IV
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 follow-
ing concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Inter-
national 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 nonviolent expression, resulting in the incar-
ceration of journalists, writers, academics, human rights
activists, and others as political prisoners;
•HCON 136 IH
Whereas in the past 2 years, 13 Kurdish members of Tur-
key’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 edu-
cated 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 region;
Whereas the escalating conflict poses grave threats to eco-
nomic stability and the existing political order and pre-
vents realization of full-fledged democracy;
Whereas international and local humanitarian organizations,
including the International Committee of the Red Cross,
have been denied access to southeastern Turkey;
Whereas terrorism poses a grave threat to human rights and
violates international law;
Whereas Turkey’s leaders have made commitments to build-
ing 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 Or-
ganization and the Organization for Security and Co-
•HCON 136 IH
operation in Europe, is an important strategic and eco-
nomic 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 Tur-
key is not possible, and only a nonviolent political solu-
tion can bring peace, stability, full democracy, and pros-
perity to Turkey; and
Whereas such a solution must be sought and implemented
within the framework of the territorial unity of the Re-
public 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 imme-
diately release all political prisoners and lift restric-
tions on free expression and thereby enable all Turk-
ish 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 coun-
try;
(3) the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) should
declare a cease-fire and restate support for resolu-
•HCON 136 IH
tion 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 Inter-
national Committee of the Red Cross and other ap-
propriate humanitarian and monitoring organiza-
tions should be given access to southeastern Turkey;
(6) the Government of Turkey should take
steps to further reduce the potential for future con-
frontation, 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 dissemi-
nation in the Kurdish language of television
and radio broadcasts, print, music, and other
media;
•HCON 136 IH
(E) allowing schools to offer instruction in
the Kurdish language; and
(F) establishing consultative mechanisms
to defuse sources of conflict and propose strate-
gies to resolve current crisis in southeastern
Turkey; and
(7) the President should support providing
technical assistance to carry out paragraphs (1)
through (6).
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