PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan was taken out of Syria on October 9, 1998 with the collaboration of global powers led by the United States. The goal of the international conspiracy was to “exterminate” Abdullah Öcalan and “liquidate” his movement, the PKK. However, the “annihilation and liquidation” plan did not succeed. Abdullah Öcalan was declared “persona non grata” in Europe, where he had gone for a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue. Abdullah Öcalan, whose efforts for a solution did not find a response, was brought to Turkey on February 15, 1999. 

 

Abdullah Öcalan made striking assessments about the conspiracy against him in his evaluations after he was brought to Turkey. Abdullah Öcalan described the conspiracy, in which many countries were involved, as a “NATO-Gladio operation”, “the beginning of the 3rd World War”, “the biggest conspiracy of the 21st century” and “the first step of intervention in the Middle East”.

 

PKK Leader Öcalan made the most extensive assessment of the conspiracy in his book “Declaration on the Democratic Solution of the Kurdish Question”, written in İmralı Type F High Security Prison. 

 

ÖCALAN'S ASSESSMENT OF THE CONSPIRACY 

 

Öcalan pointed out in his book that the operation against him was carried out by the “NATO Gladio” under the political responsibility of the US and the EU. Pointing out that the philosophical and political mentality behind the conspiracy is of great importance, Öcalan said: “I mentioned the conspiracies that are the milestones of each period. The Hamidiye Regiments conspiracy, the Melle Selim conspiracy in Bitlis in 1914, the Sheikh Sait conspiracy in 1925, the Ararat conspiracy in 1930, the Dersim conspiracy in 1937, the 49's trial in 1959 and the 400's trial in 1960, the murder of Faik Bucak and the assassination of Sait Kırmızıtoprak by the KDP, and hundreds of conspiracies organized by the same mentality from the ideological stage of the PKK to the present day can be listed in a snap. The organizers of conspiracies consider it a masterful art of power. In other words, conspiracy is the most important tool and spirit of the art of power. For the Kurds, this art had to be practiced strictly on the basis of conspiracy. The open application of conspiracy would have led to a situation similar to the child in the story saying 'Mommy look, the king is naked'. A ruling power whose goal is practices leading to genocide does not have a tool other than conspiracy and the mentality that directs it. What is important here is the correct recognition and definition of the forces involved in the conspiracy.” 

 

'CENTURIES-OLD ENEMIES UNITED'

 

Analyzing the relationship between the powers involved in the conspiracy, “Many states from the USA to the Russian Federation, from the EU to the Arab League, from Turkey to Greece, from Kenya to Tajikistan were involved in the conspiracy. What united Turks and Greeks, age-old enemies? Why were such unprincipled alliances or alliances of interests being forged on my back? Moreover, the number of Turkish and Kurdish left and national collaborators who rejoiced at my targeting was incalculable. It was as if the official world had trapped its most dangerous rival in my person. Even within the PKK, the number of those who believed that their days of prosperity had come and that they had the opportunity to live as they wished could not be underestimated. Of course, the first and most general observation was that all these forces were composed of the leading sections of capitalist modernity pursuing liberal interests. I was threatening the liberal fascist mentality and interests of many of them” Öcalan said. 

 

CALCULATIONS FOR THE MIDDLE EAST 

 

Öcalan frequently emphasized the role of the UK in the conspiracy, stressing that the UK was “the most experienced power” in the conspiracy. Öcalan noted the following: “It is the power that fired the first flare to prevent me from doing politics in Europe. As soon as I stepped into Europe, it immediately declared me 'persona non grata'. This was not a simple step, it was one of those steps that predetermined the outcome. So why was such an attitude, which was not taken even for Khomeini or Lenin, immediately taken for me? In short, I had emerged as a serious obstacle to their two-hundred-year hegemonic calculations for the Middle East, especially because of the Kurdistan policy (in short, because of the policy of 'Give Kirkuk-Mosul, destroy the Kurds on your own borders'). I had become dangerous to all their plans and their implementers.” 

 

Öcalan pointed out that another goal of the conspiracy was to realize the Greater Middle East Project (BOP), “For this, developments in Kurdistan were of key importance. I had to be neutralized, at least according to the conjuncture. My liquidation was in line with their global policies for those days. Russia, which was going through a very important economic crisis in its history, was in urgent need of credit at that time. If he was going to be a panacea, there was no reason for him not to take part and play his role in the conspiracy against me” he said. 

 

CALCULATIONS OVER KURDISTAN 

 

PKK Leader Öcalan emphasized that the calculations over Kurdistan were also an important factor in the conspiracy. Öcalan made the following assessments about these factors: “In those days, being in favor of the liberation of Kurdistan and the Kurds gaining their identity required overcoming all kinds of day-to-day liberal interests, pragmatism and selfishness; it ordered and forced one to give up or stand against the life of capitalist modernity with its left and right. On the contrary, the world of those days was the world of the days when global liberalism rose to power in its war of world conquest. These were the years when liberal fascism declared its worldwide domination. Politically, the Middle East was the center of hegemonic struggle. The struggle over Kurdistan played a key role in hegemonic calculations. The PKK's ideological and political position was in clear contradiction with hegemonic calculations. Therefore, my liquidation meant paving the way for these calculations.”

 

'THE CONSPIRACY WAS ALSO MADE AGAINST THE TURKS' 

 

Abdullah Öcalan also said, “The conspiracy was not only against Kurds, but also against Turks”. Öcalan's broad assessment of this observation is as follows: “The way I was handed over and the intention of those who played a role in this was not to end 'terror' and find a solution, but to deepen the basis of the conflict for another century. Their conspiracy to frame me provided an ideal opportunity for this. They would have wanted to exploit this opportunity to the fullest. It was impossible to think otherwise. Because if they had wanted to, they could have contributed to very positive developments in this direction. However, they were constantly dragging things to a dead end, turning the problem into a complete deadlock instead of solving it. They wanted to create a typical Israeli-Palestinian dilemma. Just as the Israeli-Palestinian dichotomy had served Western hegemony in the Middle East for a century, the Turkish-Kurdish dichotomy, which was much bigger than that, could serve their hegemonic calculations for at least another century. Already in the 19th century, many ethnic and sectarian problems in the region were developed and left unresolved for the same purpose. The reality of İmralı has matured my raw information in this respect. But the most important problem I faced was to make the Turkish ruling elite understand this.

 

Therefore, it had become my most important problem to make them realize that the conspiracy was against the Turks more than against me, more than against the Kurds. I often emphasized this to my interrogators, but they were caught up in the lust for success. This approach continued until 2005, when they realized that the Kurdish identity and freedom movement was more alive than before. As I delved deeper into the subject, I saw more closely the elements of conspiracy in the Constitutional and Republican periods. I realized that the so-called Turkish independence was one of the worst kinds of dependency. The Turkish dependency was ideological and political. I became more and more aware that the nationalism and nationalism that was being constructed was of foreign origin and had little to do with Turkish social phenomena and history. The hegemonic powers knew how weak the Turkish ruling elite was in terms of power and exploited this weakness. Their unlimited domination over the Kurds stemmed from the same weakness. This domination also meant their imprisonment. Their domination was always guided, they had no ideology of their own; more precisely, the rule of 'domination is everything, ideology is nothing' was in operation.

 

DEEPENING THE TURKISH-KURDISH DICHOTOMY

 

The method used by the hegemonic powers to deepen the Turkish-Kurdish dichotomy was the 'run the hare and catch the hound' method. In such a way that both the hound and the rabbit would get tired in this chase, and in the end both would enter the service and use of their owners. What happened to me personally was a confirmation of this method. Both the approaches of the Council of the EU and the judgments of the ECtHR served precisely to implement this policy. The logic was to bind both sides in perpetual bondage. Justice and a solution were not the goal. I developed my defenses mostly to expose this logic. Placing the Gladio organization at the top of the state in a way that is not seen in any NATO country cannot be explained with good intentions and security. The hegemonic powers turned a blind eye to the Turkish extension of Gladio because it was in their hands and offered them a unique opportunity to rule the country as they wished.

 

When Gladio as a whole is closely analyzed and its philosophy is revealed, it will be seen that the goal was to occupy the country in the shortest possible way, to divide and fragment its people and to create conflict. Especially in its extensions in the Middle East, this reality was manifested in frequent practices. It was the most effective means of ruling a people. Not only did they pit the people against the state, but they also oppressed the two against each other and liquidated those they deemed dangerous through this method. This phenomenon was very striking in the reality of Turkey's governance in the last 60 years. The country had been turned into a laboratory of Gladio conflicts. The Gladio-inspired conflicts in all important periods of the PKK's history alone were enough to put an end to centuries of traditional friendship between the state and the peoples.

 

IMIRALI 

 

I considered the İmralı process as an ideal platform to disrupt this game. I strengthened my theoretical basis for this. I developed all the philosophical and practical arguments for peace and the conditions for a political solution. I concentrated on the specificity of the democratic political solution. These difficult and patient efforts could break the vicious circles of the conspiracy and develop solution alternatives. I had no choice but to trust myself in this. In fact, the intention of those who took part in the conspiracy process was different. They wanted to ensure the end of the PKK and the Freedom Movement in my person. Prison practices, all the approaches of the ECHR and the EU were linked to this main goal. They were aiming for a Kurdish Movement cleansed of me. They wanted to create a modern version of the traditional collaborationism that was subjugated and in the service of its masters. Especially the long-term efforts of the US and the EU were in this direction. They were open to alliances with the Turkish ruling elite on this basis. 

 

MY DEFENSE BECAME A SOLUTION

 

In short, this model of emasculation, which British hegemonism in particular had successfully applied first in the working class movement, and later in national liberation movements and revolutionary-democratic movements, had succeeded with the method of liberal human rights and freedoms. They liquidated revolutionary leaders and organizations. The PKK and the revolutionary, collective freedom and equality movement were being subjected to the same methods of liquidation that they had practiced for hundreds of years. This was the main result expected from the İmralı process; this was the plan that had been worked on extensively and wanted to be skillfully implemented. Strategies and tactics were being developed within the framework of this plan. The defense I developed in response to this was neither based on a classical orthodox dogmatic attitude nor on saving myself and improving my conditions. What guided my defense was a principled, honorable path of peace and democratic solution in accordance with the historical and social reality of the peoples.”

 

'THIS GAME HAS TO BE BROKEN'

 

Abdullah Öcalan has analyzed the conspiracy against him in depth many times in his book as well as in his lawyer interviews. In the interview dated November 15, 2000, Öcalan pointed out that a new process started in Turkey when he was brought to İmralı Island and described the conspiracy as “the conspiracy of the 21st century”.

 

In his lawyer meeting dated May 16, 2001, Abdullah Öcalan said: “I am a prisoner of the conspiracy, not of Turkey. We will say to Europe, 'You have imposed not the law, but the massacre and conspiracy of two centuries. We have witnesses. Those who brought and took the plane, those who spent time in the VIP lounge are being hidden. How I was taken out of Italy, what Germany did to keep me out is being hidden. They are trying to condemn Turkey. No, the biggest power to be condemned is Europe. I called it theater, someone else wrote the script, it was played in İmralı. This game has to be broken.” 

 

'I FOILED THE CONSPIRACY'

 

PKK Leader Öcalan, in his lawyer interview on July 4, 2001, emphasized that the conspiracy was aimed at “the destruction of the PKK and the Kurds”. Abdullah Öcalan said, “The conspiracy was based on my death. I foiled the conspiracy by living. The conspiracy has international dimensions. The role of the US and the UK must be understood. Milosevic says 'What happened in Yugoslavia is a British plan'. Watch this well, there are similarities with me. Study history well. But we will not give up basic human dignity. Of course we will continue our struggle for identity until the end.”

 

'EITHER WAR OR DEMOCRATIC SOLUTION' 

 

In his lawyer meeting on February 27, 2002, Öcalan made the following assessment: “If the conspiracy had worked as it wanted, it would have meant the bloodshed of Anatolia. No one thinks about this. They are sick of politics. The Çiller (Tansu Çiller) team is a gangster team. What kept me alive was to stop this madness. It is a political game that the death penalty debate is going on through me. During the conspiracy process, the USA and Greece were again saying 'let them fight each other, let them slaughter each other' through me. Should we give up our honor and freedom by playing this game? We will force the democratic ground to break these games. There is no other way. This issue will either deepen with war or peace and democratic solution will develop.”

 

12TH YEAR IN REVIEW 

 

In his lawyer meeting on January 20, 2010, Öcalan stated the following: “As we enter the 12th year of the conspiracy, I can state the following; Just as in the 1920s, and before that in 1915, the Armenians were first supported and pushed forward and then completely liquidated from Anatolia, just as the Greeks were first supported and then completely liquidated from Anatolia, this was the ultimate aim of the conspiracy carried out on February 15, 1999. Communists and other dissidents were then completely purged from Turkey. And in this way, Turkey was transformed into a state with the characteristics desired by the Western capitalist states and in line with their aims. This is an important observation. The left also needs to make this determination. The blow that the left received with the liquidation of Mustafa Suphi, which is still ongoing, is not independent of this. The real perpetrators behind the Mustafa Suphi incident have still not been revealed. Here the families who lost their relatives came together. I am referring to the families who came together at the Hrant Dink trial.

 

There are also relatives of Sebahattin Ali among them, they want the real murderers to be exposed. This should be taken all the way back to the Mustafa Suphis, and this murder should also be brought to light. This is why I proposed the Truth and Justice Commission. This commission has a lot of work to do. This will definitely happen, and the coming together of these families is a start, the process has begun. In this way, all unsolved murders can be illuminated. The conspiracy aimed at three things. With my surrender, in exchange for the liquidation of the PKK, the way would be paved for a political Kurdish formation in the South that would be under their control and supervision, just as they had tied the Turkish state to them in the 1920s. This partially happened. There were also promises made to Greece in Cyprus. There were also promises made to the small Armenian state. Turkey was to be made to accept these. But none of these were realized. I can now give good news to our people from here. As we enter the 12th year of the conspiracy, the conspiracy has been frustrated. This is understood with certainty. This has been realized through my patient stance here and the joint efforts of our people. We can now state this clearly to our people; we have succeeded in frustrating the conspiracy. Just as I resisted for 11 years for this, I will continue to resist in the same way in the 12th year. Despite all these conspiracies and liquidation attempts, the movement and our people came out stronger.”

 

Another evaluation of the conspiracy by Öcalan was made in the meeting dated February 10, 2010: “On the occasion of the 12th anniversary of the conspiracy, I can make the following additions to the February 15 statements I made last week; I express my gratitude for the sensitivity shown by our people. The resistance shown by our people has brought the conspiracy to naught. That is why I again express my gratitude to our people. The conspiracy was aimed at my imminent death. If this was realized, there would have been an environment of chaos and a bloody process. I tried to keep myself alive here with difficulty in order to frustrate the conspiracy. This is the essence of my 11-year stance against the conditions in İmralı. Now I can also say this easily. As a result of the tremendous resistance and ownership of our people, the danger of extermination and political genocide of the Kurds has disappeared.”

 

Tomorrow: Resistance of Kurds against conspiracy