANY CITIES THROUGHOUT GERMANY HAVE GONE ON HUNGER STRIKES AND STAGED DEMONSTRATIONS.

THE PARTY HAS BEEN FIGHTING THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT SINCE 1984 FOR AN INDEPENDENT HOMELAND IN SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY. THE KURDISH MILITANTS HAVE TAKEN THEIR STRUGGLE ABROAD. GERMANY HAS A LARGE TURKISH COMMUNITY OF ALMOST TWO MILLION PEOPLE. (SIGNED)

NEB/DB/JWH

26-Jul-95 7:00 AM EDT (1100 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America