Christopher Hitchins, in attacking the PKK as a 'Stalinist sect' and 'thuggish' shows how little he actually knows about the struggle of the Kurdish people for basic human and political rights in Turkey.

After the establishment of the modern Turkish state, the 'Young Turks' set about a policy of forced assimilation of the Kurdish people after the Kurds had supported Kemal Ataturk in his war of independence. A betrayol that sowed the seeds of the present conflict. First provided with the possibility of a state in the Peace Treaty of Sevre, the Kurds were denied by trickery and betrayol in the Treaty of Lausanne. The Shiekh Said uprising in 1925 was in response to this stated policy of anihilation and forced assimilation summed up nicely by Ismet Inounu to the Turkish Congress in May of 1925.

"We are frankly Nationalist......and Nationalism is our only factor of cohesion. Before the Turkish majority other elements have no kind of influence. At any price, we must turkify the inhabitants of of our land, and we will annihilate those who oppose Turks of 'le turquisme."

And annihilate they did, brutal suppression and criminalisation of the Kurds began during this period. Over 29 Kurdish uprisings have taken place against Turkish genocidal policies towards the Kurds since that time, the present one led by the PKK being the most recent.

Chistopher Hitchins quotes from a new book written by Aliza Marcus.

Unfortunately, this book nor the issues that it address's cannot be understood without placing the PKK in its historical context which the book does little to address.

For example the book is based on interviews with ex members of the PKK firstly. We all know that ex members of any group have axes to grind.

Secondly, and much more importantly, the book does not look at how the Turkish intelligence forces have tried to infiltrate, agitate and provoke the Kurdish Freedom Movement and the many assassination attempts upon the lives of many of its leaders.

The fact that the PKK is not a state but is fighting for the rights of millions of Kurdish people with little more that Kalashnikovs and plimsolls deserves a little more depth of analysis if people who are not already aquainted with the strength of the Turkish psychological warfare aspect of the conflict.

I'm sure if you look into any freedom struggle you will see an ugly side but the Kurds have not chosen the conditions under which they have had to struggle and this book only further demonises the Kurdish Freedom Struggle without any real context to the situation.

I'm sure if given the right of reply and in some future date a history of the PKK is written by someone within the organisation, it will be clear why, from the point of view of a liberation struggle against such a dirty and coniving enemy that things happened as they did.

To read this book and judge the PKK without knowing the context in which the events happened is to accept a lot of Turkish psychological warfare labelling at a time when the Kurdish people's Freedom Struggle needs support.

Any army, anywhere in the world makes its mistakes. Luckily, the Kurdish people see through all the psychological aspects of the labelling of the Kurdish struggle and continue to support the Kurdish Freedom Movement.

If you support the Kurdish People's Freedom Struggle then it is a contradiction to attack it.

As the Turkish state refuse any dialouge and close down all democratic opportunities for the Kurds and are preparing to invade Kurdish land plese tell us where the democratic road lies for the Kurds, Mr Hitchins?

Well, at least this invasion will bring one thing about that history has denied the the 35 million Kurds. Unity!

The PKK is responsible for some 37,000 deaths in Turkey alone since 1984. This does not exculpate Turkey of its wrongdoings, it merely places things in proper perspective.

Moreover, the PKK is not the only Kurdish independence group. There are also the Kurdish Democratic Party (KPD) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), among others, and these various factions often fight against one another. In other words, it is highly simplistic to speak of "Kurdish People's Freedom Struggle," because there is not just one struggle--there are multiple, sometimes contrary struggles for independence and hegemony.

If you support an independent Kurdistan (which, in itself, I have no problem with), you must also accept that this will result in diminishing the territories of Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Syria--a de-annexation that none of these countries will willing make.

Finally, far be it for me to defend Hitchens, but it is possible to support Kurdish aspirations for freedom and democracy while simultaneously opposing thuggish and murderous elements of the disparate movements.

I love the way you say that the PKK are responsible for over 37,000 deaths with such authority when you obviously have no clue what you are actually talking about.

Most of the 37,000 figure that is always quoted are actually mostly Kurdish casualties from the systematic village clearences of the Turkish army. Over 4,000 Kurdish villages have been razed with always massive human rights abuses and deaths of Kurdish civilians.

And when I say the Kurdish Freedom Movement in Turkey I mean the PKK. The PKK is a movement not just a party. It grew from a room full of Kurds in 1979 to a mass movement of millions in a very short time.

Without the beginning of the armed struggle for Kurdish rights in Turkey we would not be here now discussing it.

It would be good if you could investigate a little further how the Turkish army uses psychological warfare to label the Kurdish Freedom Movement in Turkey as 'terrorist' perhaps you could drop into my blog sometime and have a look around my pages.

It is at: http://hevallo.blogspot.com

“Since August 15, 1984, PKK violence has accounted for the deaths of more than 30,000 Turkish security forces and civilians,” State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in a statement August 14.

U.S. Calls on Kurdish Group to Stop Terrorist Acts, Lay Down Arms

Well, what can one say if you have so much confidence in the US State Dept.

Here is a not complete list of Kurdish villages that have being burnt by the Turkish army.

<link>

Since the early 20's Turkey has been carrying out a forced assimilation policy towards the Kurds and there have been many millions of deaths as the state has tried to forcibly depopulate the entire Kurdish region like Saddam did in Iraq. Since the establishment of the PKK this assimilation policy has been stopped dead in the its tracks.

The Kurdish people support the PKK and instead of having such confidence in what the US State Dept says about the PKK or the Kurds perhaps if you actually went to Diyarbakir, checked into your hotel and told all the people that you met that they were terrorists and the PKK had killed over 30,000 people, you would soon feel very embarrassed and understand a little more about the situation.

Dear Hevallo, You mention investigating a little before posting…if you can enlighten us as to the extent of your investigation that would be great. PKK has nothing to do with what you call as the Kurdish Freedom Movement? Having lived in both Mardin and Kiziltepe for more than 3 years– I can tell you first hand that PKK is a terrorist organization. Their position has always been either you’re with me or against me. They’ve killed children, teachers, doctors simply because they did not agree with PKKs armed terrorism activities. How do I know this? Hands on observational research – I was there as a doctor. I for one received two hand written letters requesting taxes and threats not to treat patients who had opposing views to PKK. They would actually send me a list of people I should not treat. A Kurdish teacher of my friend was killed, because he would talk to the local soldiers and government officials. The reason PKK grew was because kids in the area did not have any jobs or food…joining PKK was one way to get fed. I am not saying that the Turkish government has been fair to its minorities – but they have improved and are making progress. The only reason PKK is starting up the terrorist activities again is because most of the Kurds voted for AKP and PKK is losing ground as more and more Kurds are prospering with the economic and social developments…in other words PKK is losing its relevance. Turkey is composed of Kurds, Laz, Cerkez, Azeris and many other different backgrounds who all call themselves Turks. If there are 20 million Kurds in Turkey - they can have a huge influence in legislation as they can vote! Why are there a very small group of DTP representatives...because they can only get elected from the southeast area where people are hungry, under educated, and are desperate. Nonetheless, based on the recent election results, this is changing. It would be good if you could investigate a little further how many PKK killed and why before you defend terrorism.

Okay - just because you have it on the website - everyone believes you that these villages were burned by the Turks!

Can you enlighten us when the following villages were burned in Kiziltepe as I've been to a few of these, and during the time I was there there, I did not witness even one burning.

Your reply has obvious gaping holes in it. I have been aruging with 'Kemalists' for over 15 years. I travel, live and have deep roots in the Kurdish area of Turkey. I have travelled around the emergency area in 1993 and with my own eyes and my own camera lense I have witnessed the massiave and gross human rights abuses that have been perpertrated against the Kurds. For you to paint over them as you do, not even detailing what this abuses are speaks volumes about who you are and what your poltical position is.

Why did you not tell us for instance about Ugur Kaymaz from Kiziltepe if you lived there for 3 years. Young boy of 8 or 9 who had 13 bullets pumped into him from close range.

This was no 'accidental' shooting or 'caught in crossfire', him and his father were assasinated. Why do you not have outrage for them? The Mayor of Kiziltepe, a woman whose husband was gunned down in a cafe just for campaigning for Kurdish rights, why do you not tell us about him?

Please just google 'Newroz Kiziltepe' and look at some of the images of Kiziltepe last Newroz. Open and hugh support for the PKK.

No, you are a Kemalist and a racist who detests the Kurds enough to ignore all the systematic human rights abuses against them preffering to tell me about threats from the PKK to you as a doctor.

Please, go and tell it to someone who knows nothing about the Kurdish Question.

You said, "I'm not saying the Turkish State has been fair to its minorities"

You cannot even bring yourself to say the Kurds.

But your understatement beggers belief in its cruelty:

<link>

Read how the Turkish State treats the Kurds in Kiziltepe.

Dear friends,

You dont need to be pro PKK to be pro kurdish rights.

Old habits are hard to break I know, but the whole "freedom fighter" story just does not stack up.

Personally i think the Kurdish independent MP's in the Grand National Assembly cant renounce the PKK cause theyre scared of them.

With the PKK out of the way the ground will be clear for untainted politicians and campaingners to work this problem out.

Please remember its easy to call someone you cant see and dont know a racist, doesnt make it true.

cheers

What a lot of peope who are unaware of The Kurdish Question do not know is that there is a deep racist attitude towards Kurds in Turkey by a lot of Turks, not all, but many.

It is the kind of anti Irishism that was deeply embedded into English culture with the anti Irish Joke that was mainstream during the so called 'Troubles'.

And I've seen it in Turkey, lots of it.

And today, in Turkey there have been demonstrations on the street with people chanting,

"Death to Kurds" not PKK but Kurds.

And I recognise it in many contributions from Turkish or pro Turkish postings.

If anyone can deny the systematic and deliberate suppression of the Kurds by the Turkish state that has caused so much suffering and pain for the Kurdish people then their is a problem, don't you think?

And you underestimate the popular support that the PKK have amongst the Kurdish people as well, woefully underestimate.

And there lies the kernal the root of the whole problem, there is nobody else who you will negotiate with apart from the PKK.

The solution to The Kurdish Question lies in Imrali and the sooner that people realise that the sooner the will be peace in Turkey.

You're a sad person confusing the PKK terrorism activities with the rest of the Kurds. Obviously, you can not reject the fact that PKK has killed civilians simply because they did not agree with their ideals....and yet you're mad at the Turkish government because they;ve killed civilians who support the PKK. If you were half objective you can eloborate on the pros and cons of both sides.

I am not a Kemalist or a nationalistic. In fact, I am Aseti Cerkez where my father is from Russia and my mother is from Selanik. Frankly, I love the fact that Turkey has a variety of people with different backgrounds. I have many Kurdish friends who do not support the PKK terrorism. You simply can not stomach people who have an opposing view.

Your allegations do not hold water as there are 20 Million Kurds in Turkey - if they supported the PKK or wanted to change the laws, they can easily do it within the Turkish legislation.

You can not deny that the rights and th einvestments that are being offered to the Kurdish people in the southeast has been improving significantly. After all this time - why do you think PKK has started its killings again? do you truelly believe the end result will provide more freedom and economic prosperity? Anyone with half of a brain can see through this. Why do you think AKP received more votes than DTP in the region. Majority of the people do not want the PKK - they want what any one wants - first jobs - then freedom. PKK is preventing both.

This is wrong.

The government every time the conflict flares up always winge on about how economic investment is needed but never anything is done. This a red herring. Why do you think that 'the South East' has been left to degenerate?

Again, you make no mention of the suffering of the Kurdish population nor of the over 4,000 villages that were burnt by the Turkish army. It is clear what your position is.

The Turkish psychological warfare dept has succeeded in making you believe that it is because of the upsurge in attacks that Turkey has had to respond.

This is not true. The PKK began ANOTHER ceasefire last Oct after pressure from Turkish civil society NGO's and the DTP.

The Turkish army INCREASED its surpression of the Kurds after this time.

One thing that you either don't want to understand or cannot understand about the Turkish Military is that it does not want this war to end. Its needs the Kurds as a domestic enemy in order for it to survive.

There was an incident at a place called Beytussebap in Sirnak as a prelude to this whole military build up when 11 Kurdish 'village guards', paid militias that fight with the Turkish army against the PKK. There is a considerable amount of witness evidence to suggest that the incident was carried out by the 'deep state' as a way of increasing Nationalistic fervour as a method of increasing support for an invasion both domestically and internationally.

It would not be the first time that such an incident has happened. One only has to read about the Guclukonak massacre to know what sort of dirty operations the Turkish army get up to. (just 'google' Guclukonak, birds or earthworms for the Amnesty report)

The shame is that the US have sponsoring Turkey to the tune of billions of dollars for the last nearly 25 years to impose a military solution to The Kurdish Question in Turkey and it has not worked.

What is needed is not more cluster bombs dropped on the PKK guerilla fighters but a lasting and meaningful peace.

Selam.

Hevallo,

Ok, so youre saying we've all been duped into believing that the PKK has ramped up its attacks against Turkey recently?

Are you also saying that the PKK did not cross the border into Turkey and ambush Turkish soldiers on the 21st of October?

I have been searching various Kurdish media websites ( in english, I dont speak any Kurdish and didnt want to quote anything in Turkish) for some other explanation, but from what I can see everybody is agreed that the ambush happened inside internationally recognized Turkish borders. Would be happy to be proved wrong...

So assuming that the PKK really attacked Turkish troops on Turkish soil from a base in Northern Iraq, what is the policy response? I guess there are 3 options for the PM Erdogan:

a) get the Iraqi Kurds and the Yanks to do something about it

b) bomb/ shell supposed sites in Northern Iraq.

c) invade northern iraq.

Have you noticed that "cede the south east of Turkey to Kurdistan" is not one of them, nor is "set Apo free from jail"? Not because these policies are necesairly bad ideas, but because its impossible for a democratically elected government to implement them after having lost soldiers to a cross border guerilla attack. And implementing them wouldnt necesarily stop the PKK from attacking again.

SO there are 2 important questions, 1) what does the government want to do? 2) what does the PKK want the turkish government to do?

Im pretty sure the right answers are 1) a 2) c .

What do you think?

cheerio

Context. It is all about context. We can not speak about this incident or that incident out of context of the history of the suppression of the rights of the Kurds in Turkey.

Since the establishment of the Turkish state out of the ruins of the Ottoman Empire the policy of the Turkish state has been a forced assimilation policy of the Kurds.

Thousands of Kurdish towns, villages and cities have been destroyed creating millions of refugees.

The borders that divided Kurdistan into a essentially inter colonial state, ie being colonised by 4 different countries, Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey.

The Kurds do not recognise borders, they see Kurdistan as a country.

In answer to your question what should the Turkish Army do, well, it is obvious.

They despererately need to solve the Kurdish Question that is destroying their country in a peaceful and democratic fashion.

Military solutions have not solved the Kurdish Question, indeed they have only made matters worse.

Is is now time for a peaceful and democratic solution to The Kurdish Question in Turkey.