-Caveat Lector-
"The Nationalist party, popularly called the Gray Wolves, was
established in the 1960s by the late Alparslan Turkes, an army colonel who
staged a coup in 1960.
"The anti-communist Turkes aspired to unite the Turkic-speaking states
within the former Soviet Union under a Turkish flag.
"The party has since abandoned its pan-Turkic ideals but still calls for
closer economic ties with Central Asian states such as Turkmenistan and
Kazakstan."
Nationalists Join Turkish Gov't
By SUZAN FRASER
.c The Associated Press
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) -- A picture of a soldier's grave hangs in the
headquarters of Turkey's nationalist party. Carved on the tombstone is the
slogan: ``Those who lift a hand against the Turk will die like dogs.''
Turkey's far-right Nationalist Movement Party may have moderated its tone and
image during the past two years, but the party's line against Kurdish rebels
remains uncompromising.
The nationalists joined Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's Democratic Left Party
in a coalition government Friday, the first time they have been in a
government in more than two decades.
The party has said it will insist that Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan be
hanged for leading a rebellion against the state. It is also likely to oppose
anything but a military solution to strife in the largely Kurdish southeast.
Ocalan's trial for treason opens on Monday. Any death sentence must be
approved by parliament.
``We will finish off the terrorist organization and ease the troubles of the
people of the southeast in the shortest time possible,'' said Tunca Toskay,
the party's deputy chairman.
European demands that Turkey spare Ocalan's life and work to improve its
human-rights record are likely to backfire with the Nationalists, who call
for closer relations with Central Asia and not the West.
The group more than doubled its votes in April 18 parliamentary elections,
capturing 18 percent of the electorate and emerging as the second-largest
party in parliament.
Many of those voters backed an Islamic party in the 1995 elections. That
party was forced from power for challenging Turkey's secular laws.
Like the Islamic party, the Nationalists are also pushing for an easing of
Turkey's staunch pro-secular laws, but they have made it clear that they will
not provoke the secular establishment or attempt to change the secular
character of the state.
Earlier this month, an Islamic legislator caused chaos in parliament when she
attempted to take the oath of office wearing an Islamic-style head scarf.
Religious dress is barred in public offices.
In contrast, Nationalist deputy Nesrin Unal removed her head scarf when she
entered parliament.
``There is one thing the party will not do and that is exploit religion,''
Toskay said.
The party program calls for the resumption of Koranic courses in primary
schools and the easing of rules that bar women students from wearing head
scarves at universities, two issues that the Islamic party also championed.
The Nationalist party was established in the 1960s by the late Alparslan
Turkes, an army colonel who was part of a military clique that staged a coup
in 1960.
The anti-communist Turkes aspired to unite the Turkic-speaking states within
the former Soviet Union under a Turkish flag.
His supporters, popularly called the Gray Wolves, battled leftists in the
streets of Turkey. The clashes, which led to thousands of deaths, helped lead
to a 1980 military coup.
The party has since abandoned its pan-Turkic ideals but retains its Eastern
focus, calling for closer economic ties with Central Asian states such as
Turkmenistan and Kazakstan.
After Turkes' death in 1997, Devlet Bahceli, a former university lecturer,
began reforming the party. He shut down 500 of the 1,500 branches of the
party's youth organization, which had a reputation for violence. He also
purged ultra-nationalists linked to the mafia and ordered students to keep
out of campus violence.
But many Turks remember the days when Gray Wolves, sporting the long, droopy
mustaches that were once worn by Central Asian warriors, roamed the streets,
shooting leftist students and academics.
``They armed their youths, they claimed countless lives, they embraced gangs.
Can all these be forgotten?'' asked Rahsan Ecevit, the wife and political
partner of the prime minister.
The Nationalists bristle at the claim.
``During that period there was anarchy in Turkey, and many sides were
involved in the clashes,'' Toskay said. ``It is not a correct assumption that
one side was to blame.''
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