Headlines of the day

The Journal of Turkish Weekly (an online English publication)

Turkish Court Sentences Pro-Kurdish Party Leader to 10 Months

Selahattin Demirtas, a co leader of pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) was charged with spreading propaganda of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which is outlawed and seen as a terrorist organization. He made the speech in 2006 on Roj TV. Roj TV is an international Kurdish satellite television station that broadcasts in several dialects of Kurdish as well as Arabic and Turkish. It is stationed in Denmark.

Demirtas who is a leader of a human rights association in Diyarbakir (a predominant Kurdish population) spoke about the imprisoned PKK leader, Abdullah Ocalan, "role should be considered in solving the Kurdish issue."

I found this to be an extreme and not an act of terrorism in the least, but that is because I come from a nation that is known for free speech.

Non-stop Turkish Diplomacy Aims for Permanent Cease-fire with PKK

Lately, the news has been revolving around domestic diplomacy with the PKK. Turkey has been working with the United States and Iraq intensely on the Kurdish issue. All three nations came to an agreement of putting a plan together to stop the terrorist front.

"Turkey is currently working on the issue in three stages. First, it wants to extend the cease-fire declared by the PKK that expires this week. Second, it wants the truce to be permanent and, third, it wants to overhaul the problem entirely by taking political steps at home."