The escalation of violence in Turkey with the recent attacks by the PKK against security forces as well as official harassment of Kurdish civilians and the opposition have reached a dangerous boiling point. The country is in danger of being swept up in a civil strife that can rip society apart.<\/p>\n
The first priority for everyone must be to stop the fighting. In the meantime, both parties to this conflict must be accountable for their actions in order to prevent violations of international humanitarian law.<\/p>\n
It is unrealistic to expect Turkey not to respond to attacks by the PKK but the blanket curfews, humiliating and degrading treatment of civilian population and prevention of free flow of information are unacceptable conducts in any conflict.<\/p>\n
Being a non-state armed group does not exempt the PKK from compliance with international humanitarian law. The type of weapons it uses as well as its conduct in the battlefield will have consequences for the PKK.<\/p>\n
PKK violence is causing more than loss of life and human suffering. It is destroying the space for civilian Kurdish politics, and future prospects for an honourable political settlement, too.<\/p>\n
As the death toll mounts for the security forces in clashes with the PKK, rising nationalist tensions throughout Turkey are flaring into a fiery rampage.<\/p>\n
Accused of a calculated move to foment conflict in the country, both the President\u00a0and the Prime \u00a0Minister have\u00a0finally urged restraint but the discriminatory tolerance or even encouragement of abusive behaviour against opponents by the pro-government media and some ruling-party politicians continue at full speed.<\/p>\n
Warning leaders that Turkey is heading towards a civil war, Selahattin Demirta\u015f, the joint leader of the pro-Kurdish Peoples\u2019 Democratic Party (HDP) accuses the government and the national security service of being behind attacks on his party premises.<\/p>\n
Angry mobs, waving Turkish flags have been setting fire to the HDP\u2019s offices and targeting Kurdish people, businesses and buses.<\/p>\n
H\u00fcrriyet, one of Turkey\u2019s best-selling newspapers, accused of misquoting Mr. Erdo\u011fan, came under attack from a large group of protestors led by an AKP deputy.<\/p>\n
Ahmet Hakan, a H\u00fcrriyet columnist, \u00a0received a death threat from the pro-government Star newspaper columnist Cem K\u00fc\u00e7\u00fck the next day. \u201cWe could crush you like a fly if we want. We have been merciful until today and you are still alive,\u201d K\u00fc\u00e7\u00fck wrote.<\/p>\n
The way the government permits impunity for those engaging in threatening behaviour towards Turkish journalists is matched by the increasing legal pressure applied on foreign correspondents.<\/p>\n
Last week, two British journalists with Vice News were arrested on terror charges while reporting in Diyarbakir, and quickly deported. Their Iraqi colleague, is still in prison pending court proceedings.<\/p>\n
Diyarbakir-based freelance Dutch journalist Frederike Geerdink, who was detained on September the 6th\u00a0 <\/sup>\u00a0on terrorism charges also got deported 3 days later.<\/p>\n “This deportation sends a chilling signal that authorities don’t want independent reporting on sensitive Kurdish issues in southeast Turkey,” said<\/a> CPJ Deputy Director Robert Mahoney.<\/p>\n Condemning attacks on the HDP and the H\u00fcrriyet newspaper, the leader of the main opposition Kemal K\u0131l\u0131\u00e7daro\u011flu talked of the country passing through a tough test to maintain societal peace.<\/p>\n Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bah\u00e7eli was even more explicit in his warning. \u201cTurkey is on the verge of civil war\u201d he said, adding: \u201cOne spark will be enough to burn Turkey and crash the country into domestic turmoil\u201d.<\/p>\n Supporters of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) have taken to the streets to demonstrate against the PKK and the government but they deny any responsibility for anti-Kurdish attacks.<\/p>\n The far-right youth movement which has close links with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), published a statement<\/a> pledging it will remain within the law but it has become clear that some of its members have already switched sides.<\/p>\n