Brutal Test for Ecevit

Sectarian violence brings a crisis and martial law

Turkish Air Force jets boomed over the southern provincial capital of Maras, (pop. 136,000) early last week, while crack army and commando units took up positions in the usually quiet milleniums-old market city. But not even that show of Turkish government force was enough to quell thousands of Muslim rioters who rampaged for four days through Maras, killing 102 people and injuring nearly 1,000. Additional armored vehicles and paratroops had to be moved in. Finally, an exhausted Premier Buelent Ecevit declared martial law in 13 provinces where clashes also had occurred. Said Ecevit of the draconian measure: "I hope that in a short time we will no longer need it."

The year-old social-democratic Ecevit government was being brutally tested in ways similar to the more drastic turmoil in neighboring Iran. But there were also differences. The key one was that the violence that threatened Ecevit's government was based on religious rivalry. One of the factions is Turkey's Shi'ite Muslim minority (known locally as Alevis), which comprises 25% of the country's 41 million people. The Alevis are regarded as left-leaning and generally support Ecevit's Republican People's Party. The other is the country's Sunni Muslim majority (72%), who consider the Shi'ites to be heretics. Extremists have exploited the traditional enmity, inciting violence where sectarian tension is high. Over the past year, there have been nearly 800 deaths, excluding the Maras, toll.

The incident that provoked last week's violence was a funeral procession for two left-wing Alevi teachers who had been gunned down by unknown assailants. A throng of 3,000 right-wing demonstrators blocked the procession's route. In the fighting that followed, three Sunnis were killed. Then the Sunnis began looting, burning and killing. Local R.P.P. deputies frantically cabled Premier Ecevit that "under an R.P.P government even our own people cannot be sure of protection in our headquarters."

The Sunni-Alevi split has been worsened by the left-right division of Turkish politics. In order to maintain his parliamentary majority, Ecevit has had to deal cautiously with extremist sentiment while carrying out a left-of-center program. Although the Premier was successful in ending the 3 1/2-year-long U.S. arms embargo against Turkey, lifted last August, he also made some friendly overtures to the U.S.S.R. The gestures toward the Soviets have exacerbated feelings among extremist Ecevit opponents. One slogan shouted by Sunnis last week: COMMUNISTS TO MOSCOW.

Only one of 539 Turkish deputies voted in a rowdy session against Ecevit's martial law decision. But other difficulties still fester. Turkey is faced with burdensome problems of underdevelopment and even potential bankruptcy. Among the woes: a national debt of $10.6 billion, a 70% annual inflation rate and 20% unemployment in a work force of 16.4 million.

Said Ecevit last week: "Whatever our differences of opinion, everyone must do his best to call out to his own followers for peace." At week's end, Ecevit's countrymen seemed to be heeding that plea His government was not expected to topple--if only because no one else seemed to be willing to take on Ecevit's painful responsibilities.

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