Police detained hundreds of protesters across Turkey Sept. 1 who had gathered to demonstrate on World Peace Day. The actions were a clampdown on supporters of the main Kurdish party, HADEP, which campaigns for a peaceful solution to the Kurdish question. Tensions were increased by jailed Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan, who released a message calling for renewed efforts at dialogue with the Turkish government, but if such talks fail to bring peace, then Kurds should prepare for revolt and make 2002 a year of war.
