DATE=6/29/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-43755
TITLE=OCALAN / NEWSMAKER
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=MUDANYA, TURKEY
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: KURDISH REBEL LEADER ABDULLAH OCALAN HAS BEEN CONVICTED
OF TREASON AND SENTENCED TO DEATH FOLLOWING A FOUR-WEEK TRIAL ON
AN ISLAND PRISON OFF THE COAST OF TURKEY. THE CONVICTION,
HOWEVER, MUST BE APPROVED BY AN APPEALS COURT AND ULTIMATELY BY
THE TURKISH PARLIAMENT. KURDISH LEADERS HAVE WARNED THAT
EXECUTING MR. OCALAN COULD LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN VIOLENCE FOR,
ALTHOUGH HE IS VIEWED BY MANY TURKS AS A RUTHLESS TERRORIST, MR.
OCALAN IS REVERED BY MANY KURDS AS A FOUNDER OF THEIR AUTONOMY
MOVEMENT. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT SCOTT BOBB HAS THIS PROFILE OF THE
KURDISH LEADER.
TEXT: WHETHER OR NOT THE DEATH PENALTY IS CARRIED OUT AGAINST
MR. OCALAN, IT IS ALMOST CERTAIN THAT HIS CAREER AS ONE OF THE
MOST FEARED OPPONENTS OF THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT IS OVER. FOR
EVEN IF HIS LIFE IS SPARED, THE STOCKY, MUSTACHIOED REBEL LEADER
IS LIKELY EITHER TO LANGUISH IN PRISON, MARGINALIZED FROM HIS
ORGANIZATION, OR LAUNCH A NEW CAREER AS A POLITICIAN AND EMISSARY
OF PEACE.
SUCH A CHANGE WOULD NOT SURPRISE MANY OBSERVERS. FOR, ABDULLAH
OCALAN IS A MIXTURE OF CONTRADICTIONS. 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, NEAR TURKEYS BORDER WITH SYRIA.
AS A YOUNG MAN, HE WANTED TO BE A SOLDIER AND TRIED TO ENLIST IN
THE TURKISH ARMY. HE WAS REJECTED, HOWEVER, HE SAYS, BECAUSE HE
WAS OF KURDISH ORIGIN.
SO INSTEAD, HE ENTERED 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 PRO-KURDISH ACTIVITIES AND LEFT THE UNIVERSITY. HE
SUBSEQUENTLY FOUNDED THE KURDISTAN WORKERS 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 ARMED
STRUGGLE ON AUGUST 15TH, 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, HAVE BEEN
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.
LAST OCTOBER, THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT THREATENED TO INVADE SYRIA
IF IT CONTINUED TO SUPPORT MR. OCALAN. MEDIATION BY EGYPT
AVOIDED ANY CONFRONTATION AND BROUGHT ASSURANCES FROM DAMASCUS
THAT MR. OCALAN HAD LEFT THE COUNTRY.
IN NOVEMBER, MR. OCALAN SURRENDERED TO POLICE IN ITALY AND ASKED
FOR POLITICAL ASYLUM. HE WAS REFUSED AFTER A STRONG PROTEST BY
TURKEY, AND LEFT TWO MONTHS LATER. A NUMBER OF OTHER EUROPEAN
GOVERNMENTS ALSO TURNED DOWN HIS REQUEST FOR ASYLUM. AND MR.
OCALAN EVENTUALLY TOOK REFUGE IN GREECE, A REGIONAL RIVAL TO
TURKEY.
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 STILL HAVE NOT BEEN FULLY EXPLAINED,
HE ENDED UP SEDATED AND IN HANDCUFFS ON A PRIVATE PLANE FLYING TO
TURKEY AND IN THE CUSTODY OF TURKISH SPECIAL AGENTS.
THE ARREST SPARKED VIOLENT PROTESTS BY KURDISH SYMPATHIZERS IN
SEVERAL EUROPEAN CAPITALS.
AT THE OPENING OF HIS TRIAL, THE FEARED REBEL LEADER STARTLED
TURKS AND KURDS ALIKE WHEN HE ASKED THE VICTIMS' FAMILIES FOR
FORGIVENESS AND URGED THE COURT TO SPARE HIS LIFE SO HE COULD
WORK FOR PEACE. HIS LAWYERS SAY SPARING MR. OCALAN'S LIFE WILL
PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO END THE VIOLENCE. THE TURKISH
GOVERNMENT, HOWEVER, IS ALSO UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE MILITARY AND
SOLDIERS' FAMILIES TO EXECUTE HIM.
NO MATTER WHAT HIS FATE ULTIMATELY IS, MR. OCALAN'S CASE HAS NOW
MOVED FROM THE JURIDICAL STAGE TO THE POLITICAL ARENA. (SIGNED)
NEB/SB/JWH/PLM
29-Jun-99 5:34 AM EDT (0934 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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