A tour of the Kurdish production of a classic play opens a new frontier for the language. Eager spectators squeezed into whatever standing or sitting room they could find — aisles, stairs — because the theater’s 1,500 seats were all taken. Thunderous applause marked the end of the show as some viewers succumbed to tears. […]
If you read this website regularly, you know there are many crazy court cases going on in Turkey. The prime example of the state of justice Turkey is in, however, is the case of sociologist, writer, human rights activist and feminist Pinar Selek. She has been in a Kafkaesk battle with Turkey’s court system for […]
ISTANBUL – In Istanbul, for the first time in the almost 90 year old history of the republic, a new church will be built. The municipality of Istanbul has given its permission, and the church, which will belong to the Suryani community, will take about three years to build. Turkish media reported that on Monday. […]
‘Should I worry?’ a friend in the Netherlands asked me. ‘It scares me that the PKK is right around the corner.’ She was referring to the arrest of 55 alleged PKK members in the Dutch province of Zeeland. They were holding a ‘secret meeting’, according to the police. I can imagine that’s kind of scary […]
Hollanda’da bir arkadaş ‘Endişelenmem için bir neden var mı?’ diye sordu. ‘PKK’nin bu kadar yakında olması beni ürkütüyor.’ Hollanda’nın Zeeland şehrinde PKK üyeliğiyle suçlanarak tutuklanan 55 kişiden söz ediyordu. Polis raporuna gore bu kişiler ‘gizli bir toplantı’ya katılmışlardı. Düşününce Avrupa’daki Kürtleri ve PKK’yi tanımayan biri için bu biraz korkutucu olabilir.
Li Holandayê hevalekî wisa pirsî; ‘Ji bo ku ez li ber kevim sedemek heye?’ û got ku, ‘hebûna PKKê ya ewqas nêzîk min ditirsîne.’ Li bajarê Holanda Zeelandê 55 kes bi endamtîya PKKê hatibûn sûcdar kirin û girtin, qala van girtîyan dikir. Li gor rapora polîsan ev kes tev li ‘civîneke dizî’ bûbûn. Ji bo […]
The Prime Minister of a country dealing with huge problems both inside and right on its border, who spends his energy criticizing a TV series. Funny as it seems, the way the ‘problem’ of this highly popular TV series, “Magnificent Century”, is being handled at the moment isn’t very funny at all. Far from it. […]
ISTANBUL – Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent (1494-1566) spent thirty years of his life on a horse, stated the Turkish PM Erdogan. But in the highly popular TV soap ‘Muhtesem Yüzyil’, ‘The Magnificent Century’, he is mainly focused on the feminine beauty in the harem. A distortion of historical facts, according to the Prime Minister, and […]
How to start blogging again after not doing it for some three weeks? That ain’t easy, dear readers. Especially when you blog about Turkey, where so much happens in three weeks. How can I decide what’s the most important thing in this period of time, enough to start up the blogging routine again? There was […]
A move to lift BDP deputies’ immunity hurts prospects for a negotiated settlement of the Kurdish conflict, observers say. A government proposal to strip immunity from several deputies with ties to the BDP opposition party could force the Kurdish representatives from Turkey’s political process, observers said. The prime minister office’s recently submitted to parliament of […]