3 articles about pkk, ocalan, turkey
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 6:17 pmSTRASBOURG, France, April 18 (UPI) -- Moves to settle longstanding issues with the Kurdish community in Turkey may improve ties to the European Union, members of the European Parliament said.
The European Parliament passed a resolution Thursday praising recent talks that might bring an end to conflict between the government and members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, known by its Kurdish initials PKK.
Parliamentary envoy for Turkey Ria Oomen-Ruijten, a Dutch lawmaker, said a tit-for-tat exchange was needed to help move both sides closer together.
"Turkey needs to step up efforts to guarantee freedom of expression, media freedom and all other fundamental freedoms in line with the values of the EU," she said in a statement. "The EU must do its utmost to support Turkey in the reform process -- renewed efforts for the opening of further negotiation chapters are important."
Jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan called on armed units to lay down their weapons and leave the country. Withdrawal is expected soon, though pro-Kurdish lawmakers in Turkey said they were concerned about a lack of security guarantees.
EU Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule said the initiative may bring peace to parts of southern Turkey and represents a "chance to end terrorism" in the country.
Öcalan and Gülen make Time’s 100 most influential people list
The jailed leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Abdullah Öcalan, and Turkish religious scholar Fethullah Gülen have been selected in Time magazine’s annual list of the 100 most-influential people in the world, published on April 18, in the 65th and 71st positions respectively. The choice of the two much-debated names in the category of “leaders,” was accompanied with short profiles that justified their importance and weighed current political conjuncture.
The choice of the author for the profile of Öcalan, engaged in peace talks with the Turkish government in a bid to find a solution to the thorny Kurdish issue, was also significant as it was penned by Sinn Fein’s leader, Gerry Adams. Adams, himself a key figure in truce negotiations between the British government and Irish Republican Army (IRA) in the mid-‘90s, argued that Öcalan’s recent move to reach a deal with the Turkish authorities required “leadership.”
“[Öcalan] has become a voice for peace, a leader willing to offer the hand of friendship to those he has fought against for most of his life,” Adams wrote, quoting excerpts of Öcalan’s call for cease-fire delivered during Nevruz celebrations in Diyarbakır, March 21. “Persuading enemies that there are alternative ways to resolve long-standing differences takes patience and a willingness to engage in dialogue, but most important, it requires leadership,” he added. Adams also commended what he interpreted as Öcalan’s “vision” and called on the Turkish government for his release.
Gülen’s profile was written by The New York Times’ former correspondent in Turkey, Stephen Kinzer. Kinzer said that although Gülen lived in self-imposed exile, secluded in retreat in his Pennsylvania home, his influence in the government and security forces was “immense.”
“Gülen is also a man of mystery. His influence is exercised by graduates of his schools who have reached key posts in the government, judiciary and police. This makes him seem like a shadowy puppeteer, and he is scorned by almost as many Turks as love him,” Kinzer said, noting that he had founded schools in around 140 countries. “As the most potent advocate of moderation in the Muslim world, Gülen is waging an urgently important campaign,” Kinzer wrote.
Ocalan’s second letter headed to Qandil PKK leaders
The second letter of Abdullah Ocalan regarding the withdrawal process of PKK members from Turkey is being transported to the PKK leaders in the Qandil Mountains by pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Istanbul deputy Sirri Sureyya Onder, who met with Ocalan at Imrali island last Sunday, Turkish media reported.
It has been indicated that Ocalan's letter contains instructions of withdrawal and his views on how the withdrawal will be undertaken. It is expected that within a short period, a response to the letter will be sent from the Qandil Mountains and Ocalan will clearly announce the withdrawal of PKK members.
Accordingly, following Ocalan’s call, between April 18 and May 1 the KCK (Union of Communities in Kurdistan) administration will give PKK groups instructions via radio for their withdrawal to northern Iraq. It has been stated that the groups will withdraw while appearing “unarmed” but no instructions will be given to the groups about their being armed or unarmed in a manner which will be reflected to the public.
Expressing that the process will proceed regardless of some debates about withdrawal, BDP Co-Chair Gultan Kisanak said, “Since the public registered this first step in their minds simply as withdrawal, we want to express that there will be no hardships there.”
While the withdrawal is scheduled to occur prior to the May 1 Labor Day holiday, because of Ocalan’s belief that the withdrawal should begin as soon as possible, it is indicated that the administration of the organization may instruct withdrawal between April 18 and May 1.
The withdrawal process will be monitored by the Iraqi Kurdistan administration and the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT).
Debates about whether the members will be armed or unarmed are ongoing. Reportedly the groups who will be displayed by the PKK’s media organs will have an “unarmed appearance.”
It is expressed that consensus has been secured that the groups will be as unarmed as possible.
The European Parliament passed a resolution Thursday praising recent talks that might bring an end to conflict between the government and members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, known by its Kurdish initials PKK.
Parliamentary envoy for Turkey Ria Oomen-Ruijten, a Dutch lawmaker, said a tit-for-tat exchange was needed to help move both sides closer together.
"Turkey needs to step up efforts to guarantee freedom of expression, media freedom and all other fundamental freedoms in line with the values of the EU," she said in a statement. "The EU must do its utmost to support Turkey in the reform process -- renewed efforts for the opening of further negotiation chapters are important."
Jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan called on armed units to lay down their weapons and leave the country. Withdrawal is expected soon, though pro-Kurdish lawmakers in Turkey said they were concerned about a lack of security guarantees.
EU Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule said the initiative may bring peace to parts of southern Turkey and represents a "chance to end terrorism" in the country.
Öcalan and Gülen make Time’s 100 most influential people list
The jailed leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Abdullah Öcalan, and Turkish religious scholar Fethullah Gülen have been selected in Time magazine’s annual list of the 100 most-influential people in the world, published on April 18, in the 65th and 71st positions respectively. The choice of the two much-debated names in the category of “leaders,” was accompanied with short profiles that justified their importance and weighed current political conjuncture.
The choice of the author for the profile of Öcalan, engaged in peace talks with the Turkish government in a bid to find a solution to the thorny Kurdish issue, was also significant as it was penned by Sinn Fein’s leader, Gerry Adams. Adams, himself a key figure in truce negotiations between the British government and Irish Republican Army (IRA) in the mid-‘90s, argued that Öcalan’s recent move to reach a deal with the Turkish authorities required “leadership.”
“[Öcalan] has become a voice for peace, a leader willing to offer the hand of friendship to those he has fought against for most of his life,” Adams wrote, quoting excerpts of Öcalan’s call for cease-fire delivered during Nevruz celebrations in Diyarbakır, March 21. “Persuading enemies that there are alternative ways to resolve long-standing differences takes patience and a willingness to engage in dialogue, but most important, it requires leadership,” he added. Adams also commended what he interpreted as Öcalan’s “vision” and called on the Turkish government for his release.
Gülen’s profile was written by The New York Times’ former correspondent in Turkey, Stephen Kinzer. Kinzer said that although Gülen lived in self-imposed exile, secluded in retreat in his Pennsylvania home, his influence in the government and security forces was “immense.”
“Gülen is also a man of mystery. His influence is exercised by graduates of his schools who have reached key posts in the government, judiciary and police. This makes him seem like a shadowy puppeteer, and he is scorned by almost as many Turks as love him,” Kinzer said, noting that he had founded schools in around 140 countries. “As the most potent advocate of moderation in the Muslim world, Gülen is waging an urgently important campaign,” Kinzer wrote.
Ocalan’s second letter headed to Qandil PKK leaders
The second letter of Abdullah Ocalan regarding the withdrawal process of PKK members from Turkey is being transported to the PKK leaders in the Qandil Mountains by pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Istanbul deputy Sirri Sureyya Onder, who met with Ocalan at Imrali island last Sunday, Turkish media reported.
It has been indicated that Ocalan's letter contains instructions of withdrawal and his views on how the withdrawal will be undertaken. It is expected that within a short period, a response to the letter will be sent from the Qandil Mountains and Ocalan will clearly announce the withdrawal of PKK members.
Accordingly, following Ocalan’s call, between April 18 and May 1 the KCK (Union of Communities in Kurdistan) administration will give PKK groups instructions via radio for their withdrawal to northern Iraq. It has been stated that the groups will withdraw while appearing “unarmed” but no instructions will be given to the groups about their being armed or unarmed in a manner which will be reflected to the public.
Expressing that the process will proceed regardless of some debates about withdrawal, BDP Co-Chair Gultan Kisanak said, “Since the public registered this first step in their minds simply as withdrawal, we want to express that there will be no hardships there.”
While the withdrawal is scheduled to occur prior to the May 1 Labor Day holiday, because of Ocalan’s belief that the withdrawal should begin as soon as possible, it is indicated that the administration of the organization may instruct withdrawal between April 18 and May 1.
The withdrawal process will be monitored by the Iraqi Kurdistan administration and the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT).
Debates about whether the members will be armed or unarmed are ongoing. Reportedly the groups who will be displayed by the PKK’s media organs will have an “unarmed appearance.”
It is expressed that consensus has been secured that the groups will be as unarmed as possible.