Turkish Forum

Tag: PKK

  • Rally Held in Istanbul against Turkish Gov’t’s Negotiation with PKK

    Rally Held in Istanbul against Turkish Gov’t’s Negotiation with PKK

    More than 1,000 people rallied in central Istanbul’s Taksim Square on Sunday to protest against the Turkish government’s recent peace negotiation with the outlawed Kurdish Workers Party (PKK).

    The protest was organized by a nationalist group called “Young Turks,” whose members, during the rally, shouted slogans like “The ruling party AKP collaborates with PKK,” “Turkey is Turks’ country, ” and “Long live our martyrs, our country will not be divided.”

    The protesters started a march from Galatasaray High School and walked down the Istiklal Avenue, before stopping at the Republic Monument at the Taksim Square.

    President of “Young Turks,” Mehmet Esen, criticized the visit by three pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) members, who met PKK’s jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan on Imrali Island on Saturday, saying it “is a shame for all Turks.”

    Turkey has launched a comprehensive campaign to tackle the long- standing Kurdish issue, while Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan underlined that the government’s goal is to convince the PKK to lay down its arms.

    However, the nationalists are against any peaceful negotiation with PKK and refused to recognize the Kurds’ rights.

    Before BDP member visited Ocalan, violent protests were staged in Turkey’s Black Sea provinces of Sinop and Samsun against this delegation’s visit.

    The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. Its members took up arms in 1984 in an attempt to create an ethnic homeland in southeastern Turkey. Since then, over 35,000 people have been killed in conflicts involving the group.

    The Kurds in Turkey represent almost 20 percent of the population. They live in all provinces of Turkey, but are primarily concentrated in the east and southeast of the country, which largely resembles the region of Kurdistan.

    via Rally Held in Istanbul against Turkish Gov’t’s Negotiation with PKK.

  • Turkey complains only 7 terrorists extradited from Europe in past 5 years

    Turkey complains only 7 terrorists extradited from Europe in past 5 years

    Baku-APA. European countries have extradited only seven terrorism suspects to Turkey in the past five years, a senior Turkish security official said on Saturday, APA reports quoting Todays Zaman.

    National Security Council (MGK) Secretary-General Muammer Türker said while speaking at an international symposium on terrorism in southern Turkish province of Antalya that Turkey expects more support from European countries in its fight against the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), complaining that only seven wanted terrorists were extradited by European countries to Turkey in the past five years.

    Speaking at the session titled “Terror: EU and Turkey Perspective” Türker underlined that the balance between security and freedom was highly critical.

    “We should not put aside freedom while working on the issue of security,” he said.

    “The most important issue in the fight against terror has to do with eradicating the atmosphere in which terror feeds itself,” he added.

    “Turkey has taken important steps in this regard,” Türker noted.

    Speaking at the same session, EU’s Counter-terrorism Coordinator Gilles de Kerchove claimed that certain individuals do not get extradited since concrete evidence is not presented other than just arguing that s/he was a member of a certain organization working against the government.

    Turkey has been party to the European Convention on Extradition since 1959 and the European Convention on Suppression of Terrorism since 1980. In addition to these international agreements, Turkey has also ratified the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, but it has been unable to manage the return of a single suspect from Europe. Most of the inmates repatriated to Turkey are those who themselves would prefer to serve their time in Turkish prisons.

    Turkey has fought the terrorist PKK since 1984, when it was set up with the goal of establishing an autonomous Kurdish state in east and southeast Turkey. More than 40,000 soldiers and civilians have been killed in clashes thus far.

    The PKK has been declared a terrorist organization by the international community, including the US and the EU.

    Turkey has long criticized the EU for failing to to take the necessary measures to prevent thePKK from operating on their soil.

    Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan last week lamented the fact that cooperation against terrorism in Europe falls short of expectations.

    “The EU, which criticizes us in every field, should put its relations with terror under the spotlight,” Erdoğan said during his Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) parliamentary group meeting on Tuesday.

    via APA – Turkey complains only 7 terrorists extradited from Europe in past 5 years.

  • Turkey Needs Policies, Not Politics, In Dealing With the PKK

    Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (C) attends a meeting at the headquarters of his ruling Justice and Development Party in Ankara in September 2011. (photo by REUTERS/Umit Bektas)

    By: Tulin Daloglu for Al-Monitor Turkey Pulse. Posted on February 15.

    “If it is going to end the bloodshed, if it is going to stop the tears, we are ready to pay the price for it,” said Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Feb.15. He was personally delivering the message at Justice and Development Party (AKP) headquarters that to find a solution to Turkey’s Kurdish issue, he intends to move ahead with the latest initiative engaging Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) imprisoned in Imrali since 1999. Turks are confused and distrustful of the initiative, with many doubting that it will finally lead to the PKK disarming.

    About This Article

    Summary :

    Tulin Daloglu argues that Turkey is ready for a settlement that will end PKK violence, but political posturing by the government does not help.

    Author: Tulin Daloglu
    Posted on : February 15 2013

    Since 2002, Erdogan has won three consecutive elections and has posted increases in his party’s constituency each time. The AKP continues to get high marks in public opinion polls when people are asked if the party will win big in the general elections scheduled for 2015. Regardless, political lives will likely be dependent on the handling of the PKK peace process.

    The Kurdish issue is a legendary and thorny problem for Turkey, and Erdogan apparently has his heart set on being the man that brings a peaceful conclusion to it. Yet the prime minister is angry at everybody under the Turkish parliament’s roof. For the moment, he declines to take on Selahattin Demirtas, chairman of the Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), as a legislative partner although Erdogan wants, and sorely needs, the BDP’s support to make the Imrali talks a success. The prime minister refuses even to shake Demirtas’ hand because, he says, the BDP, an organic political branch of the PKK, supports violence. Yet, Erdogan exhorts, “BDP, you have to take this risk. If you are going to act according to a message that will come from Kandil [location of the PKK leadership in northern Iraq], you won’t have the right to claim, ‘I did all I could to end this bloodshed.’”

    As for another opposition leader, at AKP headquarters Erdogan described Devlet Bahceli, chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), as one who lacks “humanity” and said that he won’t “take [his opinion] into consideration.” He further offered that the “MHP leader has created an illusionist world, and he is the only one to sing and listen to himself there.”

    The prime minister may well have his reasons for being frustrated with the political parties. As stated in this column on a number of occasions, rhetoric and attitude are key to shaping Turkey’s future, and they must be inclusive devices. As head of a single-party government for more than a decade, however, it has been Erdogan alone who took key decisions. During that time, the ruling party has cooperated barely a handful of times with the opposition in parliament. Making sure that all Turkish citizens are persuaded by a negotiated deal with the PKK is the only way to solve the Kurdish issue. This can only happen, however, if the opposition parties are also involved as representatives of the people who elected them.

    The AKP has a responsibility first to engage and brief the opposition in parliament on how exactly it proposes to put an end to the bloodshed. Then it must win their support so these same parliamentary members can bring along their constituencies, thus helping Turks work together toward a common resolution. It is, therefore, worth questioning the seriousness of the Erdogan government’s efforts thus far in solving this issue.

    People are fed up with the violence that began in 1984. No one wants to see another person fall victim, in political terms or physically, to this conflict. The AKP has the support of the majority of the people, but its attitude — especially on this issue — contains more risks than the continuance of violence. In fact, it carries the possibility of turning the situation into a Turkish-Kurdish war.

    The AKP cannot make peace with Ocalan or the Kurds if it ignores the people. A public opinion survey released by MetroPoll on Feb. 14 revealed that the majority of Istanbul residents opposes the Imrali talks. The survey, conducted between January 26 and February 1, included 2,502 people. Of those, 56.1% said they do not approve of the talks, whereas 25.1% expressed approval.

    When asked whether they would support Republican People’s Party chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu if he were to accept the talks in Imrali as the right way forward, 59.6% said “no.” When the same question was asked involving Bahceli, 51.5% answered in the negative. When asked whether they favored moving Ocalan to house arrest, 83.9% objected.

    Erdogan must realize how difficult such numbers make life for opposition leaders who want successful peace talks. It would be literally insane to think that anyone in the Turkish parliament — including the prime minister — would want to bet success at the ballot box on continuing bloodshed. The issue is indeed a chronic one, and a difficult one, that may not have a clear and negotiable solution.

    Erdogan says he wants to resolve the Kurdish issue, so it is now time for him to do what is necessary to accomplish his goal. He should start with building a broad coalition by engaging the opposition to get involved in the Kurdish peace talks mechanism. This would bring together the nations’ best minds and help facilitate a comprehensive solution. There is no need for the false bravery of stating that the AKP is ready to pay the price at the ballot box. The public has made it clear that it is not convinced the opposition can lead the country. In such an environment, rhetoric like Erdogan’s denies Turkey an opportunity to start healing and embrace one another while moving toward peace.

    Tulin Daloglu is a columnist for Al-Monitor’s Turkey Pulse. She has written extensively for various Turkish and American publications, including The New York Times, International Herald Tribune, The Middle East Times, Foreign Policy, The Daily Star (Lebanon) and the SAIS Turkey Analyst Report. She also had a regular column at The Washington Times for almost four years.

    Read more: https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2013/02/pkk-kurdish-settlement-erdogan.html#ixzz2L55SObXw
  • Jeremy Corbyn’s Ethnic Racist Narco Terrorist PKK love and Cemaat’s support to his Palestinian Event

    Jeremy Corbyn’s Ethnic Racist Narco Terrorist PKK love and Cemaat’s support to his Palestinian Event

    Jeremy CorbynEthnic Racist Narco Terrorist PKK Lover Jeremy Corbyn is going to host an event “Palestine: Road to Freedom” co-organised by UCL Turkish Society. Furthermore The Cemaat (Fetullah Guven Movement)  and their student leaders are known to be supporting the event.

    Please Comment.

     

    Jeremy Corbyn also participated in Peace in Kurdistan Campaign’s public event at Garden Court Chambers,  in which Terrorist PKK’s leader Ocalan’s newly published The Road Map to Negotiations and his proposals for a peaceful transition to a genuine democracy was discussed by a lively panel and audience. 

    Jeremy Corbyn‘s Ankara visit report . Jill Evans report is created by Peace in Kurdistan Campaign. http://www.jillevans.net/visit_to_ankara_2012.pdf

     

    Jeremy Corbyn‘s attandence as a speaker to Ethnic Racist Narco Terrorist PKK’ s call for Legalization event.

    [ “Time for Justice – No to the Ban on Kongra-Gel

    A meeting in Parliament called to win support for a ceasefire, dialogue and a political solution to the Kurdish question in Turkey. Also read the statement issued by Peace in Kurdistan and CAMPACC and the report of the meeting (pdf file).

    Wednesday 15 November 7.30pm, Committee Room 9, House of Commons, WestminsterHosted by Elfyn Llwyd MP (Plaid Cymru)

    Supported by Mark Thomas, Peace in Kurdistan, CAMPACC and Liberation

     

    A keynote speaker will be a representative of Kongra-Gel

    Other speakers include:
    Jeremy Corbyn MP
    Smita Shah (Barrister, Garden Court Chambers)
    Ben Hayes (Statewatch)
    Desmond Fernandes (Member of the Advisory Council of the EUTCC)
    Les Levidow (CAMPACC)
    Nick Hildyard (Policy Analyst)  ]

    Source: http://campacc.org.uk/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=15&cntnt01returnid=93

  • Erdoğan slams US envoy’s remarks, saying ‘Turkey is not anybody’s scapegoat’

    Erdoğan slams US envoy’s remarks, saying ‘Turkey is not anybody’s scapegoat’

    Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized U.S. envoy to Turkey Francis Ricciardone’s remarks on long detention periods in Turkey during a speech at the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) Istanbul advisory council on Feb. 9. Erdoğan quoted a poem by famous Turkish poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy and, without explicitly citing the U.S. ambassador’s name, called Ricciardone’s criticisms of the Turkish judiciary “unacceptable.”

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    “No one should be mistaken about our patience, tolerance and friendliness. Turkey is not anybody’s scapegoat. Turkey is not a country with which to meddle in its internal issues or its executive, legislative and judiciary systems. And certainly not a country whose foreign policy guidelines can be dictated [by others],” Erdoğan said.

    Ricciardone had criticized the fact that military leaders in Turkey were behind bars “as if they were terrorists” during a meeting with Ankara media bureau chiefs on Feb. 5, provoking heated reactions from many officials from the government and AKP cadres.

    “When a legal system produces such results and confuses people like that for terrorists, it makes it hard for American and European courts to match up. We are working to reconcile our legal processes in both countries,” he said.

    ‘Patience running out’ with EU on terrorism

    During his speech, Erdoğan also accused European Union members of protecting terror suspects linked to groups operating in Turkey, saying that Turkey’s patience “was running out.” Referring to the killing of three Kurdish women, including a co-founder of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), in Paris on Jan. 9 that disrupted the peace process regarding the Kurdish issue, as well as the Feb. 1 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Ankara perpetrated by an ex-convict living in Germany who entered Turkey illegally via Greece, Erdoğan criticized European countries for being far too “gentle” in the fight against terrorism.

    “While you always talk about the terrorism issue, why don’t you support Turkey’s own fight against terrorism? The terrorists searched for with [the highest priority] have been taken under the wing of certain European countries. Why then do you accuse Turkey of not complying with the [political] criteria [of the EU]? You show so much clemency to the terror for which Turkey has paid a very high price,” Erdoğan said, adding that the EU was showing Turkey a double standard when it came to terrorism.

    Erdoğan also complained that European officials talked about “freedom and law” when Turkey asked them to extradite suspects. He stressed that he will bring up this issue during a meeting with the envoys of EU countries on Feb. 11. “We have already told every [European] leader we meet that our patience is now very low,” he said.

    Operations will cease when arms are laid down

    Erdoğan also commented during his speech on the ongoing peace process with the PKK and emphasized that the operations of security forces would not stop until the PKK lays down its arms.

    Warning of a possible repeat of the “Habur incident” of 2009, when eight PKK members and 28 Kurdish refugees from the Makhmour Camp located on the Kandil Mountains in Iraq entered Turkey at the Habur border gate to a festive welcome, Erdoğan said that the same errors will not be allowed and that militants will be forced to leave the country. The “Habur incident” was perceived as “a show of force” by the government and sparked public outcry within the rest of Turkey, eventually causing the peace initiative at that time to come to a halt.

    February/09/2013

    via POLITICS – Erdoğan slams US envoy’s remarks, saying ‘Turkey is not anybody’s scapegoat’.

  • Erdogan should talk Turkey

    Erdogan should talk Turkey

    The suicide bombing inside a security booth at the United States embassy in Ankara on February 1 that killed a Turkish security guard and severely injured a television journalist who was on her way to meet the ambassador, has revealed once again the complexity and even fragility of Turkey’s political position in the region. Widespread initial speculation about the attacker’s identity and motivation was quickly dispelled when the banned radical Turkish Marxist-Leninist group, the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) claimed responsibility; the bomber himself was Ecevit S¸anli, a long-standing member of the group who had been imprisoned from 1997 to 2001 for a rocket attack on a military club in Istanbul but had been released when he contracted a crippling brain condition during a long hunger strike. The DHKP-C has a long record of such attacks going back to a turbulent period in the 1970s, and was deemed a terrorist organisation after a suicide attack in central Istanbul in 2001. It was also held responsible for murdering a former Prime Minister in 1980 and for a suicide attack in Istanbul in September 2012.

    The facts about the bombing may seem unproblematic, but Turkey’s domestic and international policies cause bitter resentment among several sections of its 74 million population, and any one of several groups could have carried out the recent attack, for a variety of reasons. Hardline leftist groups have long opposed Turkey’s collaboration with NATO — the country is a member of the Atlantic alliance — and have gained fresh resolve from Ankara’s help for Washington in the Syrian crisis; Turkey, which favours foreign intervention in Syria, hosts NATO troops and a Patriot missile system near the Turkish-Syrian border. Most of Turkey’s Alawite community, however, are strong supporters of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, who belongs to the ruling Alawite minority there. Yet another sect, Turkish Alevis, are disproportionately represented among the country’s Marxist factions. In addition, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), led by Abdullah Öcalan, who is imprisoned on an island off Istanbul since 1999, has been involved in a 40-year war for independence that has cost 40,000 lives so far. Istanbul’s security services have been talking with Mr. Öcalan since December 2012, but a political settlement looks as remote as ever. The sooner Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdog˘an responds to the justifiable disquiet that Turkey’s domestic policies and international realpolitik generates among substantial sections of its people, the better the prospects of lasting peace in the country and region.

    via The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Erdogan should talk Turkey.