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DATE=2/25/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245964
TITLE=TURKEY KURDS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN
DATELINE=ANKARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  TURKEY'S CHIEF PROSECUTOR, VURAL SAVAS, HAS ASKED THE 
COUNTRY'S TOP COURT TO BAR THE LARGEST KURDISH PARTY FROM TAKING 
PART IN PARLIAMENTARY AND MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS DUE TO BE HELD ON 
APRIL 18TH.  AS AMBERIN ZAMAN REPORTS FROM ANKARA, COURT 
PROCEEDINGS HAVE ALREADY BEGUN TO SHUT DOWN THE PRO-KURDISH 
"PEOPLE'S DEMOCRACY PARTY," OR "HADEP," ON CHARGES OF ACTING AS 
THE POLITICAL FRONT FOR AN OUTLAWED KURDISH REBEL GROUP.
TEXT:  THE CHIEF PROSECUTOR SAID HADEP SHOULD  NOT  BE PERMITTED 
TO RUN IN THE ELECTIONS BECAUSE OF THE THE COURT CASE LINKING IT 
TO THE OUTLAWED KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, THE P-K-K.  INFORMATION
PROVIDED THROUGH INTERROGATION OF RECENTLY-CAPTURED P-K-K CHIEF, 
ABDULLAH OCALAN, HAS REPORTEDLY SUBSTANTIATED THE COURT'S CLAIM 
THAT HADEP HAD CLOSE TIES WITH THE P-K-K.
MR. SAVAS ALSO CHARGED THAT P-K-K MILITANTS HAVE MADE DEATH 
THREATS AGAINST ETHNIC KURDS IN TURKEY'S LARGELY KURDISH 
PROVINCE, IF THEY DID  NOT  VOTE FOR HADEP IN THE ELECTIONS.
HADEP OFFICIALS DENY ALL THE CHARGES.  BUT ANALYSTS SUGGEST IT IS
INCREASINGLY UNLIKELY THE GROUP WILL BE PERMITTED TO RUN 
CANDIDATES.  IF IT IS, THE ANALYSTS ADD THAT HADEP IS UNLIKELY TO
WIN THE MINIMUM 10 PERCENT OF THE NATIONAL VOTE NEEDED TO GET A 
SEAT IN THE TURKISH PARLIAMENT.  ANALYSTS NOTE, HOWEVER, THE 
PARTY WOULD LIKELY SWEEP HUNDREDS OF MAYORAL SEATS IN THE MAINLY 
KURDISH PROVINCES, IN THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS HELD THE SAME TIME 
AS THE NATIONAL VOTE.
//REST OPT//
IN A RELATED DEVELOPMENT, TWO LAWYERS TRAVELED ON THURSDAY TO THE
PRISON ISLAND WHERE THE P-K-K LEADER ABDULLAH OCALAN IS BEING 
HELD. TURKISH AUTHORITIES HAD EARLIER REJECTED THE LAWYERS' 
REQUESTS TO MEET WITH MR. OCALAN, WHO WAS CAPTURED IN KENYA LAST 
WEEK BY TURKISH SPECIAL FORCES. THE LAWYERS WERE EXPECTED TO MEET
WITH MR. OCALAN IN THE PRESENCE OF A JUDGE. DETAILS OF THAT 
MEETING WERE  NOT  IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE.
THE P-K-K LEADER FACES THE DEATH PENALTY FOR ESTABLISHING AND 
LEADING THE SEPARATIST KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY. THE REBEL GROUP 
HAS BEEN WAGING A 14-YEAR-LONG CAMPAIGN FOR KURDISH INDEPENDENCE 
FROM TURKEY.  OVER 30-THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN THE CONFLICT. 
(SIGNED)
NEB/AZ/PCF
25-Feb-99 12:58 PM EST (1758 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.