DATE=2/19/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42652 (CQ)
TITLE=KURDS PROTEST
BYLINE=GIL BUTLER
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ETHNIC KURDS AROUND THE WORLD HAVE BEEN PROTESTING THE
ARREST OF ABDULLAH OCALAN BY TURKISH SECURITY FORCES IN KENYA. HE
IS THE LEADER OF THE KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY -- THE P-K-K --
WHICH THE UNITED STATES, AMONG OTHERS, CONSIDERS A TERRORIST
ORGANIZATION. IN THIS REPORT, V-O-A'S GIL BUTLER LOOKS AT WHY
EVEN KURDS WHO OPPOSE THE VIOLENT ACTS OF THE P-K-K, SEEM TO HAVE
JOINED IN CONDEMNING ABDULLAH OCALAN'S ARREST.
TEXT: A RECENT FRONT PAGE STORY IN THE NEW YORK TIMES SAYS AN
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF EUROPE'S 850-THOUSAND KURDS ARE OUTRAGED
BY THE TURKISH ARREST OF THE P-K-K LEADER. THERE WERE PROTESTS
IN EUROPE, KURDISH AREAS OF TURKEY AND EVEN A DEMONSTRATION IN
FRONT OF THE WHITE HOUSE IN WASHINGTON, D-C. SOME THE PROTESTS
TURNED VIOLENT: THREE KURDS WERE KILLED TRYING TO STORM THE
ISRAELI CONSULATE IN BERLIN AND GASOLINE BOMBS HAVE BEEN HURLED
AT VARIOUS TURKISH OFFICES.
MICHAEL AMITAY OF WASHINGTON'S KURDISH INSTITUTE SAYS THE
PROTESTS OF KURDS FROM TURKEY HAVE BEEN JOINED BY KURDS FROM
OTHER COUNTRIES.
/// AMITAY ACT ///
I THINK IT IS STRIKING TO SEE THAT THE KURDS
DEMONSTRATING ACROSS EUROPE, THE UNITED STATES, CANADA
AND ELSEWHERE ARE NOT ONLY FROM TURKEY. IN FACT, THE
DEMONSTRATION IN WASHINGTON I WOULD SAY 75 PERCENT OF
THE KURDS WERE FROM IRAQ OR IRAN.
/// END ACT ///
HE SAYS ABDULLAH OCALAN'S ARREST HAS GALVANIZED SUPPORT FOR
KURDISH RIGHTS ... THOUGH NOT FOR THE P-K-K ITSELF. THE P-K-K
HAS BEEN WAGING A VIOLENT 15 YEAR STRUGGLE IN SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY
FOR A SEPARATE KURDISH HOMELAND.
BUT DR. NAJMALDIN KARIM, PRESIDENT OF THE KURDISH INSTITUTE, DOES
CREDIT THE P-K-K WITH GAINING SOME RECOGNITION OF KURDISH
PROBLEMS.
/// KARIM ACT ///
THERE HAS REALLY NOT BEEN ANY OTHER VENUE FOR THE KURDS
TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINION, EXPLAIN THEMSELVES AND TRY TO
GAIN THEIR RIGHTS LIKE EQUAL CITIZENS IN TURKEY WITH
PRESERVATION OF THEIR KURDISH IDENTITY. SO THE P-K-K
HAS BECOME A RALLYING POINT FOR THESE REASONS.
/// END ACT ///
HE SAYS THE HUMILIATING WAY MR. OCALAN WAS ARRESTED HAS ALSO
OUTRAGED KURDS. AND DR. KARIM IS NOT OPTIMISTIC THAT THE ARREST
AND RESULTANT OUTRAGE WILL MARK THE BEGINNING OF AN IMPROVEMENT
IN KURDISH RIGHTS.
/// KARIM ACT ///
I AM VERY SKEPTICAL THAT THE TURKS WILL DO THAT BECAUSE
IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR REACTION, BASICALLY THEY THINK THAT
THEY ARE VICTORIOUS AND CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT. THEY
HAVE EVEN COME OUT AND SAID THEY WILL NOT ALLOW ANY
OBSERVERS OR MONITORS FROM OUTSIDE TO MONITOR THE TRIAL
AND WE KNOW WHAT TRIALS HAVE BEEN IN TURKEY BEFORE.
/// END ACT ///
TURKEY CALLS THE P-K-K A RUTHLESS TERROR ORGANIZATION THAT HAS
MURDERED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE. IT BLAMES
ABDULLAH OCALAN'S PARTY FOR THE POVERTY OF THE KURDISH AREA OF
SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY.
PROMINENT AMERICAN COLUMNIST WILLIAM SAFIRE SAYS TURKEY SHOULD
REALIZE THAT IT HAS WON ITS WAR WITH THE P-K-K. HE SAYS ANKARA
SHOULD NOW INVEST MONEY TO IMPROVE KURDISH VILLAGES, RELEASE
JAILED POLITICIANS AND PERMIT KURDISH LANGUAGE RADIO AND
TELEVISION PROGRAMS.
MIZGIN SHEN IS A SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE P-K-K'S KURDISTAN NATIONAL
LIBERATION FRONT EUROPEAN OFFICE. SHE REJECTS SUGGESTIONS THAT
THE P-K-K IS SHATTERED.
/// MIZGIN SHEN ACT ///
OCALAN IS THE LEADER OF THE P-K-K AND HE IS THE LEADER
OF THE KURDISH PEOPLE AND WILL ALWAYS REMAIN ONE. BUT
THE ALLEGATIONS SUGGESTING THAT HIS ARREST BY TURKEY
WILL BE SORT OF THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR THE P-K-K:
I COMPLETELY DISAGREE.
/// END ACT ///
SHE SAYS IT IS A WELL ESTABLISHED ORGANIZATION THAT HAS THE
SUPPORT OF THE MAJORITY OF THE KURDISH PEOPLE.
THE 25 TO 35 MILLION KURDS IN THE WORLD HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN
DIVIDED INTO FACTIONS AND, AT TIMES HAVE FOUGHT EACH OTHER. BUT
FOR THE MOMENT, THE ARREST OF ABDULLAH OCALAN AND HIS TRANSPORT
TO AN ISOLATED PRISON ISLAND HAS GIVEN KURDS AT LEAST ONE THING
TO AGREE ON. (SIGNED)
NEB/MGB/JO
19-Feb-99 2:48 PM EST (1948 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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