Statement From The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK)

Statement Of The PKK Presidential Council On The Current Stage Of
The Trial Of PKK President Abdullah Ocalan On Imrali Island

To the Press and Public,

     It is a cause for concern that this stage of the trial is
being transformed into a wave of chauvinism and that instead of
replying in a mature way, the families of deceased soldiers and
the media are used completely irresponsibly to provoke tension.
This is especially concerning as it follows directly in response
to our latest statement on the trial where we approved of the
approach being taken by our president in trying to develop the
peace process.
     It is particularly notable that these events, involving the
organised lynching directed at our president's lawyers and family
members, are being experienced after the court has been closed to
television broadcasts and that such methods are resorted to in
reply to the magnanimity our leadership has shown in issuing an
apology.
     The Kurdish youth who have been killed and butchered by the
Turkish army and its special forces also have families. No
respect is shown to the Kurdish people who have lost their loved
ones in reply to our president's very responsible and utterly
humane sentiments. We judge this to be a dangerous and alarming
approach that the chauvinism that issues from the TV screens and
the press is being used to humiliate our leadership.
     No-one should be mistaken about the power and capability of
struggle of the PKK and be led to miscalculate it by that.
     The approach of the leadership that our party stands by and
approves of deserves to receive a mature reply in a serious
manner expected of a state. Tolerance levels are being strained
by this wave of chauvinism stirred up in the last few days, by
these efforts to humiliate our leadership, by reducing the court
to a platform for the demonstration of families, and by the terror
inflicted on our leadership's lawyers and family members. We give
warning to the authorities.

PKK Presidential Council
June 3, 1999

(Source: DEM News Agency, Cologne, June 3, 1999. Translated from
the Turkish original.)