WRITTEN QUESTION E-1665/03 by Luigi Vinci (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Kurdish language teaching in Turkey.
Date: 2003-05-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Kurdistan question, Türkiye, accession to the European Union, education policy, language teaching, linguistic discrimination, linguistic group, minority language, protection of minorities, teacher training

C 88 E/38

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(5 June 2003)

The Commission in its responses to earlier written questions on the treatment of the Roma, specifically
questions E-0434/03 by Mr Meijer and E-0575/03 by the Honourable Member, expressed its concern
about allegations that Roma women are being sterilised without or with coerced consent by doctors in
Eastern Slovakia.

The Commission had specifically referred to the public authorities not, as the Honourable Member
concludes, as an indication that ‘a serious breach of human rights cannot exist unless the government was
aware of it’ but in order to indicate that under internal public law, a state indeed can be held accountable
for violations of human rights, if the incriminated actions can be attributed to him. Hence the reference
made in the reply to Written Question E-0575/03. Under international law, a state’s responsibility goes as
far as to provide for legal provisions to punish coerced or forced sterilization and to ensure objective
criminal proceedings.

The Commission has urged the Slovak authorities to carry out the necessary criminal investigations and to
remedy possible discriminatory measures. So far, the criminal investigations are still ongoing and have not
yet confirmed the above stated allegations, which, if proved to be true, would be punishable under Slovak
criminal law. The Commission does not have the right to interfere in ongoing investigations of a sovereign
state and to prejudge its outcome. It will, however, continue to closely monitor this serious issue.

Finally, the Commission would like to inform the Honourable Member that following intense discussions
with the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) involved in reporting about the issue, it is considering to
include a specific Roma health project in its National PHARE Programme 2003 to improve the situation of
the Roma minority in this important sector.

(2004/C 88 E/0041)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1665/03

by Luigi Vinci (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(19 May 2003)

Subject: Kurdish language teaching in Turkey

About ten months ago the Turkish Parliament adopted new legislation which was supposed to allow
private schools to be set up for the teaching of the Kurdish language.

However, the provisions also stipulated that:

(cid:1) private schools which already teach foreign languages cannot teach Kurdish too, i.e. schools must be

set up specifically to teach Kurdish;

(cid:1) Kurdish may be taught only by teachers with a Kurdish language teaching qualification (cid:1) which until
a year ago did not officially exist, and therefore there could not be any schools to qualify teachers to
teach the language!

(cid:1) Foreign teachers cannot be used to teach Kurdish.

This means that it has not been possible to open a Kurdish language school anywhere in Turkey.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned legislation states that access to Kurdish language courses is restricted to
people who already have a full command of
the Turkish language after completing their primary
education. In practice this means only students over 15 years old, and even then not all of them, since
there is a low level of literacy in south-east Turkey.

This is obviously a crude and cynical move designed to fool the Kurds in Turkey and the European Union,
which has requested that Turkey behave in a civilised way.

Will the Commission analyse this information and does it not consider that it should be forceful in telling
the Turkish Government that its attitude makes it impossible for Turkey to join the European Union.

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/39

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(19 June 2003)

The Commission is aware of the situation regarding the provisions for the teaching of languages and
dialects (other than Turkish) traditionally used by Turkish citizens, as outlined in the Regulation issued by
the Ministry of National Education on 20 September 2002.

The Commission has raised its concerns regarding the limited possibilities for the teaching of languages
and dialects other than Turkish in its regular dialogue with the Turkish authorities. The Commission
considers that the regulatory requirements might constitute an obstacle to the teaching of languages other
than Turkish.

In the recently approved revised Accession Partnership with Turkey, Turkey is asked to ensure cultural
diversity and to guarantee cultural rights for all citizens irrespective of their origin. This includes the need
to ensure effective access to education, radio and television broadcasting in languages other than Turkish
through the implementation of existing measures and the removal of remaining restrictions that impede
this access.

As a Union candidate country, Turkey aims to fulfil the Copenhagen political criteria, which include
respect for and the protection of minorities. In this respect, the Commission will continue to monitor the
situation of non-Turkish language teaching in Turkey, which will include an assessment of the regulatory
environment in which such courses are permitted.

(2004/C 88 E/0042)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1678/03

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(19 May 2003)

Subject: Angola (cid:1) ‘child soldiers’

According to recent media reports, the Angolan Government will exempt any children who fought in the
country’s civil war from compulsory military service.

Human Rights Watch claimed a few days ago that the number of children concerned is likely to be around
11 000.

The World Bank has provided USD 30 million in support of projects for such ‘child soldiers’.

The Commission:

(cid:1) does it have information on the probable or approximate number of children who served in the

armies which fought in the Angolan civil war over the last few years;

(cid:1) how does it view the current situation of children as regards demobilisation, family reunification and

population settlement, and measures taken by Angolan institutions with international support;

(cid:1) has it already started to assess the specific case of the recovery, treatment and education of ‘child

soldiers’ both in general and with regard to those who have been orphaned or handicapped;

(cid:1) what action has it taken or does it intend to take in this regard?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(11 July 2003)

Child soldiers have been used on both sides during the conflict in Angola. While specific figures are not
available, the estimates range between 6 000 (government figures) and 11 000 (Human Rights Watch).