DATE=11/22/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-242010
TITLE=TURKEY/ITALY (L)
BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN
DATELINE=ANKARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THOUSANDS OF ANGRY DEMONSTRATORS TOOK TO THE STREETS OF
THE TURKISH CAPITAL ANKARA SUNDAY TO PROTEST THE FREEING OF
KURDISH REBEL CHIEF ABDULLAH OCALAN BY THE ITALIAN AUTHORITIES.
AMBERIN ZAMAN WAS AT THE PROTEST AT THE ITALIAN EMBASSY IN
ANKARA.
/// BEGIN CHANTING ESTABLISH FADE UNDER... //
TEXT: THOUSANDS OF MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN CARRYING TURKISH
FLAGS AND PICTURES OF LOVED ONES LOST IN THE 14-YEAR-LONG
MILITARY CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE OUTLAWED KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY --
OR P-K-K -- MASSED OUTSIDE THE ITALIAN EMBASSY. THEY WERE
CHANTING THE SAME SLOGAN -- "WE WANT APO."
"APO" IS THE NICKNAME OF P-K-K LEADER ABDULLAH OCALAN WHO WAS
FREED BY AN ITALIAN COURT FRIDAY AFTER BEING DETAINED FOR MORE
THAN A WEEK. PUBLIC ANGER HAS BEEN STEADILY MOUNTING HERE EVER
SINCE THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT REJECTED TURKEY'S DEMANDS TO HAND
OVER MR. OCALAN ON THE GROUNDS THAT HE WOULD BE DENIED A FAIR
TRIAL IN TURKEY. ITALY'S CONSTITUTION FORBIDS CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
AND MR. OCALAN COULD FACE EXECUTION IF FOUND GUILTY IN TURKEY.
IN THE ANKARA DEMONSTRATION WAS REYHAN AZIZO, ONE OF HUNDREDS OF
MOTHERS WHO LOST SONS IN THE WAR AGAINST THE P-K-K.
/// AZIZO ACT IN TURKISH, FADE UNDER... ///
LIKE SO MANY TEARFUL MOTHERS HERE, MRS. AZIZO SAYS THE ITALIAN
GOVERNMENT MUST RETURN MR. OCALAN TO TURKEY. SHE SAYS SHE WANTS
HIS BLOOD IN EXCHANGE FOR THAT OF HER SON, MURAT, WHO DIED IN A
P-K-K AMBUSH LAST YEAR.
/// OPT /// YAVUZ YUCEL IS A 23-YEAR-OLD FORMER ARMY CORPORAL
WHO LOST A LEG DURING A CLASH WITH THE P-K-K IN THE SOUTHEASTERN
PROVINCE OF MARDIN LAST YEAR.
/// YUCEL ACT IN TURKISH, FADE UNDER... ///
MR. YUCEL SAYS HE BELIEVES TURKEY SHOULD GO TO WAR AGAINST ITALY
IF IT PERSISTS IN ITS REFUSAL TO HAND OVER THE P-K-K LEADER. HE
SAYS HE IS GRATEFUL TO THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT FOR BACKING
TURKEY'S EXTRADITION DEMANDS. /// END OPT ///
RELATIONS BETWEEN NATO ALLIES TURKEY AND ITALY HAVE BEEN STEADILY
DETERIORATING EVER SINCE MR. OCALAN STEPPED OFF A PLANE FROM
MOSCOW TEN DAYS AGO AND WAS DETAINED BY THE ITALIAN AUTHORITIES
IN A ROME HOSPITAL.
DURING A CONVENTION OF HIS RIGHT WING MOTHERLAND PARTY SATURDAY,
TURKISH PRIME MINISTER MESUT YILMAZ ACCUSED ITALY OF OPENING ITS
ARMS TO WHAT HE TERMED THE WORLD'S BLOODIEST TERRORIST. MR.
YILMAZ WARNED THAT ITALY'S BEHAVIOR WOULD NOT GO UNPUNISHED.
/// OPT /// PUBLIC ANGER AGAINST ITALY HAS ALSO TRIGGERED A
NATIONWIDE BOYCOTT OF ITALIAN GOODS BY MAJOR SUPERMARKET CHAINS
AND CLOTHING RETAILERS. THE CHARRED REMAINS OF ITALIAN-MADE SILK
TIES AND ITALIAN FLAGS BURNED BY THE PROTESTERS LITTERED THE
ENTRANCE TO THE ITALIAN EMBASSY DURING SUNDAY'S PROTEST. /// END
OPT ///
NEARLY 40-THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE DIED SINCE THE P-K-K LAUNCHED ITS
ARMED CAMPAIGN FOR KURDISH SELF RULE IN 1984. (SIGNED)
NEB/AZ/DW/GE
22-Nov-98 12:41 PM EST (1741 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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