Turkey: Information on an organization called TIKKO (Turkish Workers' and Peasants' Liberation Army)

Subsequent to Response to Information Request TUR12569 of 14 January 1993, please note the following information. According to Revolutionary and Dissident Movements, TIKKO is the acronym for the Turkish Worker Peasant Liberation Army (TWPLA)(1991, 349), which has also been known as the Turkish Revolutionary Peasants' Liberation Army (Communist and Marxist Parties 1990, 158) as well as the Turkish Workers' and Peasants' Liberation Army (Political Handbook of the World: 1992 1992, 783).

A history professor at McGill University with expertise on Turkey, provided the following information during a telephone interview on 8 November 1994. He indicated that TIKKO is an illegal, armed resistance movement which has adopted a Marxist-Leninist ideology. TIKKO advocates the violent overthrow of the Turkish government and abolition of the entire Turkish political system. The professor characterized the movement as relatively small, consisting of a maximum of several thousand people, and not necessarily composed of workers or peasants as the name might indicate. Membership in the movement is scattered in small cells throughout the country. The professor was not aware of formal links between TIKKO and other armed resistance movements such as the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) (8 November 1994).

A professor at Carleton University with expertise on Turkey, indicated in a telephone interview on 8 November 1994 that TIKKO is an illegal, terrorist organization which continues to operate in Turkey (8 November 1994). According to the professor, TIKKO is a smaller group than PKK or Dev-Sol (Revolutionary Left) and its objective is the establishment of a Marxist-Leninist political system in Turkey. He also added that TIKKO has links to other international terrorist organizations in Syria and with other western underground cells (ibid.).

According to Revolutionary and Dissident Movements, TIKKO is a Kurdish terrorist organization which was founded by Ibrahim Kaypakkaya during the 1970s (1991, 348-349). According to the same source, the Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist Leninist (TKP/ML) is TIKKO's political wing (ibid.). Communist and Marxist Parties of the World reports that TKP/ML was established in 1973 by Ibrahim Kaypakkay in 1973 and that TKP/ML was involved with terrorist activities (1990, 158). It also indicates that TKP/ML attempted to establish a Turkish Revolutionary Peasants' Liberation Army (ibid.). It does not indicate any Kurdish connections.

The Political Handbook of the World describes TIKKO as one of a number of extremist, terrorist groups established before 1980 and indicates that its activities have declined in recent years (1992, 783). A media article reported on 3 February 1994 that Turkish police had raided a number of leftist underground organizations, including TKP/ML TIKKO, which it described as the "military wing of the outlawed Turkish Communist Party-Marxist Leninist (AP)."

Media reports have linked TIKKO with a number of recent terrorist attacks in Turkey (BBC Summary 31 Oct. 1994; ibid. 27 April 1994; Reuters 16 Mar. 1993; ibid. 10 Feb. 1993). Other media sources report that Turkish security forces and police have launched extensive raids at both urban and rural headquarters of TIKKO members, who appear to have joined forces with the PKK and Dev-Sol (Toronto Star 11 Oct. 1994; Reuters 3 Oct. 1994).

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Associated Press (AP). 3 February 1994. "Police Arrest Leftist Militants, Seize Dynamite Sticks." (NEXIS)

BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 31 October 1994. "Internal and Security Reports; Bomb Explodes at Istanbul Mosque Slightly Injuring Carrier." (NEXIS)

BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 27 April 1994. "Explosives Thrown at Istanbul Banks." (NEXIS)

Communist and Marxist Parties of the World. 1990. 2nd ed. Compiled by Charles Hobday. Revised and updated by Roger East. Chicago: St. James Press.

Political Handbook of the World: 1992. 1992. Edited by Arthur S. Banks. Binghampton, NY: CSA Publications.

Professor of history at McGill University, Montreal. 8 November 1994. Telephone interview.

Professor of international affairs at Carleton University, Ottawa. 8 November 1994. Telephone interview.

Reuters. BC Cycle. 3 October 1994. Firat Bakir. "Turkey Doubles Forces in Attack on Rebel Kurds." (NEXIS)

. BC Cycle. 16 March 1993. "Bombs Wound Seven in Turkish Cities." (NEXIS)

. BC Cycle. 10 February 1993. "Turkish Police Detain 12 Suspected Leftists." (NEXIS)

Revolutionary and Dissident Movements: An International Guide. 1991. 3rd ed. London: Longman Group UK.

The Toronto Star. Final edition. 11 October 1994. "Turkish Security Forces Fight Alliance of Kurds, Leftists." (NEXIS)

Attachments

Associated Press (AP). 3 February 1994. "Police Arrest Leftist Militants, Seize Dynamite Sticks." (NEXIS)

BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 31 October 1994. "Internal and Security Reports; Bomb Explodes at Istanbul Mosque Slightly Injuring Carrier." (NEXIS)

BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 27 April 1994. "Explosives Thrown at Istanbul Banks." (NEXIS)

Communist and Marxist Parties of the World. 1990. 2nd ed. Compiled by Charles Hobday. Revised and updated by Roger East. Chicago: St. James Press, pp. 158-163.

Political Handbook of the World: 1992. 1992. Edited by Arthur S. Banks. Binghampton, NY: CSA Publications, pp. 783.

Reuters. BC Cycle. 3 October 1994. Firat Bakir. "Turkey Doubles Forces in Attack on Rebel Kurds." (NEXIS)

. BC Cycle. 16 March 1993. "Bombs Wound Seven in Turkish Cities." (NEXIS)

. BC Cycle. 10 February 1993. "Turkish Police Detain 12 Suspected Leftists." (NEXIS)

Revolutionary and Dissident Movements: An International Guide. 1991. 3rd ed. London: Longman Group UK, pp.346-350.

The Toronto Star. Final edition. 11 October 1994. "Turkish Security Forces Fight Alliance of Kurds, Leftists." (NEXIS)