Germany: Policing and deportations
01 January 1991
Germany: Policing and deportations
artdoc August=1994
Germany, Turkey and the Kurds
Kurds defy state ban
The ban on the PKK and other Kurdish organisations has been
defied by Kurds across Germany. In March, attempts by Kurds to
block motorways as a way of drawing attention to the situation
in Turkey led to serious clashes with the police, during which
water cannon was used. The chancellery minister, Friedrich Bohl,
has said that `whoever abuses our hospitality must take account
of the consequences'.
In Stuttgart, 14 Kurds attempted to set fire to themselves. In
Hanover, police set up road-blocks to prevent 900 cars and 26
buses from entering town for a Kurdish cultural event. Thousands
of police were drafted into Munich and a Kurdish demonstration
banned as the trial of 13 Kurds, charged with occupying the
Turkish consulate and seizing hostages last June, begun. A
demonstration in support of the PKK in Nordhein Westfallen was
also banned.
Deportations of Kurds commences
Following demonstrations across Germany to protest at both the
state's ban on the PKK and the killings of Kurds in Turkey,
Germany entered into negotiations with the Turkish government and
announced plans to deport Kurds arrested on demonstrations in
Germany.
But the proposals soon ran into difficulties. At the beginning
of April, Bavaria's attempt to deport Kurds arrested on recent
demonstrations led to the intervention of the government when it
became clear that the state was attempting to circumvent legal
procedures. Following criticism from Bonn, the Bavarian interior
minister insisted that Bavaria would not `rely only on the
assurances of the Turkish ambassador regarding the safety of the
Kurds sent back to Turkey'. However, other states have gone on
to carry out deportations.
One Kurdish family deported from Sachsen had not even committed
any offence. A male member of the family was immediately arrested
and taken to prison where he was tortured with electric shocks.
A Kurdish man from Augsburg, one of many under threat of
deportation, attempted to take his life in April.
Following criticisms from Amnesty International, the German
government has announced that they are seeking assurances from
Turkey that deportees will not be tortured. The Social Democrats
who support the deportation programme are seeking assurances that
neither the death penalty or torture will be used against the
deportees (Taz 21,24,28,30.3, 2,5,9,,12,16,25.4.94, Independent
13.4.94, Guardian 24.3.94).
Police shoot Kurdish man in deportation attempt
The police have shot and seriously injured a Kurdish man in
Wiesloch, near Heidelberg, after officers came to his home to
deport the whole family to Turkey. The police justified their
actions by saying that as the man was resisting deportation armed
with a knife, they were forced to shoot him, first in the leg and
then in the stomach in order to transport him. The public
prosecutor has defended the police actions as self-defence
(Berliner Zeitung 2.6.94).
German arms sales to Turkey
Demonstrators against the deportation plans in Dusseldorf and
Munich have pointed out that German weaponry is being sold to
Turkey to suppress Kurdish insurgents. Following the revelations,
foreign minister Kinkel has appealed to the Turkish government
not to use German weapons against the Kurds. Germany has
delivered around £400m of weapons to Turkey in the past three
years. Bonn has now announced a temporary stop on the delivery
of arms (Independent 13.4.94).
Police kill Kosovo-Albanian refugee
A police officer has shot and killed a 22-year-old refugee from
Kosovo after a car chase in the Bavarian village of Halfing. The
man was shot in the head and died instantly. Police say that the
man had refused to obey an order to leave his car (Taz 18.3.94).
Fishing raids for illegal workers across Germany
In April, 3000 police and customs officials raided premises
a