Changes

==PKK Abuses==

==PKK Abuses==

The PKK has been known for its ruthless attacks against civilians, the [[United States Department of State]] said, “PKK terrorists murdered noncombatants, targeting village officials, teachers, and other perceived representatives of the State and committed random murders in their effort to intimidate the populace. The PKK brutally murdered seven primary school teachers in predominantly Kurdish areas and often targeted civilians in an effort to prevent them from collaborating with security forces or to coerce them into assisting the insurgents.”<ref>http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1996_hrp_report/turkey.html</ref> Most of the rebel attacks aim at creating panic inside the population and government. Turkish officials fear that if the PKK achieves its goals, a radical [[Islam]]ic government could come to power inside the country<ref>http://www.armeniandiaspora.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-70547.html</ref>.  

The PKK has been known for its ruthless attacks against civilians, the [[United States Department of State]] said, “PKK terrorists murdered noncombatants, targeting village officials, teachers, and other perceived representatives of the State and committed random murders in their effort to intimidate the populace. The PKK brutally murdered seven primary school teachers in predominantly Kurdish areas and often targeted civilians in an effort to prevent them from collaborating with security forces or to coerce them into assisting the insurgents.”<ref>http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1996_hrp_report/turkey.html</ref> Most of the rebel attacks aim at creating panic inside the population and government. Turkish officials fear that if the PKK achieves its goals, a radical [[Islam]]ic government could come to power inside the country<ref>http://www.armeniandiaspora.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-70547.html</ref>.  

==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==