Kurdish Communist

[Kurdish-PKK-Communist]

Hi, I was fed up with "The Apricity" and all the religous people and Capitalists that are present there so I decided to look for a Communist forum and I found this :)

I am the only Communist in my entire family which is quite a problem for my family since they hate Communists, they are largely supporters of Far-Right organisations.

I am a sympathizer of the PKK (Kurdistan's Workers Party). Comrades Guevara and Ocalan are my role models.

I hope I'll have good discussions with people on here :)

[Blake's Baby]

Welcome to RevLeft.

I'm sure there are plenty of discussions you can get involved in. I look forward to disagreeing with you at great length.

[Red_Banner]

Hi, I was fed up with "The Apricity" and all the religous people and Capitalists that are present there so I decided to look for a Communist forum and I found this :)

I am the only Communist in my entire family which is quite a problem for my family since they hate Communists, they are largely supporters of Far-Right organisations.

I am a sympathizer of the PKK (Kurdistan's Workers Party). Comrades Guevara and Ocalan are my role models.

I hope I'll have good discussions with people on here :)

Hey, what do you know of the Syrian Democratic Union Party and the civil war there?

Are they really pro-leftist or just Kurdish nationalist?

[Bolshevik Sickle]

Welcome to RevLeft. It's always nice to meet people from around the world. I am sure you will find yourself welcome here, we are an organization of leftist from all over the world. I'm sure glad we have the internet because getting in touch with fellow comrades was always a pain in the sickles back then.

[Q]

Welcome :)

If you have political questions, you can ask them in the Learning forum. That's why it's there after all!

If you have questions about your account, don't hesitate to send me a PM or ask here.

And yes, I too am interested in if you know anything about the Syrian Democratic Union Party. Also, what attracted you to these currents?

[Sasha]

Welcome, what far right organizations does your family support? I only know of Turkish or arabist far right groups, the only "Kurdish" pro regime organizations I know of are viliage "defense" para militaries..

[Ann Egg]

Welcome.
http://www.pictureshack.us/images/21128_kurd_2.gif

[Leo]

Welcome, what far right organizations does your family support? I only know of Turkish or arabist far right groups, the only "Kurdish" pro regime organizations I know of are viliage "defense" para militaries..

There is also the Kurdish Hezbollah, although the PKK more or less made its peace with them in the name of national unity.

[Sasha]

Hezbollah? I thought most Kurds where Sunni of sorts? Or are Turkish and Kurdish Hezbollah Sunni instead of Shia?

[Tim Cornelis]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/(Turkish)_Kurdish-Hizbullah Couldn't find anything about alliance with PKK.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hizb_ut_Tahrir (apparently somewhat active in Iraqi Kurdistan)

EDIT:
also these,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Party_of_Kurdistan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Cause_Party
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hereketa_İslamiya_Kurdistan

[Leo]

Couldn't find anything about alliance with PKK.

Alliance is too strong a term. They made peace, meaning they aren't killing each other anymore. Recently, when there was a clash between the youth section of the legal wing of the PKK and pro-Hezbollah students, both sides made statements against such conflicts and for Kurdish unity.

[Misericordia]

Hi, I was fed up with "The Apricity" and all the religous people and Capitalists that are present there so I decided to look for a Communist forum and I found this :)

I am the only Communist in my entire family which is quite a problem for my family since they hate Communists, they are largely supporters of Far-Right organisations.

I am a sympathizer of the PKK (Kurdistan's Workers Party). Comrades Guevara and Ocalan are my role models.

I hope I'll have good discussions with people on here :)
PKK and especially Ocalan are treacherous scum. To illustrate my point:

http://www.revleft.com/vb/opinions-kurdistan-workers-t183578/index.html?p=2669108#post2669108

Of all the "left-wing" nationalist movements in history, the Kurdish one has probably been the most incompetent. But what else can be expected when various narcissistic worthless self-serving pieces of shit like Öcalan monopolized all the power? It's really tragic that so many thousands of honest Kurdish communists were lead to their deaths by such scum in vain.

[Tim Cornelis]

Alliance is too strong a term. They made peace, meaning they aren't killing each other anymore. Recently, when there was a clash between the youth section of the legal wing of the PKK and pro-Hezbollah students, both sides made statements against such conflicts and for Kurdish unity.

In other words, the BDP whom the Turkish government claims is a PKK front has made statements alluding to peace for the sake of Kurdish national unity.

[Leo]

In other words, the BDP whom the Turkish government claims is a PKK front

Everyone knows the BDP is a PKK front.

[Comrade Jacob]

Welcome comrade, I am to a sympathizer of the PKK and so are a few others.

[Kurdish-PKK-Communist]

Hey, what do you know of the Syrian Democratic Union Party and the civil war there?

Are they really pro-leftist or just Kurdish nationalist?

Hmm, well there are 4 types of groups in the Syrian civil war. Those that are loyal to Bashar Al Assad, the Islamist groups, the Kurdish groups and the FSA.
The Kurds seem to be doing surprisingly well in the war and there are rumours that they are co operating with Assad, but I'm not sure if it's true. The Kurds and Assad loyalists are the only people in Syria that sympathize with Socialism and Communism at the moment.

I am both. a Communist and a Kurdish nationalist. However, Kurdish nationalism is very different to other types of nationalism, for example Turkish nationalism. Kurdish nationalism is the idea of an independent Kurdistan and nothing else.



And yes, I too am interested in if you know anything about the Syrian Democratic Union Party. Also, what attracted you to these currents? The Syrian Democratic Union Party are just the Syrian wing of the PKK. At the moment ,their main fight is against the Islamists in Syria where we seem to be winning so far. If you mean what attracted me to Communism, I went to Kurdistan for a "holiday" and it was nothing like a holiday at all. All I saw was rebellion, poverty and slavery. That really pissed me off. Before I was just a Socialist but now I am a proper Communist.


Welcome, what far right organizations does your family support? I only know of Turkish or arabist far right groups, the only "Kurdish" pro regime organizations I know of are viliage "defense" para militaries..
My father is liberal, not too sure about my mother though but she definetely hates Communists. My Grandparents, aunties, uncles and cousins mainly support Far-Right Kurdish Islamist Organizations. Few of them support Centre-left organizations.


PKK and especially Ocalan are treacherous scum. To illustrate my point:

Of all the "left-wing" nationalist movements in history, the Kurdish one has probably been the most incompetent. But what else can be expected when various narcissistic worthless self-serving pieces of shit like Öcalan monopolized all the power? It's really tragic that so many thousands of honest Kurdish communists were lead to their deaths by such scum in vain. Ocalan used to be a Marxist-Leninist but ever since he was captured by Turkish soldiers he has had no access to the outside world so he has no idea what is really going on. For all we know, he could be dead and the Turkish regime probably has put an imposter in his place.

However, the new leader of the PKK (Cemal Bayik) is a Marxist-Leninist and reports show that he is preparing the PKK for a civil war in Turkey. It may or may not be true, but under his leadership things are bound to change. The prevous leader was Murat Karayilan, a Socialist.

[Leo]

I am both. a Communist and a Kurdish nationalist.

Communism and nationalism can't go together, I'm afraid, regardless of the nationality.


However, Kurdish nationalism is very different to other types of nationalism, for example Turkish nationalism. Kurdish nationalism is the idea of an independent Kurdistan and nothing else.

Is it? These days it seems not even to be that, but the idea that Kurdish nationalists should run Kurdish areas autonomously, on behalf of the Iraqi, Syrian and Turkish states.


Ocalan used to be a Marxist-Leninist but ever since he was captured by Turkish soldiers he has had no access to the outside world so he has no idea what is really going on.

Well, he had radio access, and books too. He's based much of the new paradigm of the PKK on Bookchin, for example. Nowadays, he has a TV, it seems.


For all we know, he could be dead and the Turkish regime probably has put an imposter in his place.

This is at least a better line than claiming he's still some sort of a noble champion of freedom, having asked how he may serve the Turkish state the moment he was captured. Nevertheless, this is a sadly naive line. People have been visiting Ocalan, people who knew him from a long time, active leaders of the Kurdish national movement in Turkey as well as his family members. If you're claiming that this is a Turkish conspiracy, I'm afraid you've just accused the leadership of the Kurdish national movement of being a part of it.


However, the new leader of the PKK (Cemal Bayik) is a Marxist-Leninist ... The prevous leader was Murat Karayilan, a Socialist.

This (http://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/jun/18/turkey.iraq) is from the Guardian: Mr Bayik said the PKK, which began life 30 years ago advocating a pan-Kurdish Marxist-Leninist state, was no longer a separatist movement. "We are not looking for independence, we are not even looking for federalism like the Iraqi Kurds have. The solution lies in granting the Kurds of Turkey language and cultural rights and freedom of speech."

And this is a picture of him praying with Kurdish Muslim clerics:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BSwtQRECQAE1Fje.jpg:large

He is nevertheless considered more radical compared to Karayilan.

It seems to me that you've got too excited about something you don't know much about.

[Comrade Jacob]

I think by nationalism he means the belief that a nation should be established (Kurdistan), not nationalism in the sense of "My nation is superior and I am superior for being born within it's political borders".

There are multiple definitions of nationalism. Of course communists should aim for a stateless world but in the mean-time nations should be allowed to established themselves (his use of nationalism).

[Kurdish-PKK-Communist]

Communism and nationalism can't go together, I'm afraid, regardless of the nationality.

You didn't understand me, I meant this:

I think by nationalism he means the belief that a nation should be established (Kurdistan), not nationalism in the sense of "My nation is superior and I am superior for being born within it's political borders".

There are multiple definitions of nationalism. Of course communists should aim for a stateless world but in the mean-time nations should be allowed to established themselves (his use of nationalism).


Is it? These days it seems not even to be that, but the idea that Kurdish nationalists should run Kurdish areas autonomously, on behalf of the Iraqi, Syrian and Turkish states.

Autonomy first, and then independence. What good will it do if Southern Kurdistan declares independence now? Not every country in the world would recognise it and we are surrounded by enemies. We are waiting for the right moment.


Well, he had radio access, and books too. He's based much of the new paradigm of the PKK on Bookchin, for example. Nowadays, he has a TV, it seems.

Turkish radio, Turkish books and Turkish TV. Turkish propaganda. What good is that? Either he IS dead, or he has been brainwashed.


This is at least a better line than claiming he's still some sort of a noble champion of freedom, having asked how he may serve the Turkish state the moment he was captured. Nevertheless, this is a sadly naive line. People have been visiting Ocalan, people who knew him from a long time, active leaders of the Kurdish national movement in Turkey as well as his family members.

Where did you get this from? The only people that have visited Ocalan is members of the BDP, however the LEADER of the BDP was DENIED access by the Turkish government! WHY? Obviously something is wrong. Not only that, but the Turkish regime DELAYED the visit. Why?

His lawyers were also denied access several times, they would know if there was a physical change in Ocalan.


If you're claiming that this is a Turkish conspiracy, I'm afraid you've just accused the leadership of the Kurdish national movement of being a part of it.

No I have not, you are forgetting that Ocalan is not the only leader or the only founder of the PKK. There is something wrong, there is something missing.


This is from the Guardian:

Mr Bayik said the PKK, which began life 30 years ago advocating a pan-Kurdish Marxist-Leninist state, was no longer a separatist movement. "We are not looking for independence, we are not even looking for federalism like the Iraqi Kurds have. The solution lies in granting the Kurds of Turkey language and cultural rights and freedom of speech."

Those are the current "goals" at the moment. But in their hearts, the current goal is an independant Kurdistan and the Kurds united under one flag.


And this is a picture of him praying with Kurdish Muslim clerics:

The guy looks like my Father, I highly doubt that is Bayik anyway. ALL Muslim clerics HATE the PKK.



It seems to me that you've got too excited about something you don't know much about.

I'd say that for you.

Did you know that the PKK Guerrillas refer to other Guerrillas as "Heval" meaning comrade?

[Leo]

Autonomy first, and then independence. What good will it do if Southern Kurdistan declares independence now? Not every country in the world would recognise it and we are surrounded by enemies. We are waiting for the right moment. If you for a second think the PKK and the KDP are waiting together for any moment, right or wrong, you are deluding yourself. Or if you think there is a we of common interests here: Kurds, like all other nations, are made of different classes with conflicting interests.


Turkish radio, Turkish books and Turkish TV. Turkish propaganda. What good is that? Either he IS dead, or he has been brainwashed. The supporters of the PKK would have threathened you and beaten you up merely for suggesting that the great leader, the serok of the Kurdish people and the liberator of the peoples of the Middle East could be brainwashed by mere Turkish propaganda.

Or it could just be that he is simply a pragmatist who says what he says because he thinks it will suit his own personal interests.


Where did you get this from? The only people that have visited Ocalan is members of the BDP, however the LEADER of the BDP was DENIED access by the Turkish government! WHY? Obviously something is wrong. Not only that, but the Turkish regime DELAYED the visit. Why?

His lawyers were also denied access several times, they would know if there was a physical change in Ocalan. I have the opportunity of following news about visits to Ocalan as well as his statements.

Ocalan's family members - his brother specifically - as well as the leaders of the BDP most of whom had met Ocalan on previous occasions, have visited him for more than one occasion. His lawyers have been visiting him for years.

If by the leader of the BDP you mean Selahattin Demirtas, he is a young figurehead who himself has visited Ocalan several times in prison previously but hadn't met him before the visits. There are other reasons and calculations behind that incident.

There is also the fact that an audio recording between certain leaders of the PKK itself and the senior figures of the Turkish National Intelligence Agency has been leaked sometime ago, most probably by the PKK itself, which confirmed that the Turkish National Intelligence Agency itself enabled communication between Ocalan and the PKK leaders.


No I have not, you are forgetting that Ocalan is not the only leader or the only founder of the PKK. No, he is not. It is you who is forgetting - or perhaps you simply don't know - that any PKK leader and founder who didn't completely subject to the will and the myth of Ocalan have been either murdered or declared a traitor by the PKK and isn't within its ranks anymore.


Those are the current "goals" at the moment. But in their hearts, the current goal is an independant Kurdistan and the Kurds united under one flag. In the hearts of its young and hot-headed followers, yes, surely. The leaders of the movement though are more interested in following their interests than whatever they might have in their hearts.


The guy looks like my Father, I highly doubt that is Bayik anyway. ALL Muslim clerics HATE the PKK. No, they don't. The PKK has its own lot of clerics to such an extent that they've been organizing "civillian Friday prayers", and the BDP has a deputy who used to be in the Islamacist Welfare Party previously, who is openly an anti-communist and has openly called for Sharia law.

As for the picture, here (https://twitter.com/KHaberMerkez/status/372722626638004224/photo/1)'s the source. As you probably won't be able to tell by looking at it, I will simply say that it is a source close to the PKK. Doubt all you want.


I'd say that for you.

Did you know that the PKK Guerrillas refer to other Guerrillas as "Heval" meaning comrade? Yes, although "Heval" actually has a meaning closer to friend than comrade. Being a Kurd living in Turkey, I'd say I know. Contrary to you, who lives in England? America?

[Kurdish-PKK-Communist]

If you for a second think the PKK and the KDP are waiting together for any moment, right or wrong, you are deluding yourself. Or if you think there is a we of common interests here: Kurds, like all other nations, are made of different classes with conflicting interests.


The KDP is run by the Barzani mafia. By "we" I didn't mean it from a PKK perspective. I meant it from a Southern Kurd's point of view. We are waiting for the right moment.


The supporters of the PKK would have threathened you and beaten you up merely for suggesting that the great leader, the serok of the Kurdish people and the liberator of the peoples of the Middle East could be brainwashed by mere Turkish propaganda.

Irrelevant



Or it could just be that he is simply a pragmatist who says what he says because he thinks it will suit his own personal interests.


If "his" recent words a true, then he is a Socialist and nothing else.


I have the opportunity of following news about visits to Ocalan as well as his statements.


Turkish news?


Ocalan's family members - his brother specifically - as well as the leaders of the BDP most of whom had met Ocalan on previous occasions, have visited him for more than one occasion. His lawyers have been visiting him for years.

His brother is jash. His lawyers have never visited him.



If by the leader of the BDP you mean Selahattin Demirtas, he is a young figurehead who himself has visited Ocalan several times in prison previously but hadn't met him before the visits. There are other reasons and calculations behind that incident.

Sounds like you are defending the AKP. Not very common from a Communist is it?




There is also the fact that an audio recording between certain leaders of the PKK itself and the senior figures of the Turkish National Intelligence Agency has been leaked sometime ago, most probably by the PKK itself, which confirmed that the Turkish National Intelligence Agency itself enabled communication between Ocalan and the PKK leaders.


I would love to hear that.


No, he is not. It is you who is forgetting - or perhaps you simply don't know - that any PKK leader and founder who didn't completely subject to the will and the myth of Ocalan have been either murdered or declared a traitor by the PKK and isn't within its ranks anymore.

No, either murdered by the Turkish state or commited suicide.


In the hearts of its young and hot-headed followers, yes, surely. The leaders of the movement though are more interested in following their interests than whatever they might have in their hearts.

Heval you listen to too much AKP and Kemalist propaganda.


No, they don't. The PKK has its own lot of clerics to such an extent that they've been organizing "civillian Friday prayers", and the BDP has a deputy who used to be in the Islamacist Welfare Party previously, who is openly an anti-communist and has openly called for Sharia law.

Let's look at the source. Hurriyetdailyshit.



As for the picture, here is the source. As you probably won't be able to tell by looking at it, I will simply say that it is a source close to the PKK. Doubt all you want.

That is fucked. Bro I would post links and pics too but it just doesn't let me until my post count is greater than 25. I'm sorry about that.


Yes, although "Heval" actually has a meaning closer to friend than comrade. Being a Kurd living in Turkey, I'd say I know. Contrary to you, who lives in England? America?

It is used to refer to a friend but it's literal meaning is Comrade, just like the Southern Kurds use "Hawre" which means Comrade but is used to refer to a friend.

If it's alright to ask, did you vote for the Communists in Turkey or who?

[Leo]

The KDP is run by the Barzani mafia. By "we" I didn't mean it from a PKK perspective. I meant it from a Southern Kurd's point of view. We are waiting for the right moment.If you meant it from a PKK perspective, then you didn't mean it from the perspective of Southern Kurds since the PKK is negligable in the South, which is dominated by KDP, PUK and Gorran.


If "his" recent words a true, then he is a Socialist and nothing else. The man doesn't even claim to be a socialist and hasn't done so in years, at least not in any meaningful sense. He claims to have transcended Marx and Lenin, who were fools for not seeing the great truths he's grasped anyway, and has invented the glorious ideology of democratic confederalism.


Turkish news? Kurdish news.


His brother is jash. Ocalan has more than one brother. The one you are thinking of is Osman Ocalan, who has left the PKK with a more liberal line and is living in Iraqi Kurdistan. He hasn't visited Apo in prison at any point to my knowlede. The brother I'm referring to is Mehmet Ocalan. He's also been visited by his uncle and sister.


Sounds like you are defending the AKP. Why? Does criticizing the PKK equal to defending the AKP?


I would love to hear that.Look it up, it is commonly referred as the Oslo Negotiations.


No, either murdered by the Turkish state or commited suicide.You really have very little idea what you are talking about don't you?


Heval you listen to too much AKP and Kemalist propaganda. I think you don't even know what AKP propaganda or Kemalist propaganda is. In any case, the AKP and the Kemalists may have accused the PKK of being many things, but they've never accused the PKK of being like themselves.


Let's look at the source. Hurriyetdailyshit. I haven't actually linked to hurriyet or any other similar source. I watched the interview of that deputy myself, his name is Altan Tan if you want to check him out. As for the civillian Fridays, they are common knowledge since they are mass events in Kurdistan, so they are pretty much public knowledge.


That is fucked. It is normal for anyone who actually knows the PKK's line today. In his latest Newroz message, Ocalan talked about the thousand year old friendship between the Kurds and the Turks under the flag of Islam and has recently called for a democratic Islam congress.


It is used to refer to a friend but it's literal meaning is ComradeIt's literal meaning is a friend who is a good company - and when speaking in Turkish, PKK sypathizers almost never use the term yoldas which means one who shares the same path but arkadas which means friend. No matter though.


If it's alright to ask, did you vote for the Communists in Turkey or who? I've never voted in my entire life. The working class has nothing to gain from parliamentary illusions.

[Kurdish-PKK-Communist]

If you meant it from a PKK perspective, then you didn't mean it from the perspective of Southern Kurds since the PKK is negligable in the South, which is dominated by KDP, PUK and Gorran.
I didn't mean it from the KDP, PUK, PKK, Goran or any other political party's perspective. I meant it from a Southern Kurd's perspective, I am a Southern Kurd from the Soran district.


The man doesn't even claim to be a socialist and hasn't done so in years, at least not in any meaningful sense. He claims to have transcended Marx and Lenin, who were fools for not seeing the great truths he's grasped anyway, and has invented the glorious ideology of democratic confederalism."The democratic confederalism of Kurdistan is not a State system, it is the democratic system of a people without a State... It takes its power from the people and adopts to reach self sufficiency in every field including economy."

"The aim is a "union of equity and free will".

Basically, it means a less extreme version of Communism which has it's ups and downs. It's similar to what Labour wants to do in the UK. This is also called, Apoism.

What I want is Kurds to be Apoists and free Kurdistan, and then become Communists ones Kurdistan becomes a country.


Kurdish news. Firat news reported:

"Lawyers for Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan have been once again denied permission to visit their client. Despite the requests not just from the lawyers but also from the family of the Kurdish leader, authorities have rejected the application made by lawyers Rezan Sarıca, Cengiz Yürekli, Mazlum Dinç and Hüseyin Boğatekin to visit their client in İmralı.
Öcalan has not been able to see his lawyers since 27 July 2011."


Like I said, something must have happened to him recently. Why do you think all of a sudden, after 40 years of war, he decides that "peace is the solution"? In fact, his last book was about supporting negotiations where he talks of "one country for Kurds and Turks". Isn't that the AKP's and Sultan Erdogan's current goal? Wasn't that Ataturk's goal? Well he only said that to get Kurdish support but us Kurds ended up getting backstabbed by him.




Ocalan has more than one brother. The one you are thinking of is Osman Ocalan, who has left the PKK with a more liberal line and is living in Iraqi Kurdistan. He hasn't visited Apo in prison at any point to my knowlede. The brother I'm referring to is Mehmet Ocalan. He's also been visited by his uncle and sister.Firat news reported:

"Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan's family will go to İmralı to visit him. Öcalan's sister Fatma will be going to visit her brother as will the families of two other prisoners held in the prison island, Şeyhmus Poyraz and Cumali Karsu.
Bursa prosecutor had denied permission to visit their relative to two other members of the Öcalan's family ten days ago."


Why are certain members of the Ocalan family not allowed to visit? Why are the elderly only allowed? Obviously, the elderly won't notice much of a difference in his appearance. That's natural.



Why? Does criticizing the PKK equal to defending the AKP?
Well on this topic, it seems like you are. What could be the "other reasons" why his lawyers were not allowed to visit?




Look it up, it is commonly referred as the Oslo Negotiations.
I know about the Oslo negotiations, but I was wondering where you listened to the audio recordings.




You really have very little idea what you are talking about don't you?
Well then enlighten me.


I think you don't even know what AKP propaganda or Kemalist propaganda is. In any case, the AKP and the Kemalists may have accused the PKK of being many things, but they've never accused the PKK of being like themselves.
Well you haven't proved anything to me, prove it that the founders of the PKK erved their own interests only.

Kemal Pir, a Turk, was also one of the 16 founders of the PKK. He, along with 3 other PKK members, started a hunger strike because their Comrade, Mazlum Dogan, set his prison cell on fire and hanged himself. Kemal Pir died. Is that called serving your own interests only? That is called being a true Communist. The PKK of the past has changed, which could be dangerous for the future of the Kurdish nation.


I haven't actually linked to hurriyet or any other similar source. I watched the interview of that deputy myself, his name is Altan Tan if you want to check him out. As for the civillian Fridays, they are common knowledge since they are mass events in Kurdistan, so they are pretty much public knowledge.
But that is the BDP, they have forgotten what they really stand for. The DTP expelled Altan Tan for his religous comments. The PKK and their affiliated groups are changing, in a bad way.

All of the PKK high command is either Alevi or Athiest, since when do Sunnis get along with Athiests and Alevis?


It is normal for anyone who actually knows the PKK's line today. In his latest Newroz message, Ocalan talked about the thousand year old friendship between the Kurds and the Turks under the flag of Islam and has recently called for a democratic Islam congress.
I already said, something has happened to the PKK, and Ocalan himself.

"Volunteers who join the Kurdish insurgency against Turkey must abandon Islamic religious practice and must forego “emotional ties” to anyone outside the group, as well as swear words and sex, or face trial and prison, according to a Syrian-born Kurd who defected from the group to Turkey over the summer."