KONGRA GEL president Kartal on US Treasury decision
KONGRA GEL president Kartal on US Treasury decision
Remzi Kartal, President of Kongra-Gel has been commenting on the recent decision by the US Department of Treasury to freeze funds by some Kurdish politicians and diplomats on the basis that they are "significant foreign narcotics traffickers".
"On 4 October 2009 the US Department of Treasury designated Kurdish Freedom Movement leaders Murat Karayilan, Ali Riza Altun and Zubayir Aydar as “significant foreign narcotics traffickers” said Remzi Kartal pointing out that "On 20 April 2011 again the US Department of Treasury designated Cemil Bayik, Duran Kalkan, Sabri Ok, Adem Uzen and myself as being involved in drug trafficking and made a statement to the media accusing us."
This statement came a day after Turkey’s Defence Industry Executive Committee (DIEC) announced its decision to award a $4 Billion dollar contract for military helicopters to US firm Sikorsky. "The timing of these two announcements is questionable. - said Kartal adding that "The decision to blacklist Kurdish politicians was undoubtedly heart-warming news for Turkish political and military leaders. This decision by the US Treasury Department is unjustifiable and completely without foundation." As to the meaning of the decision it is clear for Kartal that we are in presence of "a decision against the Kurdish Freedom Movement and a warrant to execute us. To label politicians, who have devoted their lives to defend the Kurdish Nation’s right to exist, - added Kartal - as criminals and drug smugglers is obscene and deceitful and indicative of dirty politics. This is a decision taken against 20 million Kurds living in Turkey and it demonstrates a relationship between states based on purely economic interests."
It goes without saying as Kartal pointed out that "Neither the US nor any other country has any evidence that we have been involved in narcotics smuggling. If that were the case it would have been declared." Yet nothing public has been said or shown as to the "proves" of such accusations.
Kartal also pointed out that "In the struggle led by PKK the Kurdish Freedom Movement for many years has been unjustifiably and unlawfully labelled as a terrorist organisation by the United States. On 5 November 2007 the previous US administration led by George Bush declared PKK a US enemy after meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan. On the following 30 May 2008 the United States Treasury Department designated PKK as a foreign narcotics trafficker."
But, Kartal stressed "PKK has never been involved in drug trafficking. In the Turkish psychological war efforts in their own media the Turkish State often used this type of black propaganda against PKK. The Turkish State has been lying about this and the people can see through these lies. In the thirty years of our struggle thousands of our members are subjected to harassment and imprisonment for political reasons. But neither in Turkey nor anywhere else in the world has it ever been proven that PKK members were involved in drug trafficking."
The US foreign office and many international organisations issue annual report on international human and drug trafficking. The involvement of Turkish officials in these activities has been cited many times. Interpol has reported that much heroin smuggling and distribution in Europe is organised by Turks.
In its 2002 EU Organised Crime Activities Report Europol stated that in Germany’s Frankfurt State Court judge Rolf Schwalbe on 21 Jan 1997 had implicated high-ranking Turkish officials in criminal activities. British Assistant Home Secretary Tom Sackville stated on 26 Januuary 1997 that more than 80 percent of heroin seized in Britain originated in Turkey, a figure backed up by a report from the Paris-based Geopolitical Narcotics Monitor. Both of these sources pointed to collusion between senior figurews in the Turkish ruling elite and drug smugglers. Many senior officers in the Turkish army and police are part of this smuggling. Frequently military helicopters and official vehicles are used to transport drugs. In the Susurluk report Turkey’s state officials were implicated in criminal activity.
Remzi Kartal once more reiterated that "the PKK is an ideological political movement that is against poisoning any human. The production and distribution of narcotics among the people is against the ideology and PKK has always been against this criminal activity."
"On 4 October 2009 the US Department of Treasury designated Kurdish Freedom Movement leaders Murat Karayilan, Ali Riza Altun and Zubayir Aydar as “significant foreign narcotics traffickers” said Remzi Kartal pointing out that "On 20 April 2011 again the US Department of Treasury designated Cemil Bayik, Duran Kalkan, Sabri Ok, Adem Uzen and myself as being involved in drug trafficking and made a statement to the media accusing us."
This statement came a day after Turkey’s Defence Industry Executive Committee (DIEC) announced its decision to award a $4 Billion dollar contract for military helicopters to US firm Sikorsky. "The timing of these two announcements is questionable. - said Kartal adding that "The decision to blacklist Kurdish politicians was undoubtedly heart-warming news for Turkish political and military leaders. This decision by the US Treasury Department is unjustifiable and completely without foundation." As to the meaning of the decision it is clear for Kartal that we are in presence of "a decision against the Kurdish Freedom Movement and a warrant to execute us. To label politicians, who have devoted their lives to defend the Kurdish Nation’s right to exist, - added Kartal - as criminals and drug smugglers is obscene and deceitful and indicative of dirty politics. This is a decision taken against 20 million Kurds living in Turkey and it demonstrates a relationship between states based on purely economic interests."
It goes without saying as Kartal pointed out that "Neither the US nor any other country has any evidence that we have been involved in narcotics smuggling. If that were the case it would have been declared." Yet nothing public has been said or shown as to the "proves" of such accusations.
Kartal also pointed out that "In the struggle led by PKK the Kurdish Freedom Movement for many years has been unjustifiably and unlawfully labelled as a terrorist organisation by the United States. On 5 November 2007 the previous US administration led by George Bush declared PKK a US enemy after meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan. On the following 30 May 2008 the United States Treasury Department designated PKK as a foreign narcotics trafficker."
But, Kartal stressed "PKK has never been involved in drug trafficking. In the Turkish psychological war efforts in their own media the Turkish State often used this type of black propaganda against PKK. The Turkish State has been lying about this and the people can see through these lies. In the thirty years of our struggle thousands of our members are subjected to harassment and imprisonment for political reasons. But neither in Turkey nor anywhere else in the world has it ever been proven that PKK members were involved in drug trafficking."
The US foreign office and many international organisations issue annual report on international human and drug trafficking. The involvement of Turkish officials in these activities has been cited many times. Interpol has reported that much heroin smuggling and distribution in Europe is organised by Turks.
In its 2002 EU Organised Crime Activities Report Europol stated that in Germany’s Frankfurt State Court judge Rolf Schwalbe on 21 Jan 1997 had implicated high-ranking Turkish officials in criminal activities. British Assistant Home Secretary Tom Sackville stated on 26 Januuary 1997 that more than 80 percent of heroin seized in Britain originated in Turkey, a figure backed up by a report from the Paris-based Geopolitical Narcotics Monitor. Both of these sources pointed to collusion between senior figurews in the Turkish ruling elite and drug smugglers. Many senior officers in the Turkish army and police are part of this smuggling. Frequently military helicopters and official vehicles are used to transport drugs. In the Susurluk report Turkey’s state officials were implicated in criminal activity.
Remzi Kartal once more reiterated that "the PKK is an ideological political movement that is against poisoning any human. The production and distribution of narcotics among the people is against the ideology and PKK has always been against this criminal activity."
