Left-Extremist Endeavours

ÖCALAN’s capture and
conviction trigger waves of
violence
Supporters: about 12,000 (1998: 11,500)
Publications: inter alia, "Serxwebun" ("Independence"),
monthly
2.2.1 General Situation
All efforts by the "Kurdistan Workers’ Party" (PKK) were focused
on achieving cultural recognition and, ultimately, political autonomy
for the Kurds living in Turkey. With the aim of enforcing
these goals, armed PKK units have, since 1984, been waging
guerrilla warfare against Turkish security forces, with the Southeast
of Turkey as the centre of main effort. In the course of 1999,
a radical change emerged in the PKK’s strategy. The organization’s
leadership declared that they intended to give up
armed struggle and, instead, pursue their aims in future only with
peaceful means, acting in agreement with Turkey to the extent
possible. The demand for political autonomy has been replaced
by the demand for cultural autonomy in the sense of preserving a
Kurdish identity.
In Germany, the PKK can rely on large numbers of supporters,
with whose help it has for years developed large-scale propaganda
activities. Thus the PKK can mobilize up to 80,000 participants
in demonstrations.
The organization, which has a hierarchical structure and is led by
undercover functionaries, is assisted by its supporters in
Germany with large amounts of money which, for the major part,
are donated during the annual fund-raising campaigns. The PKK
in Germany makes great efforts to recruit young Kurds: especially
for participation in its political work, but also for the fight in the
home country, which previously had been an armed struggle.
In Germany, attacks and violent demonstrations by the PKK had
scarcely occurred since 1996. The situation changed on 16 February,
after PKK Chairman Abdullah ÖCALAN had been
transferred by force from Nairobi (Kenya) to Turkey. ÖCALAN had,
after his departure from Syrian exile in October 1998, tried in vain
to obtain admission in other countries, and had last stayed at the
Greek Embassy in Nairobi. Immediately after the news of
ÖCALAN’s arrest had spread, PKK supporters responded with a
wave of protest demonstrations, part of which were violent. They
assembled for demonstrations, especially in front of diplomatic
and consular missions of Greece, Kenya and the U.S.; in some
instances, they forced their way into the missions, caused damage
to property, and kept Embassy members or adjacent residents
in their power. On 17 February, there also were actions to
occupy premises of German political parties. On the same day,
four Kurdish demonstrators attempting to occupy the Israeli
Consulate-General in Berlin were shot dead by Israeli security
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