What is terrorism? Is PKK a terrorist organization?


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What is terrorism? Is PKK a terrorist organization?


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?.


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
actionsa 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 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.

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