The hunt for ROJ-TV continues

You who can read Turkish may know by now that the Turkish media has intensified its hunt for the Kurdish TV-channel ROJ-TV. The Turkish media are using titles such as "PKK's mouthpiece" or "PKK's mediachannel" for the TV-station. They are also claiming that ROJ-TV, as a TV-channel, has called on Kurdish civilians to rise up against the government. Why are they saying this? Look, let me tell you something about the Turkish view of "democracy". Several mayors from the DTP party, being interviewed by the Kurdish channel who has asked them what their reaction is to the Turkish army's killing of 14 PKK guerrillas by chemical weapons, has simply answered "we are planning to hold a demonstration tomorrow in our municipality". This is interpreted by the Turkish regime and media as a CALL TO RISE UP by the TV-channel itself.

For you who live outside of Turkey: How many times haven't you seen a political party being interviewed by media, tell the media about their plans? Let me give you Cindy Sheehan as an example. Has she never told channels such as CNN or NBC that she is planning to hold a protest in Washington D.C. against the war in Iraq? Has Republicans EVER tried to shut down these TV-stations just because they interviewed Cindy Sheehan? Now, whatever happens during the demonstration is not the business of the media. If the police in D.C. would decide to break up the demonstration with tear gas, truncheons and water cannons, and if this would in turn lead to upset protesters throwing rocks at the police, then what the hell has the media to do with these clashes?

But according to "democracy" in Turkey, a TV-station can be blamed for the violent conduct of protesters if the TV-station had them on air. NOTHING has changed in Turkey. It's all bad make up. Ask the Kurds.

Source :DozaMe.org/blog .2006.03.31