Ankara fears that if the Iraqi Kurds wrest control of Iraqi oil resources they could seek independence, triggering a similar move among Turkey's own sizeable Kurdish minority.

Fighting between the Turkish army and separatist Kurds in the southeast of the country caused more than 36,000 deaths between 1984 and 1999.

Although violence has since subsided, Turkey's Kurdish population still bears the scars of the torture, extra-judicial executions, looting and disappearances that were commonplace during the war years.

Last year, Turkey introduced a series of democratic reforms to smarten up its European Union membership bid, many of which aimed to expand the rights of the country's 10 to 15 million Kurds.

Under the reform program, Ankara loosened severe restrictions on its Kurdish population, allowing the Kurdish language to be taught in private schools, and broadcast on radio and television.

EU leaders, who are to review Ankara's entry bid in December 2004, have broadly welcomed the measures, although key sticking points remain such as the imprisonment of prominent Kurdish rights campaigner Leila Zana.

But Kurdish political leaders claim the reforms, tailored to meet EU membership criteria, are no more than skin-deep and that little has been done to implement the new rights.

"Until now, we have seen none of the promised improvements. Laws have been passed but it all remains at the paper stages," insisted Haci Uzen, head of the pro-Kurdish Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) in the southeastern town of Silopi.

"These laws are essentially designed to enhance Turkey's image throughout the European Union, not to improve the condition of the Kurds. Turkey just wants to show the face the European Union wants to see," said a Kurdish lawyer on condition of anonymity.

In practice, Turkey's Kurds are often still denied the most basic cultural rights. This year, like many years before, Kurdish Newroz, or New Year, celebrations were banned in many cities.

Last month, Turkey's constitutional court banned the country's main Kurdish party, the People's Democracy Party (HADEP) for alleged links with separatist rebels and launched proceedings against DEHAP, its sister party, sparking sharp criticism from the European Union and rights groups.

And during the build-up to the war in Iraq, Ankara sent massive police and army reinforcements to the Kurdish-majority regions of the southeast, and placed tight restrictions on foreign journalists working in the area.

"Moves towards democracy here are largely theoretical. Of course, Turkey compares favourably to other Middle Eastern countries, but not to Western Europe," said the lawyer.

"European warnings (to Turkey) are essential and should be reiterated," he said.

Zehra Deniz, whose husband founded the Silopi branch of DEHAP, has not heard from her husband since he was taken into army custody more than two years ago.

Ebubekir Deniz and another DEHAP official vanished on March 25, 2001, after they were summoned to the regional army headquarters.

"My husband has vanished into thin air. I try to understand but there is no way of knowing what has happened to him," said Zehra, who has come up against a wall of silence from the authorities.

"I am waiting for his return... but that hope is probably an illusion."

Under Turkish law, 20-year-old Zehra cannot remarry until her husband has been confirmed dead, and relies on her unemployed brother for financial help.

SPACE.WIRE