Turkey threatens to set fire to Pippi Longstocking
Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 10:23 amPress release
August 24th, 2006
Turkey threatens to set fire to Pippi Longstocking
Approximately one thousand Swedish children’s’ books translated to Kurdish risk being destroyed by Turkish customs at the Atatürk International Airport at Istanbul.
Turkish authorities believe the books may contain insults or propaganda against the sovereign state of Turkey or the founding father Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
The books are Swedish children’s classics on the characters “Pippi Longstocking” and “Alfons Åberg”. The shipment of books has been sent to Turkey by the Swedish-based Children’s’ Rights Organization KOMAK. The books were intended sent on to the opening of libraries in five Kurdish towns. The library project is financed through the renowned ”Olof Palme’s Centre”.
However, 2 weeks ago the shipment was stopped in Istanbul, when customs officials were of the opinion that Turkish authorities had to be certain that the books contained no offensive material against Atatürk or the government.
The authorities demanded that KOMAK must finance the cost of 5 government loyal teachers to study all the books to decide whether the books contained insults against Turkey. The work is calculated to take 2 - 3 months.
Naturally, KOMAK finds this demand unreasonable, and impossible to accommodate.
Now, customs officials state that the shipment of books must return to Sweden within a few days, otherwise they will confiscate and destroy the books.
Turkish authorities have clearly stated throughout the dispute that the problem is the fact that the books have been translated into Kurdish.
Turkey has applied for membership in the European Union. One of the conditions set for Turkey’s candidacy is that the country must comply to respect democratic freedom and rights, and these rights must even include Kurds.
This case, and Turkey’s reaction, will certainly result in a response and an outcry, not only from Sweden, but also from the European Union.
Last week, this case resulted in a question raised in the Swedish parliament (Riksdagen) when the representative from the Moderate party, Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth, asked the minister of culture, Leif Pagrotsky, if he deems it necessary to take action.
At that point in time, Turkish authorities had not yet communicated their intentions to destroy the books. The question now is whether the minister of culture will allow this to take place.
Contact representatives of KOMAK:
Sevda Fisli
(+46) 070 787 33 16
Shamam Muradrasoli
(+46) 0739 74 54 67
http://www.komak.nu/English/div/presseng.htm
August 24th, 2006
Turkey threatens to set fire to Pippi Longstocking
Approximately one thousand Swedish children’s’ books translated to Kurdish risk being destroyed by Turkish customs at the Atatürk International Airport at Istanbul.
Turkish authorities believe the books may contain insults or propaganda against the sovereign state of Turkey or the founding father Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
The books are Swedish children’s classics on the characters “Pippi Longstocking” and “Alfons Åberg”. The shipment of books has been sent to Turkey by the Swedish-based Children’s’ Rights Organization KOMAK. The books were intended sent on to the opening of libraries in five Kurdish towns. The library project is financed through the renowned ”Olof Palme’s Centre”.
However, 2 weeks ago the shipment was stopped in Istanbul, when customs officials were of the opinion that Turkish authorities had to be certain that the books contained no offensive material against Atatürk or the government.
The authorities demanded that KOMAK must finance the cost of 5 government loyal teachers to study all the books to decide whether the books contained insults against Turkey. The work is calculated to take 2 - 3 months.
Naturally, KOMAK finds this demand unreasonable, and impossible to accommodate.
Now, customs officials state that the shipment of books must return to Sweden within a few days, otherwise they will confiscate and destroy the books.
Turkish authorities have clearly stated throughout the dispute that the problem is the fact that the books have been translated into Kurdish.
Turkey has applied for membership in the European Union. One of the conditions set for Turkey’s candidacy is that the country must comply to respect democratic freedom and rights, and these rights must even include Kurds.
This case, and Turkey’s reaction, will certainly result in a response and an outcry, not only from Sweden, but also from the European Union.
Last week, this case resulted in a question raised in the Swedish parliament (Riksdagen) when the representative from the Moderate party, Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth, asked the minister of culture, Leif Pagrotsky, if he deems it necessary to take action.
At that point in time, Turkish authorities had not yet communicated their intentions to destroy the books. The question now is whether the minister of culture will allow this to take place.
Contact representatives of KOMAK:
Sevda Fisli
(+46) 070 787 33 16
Shamam Muradrasoli
(+46) 0739 74 54 67
http://www.komak.nu/English/div/presseng.htm
