Political crackdown in Turkey: two murdered

PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan's arrest in Italy, and the Italian government's refusal to extradite him to Turkey, has provoked a storm of chauvinism within Turkey orchestrated by the Turkish ruling class. The ruling National Military Council which stands behind the government recently issued an internal policy statement to the heads of the army, gendarmerie, secret police and city mayors as well as to the Foreign Ministry, the religious issues Department, the Press and Publications Department, the Anatolian Press Agency and the Turkish Radio and TV authority.

Their edicts include the instruction that those who join demonstrations or support the PKK must be stopped by any means necessary by "psychological and physically effective means"; and that police and other authorities suppressing demonstrators must not be given negative media coverage. Following the edict, two protesters have been killed: one by fascists on 21st November, the other by the police on 18th November.

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