Criminal threats in Turkey

Criminal Threats in Turkey

Turkey has been an interesting case study for international relations for decades now. It is neither a Muslim, nor a European country, yet its foreign policy prospects include the affirmation of an increasingly important role in both regions. However, such an ambitious plan requires the resolution of internal crises that press on the society. It can be said that the Turkish state faces serious challenges in insuring a proper human security environment and up to this point there is little improvement in this sense, rather an escalation of the threats facing the society.

By far the most important criminal threat which the Turkish society and government must face is the PKK or the Kurdistan Workers Party. The state has taken serious action in response to their terrorist acts and fueled the conflicting situation. Currently, it can be said that the society is threatened by the possibility of more attacks, while the government has deployed troops in Northern Iraq to hunt down Kurdish terrorists.

The threat the Kurds represent for the Turkish society is not of recent date; however, the political aspect of the constant Kurdish insurrections dates back to 1978 when the PKK was formed. The party promoted a nationalistic view directed towards the eventual establishment of a Kurdish state that would have included the entire Kurdish population. (Cerrah, 2006) the group is labeled by all parties involved and by the international community as a terrorist group because their actions have "caused the deaths of over 30,000 people, including Kurdish civilians, members of the security forces, and terrorists." (Cerrah, 2006) Therefore, the reactions of the authorities have been somewhat motivated by the need and international demand to maintain the civil peace inside the Turkish society.

The importance of the Kurdish issue has been acknowledged especially in the light of the latest developments at the Iraqi border where Turkish troops have been deployed. (Torchia, 2007). The Kurdish issue is essential for both the equilibrium in the area, and for the national and ethnic framework of the Turkish state. For the neighboring countries, the claims of the PKK for a national Kurdish state would imply the reorganization of their own national territory, taking into account the fact that the Kurds are also spread in Iran, Iraq, and Syria. In Turkey, they represent almost 20% of the population. (Federation of American Scientists, 2007) Despite this overwhelming presence, there is no recognition of the Kurdish nationality, the population being subjected to increased censorship and control.

There are certain measures the authorities use to protect the Turkish population from the violent manifestations of the rebels against the local population. In this sense, the most radical step taken by President Abdullah Gul is the use of troops against the Kurdish rebels in Northern Iraq. This measure was taken in order to prevent the killing of more Turkish soldiers by the PKK.

Aside from the military measures taken against the terrorist group, the Turkish authorities have also been active in trying to limit the financial resources of both the PKK and its sponsors. However, taking into account the fact that the PKK operates in activities across the border, the approach of the Turkish government includes coordination among all neighboring countries concerned by the Kurdish problem. Thus, "the institutions concerned have been given the necessary orders and instructions to take all kinds of legal, economic and political measures to end the presence of the terrorist organization in a neighboring country." (China News, 2007)

The precise Turkish measures taken against the rebels included the targeting of the economic and social aspects of their presence in the country. However, although the economic sanctions or restrictions represent a new stage in the Turkish fight against the terrorist group, the actual measures taken were not clearly mentioned by the authorities. (Torchia, 2007) However, there has been suggested that there are now more serious controls at the Iraqi border for the convoys of food that cross everyday in Northern Iraq to the Kurd population in the region. This initiative however can also be seen as a social measure against the population who is left without food resources and in precarious conditions. The fact that the level of development is dramatically lower than in the Turkish parts of the country is already common knowledge; therefore imposing economic limitations would only reduce the possibilities of the Kurdish population and not necessarily the financial strength of the PKK.

In is rather hard to have a clear view on the best means to react to the actions taken by terrorist groups, and especially nationalistic terrorism. This type of terrorism, although it has a rather long history, employs new methods of applying violent pressure on the society, thus endangering the level of security in the country. The killings and kidnappings the PKK conducts represent indeed a criminal threat for the society and must be dealt with as responsible as possible.

From a personal point-of-view, I consider that violence is not necessarily the answer for establishing the order in the Turkish society. Indeed, the perpetrators must be brought to justice and even their trials could be transformed in examples for the groups they belong to. However, justice in its purest form must be applied, without any biased attitude. Otherwise, the convictions would be considered legal acts of revenge against the Kurds and in return, they would demand more bloodshed.

Secondly, I consider that the PKK threat could be dealt with in the framework of human security issues through a strong dialogue between the two parties, the Turkish authorities and the Kurdish ones. A certain agreement that would put an end to violence on the streets of Ankara or Istanbul could be reach, should the political will be that strong.