Turkey's Accession to the EU Hindered by Human Rights Dilemma

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Nora Adel                                                                                                                        

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3 December 2005

Turkey's Accession to the EU Hindered by Human Rights Dilemma

The European Union is a democratic family of countries set up to create peace and prosperity (“United”). One of the many countries that have been striving to become a member of this democratic family for almost 50 years now is Turkey (Ahto ,“Leaders”) and it almost "got its wish" because on the 3rd of October 2005  negotiations on becoming a member were started (Ahto, "EU "). However, before Turkey can join the EU it must meet the requirements of the Copenhagen entry criteria, which include improving its human rights record (“EU Reports” Ahto).Although Turkey, has had a notoriously poor human rights record , it has recently made significant improvements in this as a result of its desire to join the EU. If Turkey's attempt to join the EU is to be successful it must continue to improve it's human rights, particularly in it's treatment of minorities, its routine use of torture and its treatment of women.

Turkish discrimination against Kurds and Armenians goes back to the Ottoman Empire when the Ottoman forces killed a large number of Kurds and Armenians. In 1915, the Kurds suffered greatly under the Turkish Ottoman rule ("Kurds"). Moreover, this discrimination continued until the 90's as the government fought the Kurdistan Workers Party and killed many Kurds forcing the remaining ones to leave Turkey. Until very recently broadcasting has only been in Turkish. However, the situation for the Kurds in Turkey has improved since then because it became to an extent legal for radio stations to broadcast in languages other than Turkish (Karimova and Deverell).Therefore, this showed that Turkey believed the Kurds to have a place in their culture and that it acknowledged the fact that they have the right to remain in Turkey. Furthermore, to fulfill one of the many requirements of joining the EU, Turkey allowed private education and the naming of children in Kurdish and "put a lid" on the emergency rule in Southeast Turkey ("Kurds"). Yet, the Kurds have a low status in Turkey where the government is taking a strong stand against the PPK ("Kurds"). Thus, traces of discrimination still and will continue to remain unless the Turkish government wisely withdraws from its fight against the PPK. Not only will this withdrawal improve Turkey’s chance to become an EU member but it will also clear up its terrible human rights record. The Armenians also endured the cruelty of Ottoman rule in 1915 when it nearly wiped out the Armenian culture from existence. This historical event known as the Armenian Genocide is a major issue these days because Turkey stubbornly refuses to admit that killings have occurred. One recent improvement in Turkish Armenian relations is the Black Sea Economic Co-operation meeting because it forces Turkish officials to come to points of agreement with the Armenians. In order to allow the European Union to accept Turkey into its circle of members it will have to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide.

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In addition, Turkey's government system in the past allowed the torture of prisoners during interrogation and punished them during their time in prison. Therefore, "more than four hundred Turkish citizens died in custody" after 1980 ("Turkey"). This and  other horrendous events led to the European Union questioning Turkey’s Human rights record and that is one of the main reasons why the EU started passing the "penal code" to regulate(Smith). Yet again Turkey has improved because after 1997 it created new laws hoping it would lead to its alignment with the other members of the European Union and improve its prospects ...

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