Old Dominion University ODU Digital Commons Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Graduate Program in International Studies Dissertations Summer 2013 The rT ansformation of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party): Exploring Domestic, Regional, and Global Dynamics Akin Guneri Old Dominion University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/gpis_etds Part of the International Relations Commons, and the Near and Middle Eastern Studies Commons Recommended Citation Guneri, Akin. "The rT ansformation of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party): Exploring Domestic, Regional, and Global Dynamics" (2013). Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), dissertation, International Studies, Old Dominion University, DOI: 10.25777/30pw-hz87 https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/gpis_etds/52 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Program in International Studies at ODU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ODU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE PKK (KURDISTAN WORKERS’ PARTY): EXPLORING DOMESTIC, REGIONAL, AND GLOBAL DYNAMICS by Akin Guneri B.A. July 1996, Ankara Police Academy, Turkey M.P A. May 2007, Virginia Commonwealth University A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Old Dominion University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY INTERNATIONAL STUDIES OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY August 2013 Approved by: Steve Ygtiv (Director) Austin Jersild ( (ember) Robyn Diehl (Member) ABSTRACT THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE PKK (KURDISTAN WORKERS’ PARTY): EXPLORING DOMESTIC, REGIONAL, AND GLOBAL DYNAMICS Akin Guneri Old Dominion University, 2013 Director: Dr. Steve Yetiv The main purpose of this study is to explore the underlying factors behind the political and ideological transformation of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) since its foundation. Through the detailed analysis of the role of Turkey’s internal versus external factors on the evolution of the PKK over time, this work finds that changing political developments in the Middle East were more influential than Turkey’s shifting domestic political environment. Hypothesis testing revealed that the 1991 Gulf War, 2003 Iraq War, changing political dynamics of the Middle East following Syria’s Arab Spring, and policy changes worldwide implemented after the 9/11 terrorist attacks played determining role in the PKK’s shifting profile over time. Turkey’s political sphere regarding the Kurdish issue; however, fell short in providing overarching explanation over the terrorist organization’s changing ultimate goal. Findings showed that the terrorist organization’s ultimate goal and its concomitant strategies led the Turkish government to adjust its counterterrorism policies rather than vice versa, which indicates the importance of the external factors and the PKK’s capability to keep up with the changing regional and international realities. Data were collected through the study of Ocalan’s prison writings, his defense texts, organization’s official documents, reports and final declaration of PKK congresses and conferences, statements of PKK cadres, and the pro-PKK media outlets. The findings indicate that the intertwined projects of democratic republic, democratic confederalism, and democratic autonomy in the last decade as well as the goal of a separate Kurdish state before 1999 resulted from the detailed analysis of changing regional and international conjuncture by the leadership of terrorist organization, especially jailed Ocalan. © 2013, by Akin Guneri, All Rights Reserved. To my parents and family. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I owe very special thanks to many people who mentor, support, guide, and help me in this journey. Many thanks to Dr. Steve Yetiv for his patience, advice, and guidance at every step from the beginning to the end. You are wonderful, Dr. Yetiv. Special thanks also go to Dr. Austin Jersild and Dr. Robyn Diehl for their constructive comments and guidance. I would like to thank my dear professors Dr. David Earnest, Dr. Kurt Taylor Gaubatz, Dr. Simon Serfaty, and Margo Stambleck for their support during my studies at GPIS and my dear friends Ersin Elibol, Ismail Akar, Mustafa Karapinar, Beyza Unal, Lauren McKee, Umit Akciger, and Ismail Hakki Kilic for their help and support. I also owe very special thanks to Dr. Regina Karp and Dr. Steve Yetiv, again, for make this project possible. Words cannot explain how I am grateful to my wife, Yasemin, and my son, Tarik, and, of course, my parents Turkan and Nihat Guneri, my brother, Tunc, and sister, Ozlem. It would have been impossible without your support. Thank you so much. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES................................................................................................................... x Chapter 1 : INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................1 PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH............................................................................... 3 LITERATURE REVIEW.............................................................................................4 THEORETICAL APPROACHES TO NATIONALISM..........................................8 EVOLUTION OF KURDISH NATIONALISM AND THE PKK ........................ 12 A HISTORY OF THE KURDS..................................................................................16 METHODOLOGY..................................................................................................... 20 2: TURKEY'S INTERNAL DYNAMICS AND THE PKK'S TRANSFORMATION.............................................................................................................32 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................... 32 THE ROLE OF TURKEY’S DEMOCRATIZATION EFFORTS.........................33 DEVELOPMENT OF POLITICAL AWARENESS............................................... 36 KURDISH UNREST, PRE-WWII............................................................................37 KURDISH UNREST, POST-WWII..........................................................................38 ELECTORAL POLITICS OF THE PKK................................................................. 40 DEVELOPMENTS IN TURKEY TOWARD DEMOCRATIZATION............... 42 STATE OF EMERGENCY (OHAL)........................................................................43 BAN ON KURDISH LANGUAGE..........................................................................45 BUREAUCRATIC AND JUDICIAL BARRIERS OVER KURDISH ISSUE....................................................................................................... 46 ANALYSIS..................................................................................................................46 CONCLUSION............................................................................................................57 3: POST-SEPTEMBER 11 POLICIES WORLDWIDE AND THE PKK’S TRANSFORMATION.............................................................................................................60 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................... 60 GLOBAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM... 61 WORLDWIDE COUNTER-TERRORISM POLICIES..........................................64 REVIVAL OF TURKEY’S IMPORTANCE...........................................................66 STATE SUPPORT OF THE PKK IN THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM ERA..................................................................................................... 67 THE PKK’S REACTION TO THE POST-SEPTEMBER 11 EVENTS................72 EU COUNTER-TERRORISM POLICIES AGAINST THE PKK AFTER 9/11.................................................................................................................81 Chapter Page ANALYSIS.................................................................................................................. 87 CONCLUSION............................................................................................................ 90 4: DEMOCRATIZATION OF IRAQ AND PKK’S TRANSFORMATION.....................94 INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................94 DEMOCRATIZATION OF IRAQ............................................................................ 95 DREAM OF KURDISH INDEPENDENCE.......................................................... 103 EMERGENCE OF KURDISH REGIONAL GOVERNMENT IN NORTHERN IRAQ............................................................................................. 106 KURDISH CIVIL WAR........................................................................................... 107 IRAN-IRAQ WAR....................................................................................................107 GULF WAR OF 1991 ................................................................................................108 SECOND CIVIL WAR BETWEEN MAIN KURDISH PARTIES.....................109 KURDISH REGIONAL GOVERNMENT AFTER THE US INVASION OF IRAQ........................................................................................ 110 IMPORTANCE OF IRAQ’S INTEGRITY IN TURKEY’S FIGHT AGAINST THE PKK TERRORISM......................................................................114 ANALYSIS...............................................................................................................