Changes

Fearing a split in their country the Turkish government placed significant restrictions on the rights of the Kurdish people,<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4690181.stm</ref> the PKK tries to use these restrictions to justify its rebellion against the government. In 1999, a unilateral truce was declared by the rebels and the Turkish government began to ease restrictions on the [[Kurds]], this truce did not last however, when in 2004 the terrorist group claimed that the Turkish government had not done enough to meet their demands.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4690181.stm</ref>

Fearing a split in their country the Turkish government placed significant restrictions on the rights of the Kurdish people,<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4690181.stm</ref> the PKK tries to use these restrictions to justify its rebellion against the government. In 1999, a unilateral truce was declared by the rebels and the Turkish government began to ease restrictions on the [[Kurds]], this truce did not last however, when in 2004 the terrorist group claimed that the Turkish government had not done enough to meet their demands.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4690181.stm</ref>

In 1999, the group’s leader, [[Abdullah Öcalan]], was captured and sentenced to death. Today, rather than seeking to create a separate Kurdish state, PKK leaders say that their goal now is to create a solution for the Kurdish identity within [[Turkey]], [[Iraq]], [[Iran]] and [[Syria]]. Estimates of terrorist guerrilla's in the PKK range from ten to fifteen thousand.<ref>World Politics in a New Era, Steven L. Spiegel, Fred L. Wehling, secound edition, pg. 471</ref>[[Syria]], [[Iran]] and [[Iraq]], have provided external aid to the separatist.<ref>World Politics in a New Era, Steven L. Spiegel, Fred L. Wehling, secound edition, pg. 471</ref>

In 1999, the group's leader, [[Abdullah Öcalan]], was captured and sentenced to death. Today, rather than seeking to create a separate Kurdish state, PKK leaders say that their goal now is to create a solution for the Kurdish identity within [[Turkey]], [[Iraq]], [[Iran]] and [[Syria]]. Estimates of terrorist guerrilla's in the PKK range from ten to fifteen thousand.<ref>World Politics in a New Era, Steven L. Spiegel, Fred L. Wehling, secound edition, pg. 471</ref>[[Syria]], [[Iran]] and [[Iraq]], have provided external aid to the separatist.<ref>World Politics in a New Era, Steven L. Spiegel, Fred L. Wehling, secound edition, pg. 471</ref>

==PKK Abuses==

==PKK Abuses==

==Government Abuses==

==Government Abuses==

[[Image:Kurdish refugee camp.JPG‎|thumb|310px|A Kurdish refugee camp near the Iraqi border]]

[[Image:Kurdish refugee camp.JPG‎|thumb|310px|A Kurdish refugee camp near the Iraqi border]]

Many of the PKK’s abuses against civilians have been overshadowed by abuses carried out by Turkish government forces. Because the conflict is similar to a civil war, many of the operations by Turkish security forces have been in heavily populated areas, this has led to significant amount of civilian casualties. Estimates of civilians misplaced from military operations stand above 380,000. The Turkish government stated that losses to civilians would be reimbursed, despite this promise; many still remain homeless without reimbursement.  Human rights organizations, such as [[Human Rights Watch]], have also highlighted the government’s use of [[torture]] and extrajudicial killing during the thirteen-year-long conflict.<ref>http://hrw.org/backgrounder/eca/turkey/turkey_violations.htm</ref>  

Many of the PKK's abuses against civilians have been overshadowed by abuses carried out by Turkish government forces. Because the conflict is similar to a civil war, many of the operations by Turkish security forces have been in heavily populated areas, this has led to significant amount of civilian casualties. Estimates of civilians misplaced from military operations stand above 380,000. The Turkish government stated that losses to civilians would be reimbursed, despite this promise; many still remain homeless without reimbursement.  Human rights organizations, such as [[Human Rights Watch]], have also highlighted the government's use of [[torture]] and extrajudicial killing during the thirteen-year-long conflict.<ref>http://hrw.org/backgrounder/eca/turkey/turkey_violations.htm</ref>  

==Effect on the Kurdish Population==

==Effect on the Kurdish Population==

==Iraq, Turkey Border Dispute==  

==Iraq, Turkey Border Dispute==  

In the Turkish government’s efforts to stamp out the terrorist group, they have continually fought near and across the [[Iraq]] border, where the PKK has operated and trained their forces. Turkey and the United States led an effort to push PKK forces out of northern Iraq; however, this effort has had few visible effects.<ref>http://www.brookings.edu/views/op-ed/fellows/20070706.htm</ref> The increase in terrorist buildup in the region has led the Turkish government to increase military forces along the Turkey/ Iraq border. This buildup of over 200,000 troops has brought tensions between [[Turkey]] and the [[United States]], which believes Turkish intervention could distract the stabilization mission and possibly lead to the Turkish military intervention in other areas.<ref>http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKBUL91940220070719</ref> Despite the United States warnings, high ranking Turkish officials, including Turkey’s defense minister, have stated their willingness to operate across the border.<ref>http://www.brookings.edu/views/op-ed/fellows/20070706.htm</ref>

In the Turkish government's efforts to stamp out the terrorist group, they have continually fought near and across the [[Iraq]] border, where the PKK has operated and trained their forces. Turkey and the United States led an effort to push PKK forces out of northern Iraq; however, this effort has had few visible effects.<ref>http://www.brookings.edu/views/op-ed/fellows/20070706.htm</ref> The increase in terrorist buildup in the region has led the Turkish government to increase military forces along the Turkey/ Iraq border. This buildup of over 200,000 troops has brought tensions between [[Turkey]] and the [[United States]], which believes Turkish intervention could distract the stabilization mission and possibly lead to the Turkish military intervention in other areas.<ref>http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKBUL91940220070719</ref> Despite the United States warnings, high ranking Turkish officials, including Turkey's defense minister, have stated their willingness to operate across the border.<ref>http://www.brookings.edu/views/op-ed/fellows/20070706.htm</ref>

==Peace talks==

==Peace talks==