Photo: PKK propaganda poster (indymedia.org)Turkish newspapers reported that the PKK announced its readiness to act agains AKP politicians and associations related to the influential Islamic Gulen community. The Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen has a big Muslim network in Turkey and outside Turkey with several NGOs, schools, and media. After the announcement, the Turkish police took precautions for security in the Kurdish populated southeastern city of Diyarbakir (
Hurriyet, 21 April 2009). In the past several Gulen related organizations were targeted by the PKK and DTP supporters.
The PKK youth movement "Komalen Ciwan” called for revenge for the police operations against the DTP and ‘police brutality’ versus young Kurdish demonstrators. During DTP demonstrations several Kurdish children were wounded. The organization declared that the main target will be the Gulen movement and government related organizations.
According to the DTP/PKK the Gulen movement and AKP are behind the recent operations. PKK media argued that Gulen is behind ‘manipulated’ stories about the police operations. DTP politician Selahattin Demirtaş stated that “DTP is curious about the part Fethullahçılar have in the operation against DTP as there are sided stories aimed at manipulation of the truth appearing all over the Fethullahçı media despite the court decision on secrecy of the investigation” (
Gundem Online, 19 April 2009). According to Demirtaş the Gülen media is ‘manipulating public opinion.
Gulen related newspapers
reported that the the goal was to uncover the ties between the 'Kurdistan Democratic Confederation (KCK)' and the 'clandestine terrorist organization Ergenekon'. According to Gulen media Ergenekon is using the PKK to set up the right conditions to conduct a military coup against the PKK.
In the pro-AKP district Beyoğlu in Istanbul three bombs exploded at the same moment (
ANF, 24 April). The district is known as fierce pro-government. In the Kurdish city of Siirt the military captain Çetin Ünsal (Yüzbaşı) died because of an explosion (
ANF, 24 April). Also a village head was attacked in Siirt. Two people were wounded. (
ANF, 24 April).
On Friday the DTP planned protests in Wan against the anti-DTP police operation and the violence of the police against children (
ANF, 24 April). Several children were wounded during the demonstrations. The 14th year old Abdulsamet Erip died in a hospital (
ANF, 24