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[Oracle]

Turkey accuses Duchess over orphanages 'smear'

Documentary shows children tied to their beds or lying helpless in corridors

By Nicholas Birch in Istanbul The Independent
Thursday, 6 November 2008

Turkyy has objected to Sarah Ferguson's undercover documentary on conditions in orphanages

The Turkish authorities are threatening Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, and ITV with legal action for a producing an undercover documentary about state-run homes for mentally handicapped children.


Accompanied by ITV reporters carrying hidden cameras, the Duchess of York donned a black wig and headscarf to document poor conditions in two institutions in Ankara and Istanbul earlier this year.

Footage leaked to Turkish television shows children tied to beds, and others lying helpless in corridors. The documentary airs on ITV1 tonight.

But Turkish ministers believe the show was timed to coincide with the release this week of a report on Turkey's attempts to join the European Union.

"It is absolutely clear that Sarah Ferguson is ill-intentioned and is trying to launch a smear campaign against Turkey," Nimet Cubukcu, Turkey's Minister for Women and Family Affairs, said on Monday.

Amid reports in the Turkish media that Turkey's Foreign Minister, Ali Babacan, would raise the issue of the documentary during talks with the Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, in London tomorrow, Ms Cubukcu upped the ante in an interview she gave to Kanal 24 on Tuesday.

"The result of our investigations into the allegations so far suggests that there is nothing we need to be ashamed of," she said. "Our preparations to take the issue to court are on-going." She added that other recent audits of the institutions Sarah Ferguson visited had failed to uncover evidence of abuse.

But Ms Cubukcu must have been overlooking a 250-page report on the general state of mental healthcare that was published in Turkey just a fortnight ago by a non-governmental organisation based in Istanbul.

Members of Human Rights in Mental Health Initiative visited the Ankara orphanage that ITV filmed, and describe in detail smells so bad "we had difficulty breathing", children with their hands tied, and senior staff failing to intervene when one worker screamed at her charges.

The report barely got a mention in the Turkish media. The NGO has received no response to five requests for an interview with Ms Cubukcu it has sent over the past year.

"The shameful thing about this country is that it took somebody coming from outside to draw attention to what is going on," said Fatma Zengin Dagidir, who co-authored the report.

Yet she was slightly sceptical of the value of what she calls "sensational" reporting. She pointed to similar stories that have appeared in the Turkish press in recent years – women filmed banging children's heads together in an orphanage in 2005; rumours of beatings in a psychiatric hospital this January.

"Punishing one or two offenders – as happened then – does not solve the problem," Ms Zengin said.

"The system needs sweeping changes – instead of the current top-down system, one based on the participation of civil society, and the patients and their families. If this scandal triggers real change, it will have served its purpose."

[denizaksulu]

If these conditions in the wards are true, perhaps it will wake up the proper authorities to the problem. The days of 'Bedlam' are over. The autorities should wake up.

Lets hope some good will come out of Sarahs 'undercover' work.

[Oracle]

If these conditions in the wards are true, perhaps it will wake up the proper authorities to the problem. The days of 'Bedlam' are over. The autorities should wake up.

Lets hope some good will come out of Sarahs 'undercover' work.

Thanks Deniz for taking this in the right spirit.

The most positive thing to come out of the current Turkish climate of banning Western media, banning youtube and Google, threats of litigation against prominent British Scientists, denials of atrocities etc are that it is allowing a growing number of brave intellectuals / liberal / radicals to receive the external support they need to be heard.

Good luck to the Duchess. She is carrying on the tradition of pioneering British philanthropy.

[denizaksulu]

The world has seen these institutions in Eastern Europe. One would have thought that neighboring counries would take heed. I think the mentality of the authorities is,'out of sight out of mind'. Its a pity that undercover journalists were needed to 'flush' these practices out.

Ofcourse the timing is of the showing may be political, but whatever it takes.

Dont praise me or thank me too much; you will have MIT after me.

[Oracle]

The world has seen these institutions in Eastern Europe. One would have thought that neighboring counries would take heed. I think the mentality of the authorities is,'out of sight out of mind'. Its a pity that undercover journalists were needed to 'flush' these practices out.

Ofcourse the timing is of the showing may be political, but whatever it takes.

Dont praise me or thank me too much; you will have MIT after me.

I don't think the Duchess is a political animal.

Besides, I thought the UK were the ones backing Turkey to enter the EU? So why would they pick on the orphanages as a reason to thwart their entry?

Easier to (cynically) believe that this would be swept under the carpet by avoiding the real issue; blaming the messenger (Duchess) instead of looking at the message!

[T_C]

That is soooo sad!

I agree that the exposure is good though. I'd hope it brings change. Hopefully....

[denizaksulu]

The world has seen these institutions in Eastern Europe. One would have thought that neighboring counries would take heed. I think the mentality of the authorities is,'out of sight out of mind'. Its a pity that undercover journalists were needed to 'flush' these practices out.

Ofcourse the timing is of the showing may be political, but whatever it takes.

Dont praise me or thank me too much; you will have MIT after me.

I don't think the Duchess is a political animal.

Besides, I thought the UK were the ones backing Turkey to enter the EU? So why would they pick on the orphanages as a reason to thwart their entry?

Easier to (cynically) believe that this would be swept under the carpet by avoiding the real issue; blaming the messenger (Duchess) instead of looking at the message!

Agreed the the Duchess had the good inentions, but the commentator with the laptops did put his 'oar in'.

I did expect far worse. Still room plenty for improvement. Lets hope they will follow 'modern' methods of 'dealing' with the hanicapped. Its so sad. I have no idea how the UK deals with this problem, but am aware of Downs children being educated and prepared for life in community. What happens to the more severely affected patiente. Where are they?

[Oracle]

I agree the Duchess was expressing concern as a mother (who has been told to improve the image of the Royals perhaps ).

Her daughters were most impressive though and a real inspiration for that generation of boozing Brits. Sensible young ladies and proves what I have always thought that the Duke and Duchess of York are the most normal of the Royals.

I hope she follows these findings through and makes Turkey improve on this (further) weakness and not just allow them to BAN any more access.

The Human Rights Barrister was as diplomatic as he could be, but firmly stated that Turkey does not fit into the EU.

[Jerry]

Saw the prog last night, very sad. Scenes like this are probably repeated all over the world in undeveloped countries. God knows how Turkey will manage if the figure of 40 more children per day are added to their numbers. I think in UK more families take responsibility for such children.

The Duchess of Kent? (God bless her - Christ has'nt she aged!) may have honourable motives but I think she is an attention seeking mare, kind of reminds me of someone.

[Oracle]

Saw the prog last night, very sad. Scenes like this are probably repeated all over the world in undeveloped countries. God knows how Turkey will manage if the figure of 40 more children per day are added to their numbers. I think in UK more families take responsibility for such children.

The Duchess of Kent? (God bless her - Christ has'nt she aged!) may have honourable motives but I think she is an attention seeking mare, kind of reminds me of someone.

Well don't bring your wife into this, but despite the Duchess' inability to speak clearly with the plums and the Botox ( the sagging cheeks and chins spoke volumes though ) .... I thought she seemed genuinely concerned. Hard not to, ... even I was so gut-wrenched I stopped watching after 10 minutes.