The fear of disturbances in Kurdish areas of Turkey looms large following decision of the country’s constitutional court to ban the country's main pro-Kurdish party for having links to armed separatist fighters. The court voted yesterday to shut down the Democratic Society Party (DTP) and banned dozens of members from joining other political parties for five years. It also expelled two of the party's politicians, including the DTP leader Ahmet Turk from parliament.The court found the party guilty of co-operating with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has been fighting for autonomy in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast in a conflict that has lasted 25 years and claimed 40,000 lives. The ruling has come after weeks of clashes between police and protesters angry at the prison treatment of the founder of the PKK Abdullah Ocalan.