WRITTEN QUESTION E-0519/02 by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Persistent systematic measures to combat the use of the Kurdish language and the election of Kurdish members of parliament in Turkey.
Date: 2002-02-25
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Member of Parliament, Türkiye, accession criteria, aid policy, freedom of expression, language teaching, minority language, political parties, political representation

17.4.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 92 E/11

population who practise freely the Christian or Buddhist religions. There remain, however, issues on which
further progress is needed, as well as a number of individual cases of concern.

The Commission Delegation in Hanoi and the diplomatic missions of the Member States raise on an
ongoing basis issues of concern in relation to human rights, as well as individual cases. In addition, the
human rights situation was discussed during the Union-Vietnam Joint Commission in Hanoi on
6 November 2001 and again raised during the donors Consultative Group Meeting in Hanoi on
7-8 December 2001.

(2003/C 92 E/013)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0506/02

by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Commission

(22 February 2002)

Subject: Sentence of death by stoning in Sudan

According to information from Human Rights Watch, on 8 December 2001, a criminal court in the town
of Nyala in southern Sudan sentenced 18-year-old Abok Alfa Akok, who was pregnant at the time, to
death by stoning for adultery, whereas the man with whom she had sexual relations was not convicted
because of a lack of evidence. The Sudanese Government, it should be recalled, ratified the International
Convention on Civil and Political Rights in March 1986 which prohibits the carrying out of the death
penalty on a pregnant woman.

the Commission exert pressure on the Sudanese Government

Will
international
commitments, refrain from carrying out the death penalty by stoning and hold a new trial in accordance
with legal procedures which ensure that Ms Abok Alfa Akok has legal representation in court and recourse
to the language that she understands?

to honour

its

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(5 April 2002)

The Commission (cid:1) through its Delegation in Sudan (cid:1) has been active on this issue and contacts have
been taken with the Sudanese authorities. It is clear that the international community’s action has been
influential. The Court of appeal in Southern Darfur overturned the sentence of death by stoning and sent
the case back to the lower criminal court in Nyala for new sentencing where Ms Akok was given 75 lashes.

However, Ms Akok’s lawyer has launched an appeal to the high court on the grounds that the sentence
was given and immediately executed, thus making it impossible for Ms Akok to seek legal advice and
preventing her from exercising any right of appeal. So far, the lawyer did not receive any answer.

The Sudanese government ratified the international covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR) in March
1976. However, Sudan has not yet ratified the second optional protocol to the CCPR, aiming at the
abolition of the death penalty. The Commission will also continue to follow the issue of the international
obligations of Sudan.

(2003/C 92 E/014)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0519/02

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(25 February 2002)

Subject: Persistent systematic measures to combat the use of the Kurdish language and the election of

Kurdish members of parliament in Turkey

1.
Is the Commission aware that, although at the end of 2001 the Republic of Turkey amended its
Constitution so as to give the impression that the public use of the Kurdish language, which is spoken by
the vast majority of the population in the south-east, is now permitted, the provision of education in that

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language is being systematically avoided, and that the tens of thousands of students who applied for an
optional language course, as well as their families, now face the possibility of being isolated or incarcerated
as a punishment for doing so?

Is the Commission aware, furthermore, that the Democratic People’s Party (HADEP), which is strong
2.
in the south-east, which administers towns and villages there and which according to opinion polls can
now be expected to exceed the national electoral threshold of 10 %, is being threatened with a ban in order
to prevent proper Kurdish representation in the Turkish Parliament becoming a reality at long last?

3.
Does the Commission share my fear that, by systematically combating the use of the Kurdish
language in administration, education and the media, and by keeping out of the national Parliament
members who advocate equal rights for the large Kurdish-speaking majority,
the Turkish State is
continuing to give the impression that, while it is keen to maintain control over the territory in the south-
east, it is completely uninterested in the living conditions, welfare and freedoms of the vast majority of the
millions of people who live there, thereby encouraging people to emigrate from the region and causing
many of them to seek a solution to their problem through illegal immigration into EU Member States?

Does the Commission see any indication that the forces which are currently dominant in Turkey
4.
might in the near future be prepared to introduce equal rights, comparable to those which now exist in
other multilingual states such as Spain, Belgium and, thanks to the intervention of the EU, since recently in
Macedonia, so that there will no longer be any reason for the Kurdish population to feel discriminated
against and to leave Turkey?

5. Will the Commission suspend all forms of pre-accession aid and other forms of financial aid to
Turkey (cid:1) with the exception of emergency aid in the event of natural disasters (cid:1) and refrain from making
any preparations for Turkey’s accession to the European Union until such time as the Kurds enjoy
linguistic and cultural equality with the Turks and for so long as democracy continues to be seriously
restricted by excluding from membership of Parliament non-violent democratic parties which have strong
support among the electorate?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(12 April 2002)

The Commission is aware of the situation in the South-East as well as of the language issue and the
reaction of the Turkish government to the petitions of the students.

Like the Parliament, the Commission is monitoring closely the developments related to the judicial
proceedings against the Halkin Demokrasi Partisi (HADEP) party in the Constitutional Court. On 1 March
2002, HADEP presented its defence before the Constitutional Court. Shortly after, the public prosecutor
asked the Court to dismiss the proceedings against HADEP on the basis that there is not enough evidence
that HADEP has an organic link with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). The trial is continuing behind
closed doors and a verdict may be delivered shortly.

As regards the situation in the South-East, the state of emergency was extended again in March 2002 in
the four provinces of Diyarbakir, Hakkari, Sirnak and Tunceli. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on
extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions has strongly recommended the Turkish government to
consider lifting the state of emergency in all provinces of the country (1). An East and South-East Action
Plan initiated by the National Security Council, but still not made public, has been enacted with the
approval of the Prime Minister. The plan reportedly includes measures related to public administration,
economy, health and education. The Commission has repeatedly requested information about this plan to
the Turkish authorities. The Union has adopted a project (EUR 47 million) for the South-East to further
stimulate its economic development in view of providing employment for the persons in these regions.

The Commission is of the opinion that the Turkish government should ensure cultural diversity and
guarantee cultural rights for all citizens irrespective of their origin. Any legal provisions preventing the
enjoyment of these rights should be abolished including in the field of education. This is a medium-term
priority identified in the Accession Partnership with Turkey (2).

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The Commission considers that financial co-operation can help promote the necessary changes in Turkey,
and to encourage Turkey to comply with the Copenhagen criteria. In this respect, special attention is paid
to projects related to the fulfilment of the Copenhagen political criteria in the field of human rights.
Turkey is a focus country under the 2002-2004 programme of the European initiative for Human Rights
and Democracy.

(1) UN Doc. E/CN.4/2002/74/Add. 1, 18 December 2001.
(2) OJ L 85, 24.3.2001.

(2003/C 92 E/015)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0528/02

by Christa Randzio-Plath (PSE) to the Commission

(25 February 2002)

Subject: Working conditions in the flower trade

In Europe, on 14 February, St Valentine’s Day, lovers give each other flowers. Most of those flowers come
from countries outside Europe. Cut flowers are imported into Europe principally from Latin America and
Africa. Europe is the largest market for cut flowers. Flower pickers and packers of both sexes work for
derisory wages, on dubious contracts, frequently without any suitable apparel to protect them against
pesticide poisoning and in constant danger of falling ill.

1. What measures is the European Commission taking in trade and cooperation agreements in order to
help bring about better working conditions for men and women working in the flower trade?

To what extent does the Commission use the granting of development cooperation funds in order to

2.
eliminate the problems faced by workers in the flower trade?

Answer given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(23 April 2002)

In its communication ‘Promoting Core Labour Standards and Improving Social Governance in the Context
of Globalisation’ (1), the Commission presented a comprehensive strategy, suggesting action at European
and international levels, by public and private actors alike, and in all relevant policies: social, external
relations, development and trade. The Community strategy aims to create incentives and build capacity for
countries to implement and respect core labour standards globally and in all sectors of the economy,
including the flower trade in Latin America and Africa.

A concrete step has been the adoption by the Council of a revised generalised system of preferences (GSP)
scheme. The social incentive scheme (cid:1) which grants additional preferences to countries that respect the
core labour standards (cid:1) was improved and the basis for temporary withdrawal of the general preferences
was extended to cover grave and serious infringement of all International Labour Organisation (ILO) core
conventions, including those related to child labour.

As regards bilateral agreements, the Commission communication suggested inclusion of core labour
standards as an integral element, thus following the approach taken in the EC-ACP Partnership Agreement
with the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (the Cotonou Agreement).

Specifically, future agreements between the European Union and Mercosur and Chile will include a special
section on cooperation in social, cultural and work-related matters, e.g.:

(cid:1) respect for and promotion of the principles relating to fundamental labour rights, taking into account

the rules of the ILO;

(cid:1) the development and modernisation of

labour relations, working conditions, social welfare and

employment security;