Why did the PKK resort to violence yet again?

FATMA DİŞLİ ZIBAK

An increasing number of outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) attacks, which have recently claimed the lives of many soldiers, have once more created an environment of tension and mourning in the country. The terrorist organization had long been silent in conjunction with the government’s bid to solve Turkey’s decades-long Kurdish problem.

The sudden rise in its attacks has led to some suspicions that the attacks are being carried out at a time when Parliament is voting on a government-sponsored reform package which aims to raise democratic and judicial standards in the country. Before the latest PKK attacks, the latest of which took place in Tunceli, claiming the lives of four soldiers on Friday night, some columnists, relying on intelligence reports, warned that some shadowy power centers may try to prevent the passage of reforms and progress on the government’s Kurdish initiative by carrying out attacks in some parts of the country, prompting a nationwide outcry. These attacks unfortunately justify their arguments as they have revealed the anti-democratic circles’ disturbance with the reforms and the Kurdish initiative.

Bugün’s Adem Yavuz Arslan, one of the journalists who warned about possible PKK attacks by even naming the provinces where they are likely to take place, says there is no doubt these attacks were carried out by the PKK but adds that what matters is who gave the go-ahead. He explains that these attacks will bring no benefit to Kurds as they will trigger the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) to increase its operations in the region and pave the way for anti-democratic practices in the region. “Which sensible Kurd would want such a thing to happen? So, it is unthinkable for the PKK to say that it resorted to violence again in order to defend the rights of the Kurds,” says Arslan.

In his view, Ergenekon, a shadowy crime network that has alleged links within the state and is suspected of plotting to topple the government, exists within the PKK and masterminded its recent attacks. “Rising terrorist activity, constitutional reforms whose passage is hindered and a weakening Justice and Development Party [AK Party] serve Ergenekon, which has been very much cornered by the latest operations against its members. In order to describe the games being played as ‘conspiracy theories,’ let’s see the game that is being played. A formation does not want things to be on track in Turkey,” suggests Arslan.

According to Vatan’s Ruşen Çakır, the PKK, by carrying out attacks in various provinces such as Samsun, Giresun, Hakkari, Tunceli and Diyarbakır, is both making a “show of power” and pursuing a strategy to spread conflict to every part of the country. In his view, the PKK wants to be mentioned by the state today more than ever before because there is widespread fear within the organization that it will be eliminated as part of the government’s Kurdish initiative.

“Extensions of Ergenekon within the PKK and the state that do not support constitutional reforms and the government’s Kurdish initiative are collaborating to drag Turkey into chaos.

And so they try to urge the government to take a step backward on these by carrying out attacks, hence raising the tension,” comments Star’s Mehmet Altan over the latest PKK attacks in Turkey.

04.05.2010

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