Turkey's position on IDP properties: lessons (not) learned

Abstract

Three issues: security, economics and justice, are the keys to comprehending the essence of problems of property and IDP return in conflict settings. The case of Turkey presents an interesting framework for analysing issues related to IDP property, both in the context of the Kurdish issue in the Southeast of the country, and in Cyprus. Comparing the position of Turkey in these two settings, the article argues that, while it utilizes domestic mechanisms to avoid international pressures very well, especially by exhausting the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights to reinforce legitimacy of its policies, Turkey's position on the return of and/or compensation for IDP properties lacks transparency, disregarding principles of justice without respect for human rights.