TURKEY SHOULD TRY TO ISOLATE PKK INSTEAD OF ATTACK
Imran Khan
June 13, 2007
Turkey has threatened to enter in Iraq to root out Kurdistan Workers Party’s (PKK) separatists who attack inside Turkey and the powerful Turkish military is focused on the immediate task of stopping deadly attacks. But the situation in Iraq is worst and it could even be more deteriorated if Turkey has decided to go ahead with its plans for possible incursion.
The Kurdish leadership in northern Iraq which controls the area is looking less concerned with PKK attacks in Turkey. Their eyes are set on the December referendum which will decide the Kurdish control over oil rich Iraqi city of Kirkuk and they will never like to lose the support of any Kurd despite of his/her affiliations with a terrorist group like PKK. Once Kurds got control of Kirkuk they will think about an independent country called Kurdistan that might someday absorb the large Kurds minority of Turkey. The recent threats by Turkey to use force against PKK in Iraq could be due to the assumptions that if PKK can launch attacks when Iraqi Kurds are still part of a united Iraq, and if they got an independent territory it would become much easier for them to attack Turkey. So Turkey’s leadership and military thinks about striking first before that happens. But many experts believe that a decisive blow to PKK would not be so easy because of the difficult terrain and their knowledge about area.
United States occupation of Iraq has so far made the Kurds as real winners. When dozens of people are killed everyday in all over the Iraq, the Kurds dominated areas are relatively calm and unaffected by the deadly violence. For United States, Turkey is considered as one of the most trusted ally in the region for long time, now Iraqi Kurds proving even more friendly and important.
But Turkey can not just sit idle and let its people die from the hands of PKK terrorists. There must be a way and military solution is not the only way to handle it. Now because of PKK terrorist attacks sympathies of the world are with Turkey but once its army crossed the border many would start denouncing it.
Turks have done well to maintain peace in their Kurd regions through dialogue, granting Kurds language, local governance rights and respecting human rights. If turkey has used bullying tactics against Kurds by not granting their legitimate rights than it would have been a different story. Now attacks are coming from outside otherwise it would have been from inside and that would have made a huge difference in volume of the violence. One must also not forget, few decades ago when suicide bombing was unheard in the world, it was started by PKK separatist in Turkey and even women were used. Now it is not the case and Turkish Kurds have stopped it because they have been given rights to live respectfully. Mostly Kurds are living peacefully in Turkey and reject Kurdish nationalism. Any terrorist group can never achieve their goals if common people are living peacefully and happy with the situation. Yes if situation is bad and people are forced against their wishes than terrorist groups use that situation in their favor and able to get sympathies and reinforcement from the population. Turks should be worried about PKK’s growing terrorist activities but they have a solid background and backing of the people which give them a great edge over the terrorists.
Any country of the world has right to defend itself from enemy and Turkey is not exempted from that rule. But in these circumstances instead of going out for a sole solution to end PKK attacks in Turkey through force, Turkey needs an international coalition to isolate PKK in Iraq. United States can play a big role and Turkey can also use the United Nations, European Union platforms to prove their points and put pressure on Iraqi Kurdish leadership to stop PKK from attacking Turkey. It is also a part of war on terror where a militant terrorist group (PKK is listed as terrorist organization by USA, Turkey, NATO and EU) is trying to achieve its objectives through brutal actions. Turkey just needs to show the world about its stance more vigorously and effectively.
One must not think that it means that Turkey needs someone’s permission to defend itself or it is a weak country. But today’s world is like a universal village and countries are interlinked with one another. Turkey is indeed a very important country of the world and any of its action will leave huge impacts.
It is on Turkey to decide what is best for her but if military action can create a complex situation than it is better to go for an option which can solve the problem without any bitter consequence.
The Kurdish leadership in northern Iraq which controls the area is looking less concerned with PKK attacks in Turkey. Their eyes are set on the December referendum which will decide the Kurdish control over oil rich Iraqi city of Kirkuk and they will never like to lose the support of any Kurd despite of his/her affiliations with a terrorist group like PKK. Once Kurds got control of Kirkuk they will think about an independent country called Kurdistan that might someday absorb the large Kurds minority of Turkey. The recent threats by Turkey to use force against PKK in Iraq could be due to the assumptions that if PKK can launch attacks when Iraqi Kurds are still part of a united Iraq, and if they got an independent territory it would become much easier for them to attack Turkey. So Turkey’s leadership and military thinks about striking first before that happens. But many experts believe that a decisive blow to PKK would not be so easy because of the difficult terrain and their knowledge about area.
United States occupation of Iraq has so far made the Kurds as real winners. When dozens of people are killed everyday in all over the Iraq, the Kurds dominated areas are relatively calm and unaffected by the deadly violence. For United States, Turkey is considered as one of the most trusted ally in the region for long time, now Iraqi Kurds proving even more friendly and important.
But Turkey can not just sit idle and let its people die from the hands of PKK terrorists. There must be a way and military solution is not the only way to handle it. Now because of PKK terrorist attacks sympathies of the world are with Turkey but once its army crossed the border many would start denouncing it.
Turks have done well to maintain peace in their Kurd regions through dialogue, granting Kurds language, local governance rights and respecting human rights. If turkey has used bullying tactics against Kurds by not granting their legitimate rights than it would have been a different story. Now attacks are coming from outside otherwise it would have been from inside and that would have made a huge difference in volume of the violence. One must also not forget, few decades ago when suicide bombing was unheard in the world, it was started by PKK separatist in Turkey and even women were used. Now it is not the case and Turkish Kurds have stopped it because they have been given rights to live respectfully. Mostly Kurds are living peacefully in Turkey and reject Kurdish nationalism. Any terrorist group can never achieve their goals if common people are living peacefully and happy with the situation. Yes if situation is bad and people are forced against their wishes than terrorist groups use that situation in their favor and able to get sympathies and reinforcement from the population. Turks should be worried about PKK’s growing terrorist activities but they have a solid background and backing of the people which give them a great edge over the terrorists.
Any country of the world has right to defend itself from enemy and Turkey is not exempted from that rule. But in these circumstances instead of going out for a sole solution to end PKK attacks in Turkey through force, Turkey needs an international coalition to isolate PKK in Iraq. United States can play a big role and Turkey can also use the United Nations, European Union platforms to prove their points and put pressure on Iraqi Kurdish leadership to stop PKK from attacking Turkey. It is also a part of war on terror where a militant terrorist group (PKK is listed as terrorist organization by USA, Turkey, NATO and EU) is trying to achieve its objectives through brutal actions. Turkey just needs to show the world about its stance more vigorously and effectively.
One must not think that it means that Turkey needs someone’s permission to defend itself or it is a weak country. But today’s world is like a universal village and countries are interlinked with one another. Turkey is indeed a very important country of the world and any of its action will leave huge impacts.
It is on Turkey to decide what is best for her but if military action can create a complex situation than it is better to go for an option which can solve the problem without any bitter consequence.
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