Osman Ocalan
Encyclopedia
Osman Öcalan is a former Kurdish
militant
leader.
The younger brother of Abdullah Öcalan
, Osman studied at teachers’ training college before joining the PKK when it was founded in 1978 and spending two years in Libya. He joined the central committee in 1986, and the executive committee in the 1990s, becoming virtually second in command of the PKK, but in 1992 he suffered disgrace after signing a truce with the two main Iraqi Kurdish parties, the KDP and the PUK
, and was jailed by the PKK.
"In June 1993, they removed all my powers", he told The Middle East in an interview. "I was isolated in a cell for three months and interrogated for 52 days before being tried in February 1995. The trial lasted only one day.I was warned that if I continued to defend my ideas, I would be executed. If not, I would be pardoned. A lawyer? Out of the question. The trial was conducted under the law of the mountain."
In 1994, he left the PKK in order to marry a fellow PKK fighter. The PKK forbids relationships between its guerillas.
He later rejoined the PKK. In 2000 the Independent referred to him as a " senior commander" of the PKK when Medya TV, the underground Kurdish satellite television channel reported him as claiming that the Turkish authorities wanted his brother to die.
In March 2003, in an interview to western journalists from his refuge in the Qandil mountains, he asserted " We will never allow ourselves to be disarmed as long as the Kurdish issue is not settled".
He split away from the PKK again in August 2004 to form the Patriotic Democratic Party (PWD), with Hikmet Fidan
to challenge Murat Karayılan.
After Fidan's assassination the PWD merged with the HADEP.
In November 2007, in an interview in Arbil
, he claimed that the PKK were retreating from Iraq into Iran. He estimated the total strength of the PKK guerrillas at just under 7,000. "There are 2,750 fighters in Turkey," he said. "A further 2,500 are in the border areas of Iraq and 1,500 are in Iran ... In the last six months the PKK has started a war against Iran."
Speaking from his home in Koya in Iraqi Kurdistan
, he claimed that Turkey was denying medical treatment to his brother Abdullah Ocalan and warned that suicide bombers
would strike Turkish cities if he died in prison.
Today's Zaman
, referring to him as a "former PKK leader", quoted him as saying "For 20 years I was part of the struggle; but because of ideological differences, I pulled out of it. Now I am with armed fighters who defend themselves, but am against the PKK."
In August 2009, Hurriyet
reported that Abdullah Ocalan has produced a 125-page petition in which he suggested that his brother Osman be investigated for his links to Ergenekon
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
militant
Militant
The word militant, which is both an adjective and a noun, usually is used to mean vigorously active, combative and aggressive, especially in support of a cause, as in 'militant reformers'. It comes from the 15th century Latin "militare" meaning "to serve as a soldier"...
leader.
The younger brother of Abdullah Öcalan
Abdullah Öcalan
Abdullah Öcalan , Kurdish founder of the terrorist organization called Kurdistan Workers' Party in 1978.Öcalan was captured in Nairobi and extradited to the Turkish security force, and sentenced to death under Article 125 of the Turkish Penal Code, which concerns the formation of armed gangs...
, Osman studied at teachers’ training college before joining the PKK when it was founded in 1978 and spending two years in Libya. He joined the central committee in 1986, and the executive committee in the 1990s, becoming virtually second in command of the PKK, but in 1992 he suffered disgrace after signing a truce with the two main Iraqi Kurdish parties, the KDP and the PUK
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded on June 1, 1975, by coordinations between Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa...
, and was jailed by the PKK.
"In June 1993, they removed all my powers", he told The Middle East in an interview. "I was isolated in a cell for three months and interrogated for 52 days before being tried in February 1995. The trial lasted only one day.I was warned that if I continued to defend my ideas, I would be executed. If not, I would be pardoned. A lawyer? Out of the question. The trial was conducted under the law of the mountain."
In 1994, he left the PKK in order to marry a fellow PKK fighter. The PKK forbids relationships between its guerillas.
He later rejoined the PKK. In 2000 the Independent referred to him as a " senior commander" of the PKK when Medya TV, the underground Kurdish satellite television channel reported him as claiming that the Turkish authorities wanted his brother to die.
In March 2003, in an interview to western journalists from his refuge in the Qandil mountains, he asserted " We will never allow ourselves to be disarmed as long as the Kurdish issue is not settled".
He split away from the PKK again in August 2004 to form the Patriotic Democratic Party (PWD), with Hikmet Fidan
Hikmet Fidan
Hikmet Fidan , a Kurdish-born Turkish politician, was the former deputy leader of the Democratic People's Party until it was banned by the Constitutional Court in 2003....
to challenge Murat Karayılan.
After Fidan's assassination the PWD merged with the HADEP.
In November 2007, in an interview in Arbil
Arbil
Arbil / Hewlêr is the fourth largest city in Iraq after Baghdad, Basra and Mosul...
, he claimed that the PKK were retreating from Iraq into Iran. He estimated the total strength of the PKK guerrillas at just under 7,000. "There are 2,750 fighters in Turkey," he said. "A further 2,500 are in the border areas of Iraq and 1,500 are in Iran ... In the last six months the PKK has started a war against Iran."
Speaking from his home in Koya in Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan or Kurdistan Region is an autonomous region of Iraq. It borders Iran to the east, Turkey to the north, Syria to the west and the rest of Iraq to the south. The regional capital is Arbil, known in Kurdish as Hewlêr...
, he claimed that Turkey was denying medical treatment to his brother Abdullah Ocalan and warned that suicide bombers
Suicide Bombers
Suicide Bombers is the name of a 2005 EP by Leæther Strip. For the Australian hardcore band see Suicide Bombers -Track listing:# Suicide Bombers# Suicide Bombers # The Shame Of A Nation # This Is Where I Wanna Be...
would strike Turkish cities if he died in prison.
Today's Zaman
Today's Zaman
Today's Zaman is one of two English-language dailies based in Turkey. Established on January 16, 2007, the newspaper's main competitor is the older Hürriyet Daily News....
, referring to him as a "former PKK leader", quoted him as saying "For 20 years I was part of the struggle; but because of ideological differences, I pulled out of it. Now I am with armed fighters who defend themselves, but am against the PKK."
In August 2009, Hurriyet
Hürriyet
-External links:* * ** * *...
reported that Abdullah Ocalan has produced a 125-page petition in which he suggested that his brother Osman be investigated for his links to Ergenekon