Kurdish anger sweeps the world

Greek President Costas Stephanopoulis has denied any role in the capture 
of Kurdish Workers' Party Abdullah Ocalan in Kenya. However, Stephanopoulis 
conceded that the Greek Government may have made "mistakes" in Nairobi. But 
Greece's ruling social-democratic Pan-Hellenic Socialist Party (PASOK) is 
under fire from all sides in parliament.

The major conservative opposition party, New Democracy, slammed the 
government's handling of the Ocalan affair, calling it "bizarre", 
"dangerous" and "childish". And within PASOK'S own ranks there are calls 
for the Foreign Minister's resignation.

PASOK MP Costas Bandouvas said his government's conduct was "shameful and a 
blot on modern Greek history ... rather than protecting him we handed him 
over and this act is a black page for the government".

Ocalan had been playing hide-and-seek with the Turks for the past month 
following his failed attempt to gain political asylum in Rome last January. 
At that time, an international campaign prevented his extradition to 
Turkey.

He entered Kenya using false documents provided by the Greek Government who 
say they were trying to persuade the Kenyans to let him stay in Nairobi. 
But apparently after failing to win Kenyan asylum he was dragged from his 
car on the streets of Nairobi by a Turkish "special operations" squad and 
bundled onto a Turkish jet bound for Istanbul.

The Greeks blame the Kenyans and the Kenyans blame the Greeks. But the 
United States, which has the whip-hand in Athens and Nairobi, said it was 
extremely pleased at the news of Ocalan's capture.

In Turkey there's jubilation in the ranks of Bulent Ecevit's Democratic 
Left-led government. Ecevit no doubt thinks this coup will boost his 
chances of re-election in April.

Gloating Turkish television has shown film of a dazed or drugged Ocalan 
surrounded by hooded guards on his way back to Turkey. He's now in an army 
camp on Imrali island near Istanbul facing the death penalty charged with 
"treason" and "mass murder".

Turkey followed the capture of Ocalan with an immediate attack on the 
Kurdish "safe-havens" of northern Iraq in yet another attempt to crush the 
PKK.

The Turkish invasion of Iraqi territory takes place under the protection of 
US and British warplanes.

All over the world, Kurds took to the streets to protest at the seizure of 
the PKK leader. In Istanbul, Kurds and Turkish militants set up barricades 
in the streets.

Greek and Kenyan diplomatic posts from Russia to Australia were stormed; 
some embassies were torched and in some cities hostages taken briefly. At 
other demonstrations at least three Kurdish teenagers set themselves ablaze 
in protest.

In Berlin, three Kurds were shot dead and 16 wounded by Israeli guards when 
they tried to storm the Israeli consulate following rumours that the 
Israeli intelligence service Mossad played a part in the kidnapping of 
Ocalan. Israel denies any involvement.

Ocalan is now at the mercy of a regime that routinely practices torture and 
brutalisation.

Kurdish demands that Turkey grants prisoner-of-war status for Ocalan as the 
leader of a guerrilla movement and starts negotiations with the PKK to end 
the conflict in Kurdistan must be supported.

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New Worker, adapted from an article by Andy Brooks