House Concurrent Resolution 136

104TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION

H. CON. RES. 136

Expressing the sense of the Congress concerning resolution of the conflict 
between the Government of Turkey and Kurdish Militants

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 25, 1996

Mr. Smith of New Jersey (for himself and Mr. Hoyer) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution:  which was referred to the Committee on 
International Relations


CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Congress concerning resolution of the conflict 
between the government of Turkey and Kurdish militants.

Whereas armed conflict has existed in southeastern Turkey since 1984, and 
the entire region has been placed under a state of emergency since 1987;

Whereas the human toll of this conflict has been great, with the loss of more 
than 20,000 lives the displacement of more than 3,000,000 civilians, and the 
destruction of more than 2,650 Kurdish villages;

Whereas free expression in Turkey is restricted by laws which criminalize 
non-violent expression, resulting in the incarceration of journalists, writers, 
academics, human rights activists, and others as political prisoners;

Whereas in the last two years, 13 Kurdish members of Turkey's parliament 
have been removed from office, jailed, or exiled for expressing political 
opinions or having alleged contacts with the illegal Kurdistan Workers Party 
(PKK);

Whereas Kurdish citizens of Turkey have been denied certain basic political 
and civil rights such as the right to full and free participation in political life, 
the right to be educated in their mother language, and the right to freely write 
and publish materials in the Kurdish language;

Whereas the conflict between Kurdish guerrillas and Turkish armed forces 
has spilled over Turkey's borders and threatens the stability of the nation;

Whereas the escalating conflict poses grave threats to economic stability and 
the existing political order and prevents realization of full-fledged democracy;

Whereas international and local humanitarian organizations, including the 
International Committee of the Red Cross, have been denied access to 
southern Turkey;

Whereas terrorism is a grave threat to human rights and violates 
international law;

Whereas Turkey's leaders have made commitments to building a democratic 
society and have made significant progress in realizing this goal;

Whereas the government of Turkey has acceded to upholding international 
human rights agreements, including the United Nations Universal 
Declaration of Human Rights, the Geneva Conventions, and the Helsinki 
Final Act;

Whereas Turkey, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and 
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, is an important 
strategic and economic partner of the United States;

Whereas long-term strategic and economic interests of the United States are 
jeopardized by the continuing conflict in Turkey;

Whereas after 11 years, Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrilla leaders have 
offered to lay down their weapons;

Whereas a military solution to the Kurdish question in Turkey is not 
possible, and only a nonviolent political solution can bring peace, stability, 
full democracy, and prosperity to Turkey; and 

Whereas such a solution must be sought and implemented within the 
framework of the Republic of Turkey;  Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That it is 
the sense of the Congress that--

1.  the government of Turkey should immediately release all political 
prisoners and lift restriction on free expression and thereby enable Turkish 
citizens, including those of Kurdish origin, to enjoy the political and cultural 
rights of peoples in all democratic countries;

2.  the President should take every opportunity to encourage the Government 
of Turkey to initiate steps to end the armed confrontation in that country;

3.  the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) should declare a cease-fire and restate 
support for resolution of the conflict through democratic means and within 
the framework of the territorial unity of the Republic of Turkey;

4.  the Government of Turkey should declare a cease-fire and reaffirm a 
foundation upon which its Republic is based: "Peace at home, Peace in the 
world";

5.  upon cessation of hostilities, the International Committee of the Red Cross 
and other appropriate humanitarian and monitoring organizations should be 
given access to southeastern Turkey;

6.  the Government of Turkey should take steps to reduce the potential for 
future confrontation, including--

	A.  allowing all political parties committed to nonviolence to 
participate in Turkish political life;

	B.  repealing the state of emergency in southeastern Turkey;   

	C.  dismantling the paramilitary "village guard" system;

	D.  lifting all constraints on the dissemination in the Kurdish language 
of television and radio broadcasts, print, music, and other media;

	E.  allowing schools to offer instruction in the Kurdish language; and

	F.  establishing consultative mechanisms to defuse sources of conflict 
and propose strategies to resolve current crisis in southeastern Turkey;  and

7.  the President should support providing technical assistance to carry out 
paragraphs (1) through (6).