Key developments since May 2005: Turkey declared a stockpile of
2,979,165 antipersonnel mines, a larger figure than reported before; for the
first time it included 22,788 artillery-delivered ADAM mines in the total.
Turkey reported that in December 2005, the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency
and a company signed an agreement to establish a new facility to destroy
stockpiled mines. In May 2006, Turkey said that the victim-activation
components of M18 Claymore mines will be destroyed. On 18 July 2006, the
Kurdistan Workers’ Party committed to a ban on antipersonnel mines by
signing the Geneva Call Deed of Commitment. There were at least 220 new
landmine/UXO casualties in 2005, a significant increase from 168 in 2004 and 67
in 2003. A total of 2,171 mines were cleared from 300,000 square meters of land
in 2005. The process of inviting national and international companies to tender
for clearance of mined areas, in return for their free use of the land, was
contested in parliament.
Mine Ban Policy
The Republic of Turkey acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty on 25 September 2003
and the treaty entered into force on 1 March 2004. Turkey has not enacted
domestic implementation legislation, but has indicated that its constitution,
criminal code and directives of the army general staff give legal effect to the
treaty’s provisions.[1]In
October 2005, Turkey stated that its “existing domestic legislation
contains provisions, including the imposition of penal sanctions, to prevent and
suppress any activity prohibited under the Ottawa
Treaty.”[2]
Turkey submitted its third Article 7 transparency report on 29 April 2006,
for calendar year 2005.[3]It used
voluntary Form J to report casualties and survivor assistance.
Turkey attended the Sixth Meeting of States Parties in Zagreb, Croatia in
November-December 2005. It made a statement on universalization, referring to
Action #46 of the Nairobi Action Plan, “which assigns... certain tasks to
the States Parties concerning ‘armed non-state actors,’ provided
that they are ‘in a position to do so’ and ‘as
appropriate.’ Therefore... we take the view that when engagement with
‘armed non-state actors’ is contemplated, the concerned State Party
should be informed and its consent would be necessary for such an engagement to
take place.”[4]Turkey also
made statements on stockpile destruction, mine clearance, and cooperation and
assistance.
Turkey attended the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in Geneva in
June 2005 and May 2006. At the May meetings, it made statements on
universalization and armed non-state actors, Article 9, stockpile destruction,
mines retained for research and training, mine clearance, mine risk education
and mine action technologies. In its statement on non-state actors, Turkey
repeated its position expressed at the Sixth Meeting of States Parties in
Zagreb.[5]
Turkey has expressed its position on some of the key matters of
interpretation and implementation related to Articles 1, 2 and 3. With regard
to Article 1, in May 2004, the Turkish Mission to the UN in Geneva told Landmine
Monitor that Turkey will not permit the use of antipersonnel mines in Turkey by
other states during joint military operations. The mission also stated that
Turkey considers the stockpiling or transit of foreign antipersonnel mines on
its territory as a breach of the Mine Ban Treaty, and “will never permit
stockpiling or transfer of any type of antipersonnel landmine on its
territory.” The mission denied that, as previously reported, the United
States has a stockpile of 1,100 Air Force Gator antipersonnel mines in
Turkey.[6]In October 2005, Turkey
told Landmine Monitor that, “With respect to joint military [operations],
Turkey has committed herself to act in conformity with the spirit of the Ottawa
Treaty, under all circumstances.”
With respect to Article 2, it stated in October 2005, “Turkey does not
use mines with sensitive fuses and/or anti-handling devices.... Bearing in mind
that some of Turkey’s neighbours have anti-vehicle mines placed on their
border with Turkey, Turkey in principle, is in favour of a prohibition also of
anti-vehicle mines, provided that these neighbours also share the same
view.”[7]
With respect to Article 3, in June 2005, Turkey stated that it “is of
the opinion that States parties with varying geographies, incongruous terrain
and a number of neighbours not yet States parties to the Convention, should not
have numbers or ceilings imposed on them. We agree with the wisdom of the
wording of Article 3.”[8]In
October 2005, Turkey stated, “Incongruous terrain and varying geographies
may require the specific development of mine clearance technology and
techniques. In this context, the number of mines Turkey has retained for
training purposes is in accord with the size of the Turkish armed forces, the
difficult terrain and the vast size of the areas on which mine detection and
mine clearance is being carried out in conformity with Turkey’s treaty
obligations.”[9]In May 2006,
Turkey made a similar statement saying that, “countries with varying
geographies, incongruous terrain, different sizes of armed forces, more mines
emplaced than others and countries that are simply in parts of the world where
there are more anti-personnel mines, which would require more training, should
not have artificial numbers or ceilings imposed on them for the number of mines
to be retained under Article 3.”
[10]
Turkey signed the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) on 26 March 1982
and ratified Amended Protocol II on 2 March 2005. Turkey attended the Seventh
Annual Conference of States Parties to Amended Protocol II in Geneva in November
2005, and submitted its annual report required by Article 13 on 4 October
2005.
In October 2005, the Swiss-based NGO Geneva Call reported receiving a letter
from the president of the Kurdistan Workers Party (Partiya Karkerên
Kurdistan, PKK) and its successor groups, stating that its armed wing, the
People’s Defense Forces (Hezen Parastina Gel,
HPG),[11]had banned antipersonnel
mines.[12]Geneva Call said that
PKK/Kongra-Gel admitted to use of command-detonated mines, but denied any use of
explosive devices, which can be activated by a person or a
vehicle.[13]On 18 July 2006, both
PKK/Kongra-Gel and HPG publicly stated their willingness to commit to a total
ban on antipersonnel mines by signing the Geneva Call Deed of Commitment. HPG
Commander Fehman Hüseyin stated, “AP mines affect civilians and cause
irreparable damage, often long after fighting is over. Our strategy is to
employ discriminate weapons only. This is why we use command-detonated devices,
no longer AP mines.”[14]
On 15 February 2006, the Initiative for a Mine-Free Turkey held a press
conference in Mardin province regarding a tender for a mine clearance project in
the province. During the press conference the Initiative, the mayor of Nusaybin
in Mardin province, the Human Rights Association, and the Diyarbakır Bar
Association presented a joint appeal for mine victim
assistance.[15]
On 23 November 2005, the Initiative organized a press conference to release
the Turkey chapter and major findings, translated into Turkish, of Landmine
Monitor Report 2005. Speakers included a parliamentary member of the
Foreign Affairs Committee and a representative from the Initiative. The event
attracted significant media attention.
Production and Trade
Production of antipersonnel mines ceased concurrently with a moratorium on
the sale and transfer of antipersonnel mines in January
1996.[16]Turkey’s production
facilities for antipersonnel mines were then gradually phased out of
service.[17] Previously, Turkey had
produced both antipersonnel and antivehicle mines. The Turkish company, Makina
ve Kimya Endustrisi Kurumu (MKEK), produced copies of two US antipersonnel mines
(M14 and M16).[18]In its most
recent Article 7 report, Turkey stated, “There is no APM production
facility,” but it has not reported on the conversion or decommissioning of
facilities.[19]
Turkey is not known to have exported antipersonnel mines. Turkey appears to
have imported all of its mines from Germany (DM-11 mines) and the United
States.
Stockpiling and Destruction
Turkey declared 2,979,165 antipersonnel mines in stockpiles in
2006.[20]In previous years it
reported 2,973,481 as the number of mines stockpiled.
[21]Turkey explained that,
“what appears at first glance as an increase from last year is due to the
fact that new counts were carried out in 2005 and also because Artillery
Delivered Anti-personnel Mines or ADAM mines were added to stockpile figures for
the first time. The number of ADAM mines was quantified as 22,788 and this by
multiplying 633 munitions with 36 sub-munitions in
each.”[22]Landmine Monitor
has in past years reported that Turkey imported more than 34,000 ADAM mines from
the United States in 1988.[23]
Turkey’s April 2006 Article 7 report included ADAM mines for the first
time; other changes included an additional 964 M2 mines and 81 unknown types of
mine. However, M3 mines (331 in total) were removed from the list, which showed
a decrease of 17,818 mines for the types DM11 (3,261 less), M14 (8,279), M16
(5,840) and M18 (438).
The deadline for Turkey to complete destruction of its antipersonnel mine
stockpile is 1 March 2008. In June 2005, Turkey said the destruction of
stockpiled mines “is planned to take place following the completion of the
Mine & Ordnance Disposal Facility in
2006.”[25]In May 2006,
Turkey stated that, “a company has been awarded the contract for the...
facility. An agreement was signed between the NATO Maintenance and Supply
Agency (NAMSA) ―through which this facility will be established, albeit
with Turkey’s own resources―and the successful company on the 20th
of December 2005. Efforts are continuing to get the facility up and running by
July 2007, so that stockpiled mines can be disposed of by the 1st of March 2008
deadline.”[26]
Turkey also said that, “the victim activation components of M18
Claymore mines have recently been added to the list of mines to be destroyed and
the necessary steps have been taken to stock only command detonated M18 Claymore
mines.” [27]
Mines Retained for Research and Training
Initially, Turkey reported that it would retain 16,000 antipersonnel mines
under Article 3 for training and development
purposes.[28]This constituted the second highest total of retained mines among States
Parties, after Brazil. In 2006, Turkey reported the number of mines retained
for training had decreased to 15,150 “because 850 mines have been used for
mine detection, mine clearance and mine destruction programmes carried out to
train military personnel involved in mine action, as well as for related
training at various military training
institutions.”[29]The types
of mines retained by Turkey include DM-11, M2, M14, M16 and M18 Claymore mines.
In its 2006 Article 7 report, Turkey did not specify how many of each type of
mine had been destroyed, and how many remained.
Turkey stated in May 2006 that, “after covering some more ground in
mine clearance, Turkey may review the number of mines retained for training
purposes.”[30]In June 2005,
Turkey said, “This figure [16,000 mines] may be reassessed as the process
of downsizing the armed forces
progresses.”[31]
Turkey has yet to provide details on the intended purposes and actual uses of
its retained mines, as agreed by States Parties at the First Review Conference
in November-December 2004. Turkey did not utilize the new expanded, voluntary
Form D on retained mines agreed by States Parties at the Sixth Meeting of States
Parties in November-December 2005.
Use
The use of antipersonnel mines by Turkish Armed Forces was banned by a
directive from the Chief of General Staff on 26 January
1998.[32]There have been no confirmed instances of use of antipersonnel mines by
Turkish forces since that time.
During interviews Landmine Monitor conducted with people living in the
Diyarbakır and Mardin provinces of the region of southeastern Anatolia,
they said they had the impression that security forces sometimes purposefully
leave unexploded debris in areas endangering civilians. People living in the
conflict-affected areas also believed that security forces may be responsible
for mine casualties that occur near police stations. While there is no evidence
to support these claims, Landmine Monitor noted that these are widely held
impressions among local
populations.[33]
In June 2004, PKK/Kongra-Gel and HPG ended a unilateral cease-fire they
called in 1999 in favor of a future, bilateral cease-fire. However, in
2005-2006 numerous mine incidents were reported in the media as armed attacks
intensified, with the PKK/Kongra-Gel usually cited as responsible for using the
mines. As reported in the media, most incidents involved antivehicle mines,
including command-detonated mines. At least some incidents appear to have been
the result of victim-activated antipersonnel mines or improvised explosive
devices, but the date of their placement cannot be confirmed.
The Turkish government reported that 39 military personnel were killed and
155 injured in 2005 by mines laid by
PKK/Kongra-Gel.[34]The Initiative
for a Mine-Free Turkey recorded 220 casualties from mines and unexploded
ordnance in 2005, with most occurring during a period of increased armed clashes
in the latter part of the year.[35]In July 2005, General Ilker Basbug, the army second-in-command, said that
PKK violence had claimed the lives of 105 soldiers and 37 civilians over the
past year, and claimed that the rebels used mostly explosives and landmines in
their attacks.[36]
In December 2005, during an operation in the neighborhood of Mount
Ağrı (Mount Ararat), the Gendarme General Command reportedly recovered
40 DM-11 antipersonnel mines and other weapons that belonged to the
PKK.[37]Turkey did not report this
seizure of mines in its Article 7 report covering calendar year
2005.[38]
Landmine and UXO Problem
Turkey is affected by landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). The problem
derives mainly from antipersonnel mines laid by government forces on
Turkey’s border with Syria in 1956-1959, as well as around security
installations and on some sections of the borders with Armenia, Iran and Iraq to
prevent illegal border crossings. Landmines were also laid by government forces
in the east and southeast of the country during and after internal armed
conflict in 1984-1999, with “the purpose of hindering terrorists from
moving into central regions.” During the same period and subsequently,
PKK/Kongra-Gel and associated armed groups also used mines in these
areas.[39]
In May 2006, Turkey reported that a total of 984,313 mines, of which 164,497
were antivehicle mines emplaced on the Syrian border and 819,816 were
antipersonnel mines emplaced in an unspecified number of areas within the
country and along the border with
Syria.[40]In its Article 7 report
submitted in May 2005, Turkey had reported a total of 919,855 mines in known
mined areas across its territory, and at least 687 mines in locations suspected
to be mine-contaminated.[41]Turkey
explained that the increase in the numbers reported in 2006 was due to the fact
that, “fields which were suspected of being minefields, indeed, turned out
to be minefields.”[42]Turkey
reported previously that it had laid 936,663 antipersonnel landmines between
1957 and 1998.[43]
It has been claimed that in the east and southeast of the country, mines in
and around evacuated villages have impeded the return and settlement of
displaced people. Mines were reportedly laid around villages, military
installations, border areas, water springs, feeding grounds, pathways and
mountain caves, posing a serious threat to
returnees.[44]For example, in
Hakkari province and its surroundings, which are believed to have experienced
some of the most intense fighting, the government evacuated population centers
and relocated people to more central villages or to camps. Villagers that had
been displaced were said still to be reluctant in early 2006 to return to their
villages due to the threat of
landmines.[45]
The Hakkari Anti-Landmine Awareness Campaign (the Hakkari Group), a civil
society entity made up of legal professionals, has undertaken a survey of
injuries caused by explosive devices. During a survey, they stated that Hakkari
town and Yenimahalle district were severely contaminated with both mines and
UXO, especially near Turkish military installations, and that livestock were
killed by these. [46]
Casualties reported in the media indicate that, in addition to mines, UXO
pose a significant threat in some parts of Turkey, and that the number of
mine/UXO incidents has increased over the last few years. At least 220 military
and civilian casualties from mines and UXO were reported in 2005, a significant
increase from previous years (see section Landmine/UXO Casualties in this
report).
Mine Action Program
National Mine Action Authority: As of May 2006, there was no national
mine action authority in Turkey. In November 2005, Turkey stated that,
“there is a plan to create a National Mine Action Authority and a Mine
Action Centre.”[47]According
to a media report in April 2006, the General Staff proposed the
establishment of a “National Mine Clearance Committee” under the
supervision of the Office of the Prime Minister and, if the government accepted
the proposal, the General Staff offered to fill any gaps in skilled personnel
with active or retired military
personnel.[48]
A Mine Action Commission was set up on 9 September 2003 under the
Southeastern Anatolia Project Regional Development Administration (T.C.
Başbakanlık Güneydoğu Anadolu Projesi Bölge
Kalkınma İdaresi Başkanlığı, GAP), in the context
of a program aiming to clear minefields on the border with
Syria.[49]The commission consisted
of representatives of the armed forces and the ministries of finance and
agriculture. It worked on land survey, determining the type of demining needed,
assessing the legal basis for the tender process, and it prepared demining
operations.[50]
At the beginning of 2006, GAP’s head of development informed Landmine
Monitor that the Mine Action Commission had conducted all initial surveys of
mined areas on the border with Syria, including soil analysis and a
determination of legal ownership of the affected land. The Commission handed
over its reports to the Ministry of Finance in June 2005. Since then, the
commission’s task was deemed to have been
completed.[51]
Mine Action Center: There has been no mine action center in Turkey.
According to its Article 7 report of April 2006, however, “work for the
establishment of a ‘National Mine Action Center’ commenced in 2005.
Studies in this context are
continuing.”[52]Turkey has
determined that the ‘mine action center’ will be established under
the auspices of the Office of the Prime Minister, and that it will include
representatives of various ministries, the undersecretariat for Customs, the
Southeastern Anatolia Project Regional Development Administration and the Army
General Staff.[53]
As of mid-2006, there was no national mine action legislation. Turkey stated
in November 2005 that, “after the creation of a National Mine Action
Centre, National Mine Action Standards will be set in compliance with IMAS
[International Mine Action
Standards].”[54]
Strategic Planning and Progress
In order to meet its 2014 deadline for clearance of emplaced antipersonnel
mines, Turkey has developed a “Mine Action Work Plan,” according to
which, “the 510 kilometer long mined area with 615,149 mines on her 905
kilometer border with Syria will be cleared under the management of the Ministry
of Finance by way of outsourcing. Seventeen million US dollars have been
invested in this project to clear a strip that was mined between 1956 and 1959
against illegal border
crossings.”[55]
Turkey’s mine action plan also included clearing the minefield along 42
kilometers of the border with Iraq (containing 75,115 mines), the minefield
along 109 kilometers of the border with Iran (containing 191,428 mines) and the
minefield along 17 kilometers of the border with Armenia (containing 21,984
mines).[56]In June 2006, Turkey
declared that its program included the clearance of all 984,313 emplaced
mines.[57]
The Ministry of Finance planned to issue a tender for commercial companies to
demine areas along the Syrian border, under the auspices of the armed forces.
The Ministry of Finance determined that clearance of all mined areas on the
Syrian border would cost around US$600 million and should be undertaken by
companies which would use the land for agriculture so as to create new
employment opportunities in the
region.[58]According to the terms
of the tender, those companies will then be able to use the land–but only
for agricultural activities–during a period of 44 years, starting from the
issuance of the final clearance certificate. The tender specified that
clearance should be done according to International Mine Action Standards (IMAS)
during a five-year
timeframe.[59]
On 24 November 2005, GAP issued the first tender for
one suspected mined area of 45,326,447 square meters in Nusaybin,
Kızıltepe and Mardin
districts.[60]No satisfactory
proposals were received.[61]
Despite lack of success with the first tender by February 2006, the governor
of Mardin indicated that tenders would be re-issued for that area. New tenders
were prepared for Cizre and Ýdil districts of Þýrnak
(16,580,503 square meters), Þanlýurfa (57,125,555 square meters),
Gaziantep (15,929,776 square meters), Kilis (11,682,441 square meters) and Hatay
(34,616,296 square meters). It was declared that tenders for other mined areas
would follow. [62]
However, in parliament on 3 March 2006 the Turkish opposition party, The
Republican People’s Party (Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi, CHP) was very critical
that tender-bids were being accepted from foreign companies. CHP Deputy Chair,
Onur Oymen, questioned why Turkey was “handing over more than 500,000
hectares of land in an area that is of the utmost strategic importance to
foreigners ... who would be cultivating those priceless fields for 49
years.” He said that the CHP would present a motion to parliament asking
for the establishment of an investigating commission, and if this was
unsuccessful would present a motion for general debate in
parliament.[63]
On 31 May 2006, media reported that the government had consulted with the
Army General Staff and decided to continue on the basis of handing over mined
areas on the Syrian border to national and foreign companies. The new terms of
contract would give preference to companies that guarantee the use of cleared
land for the shortest time and, for “security issues,” foreign
companies should have a Turkish
partner.[64]
Summary of Efforts to Comply with Article 5
According to Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, Turkey must destroy all
antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as
possible, but no later than 1 March 2014. In May 2006, Turkey stated that
although its deadline is further ahead than most, “Turkey is not
complacent, takes its obligations seriously and is doing everything in its power
to complete its obligations on
time.”[65]In June 2005,
Turkey reported that its mine clearance program has the objective of clearing
all emplaced mines by 2014.[66]
Demining
Mine clearance has been conducted exclusively by a specialized unit of the
Turkish General Staff.[67]In May
2006, Turkey reported that the number of army personnel involved in mine
clearance activities rose from 325 in 2005 to 461 in
2006.[68]However, in June 2005,
Turkey had reported that the specialized mine clearance unit was composed of 75
people and 11 demining teams (of 18 people each), totaling 263
staff.[69]Also, the specialized
mine clearance unit “has protective outfits, mine clearance dogs, manual
and mechanical clearance equipment at their
disposal.”[70]As of May
2006, no progress had been reported on Turkey’s plan announced in 2005 to
introduce “modern demining equipment” to clear the Syrian border as
quickly as possible.[71]
Identification of Mined Areas: Surveys and Assessments
In its response to a Landmine Monitor questionnaire in June 2006, Turkey
reported that, “no additional survey for the identification of mined areas
had been carried out in 2005-2006.” However, at the same time Turkey
provided an updated number of landmines emplaced on its territory “on the
basis of surveys carried out during
2005.”[72]In November 2005,
Turkey stated that although mines emplaced by the PKK/Kongra-Gel were not
precisely known, “they are being secured and cleared as
detected.”[73]In August
2005, Turkey had informed Landmine Monitor that, “activities to identify
areas mined by the PKK/ Kongra-Gel terrorist organization have been
continuing.”[74]
Marking and Fencing
In 2006, Turkey stated that minefields are marked and fenced according to
international standards, and this is checked by the General Staff “when
deemed necessary.”[75]No
information has been provided on the materials used for marking and fencing, or
on the frequency of monitoring. Local people in southeast Turkey interviewed by
ICBL in early 2005 indicated that there are broken and damaged fences around
minefields, and mines and UXO can be found in unmarked and unfenced locations in
inhabited areas.[76]In February
2006, the mayor of Nusaybin district in Mardin province also stated that a
number of suspected mined areas near populated places were unmarked and
unfenced.[77]The Hakkari Group
reported that only one area in Çukurca district had warning signs, and
that many other areas in Hakkari where the presence of mines was suspected did
not have any marking signs.[78]
Mine and UXO Clearance
In June 2006, Turkey informed Landmine Monitor that 2,171 landmines were
cleared from 300,000 square meters of
land.[79]The locations of
clearance operations were described only as “certain regions of East and
South-East Anatolia.”[80]
Turkey’s Article 7 report submitted in April 2006 stated that 17,886
antipersonnel mines were cleared from January-December
2005.[81]However, this may refer
to cumulative clearance over several years (clearance operations started in
1998). In 2004, only 1,225 antipersonnel mines were reported
cleared.[82]
Turkey has presented various other accounts of mine clearance results which
do not appear to be consistent. In November 2005, at the Sixth Meeting of
States Parties, Turkey reported the clearance of 16,957 antipersonnel mines
since 1998 from a total area of around 67,500 square
meters.[83]In June 2006, Turkey
reported that a total of 2.5 square kilometers had been
cleared.[84]
In 2006, clearance operations re-started in May, after “harsh winter
conditions had prevented mine clearance activities” since
November.[85]
Clearance is carried out manually and with mine detection dogs. Turkey did
not report what types of land are being cleared but stated that the majority of
cleared areas are not suitable to agricultural activity. Also, Turkey reported
that land cleared has not yet been handed over and is therefore not being
used.[86] No additional information
was provided.
It was reported that there were no accidents during demining operations in
2005.[87] Turkey reported that five
military deminers had been injured in
2006.[88]
Mine Risk Education
In its Article 7 reports, Turkey stated that people living next to minefields
that have been laid by government forces are warned of the dangers, and that
mined areas are marked and
fenced.[89]
Mine risk education (MRE) continued in 2005 on a very limited scale, mainly
provided by local NGOs in the context of public awareness-raising on the issue
of landmines/UXO. There is no MRE coordinating body in Turkey.
An MRE poster prepared in early 2004 by the Initiative for a Mine-Free Turkey
was accepted by the Inspection Committee of Human Rights of Grand National
Assembly of Turkey (Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi, TBMM). The poster was
published by TBMM with the approval of the ministries of internal affairs and
national education in May 2006. The posters were delivered to 4,972 elementary
schools in 11 cities, as well as to municipalities and other institutions in
mine-affected areas.[90]
The Diyarbakır Bar Association produced a book of photographs of mine
casualties, to increase public awareness of the mine issue. A poster and a
brochure were also produced for elementary schools. The photographs were
exhibited in Istanbul on 18 March 2006, and then transferred to Diyarbakır
in April, with exhibitions in other cities
planned.[91]
The three main human rights organizations, Human Rights Association
(İnsan Hakları Derneği, İHD), Association for Human Rights:
Solidarity with the Oppressed (Mazlum-Der: İnsan Hakları ve
Mazlumlarla Dayanışma Derneği) and Turkish Human Rights
Foundation (Türkiye İnsan Hakları Vakfı, THİV) included
information on mine/UXO casualties in their reports, helping to raise awareness.
İHD declared that it will begin a consciousness-raising campaign in
2006.[92] Activities by the Hakkari
Group included basic MRE in local areas, and it planned to use results of its
2005 survey of mine incidents and casualties to raise
awareness.[93]
Landmine/UXO Casualties
In 2005, the Initiative for a Mine-Free Turkey identified at least 220 new
mine/UXO casualties in 62 incidents, including 68 killed and 152
injured.[94]This represents a
significant increase compared to 168 mine/UXO casualties reported in 2004, and
67 in 2003.[95]However, due to
incomplete data collection of civilian casualties, these figures may not
accurately reflect the incidence of mine/UXO casualties. Turkey’s Article
7 report for 2005 reported 194 military mine casualties (39 killed and 155
injured); the report included no information on civilian
casualties.[96]
At least 22 of the casualties recorded by the Initiative for a Mine-Free
Turkey were children. Mines caused 190 casualties and UXO caused 30 casualties.
Eight provinces accounted for 88 percent (194) of casualties identified through
media reports in 2005: Hakkari (57), Bingöl (33), Şırnak (31),
Diyarbakır (22), Ağrı (15), Van (13), Siirt (13) and
Elazığ (10).[97]
In April 2005, a 20 year-old-man was injured after stepping on a landmine in
Çukurca town in southeastern
Turkey.[98]In another incident in
April, a 10-year-old boy was killed after a landmine exploded while he was
digging in the ground near the village of
Tasliburun.[99]In July, six
civilians were injured after their truck struck a landmine in the province of
Şırnak.[100]In
September, one man was killed and two injured by a mine in Genç district
of Bingöl, and in October, a man returning from his fields was injured by a
mine in Beytüşşebap district of
Şırnak.[101]One child
was killed and another injured in December when they pastured sheep in
Çaldıran district of Van
province.[102]Also in December,
a shepherd was injured and 15 sheep of his flock were killed when he entered a
restricted military zone in Kars near the border with Armenia, where landmine
incidents are reportedly not common; two soldiers were also injured by a mine in
the southeastern province of
Elazığ.[103]
Turkey reported that five military deminers had been injured in
2005.[104]
Migrants passing through Turkey may become mine casualties in Greek
minefields as they attempt to cross the border illegally from Turkey into
Greece. On 16 April 2005, a Turkish truck driver was killed in Iraq by a
roadside mine.[105]
Casualties continued to be reported in 2006, with at least 25 new mine/UXO
casualties in 11 incidents from January to 5 June 2006: seven were killed (six
were military) and 18 were injured, including at least nine
children.[106]Examples of
reported casualties include the first UXO incident reported from Istanbul, which
involved eight children. All were injured, but one child died a week later in
the hospital.[107]On 11 April,
six children were injured by a landmine while playing in a field in
Şırnak province.[108]On 16 April, two soldiers were killed and two injured when their vehicle
passed over a landmine in Elazığ
province.[109]A police officer
was killed on 2 May while walking to his sentry point near the police
headquarters in Çukurca, Hakkari, near the border with Iraq; according to
the media report, the mine was believed to have been planted by the
PKK.[110]In a similar incident
in Hakkari on 12 May, a Turkish officer was killed when he stepped on a
mine.[111]On 23 May, one soldier
was killed and another injured when they drove over an antivehicle mine in
Diyarbakır; in a separate incident the same day in Bingöl province, a
mine laid at a paramilitary police post injured one
soldier.[112]One soldier was
killed when he stepped on a landmine during an action with the PKK in the Cudi
mountains of Şırnak province, bordering Iraq and Syria, on 30
May.[113]On 5 June, one woman
was killed and two other people (one child) injured when they handled UXO found
at a military scrap yard in Sakarya province; although the area is restricted,
locals occasionally enter to graze
animals.[114]
In Afghanistan, a Turkish engineer working on a road construction project was
killed with three others on 7 February 2006, when their vehicle triggered a mine
on the Herat-Kandahar highway in Farah
province.[115]
In its initial Article 7 report, Turkey reported that 400 armed forces
personnel were killed and 1,216 injured in mine incidents between 1984 and
August 2004.[116]Previously, the
government reported that between 1993 and 2003 landmines caused 2,905
casualties, including 1,823 military personnel (299 killed and 1,524 injured)
and 1,082 civilians (289 killed and 793
injured).[117]
Survivor Assistance
The distribution of healthcare resources in Turkey is uneven with one third
of hospital beds and nearly half of the medical professionals located in three
cities. Officially, healthcare is provided free of charge, but in reality this
is rarely the case. In emergencies, people can receive treatment in any
hospital until their situation stabilizes. University hospitals are open to
referred people able to pay, but the quality and variety of services varies
considerably.[118] In April 2006,
the Diyarbakır Bar Association facilitated a successful application for
civilian treatment at the Gulhane Military Medical Academy for two child mine
survivors rejected previously, as well as for other civilian
survivors.[119] A Turkish
official stressed that military facilities are available for civilian care, and
that a website offers instruction as to how civilians can
apply.[120] The Justice for
Everybody project carried out by the Association, which provided free legal
assistance to mine victims, concluded in February
2006.[121]
The Initiative for a Mine-Free Turkey, with support from the German NGO
Medico International, began a research initiative in May 2006 to determine the
number and needs of survivors in three cities with high mine casualties,
Diyarbakır, Mardin and Siirt. The Initiative for a Mine-Free Turkey
informed the members of parliament for the cities about the project, resulting
in the Minister of Internal Affairs requesting provincial governors to provide
necessary support for the project.
[122]
Turkey submitted the voluntary Form J with its Article 7 report for 2005,
giving details of victim assistance activities for military
personnel.[123]At the armed
forces’ rehabilitation centers in Bursa and Ankara, 155 military mine
casualties were treated during
2005.[124]Between 2000 and
August 2004, a total of 1,015 mine survivors received rehabilitation services at
the centers.[125]
Physical rehabilitation services are also available for mine survivors at the
prosthetic workshop and rehabilitation center at Dicle University; the center
provides lower limb prostheses.[126]However, many survivors are not aware that they can receive prosthetics at
Dicle.[127]Turkey has 28
rehabilitation institutes, but most focus on musculoskeletal disorders rather
than disability and rehabilitation. There are approximately 600 private
rehabilitation services paid from the national social security system for
specialized care, education and rehabilitation of people with disabilities,
including mine survivors, but most services are located mainly in cities and are
not accessible for the majority of people with
disabilities.[128]Inequality of
resources is a key issue limiting access to rehabilitation.
Turkey reported that in 2005, 38 military mine survivors received financial
or employment benefits, as did the dependents of 83 military personnel killed in
mine incidents.[129]Employment
opportunities for survivors and dependents of others killed in mine incidents
are provided in the public sector, as well as vocational training; they also
receive interest-free housing
credits.[130]
Disability Policy and Practice
Turkey’s updated Disability Law (No. 5378) entered into force on 1 July
2005 to protect people with disabilities from discrimination in employment,
education, access to healthcare, and in the provision of other state services.
The Presidency Administration for Disabled People, under the Prime Minister, is
responsible for protecting the rights of people with disabilities. Though no
social discrimination was reported, people with disabilities suffered from a
lack of economic opportunity. Turkey also has action plans for disability
issues.[131]
The Turkish Disability Confederation, with a membership of over 300
disability NGOs, consists of five federations: the Orthopedic Handicapped
Federation, the Blind Federation, the Mentally Handicapped Federation, the Deaf
Federation and the Federation of Sports for Handicapped People; however, few of
these organizations were considered
productive.[132]
[1] Article 7 Reports, Form A and
Annexes A, B and C, 1 October 2004 and 10 May 2005. In particular, Article 90
of the constitution gives the force of law to international treaties, and
Article 174, Law #5237 of the criminal code, which entered into force on 2 June
2005, brings in penal sanctions regarding explosives. Article 174 does not
explicitly mention mines or the Mine Ban Treaty. It states: “A person who
accepts or keeps insignificant amount and type of an explosive material will be
sentenced up to one-year imprisonment by considering the intention of
use.” [2] Letter No. 649.13/2005/BMCO
DT/8805 from Vehbi Esgel Etensel, Counselor, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the
UN in Geneva, to Landmine Monitor (HRW), 3 October 2005. [3] Previously Turkey submitted
Article 7 reports on 10 May 2005 and 1 October 2004. [4] Statement on universalization
by Turkey, Sixth Meeting of States Parties, Zagreb, 29 November 2005. [5] “Statement by Turkish
Delegation on the Question of Universalization and the Question of ‘Armed
Non-State Actors,’” Standing Committee on General Status and
Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 8 May 2006. Turkey made a similar
statement at the intersessional meetings in June 2005. [6] Turkey’s additional
response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the
UN in Geneva, 30 May 2004. US government sources reported US mines stored in
Turkey as of 1997; see Landmine Monitor Report 2000, p. 848. [7] Letter No. 649.13/2005/BMCO
DT/8805 from Vehbi Esgel Etensel, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the UN in
Geneva, to Landmine Monitor (HRW), 3 October 2005. [8] “Statement on Article 3
by Turkey at the Ottawa Treaty Intersessional Meeting,” Standing Committee
on General Status and Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 17 June 2005. [9] Letter No. 649.13/2005/BMCO
DT/8805 from Vehbi Esgel Etensel, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the UN in
Geneva, to Landmine Monitor (HRW), 3 October 2005. [10] Statement by Turkey,
“Article 3 Update,” Standing Committee on General Status and
Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 12 May 2006. [11] The PKK, KADEK and
Kongra-Gel were declared terrorist groups by the European Union in May 2002 and
April 2004. [12] Geneva Call, “Armed
Non-State Actors and Landmines,” November 2005, p. 124, citing a letter
received from the president of Kongra-Gel, dated 24 October 2005. [13] Ibid. [14] Geneva Call, “The
Kongra-Gel/HPG pledges to renounce the use of anti-personnel mines,” Press
Release, Geneva, 18 July 2006. [15] The appeal was signed by the
Mayor of Nusaybin Mardin, the President of Branch Office of Human Rights
Association in Mardin, Diyarbakır Bar Association, and Initiative for a
Mine-Free Turkey, Mardin, 15 February 2006. [16] The export moratorium was
renewed in 1999 and made permanent in March 2002. [17] Letter No. 649.13/2005/BMCO
DT/8805 from Vehbi Esgel Etensel, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the UN in
Geneva, to Landmine Monitor (HRW), 3 October 2005. [18] Turkey’s additional
response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the
UN in Geneva, 30 May 2004. [19] Article 7 Report, Form E, 29
April 2006. Turkey made a similar statement in its 2005 report. [20] Article 7 Report, Form B, 29
April 2006; statement by Turkey, Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction,
Geneva, 11 May 2006. [21] Article 7 Reports, Form B, 1
October 2004 and 10 May 2005. [22] Statement by Turkey,
Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 11 May 2006. Turkey also
provided an explanation in its Article 7 Report, Form B, 29 April 2006. The
more common term for the system is the Area Denial Antipersonnel Mine. [23] See Landmine Monitor
Report 1999, pp. 820-821, citing US government documents. [24] Article 7 Report, Form B, 29
April 2006. [25] “Statement by Turkey
on 13 June 2005 at the Ottawa Treaty Intersessional Meeting,” Standing
Committee on Mine Action, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action Technologies,
Geneva, 13 June 2005. See also Article 7 Report, Form F, 10 May 2005. [26] Statement by Turkey,
Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 11 May 2006. [27] Ibid. [28] Article 7 Reports, Form D, 1
October 2004 and 10 May 2005. This included 4,700 each of DM-11 and M14, and
2,200 each of M16, M18 and M2 mines. [29] Statement by Turkey,
“Article 3 Update,” Standing Committee on General Status and
Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 12 May 2006. This information was also
indicated in Article 7 Report, Form D, 29 April 2006. [30] Statement by Turkey,
“Article 3 Update,” Standing Committee on General Status and
Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 12 May 2006. It said the same in October
2005: “After covering sufficient ground in mine clearance, Turkey may
review the number of mines retained under Article 3 of the Treaty.”
Letter No. 649.13/2005/BMCO DT/8805 from Vehbi Esgel Etensel, Permanent Mission
of Turkey to the UN in Geneva, to Landmine Monitor (HRW), 3 October 2005. [31] “Statement by Turkey
on 13 June 2005 at the Ottawa Treaty Intersessional Meeting,” Standing
Committee on Mine Action, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action Technologies,
Geneva, 13 June 2005. [32] Statement by Turkey, Fifth
Meeting of States Parties, Bangkok, 17 September 2003. [33] Initiative for a Mine-Free
Turkey, “Reports from field missions to Diyarbakır and Mardin, June
13-14 and July 20, 2004 and March 12-18, 2005.” In September 2005, the
general president of a national union of land surveyors held a press conference
to call attention to an incident in which a surveyor was killed and two others
injured by a landmine, while undertaking a survey near a gendarme station on 19
September 2005. The general president noted that there was much speculation
about who placed the mine, and some believed it was placed to protect the
station. Yapı-Yol Union press statement, 21 September 2005. [34] Article 7 Report, Form J, 29
April 2006. [35] Initiative For a Mine-Free
Turkey, www.mayinsizbirturkiye.org. [36] “Turkey says US
ordered arrest of PKK leaders, threatens incursion into Iraq,” Agence
France-Presse (Ankara), 19 July 2005. [37] “PKK ammunition were
captured on Iran border,” Vatan, 25 December 2005. [38] Article 7 Report, Form D, 29
April 2006. [39] See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, pp. 826-827. [40] Article 7 Report, Form C, 29
April 2006; statement by Turkey, Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk
Education and Mine Action Technologies, Geneva, 10 May 2006. [41] Article 7 Report, Form C, 10
May 2005. [42] Article 7 Report, Form C, 29
April 2006; statement by Turkey, Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk
Education and Mine Action Technologies, Geneva, 10 May 2006. [43] Statement by Turkey,
Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action
Technologies, Geneva, 11 February 2004. [44] Interview with Selahattin
Demirtaş, Chairperson, Diyarbakır Branch, Human Rights Association,
Diyarbakır, 14 June 2004; see Landmine Monitor Report 2005, p. 586.
[45] Email from Rojbin Tugan,
Spokesperson, Hakkari Group, 21 February 2006. [46] Ibid. [47] Statement by Turkey, Sixth
Meeting of States Parties, Zagreb, 30 November 2005. [48] “Military asks for a
mine clearance committee,” Yeni Şafak (Turkey), 3 April 2006.
[49] Statement by Turkey, Sixth
Meeting of States Parties, Zagreb, 30 November 2005. [50] Email from Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, 12 January 2005; see Landmine Monitor Report 2005, p.
587. [51] Telephone interview by the
Initiative for a Mine-Free Turkey with Muammer Yaşar Özgül, Head
of Development Department, GAP, Ankara, 21 February 2006. [52] Article 7 Report, Form A, 29
April 2006. [53] Response to Landmine Monitor
Questionnaire, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the UN in Geneva, 16 June
2006. [54] Statement by Turkey, Sixth
Meeting of States Parties, Zagreb, 30 November 2005. [55] Ibid. [56] Response to Landmine Monitor
Questionnaire, Annex, Mine Action Work Plan, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the
UN in Geneva, 31 August 2005. [57] Response to Landmine Monitor
Questionnaire, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the UN in Geneva, 16 June
2006. [58] See Landmine Monitor
Report 2005, pp. 587-588. [59] Ministry of Finance, Terms
of tender for Mardin, www.maliye.gov.tr,
accessed 28 November 2005. Translation by Landmine Monitor. [60] Telephone interview by the
Initiative for a Mine-Free Turkey with Muammer Yaşar Özgül, GAP,
21 February 2006. [61] Declaration by Mehmet
Kiliçar, Governor of Mardin, Mardin, 15 February 2006, as reported by the
Initiative for a Mine-Free Turkey; email from Lars Nylin, Managing Director,
Countermine Engineering Ab, Sweden, 29 May 2006. [62] Declaration by Mehmet
Kiliçar, Governor of Mardin, Mardin, 15 February 2006. [63] “CHP contends
foreigners in mine-clearing tender,” The New Anatolian (Turkey), 6
March 2006. [64] “Negotiations about
the timeframe for mine clearance,” Hurriyet, 31 May 2006. [65] Statement by Turkey,
Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action
Technologies, Geneva, 10 May 2006. [66] Statement by Turkey,
Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action
Technologies, Geneva, 13 June 2005. [67] Statement by Turkey, Sixth
Meeting of States Parties, Zagreb, 30 November 2005. [68] Statement by Turkey,
Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action
Technologies, Geneva, 10 May 2006. [69] Statement by Turkey,
Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action
Technologies, Geneva, 13 June 2005. [70] Statement by Turkey, Sixth
Meeting of States Parties, Zagreb, 30 November 2005; see Landmine Monitor
Report 2005, p. 587. [71] Statement by Turkey,
Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action
Technologies, Geneva, 13 June 2005; Turkey’s response to Landmine Monitor
Questionnaire, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the UN in Geneva, 31 August
2005. [72] Response to Landmine Monitor
Questionnaire, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the UN in Geneva, 16 June
2006. [73] Statement by Turkey, Sixth
Meeting of States Parties, Zagreb, 30 November 2005. [74] Responses to Landmine
Monitor Questionnaires, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the UN in Geneva, 31
August 2005 and 16 June 2006. [75] Statement by Turkey,
Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action
Technologies, Geneva, 10 May 2006; Article 7 Report, Form I, 29 April 2006;
response to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the
UN in Geneva, 16 June 2006. [76] See Landmine Monitor
Report 2005, p. 588. [77] Interview by the Initiative
for a Mine-Free Turkey with Mehmet Tanhan, Mayor of Nusaybin, Mardin, 15
February 2006. [78] Email by Rojbin Tugan,
Hakkari Group, 21 February 2006. [79] In its response to Landmine
Monitor, Turkey did not specify whether antipersonnel and/or antivehicle mines
were cleared. [80] Response to Landmine Monitor
Questionnaire, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the UN in Geneva, 16 June
2006. [81] Article 7 Report, Form G, 29
April 2006. [82] Article 7 Reports, Form G,
29 April 2006 and 10 May 2005. [83] Statement by Turkey, Sixth
Meeting of States Parties, Zagreb, 30 November 2005 [84] Response to Landmine Monitor
Questionnaire, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the UN in Geneva, 16 June
2006. [85] Statement by Turkey,
Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action
Technologies, Geneva, 10 May 2006; Turkey’s response to Landmine Monitor
Questionnaire, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the UN in Geneva, 16 June
2006. [86] Response to Landmine Monitor
Questionnaire, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the UN in Geneva, 16 June
2006. [87] Ibid. [88] Ibid. [89] Email from
Güçlü Cem Işık, Second Secretary, Permanent Mission
of Turkey to the UN in Geneva, 6 June 2006. [90] Email from Muteber
Öğreten, Initiative for a Mine-Free Turkey, 29 May 2006; see
Landmine Monitor Report 2005, p. 589. [91] Ibid. [92] Emails from Muteber
Öğreten, Initiative for a Mine-Free Turkey, 23 March and 29 May
2006. [93] Email from Rojbin Tugan,
Hakkari Group, 21 February 2006. [94] Information from media
reports analyzed by Initiative for a Mine-Free Turkey; it scans about eight
newspapers daily to record mine incidents. [95] See Landmine Monitor
Report 2005, p. 590. [96] Article 7 Report, Form J, 29
April 2006. [97] Information from media
reports analyzed by Initiative for a Mine-Free Turkey. [98] “A Person Injured
After Stepping on a Landmine,” Anadolu Agency (Hakkari), 29 April
2005. [99] “Turkish boy killed
by land mine,” Associated Press (Ankara), 7 April 2005. [100] “Six injured in
Turkish landmine blast,” Reuters (Diyarbakır), 10 July
2005. [101] “Mr. Doğan
Cadastral Technician is a victim of a mine explosion,” Sabah, 21
September 2005; “He Stepped on a mine and lost his leg,” Anadolu
Agency (Hakkari), 11 October 2005. [102] “Mine Explosion in
Çaldıran: one killed,” Anadolu Agency (Hakkari), 1
December 2005. [103] “Two soldiers and a
shepherd injured in landmine explosions,” Turkish Daily News
(Ankara), 7 December 2005. [104] Response to Landmine
Monitor Questionnaire, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the UN in Geneva, 16 June
2006. [105] See Landmine Monitor
Report 2005, p. 591. [106] Information from media
reports analyzed by Initiative for a Mine-Free Turkey. [107] “‘Military
scrap’ caused a calamity: yesterday,” Radikal (Istanbul), 7
April 2006. [108] Susan Frazer,
“Turks detain suspected Kurdish militants,” Associated Press
(Ankara), 11 April 2006. [109] “Two soldiers
killed in landmine explosion in south-east Turkey,” Deutsche
Presse-Agentur (Istanbul), 8 April 2006. [110] “Soldier killed by
mine,” Turkish Daily News (Ankara), 2 May 2006. [111] “Landmine kills
Turkish officer near Iraqi borders,” Kuwait News Agency (Istanbul),
12 May 2006. [112] “Mines kill Turkish
soldier, injure two,” Turkish Daily News (Ankara), 23 May 2006. [113] “Four killed in
violence in southeast Turkey,” Agence France-Presse
(Diyarbakır), 30 May 2006. [114] “Woman killed
handling munitions at scrap yard,” Associated Press (Ankara), 7
June 2006. [115] “Turkish engineer
among four killed in Afghanistan mine blast,” Kuwait News Agency
(Kabul), 7 February 2006; “Turkish, Indian engineers killed in Afghan
mine explosion,” Xinhua News Agency (Kabul), 7 February 2006. [116] Article 7 Report, Form J,
1 October 2004. [117] Presentation by Turkey,
Standing Committee on Victim Assistance and Socio-Economic Reintegration,
Geneva, 13 May 2003. [118] European Observatory on
Health Care Systems, “HiT summary: Turkey 2004, Health Care Systems in
Transition.” [119] Information provided by
Şahin Altuner, Lawyer, Diyarbakır Bar Association, 17 April, 2006. [120] Email from
Güçlü Cem Isik, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the UN in
Geneva, 14 July 2006. [121] Information provided by
Muteber Öğreten, Initiative for a Mine-Free Turkey, 21 June 2006. [122] Emails from Muteber
Öğreten, Initiative for a Mine-Free Turkey, 29 May and 27 June
2006. [123] Article 7 Report, Form J,
29 April 2006. [124] Response to Landmine
Monitor Questionnaire, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the UN in Geneva, 16 June
2006; Article 7 Report, Form J, 29 April 2006. [125] Article 7 Report, Form J,
1 October 2004. [126] See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 829. [127]Landmine Monitor
Report 2005, pp. 591-592, misstated that “survivors may not be aware
that they could receive medical and rehabilitation assistance through military
facilities.” In fact, at that time, survivors could not receive
assistance from military facilities, according to Initiative for a Mine-Free
Turkey. [128] Information Society
Technologies, “Enhanced Participation in IST projects related to e-Health
and e-Inclusion,” 30 March 2006, p. 81. [129] Article 7 Reports, Form
J, 29 April 2006 and 1 October 2004. [130] Response to Landmine
Monitor Questionnaire, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the UN in Geneva, 16 June
2006; Article 7 Report, Form J, 29 April 2006. [131] See Landmine Monitor
Report 2005, p. 592; US Department of State, “Country Reports on Human
Rights Practices-2005: Turkey,” Washington DC, 8 March 2006. [132] Information Society
Technologies, “Enhanced Participation in IST projects related to e-Health
and e-Inclusion,” 30 March 2006, p. 81.
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