Party Program Of The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK)
Description
Founded in 1974 as a Marxist-Leninist insurgent group primarily composed of Turkish Kurds. The group's goal has been to establish an independent Kurdish state in southeastern Turkey, where the population is predominantly Kurdish. In the early 1990s, the PKK moved beyond rural-based insurgent activities to include urban terrorism. Turkish authorities captured Chairman Abdullah Ocalan in Kenya in early 1999; the Turkish State Security Court subsequently sentenced him to death. In August 1999, Ocalan announced a "peace initiative," ordering members to refrain from violence and withdraw from Turkey and requesting dialogue with Ankara on Kurdish issues. At a PKK Congress in January 2000, members supported Ocalan's initiative and claimed the group now would use only political means to achieve its new goal, improved rights for Kurds in Turkey.
Activities
Primary targets have been Turkish Government security forces in Turkey. Conducted attacks on Turkish diplomatic and commercial facilities in dozens of West European cities in 1993 and again in spring 1995. In an attempt to damage Turkey's tourist industry, the PKK bombed tourist sites and hotels and kidnapped foreign tourists in the early-to-mid-1990s.
Strength
Approximately 4,000 to 5,000, most of whom currently are located in northern Iraq. Has thousands of sympathizers in Turkey and Europe.
Location/Area of Operation
Operates in Turkey, Europe, and the Middle East.
External Aid
Has received safehaven and modest aid from Syria, Iraq, and Iran. Damascus generally upheld its September 2000 antiterror agreement with Ankara, pledging not to support the PKK.
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As always, depending on who you talk to they are either ruthless terrorists or ideologues fighting for their people. The truth should lie somewhere in between (as in some Kurds see the abuse and oppression and choose to become ruthless terrorist). Over the years Turkey claims to have lost 20,000 people to PKK. At the same time, PKK shows that Turkey is not so innocent in this either.
Kurdistan is spread between Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Syria (very little). PKK has been taking advantage of weakened Iraqi government and the Northern No Fly Zone to set up camps inside Iraqi Kurdistan, just south east of Trukey. These are the camps in discussion.
Sun Tzu
PS the description came from: Patterns of Global Terrorism, 2001. United States Department of State, May 2002. |
