The PKK (Kurdish
acronym for the "Kurdistan Workers' Party"), formed in 1978 by Abdullah Öcalan,
is the most notorious terror organization in the world. It has been waging a
vicious campaign of terror against Turkey since 1984 with the external support
of certain states and circles whose aim is to destabilize
Turkey.
The PKK was identified
as one of the 30 main terrorist organizations in the world by the US Secretary
of State in October 1997, and it was also described in the same way in US State
Department "Patterns of Global Terrorism" reports.
PKK's terrorist
activities have resulted, to date, in the death of thousands of people,
including women, the elderly, children and in many instances even infants. The
PKK has also murdered over one hundred school teachers, who became inevitable
targets of the terrorists since it was judged that PKK's subversive views could
be most easily imposed on the uneducated and the ignorant. Lists giving the
figures of ordinary individuals and public servants, ruthlessly killed or maimed
by the PKK terrorists, are in annex.
The PKK has employed
murder, intimidation, kidnapping and destruction to achieve its nefarious
objectives. It targets ordinary people, because it aims to subjugate the local
population in southeastern Turkey into supporting its evil deeds. The PKK has
attacked the entire inhabitants of villages in southeast Anatolia. These attacks
are also designed to make the region uninhabitable. The PKK destroys schools,
sets forests on fire, blows up railways and bridges, plants mines on roads,
burns down construction machinery, and demolishes health centers. A list
containing the figures of material damage caused by PKK's terrorist attacks is
also in annex.
In response, the
authorities trained the villagers to defend themselves and also moved some
people to locations where they would be safer. These two measures, intended to
protect the local population against terrorism, have been at the center of a
misinformation campaign by the PKK and its sympathizers.
The PKK
indiscriminately murders the very people on whose behalf it purports to act :
Turkish citizens of Kurdish origin. Ironically, the PKK regards Masud Barzani's
Kurdish
PKK Terrorism :
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Publication
Democratic Party and
Jalal Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the two main Kurdish groupings in
northern Iraq, as its adversaries.
Due to its ability to
strike Turkey from Syria and (after the 1991 Gulf War) northern Iraq, the PKK
proved for some time a serious threat to law and order and claimed many victims.
Following its operations against PKK facilities in northern Iraq Turkey restored
law and order throughout the southeastern provinces.
The PKK has been
supported and sheltered by some of Turkey's neighbors, as well as by some others
outside the region. Syria and Greece are the principal countries that have been
supporting the PKK for years. However, with the signing of Adana memorandum on
October 20, 1998, the Syrian connection has been broken. Syrian authorities have
promised not to support terrorist activities against Turkey and taken some steps
in this direction. Turkey closely monitors Syrian compliance with the Adana
agreement. Yet, Greece, a NATO ally, backs the PKK and its affiliates by every
means at its disposal. Confessions and testimonies of dozens of PKK militants
arrested in Turkey reveal that Greek support to PKK terrorism goes much beyond
than what was generally estimated. Most recently, revelations made by the PKK
member Fethi Demir and by Şemdin Sakık, PKK's "second man" captured in northern
Iraq, have helped to confirm concretely the continuing Greek support to the PKK.
The statement made by Greek Premier Simitis on November 26, 1998, leaves no room
for doubt about the position of Greece vis-a-vis the PKK : "the PKK is an
organization fighting for the rights of the Kurdish minority and using various
means to reach this end." Can there be a more explicit approval of PKK
terrorism? There is of course other evidence and documentation concerning Grek
support to PKK terrorism.
The PKK terrorist
organization, among others, employs the following methods in the perpetration of
its crimes:
a) Indiscriminate
terror against the Turkish citizens of Kurdish ethnic origin mainly in
southeastern Turkey. Targets included children, women, and the elderly. In some
places PKK terrorists have wiped out isolated, dispersed settlements and
hamlets. The aim is to force the local population into submission, to make them
provide sanctuary.
b) Indiscriminate
terror against non-Kurdish population. The purpose is to discredit the state
institutions and to cause instability.
c) Terror against
selected targets.
- Assassination of well
known personalities, judicial, law enforcement and security
personnel.
- Assassination of
state functionaries that provide services to the local population in
southeastern Turkey (civil servants, teachers, health personnel, technical
personnel, etc.).
- Assassination of
village guardsmen and their families.
- Attacks on and
occupation of official missions of Turkey abroad (diplomatic, consular,
commercial, tourism, etc.) as well as headquarters or branch offices of
semi-official institutions (Turkish Airlines offices, banks, etc.).Attacks and
acts of arson against the houses, business facilities, associations and
mosques of the Turkish community living in western Europe, mainly in Germany.
These acts of terror are mostly carried out through proxies and front
organizations that are permitted by the authorities of the host countries to
operate in those states.
d) Terror within the
ranks of the PKK, against informants and repentant militants. Over the years,
Öcalan has ordered the killing of numerous PKK defectors and potential
rivals.
In the past decade, the
PKK has conducted assassinations, kidnappings and acts of arson in Western
Europe against former PKK members and defectors. Assassinations of PKK defectors
occurred in Sweden in 1984 and 1985; in Denmark in 1985; in the Netherlands in
1987 and 1989; in Germany in 1986, 1987, and 1988.
e) Wider hit and run
tactics against border posts and military patrols.
f) Terrorist attacks
against industrial infrastructure, oil facilities, social facilities, and
tourist sites with the aim of weakening the Turkish economy and tarnishing its
image. As part of these terror acts, the PKK bombed passenger trains,
ferryboats, and buses.
Several of these
attacks resulted in civilian casualties. In 1993 and 1994 it also staged a
series of kidnappings of foreigners in southeastern Turkey to frighten away
tourists and to embarrass the Turkish government.
g) The head of the
terrorist organization PKK has advocated and ordered the use of suicide bombings
against Turkish targets that resulted in the deaths of security personnel and
civilians, and injuries to many more.
Obviously, such an
enterprise of crime and violence like the PKK requires colossal human and
financial resources. As there are no legitimate ways or means to obtain the
required resources, PKK's only option is to resort to illegal and illegitimate
methods. Hence, the PKK is heavily engaged in organized crime activities,
including extortion, drug trafficking, arms smuggling, human smuggling (illegal
immigration), and abduction of children. Such racketeering takes place
particularly in western Europe.
The PKK has been
carrying out its activities abroad through its front organization ERNK (Kurdish
acronym for the "Kurdistan National Liberation Front"), the so-called "Kurdistan
Parliament in Exile", its mouthpiece MED TV, and through other affiliated
offices, centers and associations.
Through these front
establishments, the PKK organizes and carries out its illegal activities. It
also uses them to make its propaganda so as to influence and mislead the public
opinion in west European countries for obtaining popular support to its
subversive ends.
The abduction of
children and youngsters in some European countries by these front organizations
deserves special mention. According to police reports and press articles in
several west European countries, the PKK recently organized kidnappings of
children, of 14-17 years of age, in Varmland/Sweden through the ERNK, and in
Celle/Germany through "Kurdish Information Bureaus", or "Kurdish Culture
Centers". The statements of some of the abducted children, as well as press and
police reports reveal that the PKKkidnapped these youngsters, took them to its
camps, located in some other west European countries, and forced them into
training as terrorist militants. The Turkish authorities spared no effort in
drawing the attention of the west European countries to such criminal and
illegal activities of the PKK, but unfortunately their calls to prevent these
activities usually fell on deaf ears. The complaints of the children's families,
however, attracted the attention of the public and thus created a strong
reaction towards what the PKK and its affiliates have in fact been doing for
years. The police in Sweden and Germany are now investigating the
matter.
Terrorism constitutes
today one of the most serious violations of human rights, in particular the
fundamental right to life. By murdering thousands of people, the PKK has
violated the right to life. Therefore, all the PKK terrorists, including their
head Öcalan,
must answer in the
court of law for their crimes.
All societies
threatened by terrorism have the right to take appropriate measures to protect
themselves from violence and to eradicate terrorism. Turkey's fight against the
PKK terrorism is of this nature and aims not only to maintain security and to
protect its citizens, but also to pave the way for economic and social
development in the regions where this is needed most. This fight against
terrorism observes democratic principles and the rule of law, with great care
being given to respect the rights of innocent civilians.
Who is Abdullah Öcalan
?
Abdullah Öcalan was
born in the province of Sanliurfa in 1949. He speaks Turkish and has only a poor
grasp of some Kurdish dialects. He had a conventional education and his original
wish was to be an officer in the Turkish Army. He failed the entrance
examination for the military academy. He did, however, gain admission in 1971 to
the Ankara University Political Sciences Faculty. There, he joined the
underground movements trying to overthrow Turkey's parliamentary system. He was
expelled from the university for non-attendance and his illegal
activities.
The cell of terrorists
which he controlled soon broke links with other groups. It was known for its use
of extreme violence and the "Apocu's" (Followers of Abdullah Öcalan), as the PKK
was called in its early days, had a special trademark: they hacked off
the
noses of their
opponents. In the late 1970's, Öcalan collaborated closely with the Soviet Union
and with Syria which were attempting to create political turmoil in Turkey. In
1980, Öcalan fled to Syria. He began to use Syrian facilities, including camps
in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanese territory under Syrian control, to train terrorist
groups for crossborder terrorist attacks against targets in Turkey. He started
to inject an ethnic dimension to his terrorist activities, though this usually
had to be imposed on local populations by violent means, including the
kidnapping young men at gun point and then forcing them to undergo
indoctrination and join his movement. In August 1984, Öcalan's terrorist groups
began attacking Turkish police stations and similar targets in the southeastern
provinces north of the border with Syria and Iraq.
The PKK operates along
the familiar lines of traditional communist parties and carries out terrorist
activities under the rigid direction of its Central Committee. Both its
"political" and "military" wings are controlled directly by Öcalan. As its sole
head, Öcalan, has callously masterminded thousands of PKK's terrorist activities
against Turkey and its people. As such, he has been responsible for thousands of
deaths, kidnappings, mutilations and attacks on innocent people during his long
years as a Professional terrorist and murderer.
In October 1998, Turkey
warned Syria that it would take action unless it ceased its support for Öcalan
and PKK terrorism. It formally requested the extradition of Öcalan to Turkey. As
a result, Öcalan was compelled to leave Syria where he had been given shelter
for almost two decades. Furthermore, by an agreement signed between the two
countries on October 20, 1998 in Adana/Turkey, the Syrian Government for the
first time designated the PKK as a terrorist organization, and pledged not to
allow the presence and the activities of the PKK on its territory. Later, Öcalan
was forced to leave Moscow, where he had escaped from Syria, following political
and diplomatic contacts between Turkey and the Russian
Federation.
Öcalan was apprehended
in Rome while trying to illegally enter Italy with a false passport on November
12, 1998. As the British Government put it, Öcalan's arrest was "a
significant advance in the international community's fight against
terrorism."
Öcalan is not only a
terrorist but also a common criminal, being sought by the Turkish courts under
charges of homicide and incitement to homicide. There is thus a red corner
bulletin for him issued by the Interpol. In accordance with a court decision
given in 1990, Germany also had an arrest warrant on Öcalan again for homicide
and incitement to homicide. All democratic, law-abiding countries as well as
international institutions are obligated to take a consistent and firm stance in
combating terrorism and bringing terrorists to justice. Under obligations and
commitments within the framework of the United Nations, the Council of Europe,
the OSCE, the NATO, and the EU, no country or government can provide terrorists
with safe-haven or evade its responsibilities in the efforts to eliminate
terrorism. Therefore, Öcalan should never be granted political asylum anywhere
and he has to be extradited to Turkey to face trial for his crimes against
Turkish citizens.
PKK's Involvement in
Organized Crimes
The PKK engages in
organized crimes such as drug trafficking and arms smuggling, extortion, human
smuggling, abduction of children and money laundering in an attempt to recruit
militants and to obtain financial resources needed to carry out its terrorist
activities.
The "Sputnik
Operation" conducted in a coordinated fashion in some European countries in
September 1996 exposed PKK's links with organized crime and money laundering
activities.
On the other hand, it
is known that the PKK, together with other organized crime gangs, is also behind
the recent wave of illegal immigration to Italy. PKK's objective is to create
international pressure and antipathy against Turkey.
Moreover, the PKK plays
an important role in drug trafficking which constitutes one of the most evil
crimes of our age. The British weekly magazine "The Spectator" underlined this
fact in its 28 November-5 December 1998 issue by saying that "…According to the
British security services sources the PKK is responsible for 40 percent of the
heroin sold in the European Union…" .
Drug Trafficking and
Terrorist Organizations
All terrorist
organizations need to raise funds to sustain their violent activities and resort
to illegal means to finance their crimes. Drug trafficking comes at the top of
this list of illegal money raising activities, followed by robbery, extortion,
kidnapping, blackmailing and arms smuggling.
In recent years, it has
become increasingly evident that terrorism and drug trafficking are intertwined.
The terms "narco-terrorism" and "narco-terrorists" have started to gain
circulation in describing the link between terrorist organizations and narcotics
smugglers. This fact is illustrated by certain international documents. The UN
Convention Against Illicit Traffic In Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances
(1988) refers to the relationship between illicit drug traffic and other
organized criminal activities which undermine the stability, security and
legitimacy of sovereign states.
Paragraph 5 of the UN
International Narcotics Control Board (INCB)'s 1992 report points out that
"illicit cultivation of narcotic plants and illicit trafficking in drugs
continue to be a threat to the political, economic and social stability
of several countries. Links appear to exist between illicit cultivation
and drug trafficking and the activities of subversive organizations in some
countries." The 1993 INCB report draws attention to the organic connections
between drug cartels and terrorist organizations, and also to the globalization
of drug smuggling. The successive INCB reports point out that these drug cartels
concentrate their activities in ethnically and economically troubled regions of
the world. It is no coincidence that terrorist organizations thrive in the very
same regions. The Vienna Declaration and Program of Action adopted at the World
Conference on Human Rights (25 June 1993) stresses that "the acts, methods
and practices of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations as well as
linkage in some countries to drug trafficking are activities aimed at the
destruction of human rights, fundamental freedoms and democracy, threatening
territorial integrity, security of states and destabilizing legitimately
constituted governments, and the international community should take the
necessary steps to enhance cooperation to prevent and combat
terrorism."
The Final Communiqué of
the Council of Europe Pompidou Group 2nd Pan-European Ministerial Conference
(Strasbourg, 4 February 1994) underlines the fact that "considering the
continuous increase in and the spread of drug trafficking incidents, the
involvement of violent organizations in such activities constitute a
serious threat to the contemporary society" (Art.9), and thus, "it is
vital for the security forces to combat terrorism effectively"
(Art.l5).
The UN Declaration on
Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism adopted at the 49th session of the
General Assembly, underlines the concern by the international community at the
growing and dangerous links between terrorists groups, drug traffickers and
their paramilitary gangs which have resorted to all types of violence, thus
endangering the constitutional order of States and violating basic human rights.
This Declaration also emphasizes the desirability of closer cooperation and
coordination among States in combating crimes closely connected with terrorism,
including drug trafficking, unlawful arms trade, money laundering and smuggling
of nuclear and other potentially deadly materials.
PKK's Involvement in
Drug Trafficking
The 1992 annual report
of the United States Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and
Law Enforcement, entitled "The International Narcotics Control Strategy" (INCS)
proposes that the European drug cartel is controlled by PKK members. Likewise,
the 1996 INCS report underlines the fact that the terrorist PKK uses heroin
production and trafficking to support its acts of terror. The 1998 report,
pointing to persistent reports of PKK's involvement in narcotics trafficking
through Turkey, reiterates that the PKK not only uses "taxes" extracted from
narcotics traffickers and refiners to finance its operations, but "may be
more directly involved in transporting and marketing narcotics in
Europe" as well.
A 1995 report prepared
by the Drug Enforcement Agency of the US Department of Justice emphasizes that
the PKK is engaged in drug trafficking and money laundering activities and is
well-established in the production of almost all kinds of opium products and
their smuggling. The revenues from these activities, the report continues, are
used for purchasing firearms, munitions and other equipment used by the
terrorists. The report cites other sources of revenue of the PKK as extortion,
robbery and counterfeiting. In "Political Violence and
Narco-Trafficking", a booklet published by the Paris Institute of
Criminology in October 1996, PKK's narcotics network and its functioning are
detailed; the amount of narcotics captured by the European security forces are
quoted; and the
PKK's role in drug
trafficking is thus documented.
The involvement of the
PKK in all stages of drug trafficking has been further documented in a
conference held by Dr. François Haut of the Paris Institute of Criminology in
Brussels on 25 April 1997. It is stated that the PKK is engaged in producing,
refining and marketing of drugs and has contacts in numerous countries. The
PKK's "turnover" from drug trafficking is estimated at "millions of US dollars".
Dr. Haut notes that the problem of narcotics trafficking has entered the
Parisian suburbs thanks to the PKK, which he thinks is responsible for 10 to 80
percent of the heroin smuggled to Paris. Similarly, a 1996 report prepared by
Jean Claude Salomon, François Haut and Jean-Luc Vannier for the Paris Institute
of Criminology, utilizing such reliable and impartial sources as the Interpol,
British NCIS and the national police agencies of the EU member states, notes
that the narcotics route that runs through Turkey to the Balkans and western
Europe benefits the "separatist" organizations of Turkish/Kurdish origin and the
PKK militants and their intermediaries.
The March 1997 issue of
"The Geopolitical Drug Dispatch," a monthly report prepared by the "
Observatoire Geopolitique Des Drogues" points to the role of the PKK in
the smuggling of drugs through the "Balkan route" and emphasizes that the
terrorist organization has started using Romania and Moldavia, positioned along
this route, as its rearward bases. The report also states that the Turkish
traffickers arrested in these countries are of Kurdish origin and thus that many
criminal activities attributed to Turkish individuals or groups "are in fact
carried on by Kurds, usually with links to the Kurdistan Workers' Party
(PKK)." The report continues to point out that the PKK often hides behind
its umbrella organizations, such as the ERNK and business, youth and women's
associations. To illustrate, it is noted in the report that "the ERNK
business group in Romania, called the Association of Eastern Businessmen,
is an excellent cover for the illicit activities of the PKK which has
tight control over the drug deals as the local PKK leader also heads the
ERNK."
Last but not least, the
final report of the thirty-third session of the Sub-commission on Illicit Drug
Traffic and Related Matters in the Near and Middle East, held under the auspices
of the UN International Drug Control Program (UNDCP) in Beirut from 29
June
to 3 July 1998, noted
that "there were clear linkages between some narco-terrorist organizations,
for example, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and other organized
transnational criminal groups."
Turkey's position
astride the "Balkan route" makes it a significant transit point for narcotics.
Using this route, the PKK smuggles morphine base and heroin from Iran, Pakistan
and Afghanistan into Turkey across Turkey's eastern borders. Since the late-
1980s, the terrorist organization has, instead of trafficking
externally-produced heroin, opted for a more profitable way of producing heroin
from non-heroin opiates. To this end, the PKK refines base morphine into heroin
in mobile laboratories near Istanbul and in the southeastern parts of Anatolia.
The PKK also cultivates opium and cannabis in the Beka valley (Lebanon) and in
the isolated regions of southeastern Anatolia and northern
Iraq.
Narcotics smuggling
therefore constitutes a major part of the PKK's financial apparatus, alongside
extortion, blackmailing, robbery, arms smuggling and illicit labor trafficking.
The PKK is actively involved in all phases of narcotics trafficking, from the
producing and processing of the drugs to their smuggling and marketing. The
revenues gained from illicit drug dealings and marketing are channeled to
funding its arms purchases, which is required to sustain its terrorist
activities.
PKK's involvement in
narcotics trafficking is thus now well-documented. Below there are some further
examples compiled from the reports of the foreign media and foreign or Turkish
security authorities which conclusively indicate PKK's role in drug
trafficking.
Foreign Press
Reports
In January 1992, the
Bremen Police arrested a "Kurd" selling drugs. The police found a bunch of keys
in his pocket, which belonged to an apartment where "Kurds" lived. Hanging on
the walls of the said apartment were posters of the PKK and its
leader
Abdullah Öcalan. The
police also found some clues suggesting that the PKK finances its armed struggle
by the heroin trade (SAT-1 TV, 24 Hours, 6 January 1992).
In 1992, a total number
of 2,069 drug addicts died in Germany. In the same year, the German police
apprehended some children aged 10-12, coming from southeastern Turkey and
selling drugs in Hamburg. A child of 8 carrying a firearm was also arrested. All
these children confessed that the PKK was using them to sell drugs, since they
did not have penal responsibility. The police seized 30 kg. of heroin from a
"Kurd" who was said to have transferred DM 150,000 to his partners. The
estimated figure the PKK earns from the narcotics trade is more than 56 million
DM (VOX TV ; Germany, 12 February 1993).
In 1993, more than 50
PKK members were arrested by the Essen Police of Germany. The Federal Criminal
Department in Wiesbaden found out that the PKK was organizing drug trafficking
in Germany and the narcotics trade in Hamburg, Bremen, Frankfurt and Essen was
under the control of the PKK (German Daily "NRZ," 30 March 1993). The Hamburg
Criminal Police arrested a band of Kurdish drug smugglers on 15 September 1993.
11-year-old children, who were also arrested with the other members of the band,
later confessed to the police that the PKK illegally brought them from Turkey to
Germany in order to make them sell drugs for the organization (Hamburg Local TV
Broadcast, 15 September 1993).
Three years of
intensive police investigation by the Slagelse Police and the Narcotics Section
of the National Police Force in Denmark resulted in the solution of several
armed robberies whose spoils were used to finance narcotics purchases. The
police captured a Danish person, who had links with two Turkish narcotics
kingpins living in Denmark. During the trial the close relationship between
these people and the PKK was proven. The superintendent Niels Bech of the
National Police Force expressed that large parts of the profits from the
narcotics sales in Denmark have returned to Turkey. In one case DDK 140,000 were
sent to Turkey and kilos of heroin was sent to Europe in return (Danish Daily,
"Berlingske Tidende," 31 October 1993).
Two young PKK members
(aged 14 and 16) were caught by the police selling drugs at the Trabrennbahn
Train Station near Wandsbeck on 26 September 1994 ("Bild-Hamburg" 28 September
1994).
On 5-6 October 1994 the
"Bild" reported that narcotics were being distributed from Jork in Alten Land to
Northern Germany and that the Kurdish dealers transferred 15 million DM to their
collaborators in Turkey.
On 24 October 1994 the
German magazine "Focus" wrote that in the last 9 years 315 PKK members were
involved in drug trafficking around Europe, 154 of whom were captured in
Germany.
Ralf Brottscheller, the
Senator of Interior of Bremen, accused the PKK of extortion and organized
narcotics smuggling ("Focus," 18 September 1995). In France, the Aulnay Sous
Bois Public Security Units and Paris Bureau of Combating Narcotics Trafficking
conducted an operation which was completed after long and careful preparations
of 18 months. 30 people involved in narcotics trafficking on behalf of the PKK
and the Mafia active in France and Belgium were taken into custody after the
operation (French Press, 4 November 1996).
The Belgian Gendarmerie
raided a camp in Zutendaal/Genk, in which the PKK militants were being trained,
and apprehended 35 people, including children and some internationally wanted
criminals ("Arnhemse Courant," 22 November 1996). The administrators of a facade
company helping the PKK's activities in France were taken into custody in Paris
(French Press, 25 February 1997).
The "Observatoire
Geopolitique Des Drogues" noted in its monthly report that the biggest heroin
seizure in Hungary to date was made on December 12, 1996, aboard a Turkish bus
belonging to the Toros Line company. The Turkish traffickers, caught with 42 kg.
heroin turned out to be "Kurds." The report mentions the case of a Romanian
citizen who, upon his arrest with 2 kg. heroin by the Turkish police in Edirne
in September 1995, admitted that he was running for the PKK drugs in one
direction and explosives in the other.
The report also notes
that 65 percent of the drugs confiscated by the Romanian customs officers are
found on passenger vehicles and that "every time Romanian police make a drug
haul at a Turkish company, Kurds are involved" ("The Geopolitical Drug
Dispatch", No. 65, March 1997).
A high level member of
the PKK, known as the PKK chief in the Hannover area, was arrested in Berlin. He
had been wanted by the German police on charges of arson attacks, and damage to
private property. The police found out evidence regarding the PKK's involvement
in illicit labor trafficking ("Berliner Zeitung" 4 April 1997). 20 refugees were
arrested in a police raid on a refugee hostel which was discovered to be a PKK
base, in Grimma, Bahren. The operation was conducted jointly by the German
police and experts from the Federal Criminal Department. The police confiscated
various fire arms, thousands of DM and receipts. These immigrants were actively
involved in the activities of the PKK and its facade branches (German Press, 4
April 1997). The Bavarian police conducted a series of operations against the
PKK militants in refugee camps, arrested 2, and took into custody 17 of them
(Statement by Straubing Police Directorate dated 17 June 1997).
The PKK transfers
people, weapons and drugs through the FRY (Former Republic of Yugoslavia) and
purchases weapons in return (Croatian daily "Vjesnik" August 1997). The "Focus"
magazine remarked on 23 March 1998 that members of the PKK invested the money
laundered from drug trafficking and extortion in the real estate market in
Celle, Germany.
On August 1, 1998, the
Croatian and Slovenian security forces jointly confiscated 38 kg. of heroin in a
vehicle bound for western Europe. According to the Croatian reports, the
shipment of the heroin was realized by Turkish citizens "who are most probably
members of the PKK" This is consistent with the statements made by Slovenian
security forces who have pointed to a "reasonable suspicion" that a member of
the PKK is involved in the smuggling (Croatian and Slovenian press reviews, 6
August 1998).
Four "Kurdish" people
were captured with 2.6 kg. heroin, the largest amount of narcotics ever captured
in west Norway. It is thought that the four people caught were merely couriers
and that the trafficking was carried out by a "Turkish/Kurdish" network (Bergen,
7 August 1998).
"…The PKK has financed
its war against Turkey by extortion and the sale of heroin, and according to
British security service sources it is responsible for 40 percent of the heroin
sold in the European Union…" (British weekly magazine "The Spectator", 28
November-5 December 1998 issue).
Reports of Foreign
Police and Foreign Officials
In January 1990, a PKK
member was arrested in Switzerland for selling drugs on behalf of the PKK. In
the same month a 13-year-old person, also linked to the PKK, was captured in the
Netherlands and was released as being too young to prosecute. A Turkish citizen
of Kurdish origin, apprehended in France on 22 January 1991, confessed that he
had been trading drugs in France on behalf of the PKK and that the drugs were
transported by trucks or sometimes by tourist vehicles and then distributed to
different cities not only in France but in various other countries in Europe as
well. After being arrested on 7 March 1991 in France, a "Kurdish" person
confessed that the drugs he was selling belonged to the PKK.
Another Turkish citizen
of "Kurdish" descent, captured with 48 kg. of heroin in Arnheim in November
1991, was found out to be a PKK member. The German Police reports underline the
fact that l,103 kg. of heroin was seized by the police in 1991 and 400 of 735
suspects involved in the drug trading incidents were PKK members. This ratio
mounted to 450/735 in 1992 and 300/457 in 1993.
The US Department of
State Bureau of International Narcotics Matters expressed in its International
Narcotics Control Strategy Report (1992) that the two-thirds of the people
involved in drug trafficking incidents in Europe are
PKK-oriented.
An active PKK member
working as a truck driver, who was known to have stood as a candidate in Bonn in
the 1992 elections for the PKK's so-called National Assembly, was seized in
Troisdorf, Germany, while transporting substantial amounts of
drugs.
In 1993, the police
seized 200 kg. of heroin in London. Further investigation revealed that the drug
traders were working for the PKK. A police operation in Offenbach, Germany on 7
January 1993, led to the seizure of 5 kilos of heroin. Among the seven people
captured by the police was a person known as the "PKK's
accountant."
As a consequence of the
operations conducted by the German police in Hamburg, Bremen and Bad Bramstad
during May-October 1993, 15.7 kg. of heroin was confiscated and 22 people were
apprehended, including PKK members and supporters. The criminals turned out to
have requested political asylum from the German authorities. 15 Turkish citizens
with "Kurdish" descent were arrested in connection with 1.6 kg. heroin seized by
the German police in Recklinghausen, Germany, on 27 October 1993. Among those
were the participants at pro-PKK demonstrations in Turkey. A message by the
German Interpol dated October 26, 1993, pointed out that six Turkish citizens
with Kurdish origin were arrested on charges of laundering the proceeds from
drug trafficking in the Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Germany. Large sums of
cash, thought to be laundered money, were captured by the German
police.
Another Turkish citizen
of "Kurdish" origin, captured in Caracas, Venezuela on 10 November 1993, while
carrying 3.5 kg. of cocaine, confessed that she was a PKK
courier.
This incident is said
to prove the links of the PKK with the drug cartels even in Latin
America.
The NCIS estimated that
the 44 percent of 1993 budget of the PKK as 430 million French Francs, came from
illicit drug trafficking.
During a six-week
campaign initiated by the Stuttgart city police in January 1994, 76 people were
apprehended, including some who had been formerly prosecuted in Turkey because
of their links with the terrorist organization.
On 17 August 1994 the
German Criminal Authority informed the Turkish Security Authorities that a
political refugee, resident in Kiel, was engaged in drug trade and money
transfer to the PKK.
The US
Deputy Secretary of State in charge of narcotics, Ambassador Robert Felbard,
answering a question at a press briefing in February 1994 regarding the PKK
supervision of drug trafficking in Europe and the United States, stated that the
US had quite a bit of information about the PKK's involvement in the trafficking
of heroin into Europe. The Amsterdam police, during an anti-drug
operation on 11 December 1994, seized numerous firearms, machine guns, bombs and
PKK documents and arrested several PKK militants.
The Bavarian Minister
of Interior, Günter Beckstein, referring to the 30 PKK militants captured in
Europe during the last two years, stated that the PKK has taken control of the
European narcotics market (Turkish daily, "Cumhuriyet," 31 July 1995). The
Director of German Terrorism Research Forum, Rolp Tophoven, has stated that a
large majority of the people arrested on charges of narcotics smuggling are of
"Kurdish" descent, many of whom confess committing the crime on behalf of the
terrorist PKK (Turkish daily, "Yeni Yüzyıl," 12 November 1995).
Olivier Foll, another
expert on international terrorism, noted that the PKK members, when apprehended
for illegal possession of narcotics, confess to smuggling drugs for the PKK and
exploit the "political" dimension of the issue as an excuse for their crimes.
Mr. Foll criticized the "Kurdish" policies of some European statesmen who grant
concessions to the PKK (Turkish daily "Yeni Yüzyl," 12 November 1995). During
the Sputnik operation of September 18, 1996, the Belgian police seized 350
million Belgian Francs that were thought to have been the proceeds from
narcotics trafficking. Seven people having ties with the PKK were apprehended in
connection with the crime. The Sputnik operation also revealed that the MED-TV,
the mouthpiece of the PKK, is involved in PKK's money laundering activities. The
MED-TV representative in Germany was taken into custody as he was unable to
explain the source of the 500 million BF, used in financing the station. It was
later found that he was using revenues from drug trafficking for financing not
only the MED-TV but also the so-called "Kurdistan Parliament in Exile" (KPE).
The Belgian police seized many firearms in the KPE building they
searched.
In August 1997, the
German police conducted a comprehensive operation against the PKK members in
Cologne in which six members of the PKK were arrested. After the operation,
Cologne police officers issued a statement emphsizing the fact that the PKK is
involved in organized crime including extortion in Germany to finance its acts
of terrorism.
The Göttingen police of
Germany, after a 14-month investigation, managed to penetrate the drug smuggling
network with two "Kurdish" informers in May 1998 and found out that the revenues
from 40 kg. of heroin marketed were channeled to the PKK.
The KDP (The Kurdistan
Democratic Party of Masud Barzani) forces discovered extensive narcotics farms
in the Gali Pes Agha region of northern Iraq, captured from the PKK in May
1997.
Turkish Police
Reports
A PKK member, captured
by the police with 14.5 kg. of heroin on 1 September 1993, confessed that he was
acting on behalf of the PKK abroad, and that he was a drugsmuggler, transferring
30 percent of the proceeds to the terrorist organization. Following the
confiscation of 20.3 kg. of heroin in Duisburg, Germany, two PKK supporters were
arrested by the German police. This triggered a police investigation in Turkey,
which led to the seizure of firearms and munitions in a vehicle owned by the
same family in the city of Mersin on 12 May 1993.
A PKK militant of
Iranian origin confessed that the terrorist organization has drug production
facilities in Iran and that Osman Öcalan (the brother of Abdullah Öcalan and a
leading figure of the terrorist organization PKK) is in charge of the production
of narcotics which are later marketed mainly in Europe to raise money for the
organization. Two PKK militants, arrested with 30 kg. of heroin, expressed that
they were aiming to sell the drugs to provide financial contributions to the
PKK. The Turkish Security Forces seized 120 kg. of heroin and 40 kg. of hemp
seeds (cannabis) in a PKK shelter in southeastern Turkey.
One PKK member, who was
put in jail on 3 July 1993 for getting involved in the terrorist acts of the PKK
in Hakkari and released on 20 October 1993, was captured with 36 kg. of heroine,
140 kg. of precursors and some other drug-producing material. Another member of
the PKK, sentenced to 6 years of imprisonment, confessed that he was in charge
of establishing the links between the drug smugglers and the terrorist
organization.
During the operations
conducted by the Turkish security forces, two people, captured with 48 kg. of
hashish, were arrested as they were found out to be involved in narcotrade so as
to provide financial support to the PKK.
Another Turkish citizen
said to be of "Kurdish-origin", caught by the police in possession of 117 kilos
of hashish in Istanbul, was later found to have participated in the PKK-led
attack on the Turkish Consulate General in Frankfurt on March 1l,
1992.
One Turkish citizen of
"Kurdish-origin" apprehended in July 1994 confessed that he was involved in drug
trafficking to raise money for the PKK. The police, making use of the
information he disclosed, were able to arrest some other members of the
terrorist organization.
On 1 August 1994 a PKK
member, apprehended in Diyarbakr with 2 kg. of heroin, acknowledged that he was
selling drugs for the PKK. He also informed the police that some PKK members
were cultivating drugs and gave the names of the places where hemp seeds
(cannabis) were grown. In further investigation the police captured 120,000
roots of hemp seeds in a village named Dibek. On 21 August 1994 the Turkish
security forces apprehended two people with 150 kg. of hashish and considerable
amounts of hemp seeds and hashish growing material. The security forces also
captured PKK documents and propaganda material and two machine
guns.
Diyarbakır Police,
conducting an operation against the PKK on 17 July 1994, apprehended three
people with 80 kg. of hashish, PKK documents, a gun and three ERNK seals. These
people confessed that the PKK ordered them to sell the drugs and purchase
firearms and food supplies for the organization. The said people turned out to
have participated in various terror acts such as the rocket attack to and
storming of a police residence in Lice on 29 June, the bomb attack on the
residence of a judge in Diyarbakır on 16 January 1994, and a bomb attack on a
police patrol car.
Seven people captured
in the city of Cizre on 23 March 1994 with 398.5 kilos of heroin confessed to
smuggling narcotics on behalf of the PKK.
The security forces
have had strong evidence suggesting that a network composed of PKK militants is
involved in drug trading in Zaho, northern Iraq. The network is known to hand
the drugs over to clients either in Zaho or in Turkey. Therefore, it was not
very surprising that during the operation by the Turkish Armed Forces in
northern Iraq against the PKK, the Turkish army discovered a large farm where
the terrorists cultivated hemp (cannabis). The farm was located near the PKK's
Pirvela Camp in the Bahara valley. The Turkish military officers announced that
the amount of drugs captured during the operation in northern Iraq reached 4.5
tons.
In a raid on 7 March
1995 on the residence of a person, suspected by the police of having contact
with the PKK militants, the Turkish police seized large amounts of drugs, drug
precursor chemicals, firearms and ammunitions.
Three of the seven
people caught with 21.5 kilos of heroin in Hamburg, Germany, have been found out
to have been formerly arrested in Turkey on charges of PKK
membership.
The two people caught
by the police with 20.6 kilos of narcotics in zmir on August 5, 1996, have been
found out to be running an association linked to the PKK in the
Netherlands.
Another PKK
sympathizer, who was captured with acetic anhydride, a heroin precursor
chemical, by the Turkish security forces in the city of Van on March 24, 1998,
was found to have been previously arrested for providing logistic support to the
PKK. The Turkish security forces have strong evidence that the PKK militants,
settled in the Iranian part of our common border, receive commissions from the
narcotics smugglers called "taxes or donations."
The role of the PKK in
incidents given above is undeniable, both because of the documents seized by the
security forces and the backgrounds of the arrested people. Still, in certain
Western countries, the activities of this terrorist organization,
are
regrettably being
tolerated.
After the prohibition
of PKK in France and Germany towards the end of 1993, a wave of optimism emerged
in Turkish public opinion that the rest of the European countries would follow
suit by adopting similar measures. This, however, has not happened to date. Yet,
it is clear that the prohibition of the PKK and its front organizations in
European countries would also be in the interest of these countries. The PKK is
responsible for narcotics trafficking, extortion, robbery, and illicit arms and
human smuggling activities, and thus circumvent the rule of law and compromises
the security and stability of the countries in which it operates. It is no
coincidence that drug trafficking cases predominantly occur in those countries
where the organization of the PKK is extensive and tolerated.
Is There A "Kurdish
Question" in Turkey?
As the first melting
pot and encounter point of many different civilizations and cultures,
present-day Turkey contains a multitude of ethnic, religious and cultural
elements. Turkey is proud of its great heritage. This centuries-long shared way
of life is perfectly
second-nature for the
people of Turkey.
Yet, different ethnic
identities, including the Kurdish, are acknowledged and accepted in Turkey. The
state does not categorize its citizens along ethnic lines nor does it impose an
ethnic identity on them. Population censuses in Turkey never count people on the
basis of their ethnic origins. But, this does not prevent an individual citizen
to identify himself or herself in terms of a specific ethnic category. That is a
private affair and ultimately a matter of personal preference. Public
expressions and manifestations of ethnic identity are prohibited neither by law
nor by social custom. Folklore is rich and colorful and local variations,
customs and traditions are protected and supported.
Turkey is a
constitutional state governed by the rule of law. Democracy rests on a
parliamentary system of government, respect for human rights and on the
supremacy of law. Multi-party politics, free elections, a growing tradition of
local government mark the democratic way of life in Turkey.
Constitutional
citizenship is one of the principles upon which the Turkish state was founded.
The Turkish Constitution stipulates that the State and the Nation are
indivisible, and that all citizens irrespective of their ethnic, racial or
religious origin, are equal before the law.
For historical and
cultural reasons, and under stipulations of binding international treaties, the
concept of "minority" applies specifically to certain groups of non-Moslem
citizens. In fact, the social fabric of Turkey is a unique real life case of the
OSCE principle that "not all ethnic, cultural, linguistic or religious
differences necessarily lead to the creation of national minorities". Our
citizens of Kurdish ethnic origin are not discriminated against and they feel
themselves to be equal members of the society. Many have risen to the highest
positions in the Republic. They share the same opportunities and the same
destiny as the rest of the population.
Ethnicity is not a
factor in the political geography of Turkey. That is, the predominant majority
of the Turkish citizens of Kurdish descent live in western Turkey, with the
greatest concentration being in Istanbul. Even in eastern and southeastern
Turkey, the
Turkish citizens of
Kurdish ethnic origin do not constitute a majority. The unitar structure of the
State reflects the equality and togetherness of different geographic regions of
Turkey.
Therefore, it is simply
neither understandable nor acceptable for Turkey to discuss "the respect for
social, economic and legitimate political aspirations of Kurds" as if the
Turkish citizens of Kurdish ethnic descent constitute a different and separate
community. They are citizens of a nation that has been sharing for centuries the
same values with respect to language, religion, culture and patriotic identity,
common history and the will for a mutual future.
It is of cardinal
importance to differentiate between a militant organization, which resorts
systematically to terrorism as well as all kinds of organized crime, and the
phenomenon of Kurdish ethnicity. It is evident that our citizens of Kurdish
ethnic origin are law-abiding people. Most of them live in western Turkey, drawn
by economic attraction. They are of their own choice integrated into the society
and its economic, social and cultural aspects. In Turkey, citizens of all ethnic
origins can rise to the highest political positions and ranks such as cabinet
ministers and members of parliament. Throughout the centuries, much mixing has
taken place through intermarriages. Progress in industrial, cultural and social
fields, as well as urbanization, has also contributed to the voluntary and
natural process of integration.
The population in
southeast Anatolia, like our citizens in other regions of the country,
participate fully in the political life of Turkey; they freely make their voices
heard in local administrations, in the municipalities, the Parliament, and the
central government through elected representatives. It is nothing out of the
ordinary for the individuals of different ethnic origins to participate in the
political life of the country. Even the most militant circles concede the fact
that there are no obstacles to social mobility of individuals from different
ethnic origins to any profession or career, whether public or
private.
The fundamental rights
and freedoms of all Turkish citizens are secured by the relevant provisions of
the Constitution. However, those rights have been threatened by the PKK,
creating terror among the populace.
None of our citizens of
Kurdish ethnic origin, notwithstanding allegations to the contrary, who publicly
or politically asserts his/her Kurdish ethnic identity risks harassment or
persecution. However, acts or statements made against the "territorial
integrity" of Turkey are subject to legal prosecution under the law. If these
allegations were true, none of the publications in Kurdish whose contents are
full of assertions of Kurdish ethnic identity would have been tolerated by the
authorities.
In the same vein,
Turkey is often accused of refusing to negotiate with the terrorist organization
PKK. These accusations contradict the fundamental rules of international law.
Negotiating with a terrorist organization, responsible for thousands of murders,
would be tantamount to justifying and encouraging terrorism.
Is the Use of Kurdish
Banned in Turkey ?
Contrary to the
allegations of some biased quarters, there is no restriction on the use of
languages in Turkey. Presently, there are many private radio-TV stations
broadcasting and numerous books and journals published both in Turkish and in
various dialects of
"Kurdish" throughout
the country. It should be mentioned here that "Kurdish" can be hardly depicted
as "a single language" linguistically or socially. Many scholars point out the
fact that there are many different local languages and dialects used in
southeastern Turkey such as Zaza and Kırmanchi which are only as close to each
other as French and English. These local languages and dialects are so
dissimilar that people living in one village cannot even communicate with others
from a neighboring village. As a result, Turkish has become the sole medium of
communication in the region. It is ironic that Turkish is also used in PKK's
militant training camps and in the communication between its headquarters and
terrorists as their common language.
The official language
of the Republic of Turkey is Turkish, but Armenian, Ladino, Greek, the different
dialects of "Kurdish", etc. are spoken freely in daily life. There is only one
official language in the country. However, in this respect Turkey does not
constitute a unique and exceptional case either in Europe or among other
democratic countries.
It should also be
underlined that expressions of ethnic identity such as the use of local
languages are viewed as private domain matters. Thus, they are not the subject
of law and are therefore not regulated by the state. The Turkish language is the
language of the Republic of Turkey and is consequently the only formal language
of education and instruction. The same is true in most democracies. Though it is
possible to help promote them, it is neither realistic nor feasible to make
local tongues official languages of the State.
Socio-Economic
Development of Southeastern Turkey and the Southeastern Anatolia Project
(GAP)
The Southeastern
Anatolia Project (GAP), consisting of a complex system of dams, waterworks,
irrigation and hydraulic energy network is a colossal investment of Turkey, the
biggest regional initiative ever attempted in Turkey. It aims at changing the
whole complexion of the arid geography and consequently, the social and economic
backwardness of southeastern Anatolia. The Turkish Government has always
believed that one of the best tools in the struggle against terrorism is
economic development. It is no accident that the region in which the PKK
operates is also the least economically developed part of Turkey. The Turkish
Government is determined to rectify that.
It is a fact that there
are socio-economic regional imbalances in Turkey as in every developing, even
some developed countries. Rough geographic and climatic conditions of
southeastern Turkey are the main factors in this imbalance. Terrorism and
economic backwardness of the region affect all our citizens indiscriminately.
Despite many governmental incentives and low taxation policies, the private
sector had in the past been reluctant to invest in the region, mainly due to
security concerns. Public sector has taken the place of the private sector and
many investments have already been realized by the State. "GAP" is the best
example of that. Government investment in this region is much higher than the
amount of taxes collected there. "GAP" is a gigantic economic step forward which
will change the destiny of the region. Agricultural production of Turkey will
rise by several folds when this project, which is both energy and irrigation
oriented, is completed. Yet, its important impact is not expected only on
agricultural production, but also on industry, construction, services, as well
as on the Gross Regional Product and employment. When the Project is completed,
per capita income will increase three times, and 3.3 million jobs will be
created. The Southeastern Anatolia Project constitutes an integrated project
which contributes significantly to the realization of national targets for the
utilization of development potentials, self-induced economic growth, social
stability and enhancement of export possibilities, and at the same time aims at
the promotion of the principle of sustainable human development; thus, human
development is the core of sustainable development in the "GAP" region. In this
context, the "GAP Social Action Plan" consists of the basic policies, targets,
strategies and implementation measures for ensuring the social development of
the region through a human-centered approach emphasizing sustainability of the
development. This people-centered development aims to remove the gap between the
project area and the more developed regions in Turkey and to promote equitable
development.
This ambitious
socio-economic development drive also explains why the PKK has been targeting
civilians as well as economic and social projects. PKK's aim is both to
terrorize the local population and to keep the region economically and socially
backward so as to recruit more militants into its own ranks. However, this is
being reversed as the GAP began to bear its fruits. For example, although the
so-called head of the PKK is from ?anlurfa, there has never been a terrorist act
there, because it is an economically powerful settlement. The state of emergency
still has to continue in some of the provinces of southeastern Turkey. It is the
direct consequence and explicit proof of the PKK terrorism in the region. It is
of utmost importance for Turkey to augment the allocation of human and financial
resources for the socio-economic development of this region. The precondition to
achieve this task is the eradication of the PKK terrorist organization.
Eradication of terrorism will not only put an end to the deliberate devastation
by terrorists of the underdeveloped regions of Turkey, but also release
important resources for developmental activity in those very regions. While
terrorism might be viewed as a consequence of certain underlying causes, it is
also incontestably true that terrorism is itself the main reason of poverty and
underdevelopment of those areas where it is perpetrated.
In sum, our citizens of
all ethnic origins -Turkish, Kurdish and others- living together for more than
ten centuries in Turkey have created a society of patriotic citizens sharing
common values. They established their own nation-state, the Turkish Republic,
following the War of Independence. Ethnic descent is not considered a cause of
discrimination or privilege just as in all modern nation States on the
globe.
HOSGELDINIZ
(WELCOME)
Lutfedip,bana
ulastiniz,tesekkur eder,sevgi,saygi ve selamlarimi sunarim.
Bu alan,bana
ulasmada istasyon" amacli olusturulmus,diger alanlarda oldugu gibi Buket Turkay
postaci,ilker Alptekin yonetici olarak gorevlendirilmiztir.
Lutfen sosyal
aglarda kisisel bilgilerinizi,birtakim serefsizlerce kullanilmamasi icin
vermeyiniz,ozen ve dikkatli olunuz.
Ozen ve dikkatli olmaniz icin,arzu
edilmiyerek sunulan linklerimiz icin,iletisim bloggerinin sag dikey cubugunda
asagiya dogru baglantilari verilmis tum alanlarimizi,duvarlarimizi gruplara sevk
edilen iletileri bastan,sona ozen ve dikkatle okuyup,okutunuz,PKK durtmesi,ornek
derseniz Ozkan Bostanci serefsizi,benzeri,cetesi ve Turkcell izmir teknik servis
calisani,Belgin isimli,iffetsiz tacizci vb.gibi internetteki KADROLU
serefsizlere,surtuklere karsi,ozen ve dikkatli olmalari icin dostlariniza
oneriniz.Allah'a emanet olunuz.
Turk olmak;Guzel ahlak,Allah korkusu,kuldan
utanma duygusu,insanca davranislar hanimefendi ve beyefendi olma hali
namus,seref,herseyden ote yuksekmi,yuksek karekter gerektirir.Bu nedenle Ataturk
NE MUTLU TURKUM DIYENE demistir.
TURKCELL IZMIR
TEKNIK SERVIS CALISAN BELGIN ISIMLI IFFETSIZE,TURKCELL'E
GONDERMELER
http://twitter.com/kemeraltiiscisi/
NETLOG Alanini,henuz olusturup sizin icin
guncelledik.
MP3 Marslar,begeneceginizi umdugumuz dinletiler,karma
gorsellerle videolar,E-Kartlar yuklenmistir,Muammer SEZER Demokrat partinin
hazin halini,bu alanda ozetlemistir
Arz eder,saygilar sunarim
Buket
Turkay
Secretaryship