US embassy cable - 03ANKARA1470

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001470 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2008 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, TU 
SUBJECT: HADEP: KURDS FEAR IRAQ WAR WILL LEAD TO CRACKDOWN 
IN SOUTHEAST 
 
REF: A. ANKARA 1362 
     B. ANKARA 1341 
     C. ANKARA 1303 
 
 
Classified by Polcouns John Kunstadter.  Reason: 1.5(b) and 
(d). 
 
 
1. (C) Ahmet Turan Demir, chairman of the pro-Kurdish HADEP 
Party, and Nazmi Gur, HADEP international relations advisor, 
told us March 4 anti-war sentiment in the southeast is fueled 
primarily by Kurdish fear of the Turkish military.  Many 
Turks might oppose a war on principle, or out of concern that 
Turkey will be attacked or suffer economic setbacks.  But 
Kurds in the southeast worry the Turkish military will use a 
war as justification to restrict freedoms and provoke a 
violent conflict. 
 
 
2. (C) Demir and Gur repeated concerns expressed by other 
Embassy contacts (reftels) that elements of the military were 
isolating jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan and recommending 
that the GOT impose a war-related state of emergency in the 
southeast as part of a broad effort to increase pressure on 
the Kurds.  Gur said he noticed Jandarma tightening controls 
at roadway checkpoints during a recent trip to the region. 
Even the retrial of four Kurdish former MPs is a potential 
source of conflict, as the HADEP leaders shared concerns 
(reported reftel A) that the court is biased against the 
defendants.  Demir said the combined force of these pressures 
could cause a conflict between the Turkish military and the 
broader Kurdish community, not just KADEK (formerly PKK). 
 
 
3. (C) Comment: The HADEP leaders' comments represent the 
latest example of a consistent message we are hearing from 
all our Kurdish contacts of differing political persuasions. 
Deep-rooted mistrust of the GOT (particularly the military) 
is causing anti-war sentiment among a population otherwise 
inclined to support the U.S. view that Saddam Hussein is a 
threat, and one that may stand to gain economically from a 
war. 
 
 
PEARSON