Handan Kazancı
January 18, 2016•Update: January 18, 2016
ISTANBUL
Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
Turkish newspapers on Monday covered Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s remarks to members of his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party in Istanbul.
“PM is insistent: withdraw signatures,” was HURRIYET’s headline, referring to a petition signed by more than 1,000 Turkish university lecturers who dubbed themselves the Group of Academics for Peace.
Their statement called for an end to the security forces’ ongoing counter-terrorism operations in southeastern Turkey, accusing the state of violating human rights and of conducting a “deliberate and planned massacre”.
“Academics will feel shame for [signing the petition] when they re-read it,” Davutoglu was quoted as saying: “I call for a re-reading of the petition and withdrawal of signatures.”
“Qandil mentality” wrote VATAN, referring to the terrorist organization PKK’s headquarters in northern Iraq.
The newspaper reported that Davutoglu called for academics to withdraw their signatures from a petition which he said was in support of a terrorist group.
The PKK – considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU – resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in late July.
Ongoing tension between Turkish army and terrorist group PKK in the country’s southeast also dominated other Turkish newspapers’ front pages.
“I commend my home to you,” was MILLIYET’s headline, featuring a photograph of a uniformed Turkish soldier carrying an elderly woman on his back.
The newspaper reported that a family of three, who were stuck in southeastern Diyarbakir province since the beginning of curfew in the region on Dec. 2, 2015 had been rescued by Turkish gendarmes.
SABAH, AKSAM, YENISAFAK and also BUGUN featured the same photo.
BUGUN wrote that the woman was taken to hospital without specifying the reason.
In domestic news, HURRIYET wrote about the Turkish government’s plan to increase fundamental rights of ethnic and religious minorities in the country.
The newspaper wrote that the Turkish government had decided to take immediate steps on minority rights to rule out criticism of its operations against the PKK in the southeast.
Among these proposed measures are the renaming of certain towns and villages to their original names.
Kurdish-language announcements could be introduced on flights to some regions.
A historic Armenian church in eastern Turkey may be permitted to celebrate Mass more often. The Armenian Church of the Holy Cross on Lake Van’s Akdamar Island currently must apply for permission to hold religious services.
The Turkish government allowed Mass to be celebrated for the first time in 95 years there in 2010.
In other news, MILLIYET wrote “New page in the Middle East,” referring to a lifting of sanctions against Iran after the International Atomic Energy Agency announced that the country is complying with its nuclear-related obligations agreed last summer.
“The lifting of sanctions will create a $110 billion market in Iran,” the newspaper wrote.
Turkey is one of the three leading countries operating in Iran, the newspaper wrote, quoting Bilgin Aygul, the head of Turkey-Iran Business Council.
In economic news, financial newspaper DUNYA wrote that Turkey’s state-owned housing agency TOKI, is close to breaking a record on building units.
According to the newspaper, TOKI head Mehmet Ergun Turan said that 60,000 housing units would be built by the agency this year. Turan also said that the agency would also build factories.
