Polarisation; myth or fact?

I have lived in Turkey for almost six years now, and it still teaches me something new every day. Istanbul, Turkey’s largest commercial hub, is a labyrinth that embodies a romantic old Europe with mounds of eastern history to unravel. Once you start peeling back the layers, it becomes an obsession that most of us foreigners can’t live without.

People always ask: “Why Turkey?” My reply: “Why not?”.

If truth be told the first time I came to Turkey I hated it. I landed in a conservative neighbourhood of Istanbul, and, was in complete culture shock for at least ten days. There were no women on the street after 9pm. My apartment was about 20 metres from a very noisy mosque. No one spoke English. I didn’t understand the public transport. I felt as if I’d landed on the moon. I remember calling my mother, after I’d figured out the awful public payphone system, and pleading with her to rescue me from this backwater place.

I returned six months later and haven’t been able to leave since. It’s not like I haven’t tried. I have left Turkey at least five times, but I always return. So, why is Istanbul so attractive to us foreigners? It’s the village syndrome. Istanbul is a city of almost 17 million people. It has everything anyone could want, culture, the arts, nightlife, hidden away pockets of nature, the hustle bustle of any worldly metropolis. It is a city that is constantly moving, but, it is one of the only cities in the world in my opinion – I’ve travelled from the US to South East Asia – where one feels like you’ve known your taxi driver forever. I live in a city, but it feels like a village, and my taxi-driver lives on the next street.

Turkish taxi-driving hospitality

Recently I had to attend a live programme on Turkey’s ongoing elections cycle. Already ten minutes late I ran out of the house and hailed a taxi on the street. When we got to the studio I reached into my bag for my wallet, but found myself in a very awkward position, I'd left it at home. Oh no, I thought "What should I do?"

Seeing my dispair, my taxici simply shrugged his shoulders and said casually: “No problem, you can pay me later, it’s OK.” My taxici was a stranger to me, but he wanted to help solve my problems.

Although we live in a vast city, there is always someone who wants to help, be it because they are nosey, or bored or for whatever reason. But Turkish people still have time for each other. This is something to be applauded. There is this feeling that “we are in this together”. It’s something quite remarkable to me, still, after all this time, because I come from a world where people make appointments two weeks ahead just to have dinner with a personal friend.

So if people still extend a helping hand to each other, is Turkish society really becoming more polarized as many analysts say? The recent crisis over the presidential elections have been cited as proof of this polarisation – millions of people took to the streets to protest against an “Islamic lifestyle”. The western media played a great role in fostering tensions by talking about “two Turkeys”. But, since when has there only been two Turkeys? At my last count there were at least 6, 7 , 8 or even more Turkeys. It is a complex social fabric of many religions, ethnicities, and cultures that even an expert anthropologist would have a hard time counting.

Tough measure

I personally attended both the Ankara and Istanbul protests, and there is no doubt that they were absolutely huge. There were masses of people on the street, but were the numbers honest? News services claimed that turn out in Istanbul had been larger than that of Ankara. In my opinion, and the opinion of the two handsome policemen who were standing next to our SNG truck, there were actually less people on the streets of Istanbul than Ankara.

I remember it very clearly, because I and a couple of colleagues were discussing this throughout the day. The general consensus among us was that people had stayed away from the Istanbul protests because of the military memorandum issued just one week earlier. When you look at the election results this week, our conclusions on that day made perfect sense. So, were the numbers inflated and why? Was this to add to the ongoing polarisation of Turkish society. Turkish friends tell me: “We don’t talk to each other anymore, there is even an eye of suspicion towards a stranger.”

But, from where I’m standing conversation has never been so lively in Turkey. Even the taxi driver has something to say on the country’s future. The question everyone is asking now is: “Will the new government be able to please the ordinary taxi driver that still wants to help you.”

This will be the new government's toughest challenge, to transfer the recent economic boom of the financial markets into something that helps the ordinary Turk. Unemployment and underemployment are issues that will need tough measures. But, finding help when you need it in this city needs absolutely no measure at all.

My oh my... will he or won't he?

Foreign minister Abdullah Gul did a little tap dancing for the press, who were eargerly gathered around his podium at the ministry for the first time since his party won a stunning victory on Sunday. The journalists readied themselves for shameful interrogation over the upcoming presidential race. During the questions and answers session, Gul requested that all enquiring journalists "get off the subject of the presidential elections". This after at least five reporters had not been able to ask him anything else. Smiling as they continued to fire away, I'm sure he wondered to himself "Are these people hard of hearing, or am I speaking Japanese?" They wouldn't let it go. And quite rightly so, his candidacy is the reason that we have just been through a general election, so of course he deserved to be grilled over his next plan of action.

Well, as ever he was graceful and calm. He talked of democracy and played it cool: "The decision should reflect the will of the people, and all parties should consider that."

What a guy, it is particularly weird, when I think that one in every two Turks voted for AKP. I have many friends in Istanbul who are die hard CHP supporters, and well, they did what they had to do - they voted CHP. It is a curious phenomenom that AKP gathered voters who are not as Islamic looking as their leaders' wives - this is such a devisive issue in Turkey. I'm guessing that they didn't gather votes from the CHP, these people really couldn't ever vote AKP, but rather from the centre-right who only two months ago I said would run into trouble by not attending the presidential vote back in April. They just couldn't get themselves together after that - they were another party that missed the boat, as did the CHP with all the secular rallies - they just didn't use them to their political advantage.

Now we have to wonder, will the independents support Gul's presidency? Or will the MHP? Apparently the MHP have already said they will attend the vote, whether they will participate is not clear. And depending on who the next speaker of parliament will be, we'll have to see if only attending the session is enough to hold qorum (of 367 deputies to pass the first round). I feel I'm going to be living in a parallel world soon enough, only this time it's going to be hotter.

The independents are a new force in parliament, and I'm happy that Kurds finally have some representation, at least 24 deputies I believe. It may take the fire out of the fight by PKK militants that come down from the mountains every year. From my understanding the fight here in Turkey is not really about separatism anymore - most of the Kurds I have met in Diyarbakir look to Istanbul culturally, not to the east. But, the fight is more about representation and rights. Well, if the Kurdish deputies play a more moderate card rather than that of Zana, AKP may just be able to talk to them. Possibly they will strike some sort of deal, should AKP need their support. If the chance arises I hope they use it well. I guess it really depends on the MHP. These two groups - the MHP and the DTP - are not famous for getting along. They may at least have to change the seating plan in parliament. I believe independents will sit next to the MHP under the present plan.

Whatever happens, we are definitely in for further fun. If you are a colleague and you plan to holiday this summer, best to head out now, as I don't think the presidential election is going to be as simple as we all expected it to be. There is still room for political errors, as we have seen already this year. Although AKP does have a good knack at learning from its mistakes - but with the proper backing, they might just get what they want this time - their guy in Cankaya. I personally think that it would be best to have a president from outside the parties, but we will have to wait and see, what the parliament want.

One thing I'm pretty sure on, and will predict with a clear conscience - the list of candidates will be a little longer this time, if Arinc doesn't come back to his former glory! Hey, perhaps he'll get his day to run for presidency this time around.

And to Deniz Baykal, when are you going to admit defeat? It is not "you" personally that can protect the state, but the party. CHP is in desparate need of new leadership - one that talks democracy and reconciliation. If you're not careful, perhaps MHP will garner your voters in the name of national security. You have five years to work hard on changing your image, as we are seeing that the current one doesn't fit the new Turkey - one that is much more confident than it has been in years.

Oh Turkey... where are you headed?


It's the question everyone is asking. Why? Because it seems it is at a crossroads yet again in the history of the Cumhurriyet.


This beautiful land is grappling with its own identity, but not as it is perceived. It is grappling with a change of identity. Today's Turkish society is more educated, more world savvy. But this is not the image that is projected to the world. Why? Because Turks really don't know how to explain themselves to the world let alone their own patriots. But for what it's worth there are still some shining moments that touch the heart of every foreigner living here, and if you haven't experienced this Turkish hospitality then you are surely missing the essence of Turkish living itself.

Situation: Last weekend I was shopping for a wedding present for a couple of friends who celebrated their respect for each other by tying the knot.

A raki drinking Budhist from Belgium and a Euro savvy and expert analyst from Turkey, who wed.

I browsed a few stores in my neighbourhood looking for the perfect gift. I wandered into a small store that was full of curios. A small item in the window caught my eye - a money box, but no ordinary money box. A small tin from the '60s, shaped like a house and painted like one with a slot in the top. It was old and funky and had a practical function, given it would not hold enough money for the house they will one day buy, but perfect in metaphor for a newly wed couple of friends.

The vendor asked for 50 YTL, I had 40 YTL in my wallet. I asked if I could bring him the extra 10 YTl later on in the day. I promised to bring it at 6pm. He looked at his watch and said, "I'll be counting the minutes, if you're a minute late I'll have to set the dogs on you." This was followed by a coy smile.

I left the shop with a nicely wrapped gift that I hand't completely paid for. I dropped the money off two days late, and he smiled and said no problem, see you soon.

What a nice man. These are the things I really love about Turkey.

Two weeks ago, I had to be at the studio for a live transmission at 6am. I hopped into a cab hoping to get some money from the ATM on the way to the studio. Every ATM I stopped at was empty after the weekend. The taxi driver said, "No problem drop it by later."

You have to understand that at this point the guy didn't know me from Adam. He had no idea of where I lived etc. as I'd hopped in on the street. The fair was not just a drop in the neighbourhood, it was a large sum, as I had to travel right across town.

And I thought this is why I live in Turkey and if only everyone could experience this Turkish culture.

I've always been welcomed and treated like a local.

When my colleague asked me in Qatar, "Why Turkey?". My reply was simple, "It's like a village, the guy in the cornershop will pass a message to his neighbour for you, even though he's never met you before."

I guess we all find this in our own environments eventually when you live somewhere long enough - but I've never been able to find it from a complete stranger no matter how long I've lived in a city.

This is one side of my Turkey that I truly admire and is why I still live here. What a place, a city of almost 17 million people, but who still have time to help a stranger, because the gesture is more important than the transaction itself.

Happy long life to the Turkish-Belgium marriage!

It's official, we are now in the midst of a political crisis.

While the world media watches and tries to get to grips with Turkish politics, newsrooms in Turkey are also trying to figure out what is going on here.

During the failed presidential elections, I spoke to a friend who is a producer on a newsdesk at a Turkish TV channel regularly to mull over what the hell was going on in Turkey. There was one sentence that rang clear in my mind for days after, "You should see our daily news meetings, no one knows what the hell is going on, there just seem to be too many IFs."

And he was right:

If the government doesn't reach the 367 seat mark in the parliament, we will petition it to the constitutional court and get it annulled.

If the government thinks they can change this country into an Islamic state they have another thing coming.

Even if the government doesn't reach the 367 as stated by the constitutional court, we will still hold the second round.

If they reach 367 on the reform package then it will go direct to public vote and the people will elect their own president.

If they don't reach 367 then it will go to the public who will vote on the amendments.

After speaking to Journalists, professors and law students, it seems there is so much confusion over the constitution in Turkey that no one really knows what is going on. Not surprising as law is an abstract thing by nature.

But I'd like to put the record straight. Although it is seen as an historic event by the eyes of the foreign media, most of us living in Turkey know sadly that it is a bit of a futile attempt by the ruling party to go on with trying to elect their candidate to Cankaya, the presidential palace.

The reality is that we will probably not see three ballot boxes as Zaman newspaper claims in the elections. One for the referendum on voting for the president by popular vote, one for reducing the parliamentary term from five to four years, and one for the prime ministry. No it is much more likely that the Turkish president Sezer will veto the motion once the bill is passed today, and Turkey will be right back to where it was three weeks ago.

Sezer can veto the bill and send it back to parliament for reconsideration, and the government will then have to start the process again. Sezer has 15 days to react, which would mean that if the bill does go back to parliament it would put us somewhere in the beginning of June before the process is restarted.

Then Sezer can once more react, and it is likely that he will by calling for a public referendum on the ammendments, which should be held 120 days after the decision.

We will by now be well into July, election month, which means that all parties will be far too busy with trying to secure their votes to deal with the referendum - this is a personal opinion, but a likely one nonetheless.

So, the referendum on constitutional amendments will probably be voted on by the public in September/October. This also means that the new parliament will probably elect Turkey's next president.

Now, the problem with this scenario is that as we have seen with the current power sharing in parliament, AKP can not expect to put forward another Islamic-looking presidential wife, it has caused just too much controvery and and oppostion by Turkey's secularists and more importantly the military.

AKP may not be able to try and pull such a stunt again, as it also depends on how other parties fair in the upcoming elections. There are alliances now happening on the left and the centre-right, which may steal some seats from AKP. This would force them into chosing a much more conciliatory figure.

Either that, or we will find ourselves back in the same position two months down the road.

Are you confused??? You should be. Basically the fun stems from the fact that the constitution that we are now grappling with in Turkey was written by the military! Yes, the military left Turkey with a constitution that doesn't seem to fucntion too well, following the 1980 coup.

The curious thing about the military is that most Turks I've spoken to were upset about their intervnetion, even if they don't support the ruling party. They feel that Turkey should be able to decide by itself through democratic means and not those of a dictatorship or the militant type.

I personally think that these decisions and the failed presidential election are really part of a wider plot to keep Turkey at bay and keep her subserviant. There are too many interests in the region by outsiders and who wants a dynamic Turkey which you can't predict to meddle in such things.

The question that most Turks have been asking over the past week is: "Who exactly does the military work for? For Turkey?"

Hmmmmmmm

First round of presidential elections in Turkey - we are slowly slipping into political crisis.

Children of Diyarbakir...



Thought...

Does being a nationalist make you a fascist? For those who do not know Turkey, it might.

Does being patriotic make you fascist? No, but it might make you a nationalist. For those who do not know America, it might.

Describing the degree of nationalism and patriotism may then qualify as fascism - "extreme".

It is all too easy to categorise people according to our own perceptions and politics, especially when it suits our own cause.

I hate definitions in all their forms although I am forced to apply them because I work in the media. Television does not allow you time to explain, so labels and adjectives are used to simplify the message. But then it becomes distorted, squeezed between media organisations, but what can one do. You look forward to those opportunities when for a fleating moment you might speak on the behalf of someone who doesn't have a voice, and that millions of people might hear it.

Facts speak for themselves, don't they?

Turkey is a multi-layered society, in which labels get distorted. These labels divide and conquer, they do not harmonise or even get close to the root of the problem.

Many Turks choose a lifestyle when they choose an ideology - it is not always a political statement. It can be the difference between getting a regular salary, or not, or working in a building that has a bar in its basement or not - very simple things.

Turks are tolerant, which is sometimes a curse, but at the same time it can be a blessing. Turkey is a nation that was built from a crumbling empire. It was saved from the invaders. Its identity is built on this notion.

It was built on its own defense, when are we going to stop giving "it" such a hard time, and allow it time to breathe and catch up to where it needs to be. It has the ability, it has the academics, yes, there is no political will, this is sure. But it has a wealth of cultures, it is still for me a mini-empire where multitudes of cultures intermingle as one.

I have fascinating coversations with friends about their origins, which are hardly ever Turk by ethnicity. What is Turk anyway?

I'm aware of its problems, but I personally feel after many years here that it should be able to deal with these problems by itself. Why do we come here thinking we can change it. The debate has been unleashed, there really is no way back. But it needs to happen on its own terms.

No wonder Turkey is still defending itself. Separate the politics from the people, then and only then, will you really ever see the beauty of the place, and only then will you be able to participate in the internal debate. The external one is fueling the nationalism that killed a man because of what he believed. May your soul be at peace dear Hrant Dink.

For photos of Newroz see here - copy and paste the link: http://www.worldpicturenews.com/web/ShowLightbox.aspx?driverid=378687
Video report to be published.

This is the most insightful analysis I've seen on the matter so far - so thought I'd share it with you folks. Terry Jones apparently speaks Turkish, according to an old friend of mine and Cihangir resident who says he was more than impressed when he heard Mr Jones speaking to people in eastern Turkey during a documentary on the crusades, which makes him even cooler in my book. Enjoy!

Call that humiliation?

No hoods. No electric shocks. No beatings. These Iranians clearly are a very uncivilised bunch

By Terry Jones

03/31/07 "The Guardian" -- -- I share the outrage expressed in the British press over the treatment of our naval personnel accused by Iran of illegally entering their waters. It is a disgrace. We would never dream of treating captives like this - allowing them to smoke cigarettes, for example, even though it has been proven that smoking kills. And as for compelling poor servicewoman Faye Turney to wear a black headscarf, and then allowing the picture to be posted around the world - have the Iranians no concept of civilised behaviour? For God's sake, what's wrong with putting a bag over her head? That's what we do with the Muslims we capture: we put bags over their heads, so it's hard to breathe. Then it's perfectly acceptable to take photographs of them and circulate them to the press because the captives can't be recognised and humiliated in the way these unfortunate British service people are.

It is also unacceptable that these British captives should be made to talk on television and say things that they may regret later. If the Iranians put duct tape over their mouths, like we do to our captives, they wouldn't be able to talk at all. Of course they'd probably find it even harder to breathe - especially with a bag over their head - but at least they wouldn't be humiliated.

And what's all this about allowing the captives to write letters home saying they are all right? It's time the Iranians fell into line with the rest of the civilised world: they should allow their captives the privacy of solitary confinement. That's one of the many privileges the US grants to its captives in Guantánamo Bay.

The true mark of a civilised country is that it doesn't rush into charging people whom it has arbitrarily arrested in places it's just invaded. The inmates of Guantánamo, for example, have been enjoying all the privacy they want for almost five years, and the first inmate has only just been charged. What a contrast to the disgraceful Iranian rush to parade their captives before the cameras!

What's more, it is clear that the Iranians are not giving their British prisoners any decent physical exercise. The US military make sure that their Iraqi captives enjoy PT. This takes the form of exciting "stress positions", which the captives are expected to hold for hours on end so as to improve their stomach and calf muscles. A common exercise is where they are made to stand on the balls of their feet and then squat so that their thighs are parallel to the ground. This creates intense pain and, finally, muscle failure. It's all good healthy fun and has the bonus that the captives will confess to anything to get out of it.

And this brings me to my final point. It is clear from her TV appearance that servicewoman Turney has been put under pressure. The newspapers have persuaded behavioural psychologists to examine the footage and they all conclude that she is "unhappy and stressed".

What is so appalling is the underhand way in which the Iranians have got her "unhappy and stressed". She shows no signs of electrocution or burn marks and there are no signs of beating on her face. This is unacceptable. If captives are to be put under duress, such as by forcing them into compromising sexual positions, or having electric shocks to their genitals, they should be photographed, as they were in Abu Ghraib. The photographs should then be circulated around the civilised world so that everyone can see exactly what has been going on.

As Stephen Glover pointed out in the Daily Mail, perhaps it would not be right to bomb Iran in retaliation for the humiliation of our servicemen, but clearly the Iranian people must be made to suffer - whether by beefing up sanctions, as the Mail suggests, or simply by getting President Bush to hurry up and invade, as he intends to anyway, and bring democracy and western values to the country, as he has in Iraq.

· Terry Jones is a film director, actor and Python - www.terry-jones.net

© Guardian News and Media Limited 2007

Good to be home..

I dedicate this post to a friend who I met shortly before I left Qatar... but has recently reminded me that we share time with those who challenge us. Yes, you are right, which is why I returned to Turkey - to challenge the train of thought that exists here without belittling it or generalising it. To contribute to the continuing debate that challenges the state and support the internal democratisation, and be a sounding board for those who wish to discuss where Turkey is heading and how we can get there together.





Last weekend, I attended a two-day conference organised by the Heinrich Boll Stifling Dernegi. It was an enlightening two days in Turkey. A forum where the words "attrocities against Kurds".. "vicitimisation of Turks by the state".. "systematic forgetfulness".. were banded about freely. What a refreshing change to see Turks speaking like this openly. Only ten years ago, it would have been impossible to hold such a gathering.

A journalist friend also attending the conference, spoke of her ups and downs with regards to optimism and pesimism in Turkey. It's an easy one to fall into when you live here. Just when you think Turkey is making some ground, it seems to loose more than it has gained. Two steps forward, one step back is how I would characterise it. It's the uneasy kind of emotional attachment you can fall into when you live in a place that is as complex as Turkey. It swings from east to west regularly. With a secular political system which is very much built on the "nation state", somewhat democratic to the outside world with regards to civil society [although a military state, it is by no means a dictatorhip, there is a somewhat free press], and yet a Muslim majority, one may wonder how on earth did all of these elements ever come together. By the military elite, that's how, who are still very much in control of the modern republic. Woe behold the politician that tries to tame the Security Council (MGK), who protect Turkey from becoming an Islamic republic or at least that's the mandate. The generals are revered to be the most educated peoples in the land, so it would be difficult for the peasants to pull the wool over their eyes.

The push between east and west can also been seen by Turkey's ambitions to join the EU, which date back to Ataturk times, the founding father of the republic in 1923. He changed the alphabet to that of western script from Arabic. Although hailed a hero and quite rightly so as Ataturk saved Anatolia and gave women rights long before the Europeans did, this basically left a generation of Turks "illiterate overnight", according to a friend. At this time there was a separation from the past - a severence that Turkey never really mourned. The Ottoman empire was less Turk than any other ethnicty, it was Armenian, Jewish, Christian and so on. The republic did away with this and brought Islam to be the state religion to raise the status of Anatolian Turks who really made up a small proportion of the empire and what better way to unify a society than with religion. This is why there is a real separation from the Ottoman past in some areas [such as the Armenian genocide -'we didn't do it, it was the Ottomans'], and the associations are presented only when necessary - tales of victory.

At the same time, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the prime minister, traveled to Pakistan last week, and invited the Iraqi VP to Ankara on his private plane. He also suggested sending a team of experts to inspect the Al-Aqsa mosqe in Jerusalem, placing Turkey in the heart of a sensitive issue - the Arab-Israeli conflict. Last week, a headline in a news body I am affiliated with read "Turkish prime minister denies anti-Shia bloc".. It seems that everyone is confused about Turkey. Anyone that knows Turkey and its history with Iran, knows that the two share a history that is fraught but one of mutual respect. The two have shared a border for hundresd of years have common interests in fighting the PKK and also have trade relations. Why on earth would Turkey turn against Iran. No, Turkey's dream is to be the BRIDGE. Seen as the occupying force by the Arabs for hundreds of years... [funny that as the Turkish republic seems to have no association to the Ottoman empire] the feeling generally is that Turkey does not have the credibility to achieve such an ambition.

Anyway, I digress. Back to the conference. I will simply list a few ideas that were discussed without going through everything and hope that those who are at all interested in Turkey and its complex identity may look for more information into the debate of Turkey's human rights.

The conference was called "From the Burden of the Past to Societal Peace and Democracy", and I know it sounds a bit wishy washy, but it was actually well worth sitting for hours and listening to the crammed programme of speakers.

The reason I believe that the organisation held such a conference in Istanbul was to get Turks talking about its forgotten history of human rights violations and present suggestions for ways of dealing with it. This was in the wake of the recent tragic killing of Hrant Dink, a prominent Turkish-Armenian editor, who was gunned down on the street in Istanbul in late January for his outspoken words on Turkish identity and the Armenian genocide.

The conference was useful as it was a place where Turks could interact with international experts who were experienced in areas of Truth and Reconciliation to international law. Guests varied from Marrianne Birthler, from the Federal Commission for the records of the National Security Service of the former German democratic Republic of Germany, to Ronit Lentin, of Trinity College Ireland, a political sociologist who was born in Haifa Israel but lobbies for the freedom of the Palestinians. Also there was Alex Borraine, International Centre for Transitional Justice from South Africa and Sezgin Tanrikulu, Bar association of Diyarbakir, who set up the Diyarbakir branch of human rights and has been persecuted for cases he has fought for in Turkey.

As there was so much covered I think in order to keep it short I will simply list some key quotes and allow you to ponder them as to whether or not you agree. I was able to ask two questions in a forum of 400 people, which opened up a debate on superpowers and the inequality that countries like Turkey constantly use as a tool for overlooking past human rights violations. Because surely if the US won't sign up to the International Criminal Court, well I think that in itself demonstrates the hyprocracy of the world we live in.

The topic of discussion was how and where do we start to look at Turkey's violations of human rights.

Mithat Sancar, professor of faculty of law at Ankara University and brains behind the conference: "In the last two decades the world has been discussing the issue of coming to terms with its past. During the same time, in Turkey the conspiracy theory was dominent. As we are uninformed we are going ahead in a stumbling manner. After 1945, the world started to comes to terms with its past. Turkey has still not come to terms with its violent past."

Murat Belge, columnist for Radikal daily and lecturer on English literature at Bilgi University Istanbul: "Turkey has suffered from a systematic forgetfulness. If we say that the killing of Hrant Dink did not happen, then we are distorting the point from the beginning. The reality that we are establishing between truths creates a pathology in our mind. Who did it? A group? Organisation? Individual? The instinct of self survival condemns us to a pathology that is the basis of this structure. How can a community be saved by denial or acceptance. On the Armenian genocide, a student doctor once asked me: 'do you believe in the genocide?' When I answered him positively, he told me that as I am not a historian I couldn't say such things. I responded I was not involved in the French Revolution, but I know it happened. I can read. This type of academic pathology exists in Turkey. So there is a man who has been killed [Hrant Dink] and there are people who say they can die the same and others that empathise with the killer. If we start from mentality of pathology it is a dangerous beginning. This is an artificial surrounding, having empathy for a killer or killed. We have to setp out of it. The values that are defended as nationalist are inhumane. Hrant Dink was the victim of this pathology that is being reflected on the outside."

Murat Paker, clinical psychologist and assistant professor at the psychology department at Bilgi university Istanbul: "We are at a critical point in our history. We have a political framework, we have not lost any wars [suh as we can see in Africa], no one is pushing us to set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. So we are trying to solve things on our own. It is happening slowly, which is why the national identity is being upset. We are starting to realise what lies we have been fed. The problem is that those of us who have lived through these lies, won't have a basis for our lives. We need a more systematic way of coming to terms with it. On the Armenian-Turkey issue of 1915, both sides are in tangent with each other. 'You have a loss of 1 million but we have a bigger loss in the Balakn wars fro example'. People talk like there is emotional baggage involved I put this down to the loss of the Ottoman empire. This paranoia can be easliy mobilised and activated in Turkey. To understand the nationalist we must come down to their level. So where do we start to mourn our pain. Do we go back to the oldest problem? Or go from the new traumas to the old. We haven't come to terms with Semdinli, Susurluk, 12 September. So I don't think we can explain to the masses that 1915 is the priority. If we are looking for social transformation we must take up issues that impact our lives today. This is striving towards democracy. The EU deadlines are creating difficulties for us and we have to explain this to our foreign partners. We should talk to the victims of the 1980 coup and document it. We need to be organised and persistent in our collection of data to make it available for younger generations."

Ayse Hur, columnist: "We have a perculiar type of truth because of our pathological relationship with it. Forgetfulness is occupying key positions that mobilise our nationality. We severed our relationship with the Ottoman empire, so we have had to build our identity. This identity design has some problems. The approach of the intellegencia should be one of self criticism for having such a mentality. The intelligencia have been the managing elite in Turkey for the past 90 years. This has continued to play a negative role. The intelligencia should question themselves 'why did September 12 happen?'. The ideas of forgetfulness and forgiveness have been taken from the west from Christian values, the public does not take this on board. They are perceiving this from an Islamic keyhole and culture they have taken on. The public while looking back do this from one of Islamic and Turkic culture. The past is the past. Pathology is something that concerns the intelligencia not the masses. The public from elementary school are not exposed to critical thinking. We have an inheritance from the Kemalist movement, we have survied on forgetfulness. Disturbingly there is a xenophobic intellectual group to whom everything on a foreign level looks like a conspiracy. There is external interest on the Kurdish issue and we must stand up and beg for forgiveness in the Christian sense, while we are leaping over the faces of natoinalism. Turkey is disturbed because there "can not be a Kurdish state", we have reached this critical point late. Perhaps we need to think quiet inside from the beginning. We can't keep rediscovering the wheel we must open the archives and besides other archives are now open."

I will add more tomorrow - there were some scarily old school comments also. I'll add two more speakers tomorrow. Tired of typing. I hope that the statements give some insight into the debate in Turkey presently. This is why I did not give any analysis, I wanted the statements to stand alone, as I think they say enough by themselves.

The face of Aljazeera English 2006-2007, we saw the launch of the new channel. It was stressful at times, but highly rewarding because everyone mucked in when necessary - a team I can say I was proud to work with and to know.

The journalists/writers


Me and my editor


The editors


The newsroom on the nightshift a few days before launch

Cultural diplomacy, social interaction and cliches.

I have not written anything for a while. "WHY?" you ask. Well, I just find that everything I want to say seems to belong to another person. These days you can't say anything right it seems or anything original. People are always quick to tell you what you don't know, instead of asking what it is they don't know. If you offer your opinion on a subject that is personal to the listener, which is highly likely given the fact that two parties generally talk about something relative to their own lives - it is quickly seen as a criticism and/or a provocation. You just can't seem to do or say anything right or original in today's world. There's always someone who knows better or pretends that they do. When did we all become so jaded? When did we become so intolerant? Or arrogant? Or have we always been this way?

I grew up in a village in the UK in the seventies and eighties. Life was simple - I shared a universal beginning. There were the seasons, my older brother's teasing and bullying, and my twin sister's company and competition. Sometimes I wish I could go back to that world, but then I remember that I have a responsibility because of the chances I have been given to probe areas of society and make the connections for those who don't have a voice.

Life was simple when I was young. I didn't even know where London was - it was a million miles away - in reality it was only 200 miles away. But there was a desire for adventure and discovery. So, what went wrong?

Today, we seem to be living in a world that has become overly xenophobic and insular, although it is the easiest time in the history of human existence to travel and touch the lives of other cultures. You'd think that we'd be much closer to each other with today's technology and knowledge transfer being accessible within minutes, but we are not. It seems that we are further away than I was from London when I was a teenager growing up in the UK.

I despise cliches after having been an expat living in Turkey for a while, and try to stay away from them in discussions and also try to question every statement that is made by assumptions in people's live, in order to become closer to those who I am talking with - when you do this regularly with a cross section of any culture then it is a fantastic way to understand the complexities without having to define them constantly to the world, and hopefully it brings you closer to the issues that need to be addressed all over the world.

There are fat, short, thin, tall, stupid, smart people all over the world. Why do we love labels? Because people like them, they use them to define their lives in the eyes of others. Labels, labels, labels... "international community".... "terrorist".... "war on terror"... there are plenty of them floating around... "socialist"... "conservative"... "liberal"... "believer"..."non-believer"... "traitor"... "victim"... the list is endless.

Last night I was sitting in a bar and the man across the table asked me: "What do you do?"

I responded in kind and then returned the compliment by asking him: "What do you do?"

Now whether he understood the question or not I don't know, or whether it's because I said I was a journalist I don't know.. but the exchange that came after that initial social interaction left me surprised and a little sad to say the least.

"I'm ANTI internet," he said. The response was slightly aggressive I thought, maybe he was trying to make some sort of political statement, trying to impress me as men so often do when talking to the female sex... especially the foreign type.... but when he said he was an "IT manager", I posed the idea that just maybe the internet could be used for good instead of evil. BUT he freaked out and became VERY aggressive and said, "You are not listening to me," at which point I quietly thought to myself... hang on BUT I didn't realise it was a MUST to listen to a guy who had been sitting across the table from me for only one hour and who had made a social gesture by starting up a conversation with me. Are we not all "adults" here?

Let's just rewrite this situation:

An English woman has been verbally assaulted in a bar in Istanbul after she commented on a bold statement that a Turkish man made about his character, according to local drinkers. The man, who said he was frustrated that the woman did not listen to him, said he thought she was ignoring him because he was Turkish and she was a foreigner.

"She ignored me, because she thought she was better than me. I don't know why she is here in my country, she should go home, we don't want her type here," he said.

The police were called by the owners of the bar who said that the man was causing a disturbance for no reason at all. Witnesses said that the man had started on the woman for no reason at all.

"I believe that he asked her a question and she responded as one would," a man on the scene said.

The woman decided not to press charges as she did not want to be the target of further abuse and said that she thought he was just a man with bad manners.

"He obviously has no social skills," she said.

The two shook hands after the man apologised for the incident. He said that he felt embarrassed after the woman forgave him.

Now, back to the reality.....

He then gave me his business card and TOLD me to call him, so that he could explain himself. WELCOME BACK I thought. Yep, back in Turkey the land of the WILD WEST where absolutely anything is possible. Just an hour before I had been talking to a good friend about the politics and history of the region in particular the claim of Kirkuk and Portugal's 5% interest in the oil revenues thanks to one of the last Sultans of the Ottoman empire, according to my friend's theory.

This incident took place in a bar, in central Istanbul while I was having a drink with a friend. I didn't ask for it - and I have no idea why this guy behaved in such a rude manner, other than he felt that he had to prove something, or that because I am a foreigner he felt he had a right to have a go at me - I here, by saying this out loud become a victim to racism and fall into the cliche of rationalising why he behaved so aggressively to me by putting it down to the polarisation of Turkish culture that seems to be happening day by day, which saddens me deeply.

I wish that his friend standing across from me had intervened, but he just stood there and saod nothing.

Isn't it nice to be polite to your peers? And I don't mean in profession, or financial earnings - but those who are of a similar age, and social set - due to the fact that we were in the same bar.

Wouldn't it be nice to first learn about someone before jumping in with some half-concocted statement about who you are. Maybe the person you are talking to doesn't really want to listen anyway.

My friend said later as we left the bar: "You are wrong if you try to teach someone about something who doesn't have the capacity to know." And I thought... hmmm.. he is right, but then I also thought that in itself is a sad statement - do we just give up?

It was a mix of defense, national pride - which I also have.. I'm the first to admit it, I love my history and culture, but not to the extent that it stops me trying to understand another person when faced with a question that I don't know the answer to.

Onward I walk through the windows of humanity - and all I can hope for is that one day this man will know how it feels to be screamed at for no reason at all.

Pakistan, North Western Frontier Province

Pakistan welcomed me with open arms. There to observe the reconstruction one year on from the earthquake that destroyed an entire village, I set about getting to know the lives of those I'd come to visit and listen to. The quake which struck northwestern Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir on October 8, 2005 at 8.52am killed up to 73,000 people making it Pakistan's worst ever natural disaster.


My trip was facilitated by the International Federation on the Red Cros, who are doing a fantastic job at helping children process the trauma. I gained uncompromised access to both men and women, through the IFRC, who have developed very strong relationships with the local communities by respecting local cultures. One thing I didn't expect was that the locals were absolutley stunning, very light skinned with green eyes, not what I had expected at all.



A 12 year old girl (wearing green) told me how much she loved Shiria, the local IFRC representative, and then told me all about her experience during the earthquake. She said,"I was so afraid, all the children were so afraid during the earthquake. We didn't know what was happening. A lot of my friends died." It was good to see a little girl who had obviously been through a lot of trauma was able to talk about it openly, she has been helped to process it through activities that the IFRC are undertaking.


The level of education was quite astounding. The girl mentioned above was from a remote village in the NWFP and she sat down and spoke in English with confidence and she spoke it well. I was able to gain access to the women's prayers on the anniversary of the earthquake. I found myself sitting on a prayer mat, with women and children eyeing me suspiciously from either side. Before I knew it, the circle had completely changed shape and they were all sitting around me. A woman, who was a teacher tried to tell me about her situation through the help of the girl mentioned abouve, who translated for us. She told me how she had lost 120 students in the earthquake and two teachers.

The problem many school face now is the recruitment of teachers, many died in the quake and those who survived have migrated to other cities where facilties are better such as Mansehra.


There are at least 300 government schools in Balakot - the epicentre of the quake - that have no drinking water, electricity. Many of them are studying in tents atop the rubble where their classmates are buried. But the enthuiasm for knowledge was still there.


I went to a village school were I was asked to give a speech to 250 teenage boys. My intial reaction was no no no, please no. But as the head teacher delivered his speech about how much foreign aid had helped them and how he wanted to send his regards to the western powers that had really given their community so much post quake, I felt it was the last thing I could do. It was not I who was important, I was merely a symbol of hope to these small faces so I obliged the school. It was a very moving experience and the last thing I expected to find in Pakistan. This is what I said, while my stomach was churning: "On this day my heart goes out to all of you who have suffered great loss. But although you have been through great loss, you must know that you were saved. With this comes great responsibility to live an honest life and work hard. Work hard by helping each other and you will see that you can acheive many things." The IFRC translated my words. After the teacher Rifaq Ali said a proverb in Urdu, which read: "Dear Ms sabral, you will live in a world of sorrow and grief, but let it make you stronger and bring you a deeper understanding with compassion."


The northwestern landscape was one of natural beauty, rich green forests littered the mountainous view. Landing in Islamabad you would think that Pakistan is economically doing ok, then when you venture out you realise that the capital city was a city built for the country's elite. The ministers all live in their own enclave, which screams corruption as you drive by and admire the huge luxurious homes they live in protected by high walls and security guards.


There are many words in Urdu that are the same in Turkish such as "rahat" which means comfort/comfortable. This was very strange to me as I recognised many words and thought.. wow.. maybe I could learn Urdu!

I ate Afghan food, which went by the name manti and kofte, which are also Turkish dishes.. they were just served slightly different.

All in all, Pakistan was a trip to remember. I found the people to be very friendly and warm-hearted and not as conservative as I had imagined, mainly I guess as the level of education wasn't all that bad, a step towards stamping out fundamentalism. I hope the people of Balakot reconstruct their homes and are able to start living a normal life again soon.

If you would like to see my coverage of the trip (this is really for you pops) you can find it here:
www.worldpicturenews.com type Pakistan into the "image search" box on the homepage.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/2033267A-BBA6-42E7-A841-3368CDC560BC.htm (if the link doesn't open, copy and paste it).

Sri Lanka
Just 35 km south of India in the Indian Ocean is a small island known as Sri Lanka. One of the most bio-diverse islands in the world, it boasts rich tropical vegetation in the mountains and soft sandy beaches which circle its shores. The island gets a generous amount of monsoon rain and within two hours you can experience a rapid change in climate.

Rice paddies line the roads that lead down to the coast from the the mountains. A uniforminty amongst this lush landscape, a greenery that dazzles the eyes and soothes the mind.

The rain is heavy, but comes and goes quickly. Umbrellas quickly double up as parasols to provide shade from the mid day heat, as well as protection from the rain, not that it matters... weary feet find the cool sensation of fresh puddles.

There are people everywhere on the streets, walking from one place to another. In the mountians, the rain smells fresh and romances the senses. It jogs the memory and reminds one of how utterly wonderfully nature is.

The country is for the most part poor and according to the World Bank 23% of people still live under the national poverty line: "Between 1990/91 and 2002 per capita consumption increased by 29% in real terms. The average consumption for the richest 20% of the population increased by 50%, while that for the poorest 20% barely increased by 2%. Inequality between urban and rural areas has been also widening with residents in rural/remote areas being left out of benefits from economic development."

Time stands still in Sri Lanka, a barber shop in the capital Colombo harks back to the 1950s. This barber shop is located one block from the presidential residence and the central bank, which was blown up in 1996, causing an eleven storey building to collapse and killing at least 50. Photos are forbidden on the street outside, but the barbers didn't seem to mind.

Central Colombo away from the bright lights of prosperous development.

Colombo airport is locked in the 1970s.

The sign is written in Sinhalese, English and Tamil.

But among the beauty and memories of decades gone by, there is a terrible tragedy, the displacement of thousands of people. Firstly by the tsunami that struck on December 26, 2004, killing over 30,000 people. And now by the war that is raging in the north east of the country - some of the worst hit areas by the tsunami.

Two years ago, a new government was elected and critics say that the recent upsurge in violence from the Tamils, which started over a water supply to Muslim farmers two weeks ago, is due to the way in which the government has been dealing with the Tamil Tiger rebels (LTTE) - or not dealing with them. As is always the case with any type of resistance, when negotiations and dialogue disappears from the spectrum the more radicalised the resistanc becomes and not without reason. Although, Tamils do experience rights, what they want is their own homeland - an autonomous area in the north east of the country, much of which is currently under LTTE rule.

Two weeks ago, the military launched an offensive on the LTTE in order to get back the water supply to civilians on humanitarian grounds. This fighting spilled over to Muttur, a city with a population of about 68,000 civilians. Sri Lanka is home to mix of Sinhalese (approx 72%) and Tamil (approx 18%), of different religions; Buddists, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and Christians, all of whom lived in the city.

The residents of Muttur fled south after hiding in schools for 24 hours to escape the shelling and artillery fire. Co-ordinated, by ordinary people, an exodus of civilians to get out of the city to safety headed south. It took them a journey of three days on foot to reach Kantale, a village with a population of 2000 people, where they finally found refuge. Needless to say refugee camps have gone from 4 to 26 in four days. There are some 30,000 people now in refugee camps in kantale, so where are the rest of the civil population? Lying dead on the road inside the conflict zone? Or still hiding without water?

Eye-witness reports say that on the way out of Muttur as people were passing the checkpoints, young Muslim men were being targetted by the LTTE. Singled out they were shot at point blank range (seen as government informers), while some of them were recruited by the LTTE.

It's difficult to say who started what, and who is to blame. Yes, the government has done well at not dealing with the issue, and the water supply fude seems to have been a pretext to a planned war from the LTTE to recover their so-called homeland. Either way, many people are suffering - a human population who have already been through so much because of the tsunami are now suffering the agreesion of war. Whether the peace will come back remains to be see, but with the world not seemingly bothered by the conflict, it does look like it will conitnue for some time.

Soweto thirty years on... with funding being cut this year in the area of HIV prevention, the issue of HIV/AIDS in South Africa needs the attention it deserves.

While on an assignment in South Africa Jon and I produced a short piece on the AIDS epidemic. We wanted to show what local communities are doing in the fight against AIDS, and not what "famous westerners" do.

Of course any effort whether it be from the west or from local communities is extremely important in the fight against AIDS, but it always seems that the issue only gets covered when either Prince Harry or Bono jet into South Africa.

This report takes a look at the youth of Soweto and what is being done to combat the epidemic. It addresses the confusion created by the political leadership in today's South Africa and touches on the reasons behind the rising figures of HIV patients.

We found an enormous amount of optimism and hope in the children of today's South Africa and it was inspiring to talk to these youths and discover that once again, the children of South Africa really are the catalyst for change, just as they were thirty years ago.

Alternatively, if it doesn't load from here, go to: http://www.current.tv/studio/media/7044967

After many requests I have finally caved in again and am posting something personal. Me on the job! Just so you know that I do still exist. Miss you all...

Photo was taken by Yeliz Oz, Hurriyet journalist and colleague at the Shiite conference in Istanbul on May 14,2006.

A: Where do you really want to be in five years?
B: Sitting in a bar somewhere in the developing world, Africa perhaps or South East Asia, the Caucasus sipping a beer discussing local politics with a colleague, a local expert or simply listening to a local resident, in hope that someone in a position of power reads or sees my report and takes action that could aid someone less fortunate than themselves.

Life is weird, you win some and you loose some. People come and go, we all I guess hope that we have “made a difference” and affected someone in some shape or form. Why is there so must discord in the world? Is it because we are just sick animals who know how to talk, but yet have forgotten that this simple tool which allows us to convey complex ideas, was developed over thousands of years and is the origin of development as we know it today. These days we use this tool loosely and don't think about the consequences or outcome of telling a simple lie for example. The wheels of development keep on turning and have as no one denies had a hugely positive affect on societiy by offering up a certain level of economic freedom to individuals.

But development at what cost? The selfish behaviour that affects societies of a developing nature demonstrates peoples utter desperation to not understand what it is they are developing for.

I don’t pretend to be an expert on this subject, but I do know that getting to know the world we live in and fully understanding ourselves shows a level of commitment that we bring to our communities where and whoever they are. This does not just simply mean lowering our individual consumption, but it also means honouring people that we interact with.

The nature of a developing economy, is that it seeks out opportunity at any cost. This transcribes into the behaviour of individuals and manifests itself in a “survival” culture. Survival of the fittest. Why? Because there is no alternative. This is the divide that affects us all, and breeds with it a deep cynicism in society which encourages selfish acts that have massive repurcussions on others.

The resource rich countries house the highest rates of poverty in the world. The “resource curse” leads to opportunity being a priority over true progress and commitment. Governments who hold a large percentage of the world’s oil wealth don’t know how to maximize their revenues which should largely benefit their own citizens. Large corporations exploit this “opportunist” mentality and the “opportunists” lap it right up. The nature of oil markets – the boom bust scenario – mean that government, whose main revenues are tied up in it, need better financial planning in order to plan national budgets for health and education better.

There are not only problems of budgeting involved when thinking about resource rich countries, but cultural traits that have implications on how systems develop. Culture must be taken into consideration when wanting to understand the problems of any society. The Aids crisis in South Africa has been the biggest health risk in the 21st century. Yet, no one recognises it still, even the former-prime minister Jacob Zuma brushed it off this week when he was acquitted of rape charges as if it were a mildly dangerous disease. The reality is that 25,000 to 35,000 individuals are dying every month and this figure will rise to 40,000 say experts. A health crisis of epic proportions, an epidemic is gripping South Africa.

In Soweto alone the estimated rate of infected people is 63%, according to a local AIDS activist. When we spoke to Jacob, a 19 year old Soweton resident who lives with HIV, he answered candidly. Saying it out loud is a nerve racking thing. Can you imagine knowing that at least six of your neighbours have HIV/AIDS, but are not getting the necessary treatment, and therefore will be dead within a few years. This is the scary reality of what is happening in Soweto.

The generation of positives are fighting back and taking action by running prevention campaigns that are run by the youth and administered to it. The push to keep South Africa’s youth “negative” is working. The rate of negatives in 12 to 15 year olds is at an all time high of 97%. Higher rates of infection occur when girls reach 17 years. Economically challenged they have unprotected sex for money as men prefer not use condoms. In Zulu culture men get what they want when it comes to sex as demonstrated by the Jacob Zuma trial. Young girls then fall pregnant and are discovered to be HIV positive after being tested for pregnancy.

Use the gift of speech to do good, act with a level of sincerity and thought. Discuss, discuss, discuss and allow others to express their thoughts, and listen openly without judgement. Development often by-passes the "process". It is in the process that we appreciate the development. South Africa's youth are using this tool to teach their peers and young neighbours about the risks of HIV/AIDS and they are doing it extremely well.

"Ali" 1956 to 2006

In memory of Mohammed's uncle, who died in hospital April 2006. We hope you are now at peace and free from the pain you have suffered over the last 20 years. I thank you for allowing me into your home, and also for allowing me to listen to your story. May Allah be with you and your family. And may Bahrain further its mission to forward the implementation of fair and democratic treatment for all by ratifying the convention on human and political rights.


http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/6DCB87E6-2C0A-4944-BD8A-AE7DBFBAB5E6.htm

If the link doesn't open up immediately, copy and paste it into your browser.

FIGHTING AN INVISIBLE WAR
Written by me, commissioned by the Oxford Business Group,

South Africa is finally getting to grips with it’s AIDs pandemic, but there is still a long way to go before the battle will be won.


The HIV/Aids epidemic in South Africa has reached that of epic proportions, the consequences of which are also expected to be unthinkable. Thankfully this epidemic has reached a plateau, so the experts say, and with many campaigns being run not only on HIV prevention, but also on treatment, those on the inside say it is finally reaching a manageable state when compared with five years ago.

Other changes taking place are that corporate South Africa is finally taking some responsibility in the treatment of Aids for its labour force by initiating policies that deal with the problem in terms of treatment. And in addition, programmes targeting the youth population are bringing about changes in cultural stereotypes, needed in order to combat the virus, while creating a fundamental change in educating a nation that is believed to have an infection rate of up to 21.5% in adults between the age of 15 to 49 years according to an independent survey by ORC Macro, a research corporation based in Calverton, Md, the study was funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, other international donors and various national governments in the African countries. Estimations have been widely debated and a study conducted by the Department of Health in 2005, reported that 10.8% of all South Africans over the age of 2 years were living with HIV in 2005, with those between 15 and 49 years old estimated at having a HIV prevalence of 16.2% in 2005. The reason for such widely debated numbers are that there is still a large proportion of the population who have not been tested.

In 2005, it was widely documented that by the age of 21 years one in every four women are already HIV positive, and the statistics on men are not far behind. The study by the Department of Health reported that among females, HIV prevalence is highest in those between 25 and 29 years old; among males, the peak is in the group aged 30-39 years. According to these results, males aged 15-49 years old are 58% as likely to be infected as are females in the same age group (11.7% in men versus 20.2% in women). Theses rates are down on 2004, where HIV prevalence according to the Department of Health Study was 24.6% amongst people aged 15-49 years old.

In 2006, deaths from HIV were set at around 1000 people per day, and although the epidemic has stabilized in terms of infection in the period 2003-2006, there has been a rising phase in mortalities with approximately 25,000 to 30,000 deaths being recorded on average per month, this figure is expected to rise according to Professor Andre Roux, Head of the Institute for Future Research told OBG in April 2006, “With the current rates on infection we estimate that within five years the total number of deaths from HIV/Aids will reach 40,000 per month.” Of course with such statistics now very much a reality corporate South Africa is having to take notice as the future productivity of the country is very much at stake. Roux added that the expected rise in mortalities will shave .5% off GDP.

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY: The first company to pioneer a HIV/AIDS treatment programme for its employees was Anglo American, South Africa’s leading mining company. Understanding that there was a problem due to high turnover of staff and absenteeism the firm took action. The initiative to conduct an employee survey in order to secure a labour force that is sustainable began in 2000. The latest surveys conducted in Eastern and Southern Africa by the firm in 2004, showed that almost 23% of the company’s work force, including all subsidiaries, have a HIV prevalence. The decision pushed through by Dr. Brian Brink to develop a way of saving lives at Anglo American seems to have paid off with absenteeism having been reduced from an all time high of approximately 6600 days per month for employees who were HIV positive in 2000, to around 2000 days per month in the first year of the programme.

With 80% of South Africa’s mining population living away from home it created an environment which was perfect for the spread of AIDS, and with no health insurers recognising HIV or even STDs in medical-plans, as is the case in most countries throughout the world, there was a definite problem in ignoring the issue. This helped the epidemic take hold, along with the general unhealthy living that these labourers practise.

Anglo American aware of the country’s Aids crisis started its campaign for prevention as early as 1986, however, the programme for treatment was not introduced until 2000. At that time Anti-Retroviral Treatments (ARTs) were showing positive signs in clinical trials and it was then that Anglo American committed itself to developing a programme to deal with its own crisis of sorts.

The programme entails that all employees who tested positive for HIV be offered enrolment in a wellness programme, which supplies treatment in the form of ART, therapy and advice on healthy living. The total number of employees who enrolled in the wellness programme as of April, 30 2005 was 7358. While 4459 employees began preventive therapy for opportunistic infections. These numbers have huge implications in terms of financial commitment from employers, however, with future productivity at stake, as well as a high absenteeism seen in pre-ART companies simply could not ignore the problem anymore. Although it does require a serious investment, Anglo American claim that over the first 12 months of introducing the treatment programme, up to 70% of its cost were covered by the reduction in absenteeism.

These days the firm actively promotes Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) to normalise the stigma which surrounds HIV/AIDS in South Africa. This is being realised, says Anlgo American, by creating an environment which is conducive to testing. This requires developing a climate of trust, non-discrimination, confidentiality, empowerment, efficiency, caring and access to treatment.

With programmes such as Anglo Amercan’s being a positive step towards creating a work force that will ecru higher productivity, many companies have followed suit. One particular sector which has also dealt with the crisis in a similar vain is the automobile industry. South Africa has the tenth biggest automobile sector in the world and in terms of GDP has a worth of 7% to country’s economy. BMW and Vaults Wagon followed in the footsteps of the Anglo American model and also introduced healthcare plans for all employees to cover HIV/AIDS. In fact industry insiders say that Anglo American has revolutionised the way in which corporate South Africa is investing in the crisis, and maybe in the way the world at large will make up health care plans in years to come.

STARTING AT THE GROUND UP: The other aspect of the crisis is one that begins at an earlier stage, that of the country’s youth population. South Africa recognised that it not only had to treat its aging workforce but would have to focus on prevention in order to create a generation of negatives that would boost productivity in the future.

Among teenagers infection rates are still fairly low, but when girls leave school there is an explosion in infections. A national survey of HIV and sexual behaviour among 15-24 year olds conducted by LoveLife in 2003, South Africa’s youth campaign for prevention of HIV/AIDS, showed that HIV prevalence in girls aged 15-19 was 7.3% where as the rate in 20-24 year olds was much higher with some 24.5% recorded. Boys on the other hand were much lower with all 15-19 year olds surveyed having a HIV prevalence of 2.5% and 20-24 year olds 7.6%. Looking at these figures the over all negativity in children aged 15-19 regardless of age is 95.2%.

The campaign exclusively targets 12-17 year olds and seeks to build on the high negativities in this age range. LoveLife told OBG in April 2006, that in 12-17 year olds there is a 3.7% prevalence of HIV, which although lower than the older generation is still ten times higher than rates recorded in Western Europe and ten times higher than that of the United States.

A late starter due to government being slow in the recognition of the extent of the crisis, LoveLife began campaigning in 1999. Major funding initially came from the Henry J. Kaiser family Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with additional funding from the South African Government, the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, and the Nelson Mandela Foundation. LoveLife has gone through cuts in funding over the last 12 months with funding from the Global Fund being cut from some 200m Rand in 2005 to 140m Rand in 2006.

Today LoveLife reaches millions of young people through a number of different vehicles: television programmes reach a weekly audience of 4m teens; radio programmes have an estimated 6m listeners; UNCUT, LoveLife’s national newspaper has a circulation of over 1m; Tetha Junction helpline receives an average of 25,000 calls per month; an estimated 50,000 young people participate in activities each month at the 16 Y-centres across the country; 900 adolescent-friendly health services service local communities; Over 100,000 children are reached through school-based outreach programmes every month; and over 1m young people participate in activities related to the LoveLife Games – a year-long sports programme which builds confidence, competitiveness and motivation in young people.

“The most vital part of getting the message to the youth was to communicate with them on their level by creating a youth friendly environment where we could meet face to face with our target audience.” said CEO of LoveLife David Harrison.

OUTLOOK: If South Africa can keep the epidemic in check as it seems to being doing, the future of the country lies on a very different path. Harrison told OBG in April 2006, “We must focus on keeping this level of negativity high,” adding that, “If we do this then we will change the future of South Africa.”

Nuclear "No Thanks"

Thousands of anti-nuclear activists and environmentalists alike gathered in Sinop on Saturday for a peaceful demonstration against the planned nuclear power plant that the government say will be built on the Ince peninsula. It was an inspiring weekend in Turkey, a weekend where a group of people, who care not only about their own country, but about the world as a whole, took to the streets and committed their time to making a stand against their own government while supporting the locals in their battle against Turkey's nuclear aims. One journalist there told me of how in his opinion there is no energy crisis in Turkey, but they are clouded in their vision by industrialisation of any type at any cost.

The convoy carrying activisits from all over Turkey was greeted with smiling faces and welcoming waves as it rolled into town. Those who did not know about the nuclear ambitions of their government became better informed, which may add some value to stopping the Turkish government from building a nuclear power plant in one of the country's most bio-diverse areas. The landscape we passed was breath-taking and rich in flora and wildlife.


Up to 10,000 people marched through the Black Sea fishing village of Sinop in protest of the government's plans to build the plant not far from the town. The rally marched through the streets and congregated in the town square shouting anti-nuclear slogans and sang environmentalists songs. Members of the main opposition party CHP were present, although no representatives of the ruling Justice and development Party (AKP) came.

Residents joined Turks, who had traveled from all over Turkey, and marched through the streets in protest of the government's nuclear plans. Buses traveled from Istanbul and Ankara carrying many NGOs such as "The Greens" and "Anti-Nuclear Platform". The trip was organised by the Chamber of Electric Engineers (EMO). The event was a peaceful one with low police presence on the ground – all demonstrators passed through a check point before entering the town square.


Following a meeting on April 14, of Turkey's top energy officials and representatives of 14 firms, statements circulated in the Turkish media that the government had confirmed Sinop as the site of where the new nuclear plant is to be built. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was quoted by the Turkish media on April 14 as saying the Black Sea coastal town of Sinop was "the one".




Sinop has been chosen from eight possible locations based on a list of criteria which include seawater temperature, climate, wind and general weather conditions, according to Turkey's Atomic Energy Agency (TAEK).
TAEK's president, Oktay Cakiroglu, announced on April 14 in a speech to a parliamentary commission that technical studies conducted countrywide had shown Sinop to be a good location to build the plant based on the agency's criteria, and that a technology centre would soon be established there.
The region surrounding the Sariye Dam was also thought to be a candidate for the facility, but was later found to be unsuitable due to transportation problems in the area.
In the latest report by TAEK, dated March 15, plans on where to construct the facility in Sinop were laid out, with the Abali village on the Inceburun, Turkey's northernmost point, noted as the site.



A second rally is planned for June, but the location is not yet known.

For a look from an economical and political standpoint with a little more regional background, here's an article I wrote two weeks ago:

http://www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com/weekly01.asp?id=1937

Chernobyl 20 years on...

Remembering the liquidators – hundreds of firemen lost their lives as they bravely battled against the reactor.


Radioactive rescue vehicles dumped in a field in the zone.


Pripyat city, home to 45,000 people at the time of the disaster.


The town square which once housed the laughter of a young rising middle class.


Party sign which sits on the top of the highest buidling in Prpiyat city. The power of the party looms over the city.


Signs that a healthy lifestyle was appreciated in the zone at one time. Remains found in the kitchen of an apartment building.


Peeling walls of an apartment building in Pripyat city.


Billboard which ironically reads "To Your Health", there are lots of these dotted around the zone, a pretty green landscapes against a backdrop of radiation.


Signs of a comfortable lifestyle. Electric goods were something of a luxury in the 1980s.


Screaminghead highlights the disaster.


Artists have highlighted the victims of the disaster – the children.