"European grants to Turkey have not reached Kurdish areas"

The Kurdish Globe
Nuri Kino recognized for his research into corruption of EU grants to Turkey
European Parliament recognizes a Swedish journalist of Turkey-Assyrian origin, Nuri Kino, as one of the most outstanding journalists in Europe.

Last week, European countries selected 76 top nominees in four categories: radio, TV, newspaper, and the Web. In the radio category, Nuri Kino's and Kajsa Norell's reporting regarding EU's grants to Turkey was selected as the Swedish winner.

Kino and Norell were awarded for their investigation of what happened to the billions in European donations that were sent to Turkey to help it adjust to European Union standards. The majority of the impoverished farmers, sheltered women, and child laborers have not seen a cent of this money. The investigation reported that a lot of the grants ended up in the pockets of fake consultants and corrupt officials and individuals. Nuri Kino traveled through southeastern Turkey (Turkey Kurdistan) to find out if the EU grant had brought this section of Turkey closer to the EU. He met farmers in Midyat, women in shelters in Kiziltepe, handicapped persons in Diyarbakir, and child laborers in Mardin. He later flew back to Ankara and Istanbul to interview officials and politicians. Kajsa Norell, one of Swedish radio's specialists in EU issues, worked in parallel with Kino, unearthing documents, reports, and other information that showed how much money was sent to Turkey. She recorded the purposes for which these funds were intended, how the money was really spent, and the audits the EU itself had made or should have made. Together they later produced the much discussed and prizewinning report series "EU's subsidy to Turkey" that was broadcast in January of this year.

"In times when quality reporting is rare, we would like to extend our gratitude to Swedish radio for believing in investigative journalism and for giving us the opportunity to deeply investigate irregularities. On that note, Kajsa and I would like to address a special thank you to our editors Rolf Stengård and Cecilia Roos," said Kino.

Turkey has received a great deal of attention lately as a result of its unsuccessful efforts to join the EU. European leaders have indicated that before Turkey can join, it must improve its human rights record.

The primary requirements for membership in the EU are that a country must be European, must be a democratic system that respects human rights, and must be capable of maintaining the political and economic obligations of a member state. Turkey applied for membership in the European Economic Community in 1959, and in 1963, was granted an associational membership. Many of the current human rights problems in Turkey can be linked to the longstanding "Kurdish problem."

The southeast of Turkey, inhabited mainly by Kurds, is undeveloped compared with other parts of Turkey. The Ankara government for many years has systematically withheld resources from the Kurdish region. As a result, there are two distinct Turkeys: The northern and western regions are highly developed and cosmopolitan--part of the "first world," while the south and east are truly of the "third world."

The disparity and repression has led to armed clashes between the Turkish army and Kurdish rebels of the Kurdistan Workers Party since 1984.

In the latest interview with Raif Türk, head of Diyarbakır's largest business association, he said poor security in southeastern Anatolia is the biggest obstacles to massive investment in the region. Diyarbakir is the largest Kurdish city in Turkey. "As the president [of a businessman's association] I cannot call on any businessperson to invest in this region under the present conditions," Türk told "Hurriyet" newspaper.

"Neither the government nor businesspeople can revive the region's economy on their own. It's a national issue. Industry, trade, and tourism will not be developed here without peace," Türk said, adding that a holistic approach to the regional problem was needed.