To figure out whether PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) is a terrorist organization we have to first figure out what terrorism is. What is terrorism? According to its definition we can conclude whether PKK is a terrorist organization or not. From the top of ones head terrorism could be defined as committing of various violent illegal acts which physically or mentally harm the well being of an individual or group of people with the aims of promoting a political or religious ideology.
Another definition could be the premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against non-combatant (civilian) targets by sub-national groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience. International Terrorism, means that this group on its own or with closely coordinated others conducts the same actions in more then one country.
Or according to Bruce Hoffman’s recently (1998) published “Inside Terrorism”, terrorism is; “ineluctably political in aims and motives; violent-or, equally important, threatens violence; designed to have far-reaching psychological repercussions beyond the immediate victim of target; conducted by an organization with an identifiable chain of command or conspiratorial cell structure (whose members wear no uniform or identifying insignia); and perpetrated by a sub-national group or non-state entity.”
The PKK killing spree started on August 15, 1984 where 2 police officers were murdered (Eruh & Semdinli villages). In the ensuing years 17,179 attacks resulted in over 30 thousand murders. 3,489 soldiers, 180 police officers and 1,144 armed village guards were murdered. Among the 4276+ civilians massacred were 501 children, 512 women.
You will agree with me that according to pretty much all definitions of terrorism PKK is a terrorist organization. I had earlier writen another paper on the results of some research including numerous clippings of foreign media, detailing the violence caused by PKK, please make sure you take a look at it if you are not sure about PKK’s terrorist status. It is important to remember what PKK has done in the past to understand the mind set within which it operates.
With regards to Turkey, 2 terrorist organizations were listed on The U.S. Department of State, Counter terrorism Office’s list of foreign terrorists in the world (released October 8, 1997). On this list are Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front, (DHKP/C) and Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) led by Abdullah “Apo” Öcalan. Another group not mentioned in the list but elsewhere in the report was TKEP/L.
According to a report by Richard Cole of the Associated Press; FBI & U.S. State Department records show that PKK committed more terrorist acts from 1991-1995 than any other such group in the world! International Human Rights organization, who criticezes some of Turkish policy has itself compiled a large list of PKK atrocities against civilians and sent it to the Italian Prime Minister asking that it’s leader face justice.
PKK is a violent organization which has treaded on and violated 7 of the 11 major multilateral conventions related to countries responsibilities for combating terrorism & violence. Many of these call for punishment and or extradition.
It was a part of the G7 (of which Italy is a member) signed a declaration in 1996, which clearly states;
“We reaffirm our absolute condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, regardless of its perpetrators or motives. Terrorism is a heinous crime, and there must be no excuse or exception in bringing its perpetrators to justice. ”
Furthermore the Ministerial Conference on Terrorism of Paris, France, July 30, 1996 specifically touches on this issue in its 13th statement point.
“13. While recognizing that political asylum and the admission of refugees are legitimate rights enshrined in international law, make sure that such a right should not be taken advantage of for terrorist purposes and seek additional international means to address the subject of refugees and asylum seekers who plan, fund, or commit terrorist acts.”
Bombs were blown, people were killed, oil pipelines were set ablaze even while Apo was in Italy by his terrorist underlings. These were very likely were for a show of force by PKK, when Apo had supposedly called a cease fire. Still the current Italian government seems to ignore these points in its own internal babbling, or maybe its just soft on terrorism?.
Of course the Italian Communists like this “Apo” who was described as; “Öcalan is a Communist, complete with hammer and sickle, and he runs the PKK in Stalinist style, complete with executions and purge trials.” by one-time lieutenant of his, Selim Curukkaya, in his memoirs. Who cares if Italian public are loosing billions in lost trade because of the public boycott of Italian products, who cares if the eastern part of Turkey still waits stabilization before investment can take place… And regardless of all the proof of Ocalan’s terrorist activities he has been set free by the Italian court system, very likely a political deal within the shaky Italian parliament.
In an open bow to terrorism Germany, who had also previously labeled PKK as a terror organization (arrest warrants issued for Abdullah Öcalan in 1993 and 1998) changed her mind about extraditing the captured leader in fear of increased violence on her soil. Is it not interesting, that in the land of Germany where there are 2+ million Turks and close to 400 thousand Kurds they are afraid of violence from the Kurds if extradited but not afraid of the feelings of the 2 million+ Turks if he is not extradited?!
While the “peace loving” Europeans were doing all they can to off load this hot potato it was again the Americans who on December 17 stated bluntly that “if Abdullah Ocalan is allowed to go free without facing charges, it would be a blow to the international fight against terrorism”. Yes it would, if it is okay to kill school teachers in Turkey what is the diffrence in killing school teachers in Italy?
This brings us to another important point which needs mentioning. Is PKK a materialization of the Kurdish people’s voice in Turkey?
The PKK’s main target has been the entire populations of all the villages which resisted it and the underlying infrastructure in southeastern Turkey. Indeed, the PKK indiscriminately murders and degrades the living conditions of the very people it claims to represent: the Kurds.
Even though the PKK was included in the list of “terrorist organisations” by Spanish deputy Lopes’s special report on terrorism to the Council of Europe. And later on 25 November 1997 in the Mehdi Zana case, the European Court of Human Rights pronounced the PKK as a “terrorist organisation” thereby setting legal precedent! Time after time, the European Union public was tricked by Anti-Turkish & anti-Moslem lobbies within EU into believing that the PKK was the major representative of the Kurdish cause in and around Turkey.
This was due to their lack of understanding of the issues, historically motivated anti-Turkish sentiments as well as the newly democratised x-communist politicians who looked (in secrecy) favourlably towards a Marxist/Leninst/Maoist, the “proletarian internationalism” movement. These attempts disguised as human rights issues completely ignored the almost 1000 year old brotherhood between the Kurds & Turks who not only share a common religion but history as well.
None of the major Kurdish groups (KDP, PUK, KDPI) in the region support the PKK. In fact have time and time again fought against it. Yet because these groups are not as well funded as the PKK (due to its drug-traficking/extortion/money-laundering or its support by anti-Turkish groups such as Greeks) they are not able to be as vocal or afford long term large scale fights nor produce their own TV news programs. And the ones in Turkey have 2 options, either support PKK or be shot (with family members) by PKK. Either one is not a too bright prospect and hence the one sidedness of a small minority of the Kurds politically active!
There are approximately 9-15million people of Kurdish origin in Turkey according to your definition of Kurdish. If any significant majority of these people were supporting PKK there would be all out civil war in Turkey bombs exploding everywhere, fighting in the streets and all. But this is not happening! The bloodshed the fighting is taking place in the south eastern part of Turkey, the under educated part where the under educated unemployed peasants are the hunting ground for PKK recruiters. Whose job in the recent year has become harder and harder. In reality the terror is going down due to PKK’s failure of its violent conduct of agendas. Hence you see a Abdullah Ocalan to save his own life, running to the west and disowning his previous lietuenants and organization actions as stupid and bloody murderers and terrorists.
Why is the east under educated/un-employed, what is being done about it. There are many things that the Turkish state must do to improve the life standards of its citizens, but none of them include dealings with terrorists. PKK has ruined Kurdish people and regions more then anything else in recent history. Not only by attacking industrial complexes but also by attacking the engineers, teachers, doctors and other civilians. There are pictures of PKK violence on civilians well documented. Some of these pictures are of the civilians mentioned in the IHR report some are newer ones.
Abdullah Öcalan and PKK is not a representative of the Kurdish people of Turkey if he was he would have millions of supporters behind him and not several thousand mis-guided, un-educated ones.
Terrorism, like AIDS knows no borders. The same PKK who kills civilians in Turkey with a bullet helps poison thousands more in Europe with drug-trafficking, extortion, arson, blackmailing and money laundering. Only by working together to make criminals pay for their crime can we battle terrorism.
Italy’s failure to legally extradite Ocalan to Turkey or bring him to justice herself has earned its government bad marks, silenced its right to say anything if a Italian diplomat is killed or a civilian public transport bus is blown to pieces in Roma, and it will deserve no international cooperation! Germany’s reluctance to extradite and honour its own arrest warrants forgos their right to complain about any future terrorist acts on their nation.
Turkey is literally a young nation. According to UN Demographic Yearbook of 1996 only 17% of her population is above 60 years of age leaving behind a large 83% dynamic group. Of the total population 29% are under 15 and are the future of Turkey. The country which they grow up in run by the 83% will point them in their future direction. Turkey is the most liberal example of a industrialized Moslem country, a model for other nations in the Middle East and elsewhere to follow. Just as a Euro-Alienated 83% can only guarantee further friction in between the east and the west, friendlier relations in between can mean a better educated, better off population which can only add to the competitiveness and stability of Europe. A stable bridge to the middle east and central caucasia. PKK is a terrorist organization by its methods no matter how you look at it and it must be dealt with accordingly. This is a test of Europe’s fairness and willingness to cooperate with Turkey and a sign of its dedication to fighting international terrorism.