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) NNNN Source: Voice of America