Chief of General Staff Yasar Büyükanit has vowed to stay silent on the presidential elections, the first ballot of which is due this afternoon. Prof. Mithat Sancar has intepreted this silence as a deliberate change in tactics.

Villagers attempting to return to their villages after 12 years have been told to leave their village, again for "security reasons". They have lost their harvests.

Referring to the election success of the AKP, Abdullah Gül has spoken of the peoples will and hinted at a renewed candidacy for president. Prof. Dr. Sancar believes this is a tactic of initial attack followed by compromise.

When one looks at pre-election promises, mainstream political parties are suddenly keen to promise a new, more democratic constitution. The track record of the current government and other parties suggests that many of these promises will not be kept.

According to writer Sen, the concept of a professional army serves less the fight against PKK terror, but more Turkeys bid for regional dominance by protecting the flow of global capital in the Middle East, the Caucasus and in the Balkans

Recent mud slinging between the ruling AKP and the nationalist MHP has widened into a national discourse on the possibility of reintroducing the death penalty. Öcalan has become part of the election campaign and people in favour of the death penalty.

The announcement that the Radikal newspaper will cut 41 jobs has been greeted with shock by its employers. Radikal is owned by the Dogan Media Group, as are Posta and Fanatik newspapers, which have already faced job losses.

Prime Minister Erdogan had commented that independent candidates were a waste of votes. However, the independent candidates are there to make human rights violations visible. In the case of the DTP, they may even form a group in parliament.

In the light of the PKK attack in Tunceli and the ongoing military operations in the East and South-East of Turkey, there have been calls for an ending of violence in order to ensure democratic elections.

After the initial prison sentence of two suspect army officers was revoked by the court of appeals, lawyers of the third party involved have spoken of a cover-up. They may apply to the European Court of Human Rights.

Three journalists dismissed from the atv and Sabah media group for trade union activities are going to trial to claim compensation. Trade union leader Ipekci speaks of veiled threats, but union activities continue.

In the landmark case where four police officers were tried with intentionally killing a father and his son in Mardin, in 2004, the court acquits the suspects on grounds of self-defense. Saying the court failed to comply to evidence, family lawyers appeal.

Three people working in a Christian publishing house have been brutally murdered in south eastern city of Malatya. 10 suspects are under custody. Its believed to be religiously motivated. NGOs protested the incident, international reaction arises.

Asst. Prof. Kentel says the recent perception of rising nationalism in Tukey is in fact the projection of a fear, resulting from the dissolution of the nation state and all promises related to it by the process of globalization.

Initiative for a Mine-free Turkey says at least 39 people died last year because of land mines and abandoned ammunition. Government should implement the Ottawa Treaty and clear all 1 million land mines on ground by 2014, the rights organization said.

Turkeys Human Rights Association Diyarbakır branch chair Demiştaş says not one trial has been launched into the tragic events of March 2006 where 14 people were killed by security forces during demonstrations following pro-Kurdish guerillas funerals.

Armenian church of Surp Khach placed on Aghtamar island in lake Van, eastern Turkey has been restorated and opened as a museum with the participation of Turkish and Armenian officials. The church dates back to 10th century.

Weekly Nokta magazine reveals plans to stage a military coup in 2004 by publishing a prominent generals diaries which quote relations between army officials and journalists, business people and others in great detail. Investigation needed says Alataş.

University students of Roma background are organizing for their rights. Co-founder of the Romankara association, Karadeniz explains how Roma people are discriminated against in Tukey and how they came to realize thay have rights to fight for.

Turkey is reluctant to ratify and adopt international legislation against racial discrimination says Human Rights Association chair Yusuf Alatas. Together with legislative changes, government needs to work to eliminate various forms of discrimination