DATE=6/1/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-43546
TITLE=OCALAN NEWSMAKER CQ
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=MUDANYA, TURKEY
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: KURDISH REBEL LEADER ABDULLAH OCALAN WENT ON TRIAL TODAY
(ED'S: MONDAY) ON AN ISLAND PRISON OFF THE COAST OF TURKEY. HE
IS ON TRIAL FOR TREASON AND IF CONVICTED WILL RECEIVE A MANDATORY
DEATH SENTENCE. THE TRIAL SEEMS DESTINED TO END -- ONE WAY OR
ANOTHER -- THE REBEL CAREER OF A MAN REVERED BY MANY KURDS AS THE
FOUNDER OF THEIR AUTONOMY MOVEMENT AND BY MANY TURKS, AS A
RUTHLESS TERRORIST. CORRESPONDENT SCOTT BOBB, WHO IS COVERING
THE TRIAL, HAS THIS PROFILE OF THE KURDISH LEADER.
TEXT: DURING HIS CAREER AS ONE OF THE MOST FEARED OPPONENTS OF
THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT, ABDULLAH OCALAN HAS BEEN A MIX OF
CONTRADICTIONS -- DUE IN PART TO THE FOLKLORE THAT SURROUNDS HIS
NAME, AND THE NATURE OF THE STRUGGLE HE HAS WAGED.
CONSIDERED BRUTAL AND THUGGISH BY HIS OPPONENTS, HE IS VIEWED AS
GIFTED AND CHARISMATIC BY HIS FOLLOWERS. A RESPECTED LEADER OF
THE ARMED KURDISH MOVEMENT, HE REPORTEDLY NEVER SAW BATTLE. AND
ALTHOUGH HE IS ONE OF THE FATHERS OF THE MOVEMENT TO PROMOTE
KURDISH CULTURE, HE REPORTEDLY IS MORE COMFORTABLE SPEAKING
TURKISH THAN THE KURDISH LANGUAGE.
ABDULLAH OCALAN WAS BORN 50-YEARS AGO TO A POOR FARMING FAMILY IN
SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY ALONG THE SYRIAN BORDER. AS A YOUNG MAN, HE
WANTED TO BE A SOLDIER AND APPLIED TO ENTER THE TURKISH ARMY.
BUT, HE WAS REJECTED BECAUSE, HE SAYS, HE IS OF KURDISH ORIGIN.
SO INSTEAD HE APPLIED AND WAS ACCEPTED AT ANKARA UNIVERSITY'S
COMPETITIVE POLITICAL SCIENCE FACULTY. HE SOON BECAME A MARXIST
SYMPATHIZER AND A KURDISH NATIONALIST.
IN 1972, HE WAS IMPRISONED FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS FOR A
PRO-KURDISH ACTIVITIES AND LEFT THE UNIVERSITY. HE SUBSEQUENTLY
FOUNDED THE KURDISTAN WORKER'S PARTY, OR P-K-K, AND LAUNCHED THE
KURDISH AUTONOMY MOVEMENT.
JUST BEFORE THE MILITARY COUP IN TURKEY IN 1980, ABDULLAH OCALAN
FLED TO SYRIA AND SET UP TRAINING CAMPS IN THE LEBANESE PLAINS
WHICH WERE UNDER SYRIAN CONTROL.
APO -- AS HE IS KNOWN TO HIS SUPPORTERS -- LAUNCHED HIS ARMS
STRUGGLE ON AUGUST 15, 1984. IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS, THE P-K-K
STAGED MANY ATTACKS ON TURKISH SECURITY FORCES AND ON KURDISH
VILLAGES THAT SUPPORTED THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT.
AN ESTIMATED 30-THOUSAND PEOPLE, INCLUDING MANY WOMEN AND
CHILDREN, WERE KILLED IN THE ATTACKS. DURING THE 1990'S MR.
OCALAN DECLARED A CEASEFIRE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND OFFERED TO
ENTER INTO PEACE NEGOTIATIONS. BUT THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT
REFUSED ANY DEAL AND VOWED TO CRUSH HIS ORGANIZATION.
THE GOVERNMENT MOVED THREE-THOUSAND VILLAGES AWAY FROM KURDISH
AREAS OF SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY AND SUCCESSIVE GOVERNMENT OFFENSIVES
DROVE MANY P-K-K FIGHTERS OUT OF TURKEY INTO NEIGHBORING
COUNTRIES.
LAST OCTOBER, THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT THREATENED TO INVADE SYRIA
IF IT CONTINUED TO SUPPORT MR. OCALAN. RAPID MEDIATION BY EGYPT
AVOIDED ANY OFFENSIVE AND BROUGHT ASSURANCES BY DAMASCUS THAT MR.
OCALAN HAD LEFT SYRIA.
IN NOVEMBER, MR. OCALAN SURRENDERED TO POLICE IN ITALY AND ASKED
FOR POLITICAL ASYLUM. HE WAS REFUSED, AFTER PROTESTS BY TURKEY
AND LEFT TWO MONTHS LATER. A NUMBER OF OTHER EUROPEAN
GOVERNMENTS ALSO TURNED DOWN HIS REQUEST FOR ASYLUM, FEARING A
BACKLASH FROM TURKEY, AND MR. OCALAN EVENTUALLY TOOK REFUGE IN
GREECE-- A REGIONAL RIVAL.
HOWEVER, HIS PRESENCE MADE EVEN THE GREEK GOVERNMENT
UNCOMFORTABLE, AND IN FEBRUARY MR. OCALAN WAS FLOWN TO KENYA
REPORTEDLY SEEKING ASYLUM IN SOUTHERN AFRICA.
UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH HAVE NOT YET BEEN FULLY EXPLAINED, HE
ENDED UP DRUGGED ON A PRIVATE PLANE FLYING TO TURKEY AND IN THE
CUSTODY OF THE TURKISH SPECIAL AGENTS. HE ARREST SPARKED VIOLENT
PROTESTS BY KURDISH SYMPATHIZERS IN A NUMBER OF EUROPEAN
CAPITALS.
SINCE THEN, MR. OCALAN HAS BEEN IMPRISONED ON THE PENAL ISLAND
IMRALI IN THE MARMARA SEA SOUTHWEST OF ISTANBUL. HE IS CHARGED
WITH TREASON AND FACES THE DEATH PENALTY.
IN HIS OPENING REMARKS MONDAY, THE FEARED REBEL LEADER PLEADED TO
THE VICTIM'S FAMILIES FOR FORGIVENESS. HE URGED THE COURT TO
ALLOW HIM TO LIVE, SO THAT HE COULD WORK FOR PEACE AND
RECONCILIATION BETWEEN HIS PEOPLE AND THE TURKS AGAINST WHOM HE
HAS FOUGHT FOR MORE THAN 14-YEARS. (SIGNED)
NEB/SB/TMD-T/WFR/RAE
01-Jun-99 8:03 AM EDT (1203 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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