1.
SV Students marching over hill sides dressed in white karate uniform
0.13

2.
Students running down hillside in barefeet
0.26

3.
GV Students go through karate movements while shouting instructors chant
0.43

4.
GV Instructors and students going through karate movements
1.23

5.
GV PAN Students rush in sea.
1.38



Initials MV/1545-/1600



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Thousands of students in Turkey are receiving training in Karate and Judo to help them fight in riots and disturbances.

In recent years, riots and disturbances have been blamed for upsetting Turkey's political life - and even its economic stability. A recent survey showed there were 49 student demonstrations between 1 May and 20 June this year.

In those disturbances, 190 people were wounded, 45 were arrested and about 300 detained. The violence in fifteen of the demonstrations was attributed to attacks by right-wing students on left-wing students, and eight were blamed on attacks by left-wing students. Twenty of the clashes were in Ankara and twelve in Istanbul.

Another report on the clashes which took place on the streets, showed that in the same period there were 42 clashes involving left-wing and right-wing groups.

One karate training centre owner says as many as ten thousand students have received karate and judo training. They are mainly members of right-wing groups and it's generally accepted in Turkey that these centres and young people are being backed by the right-wing National Movement Party.

The party and its leader are now being accused of having facist tendencies and the centres are accused of training Secret Service-type troops.