It is evidently claimed that PKK sends ‘extortion envelopes’ to businessmen through municipalities and civil society associations in the region and it is also claimed that those who don’t pay their extortions, are being punished.

PKK reportedly sends envelopes in different colors indicating their commercial power to businessmen under the cover of relieving activities for Sur, Cizre, Silopi and Nusaybin, which were mostly destructed by PKK itself, through municipalities and some associations.

Renowned for levying money from drug cartels under the name of ‘tax’ in the region, PKK, recently, has been conducting crackdown on businessmen and local business owners to collect money. The information gathered by ILKHA shows the great scale of suppression and extortion practiced by PKK.

It is alleged that at the behest of an owner of a well-known supermarket chain, who is also a senior official in Kayapınar district municipality while running chairmanship of many pro-PKK associations, “envelopes” are being sent to businessmen and local business owners.

Shopping malls, refused to pay extortion, attacked

It is alleged that money is being demanded in proportion to the businessmen’s economic power, shopping malls in Diyarbakır were forced to pay sizeable amount of money, yet shopping malls, refused to pay, were attacked. As it is remembered one of the biggest shopping malls of the city was attacked with IEDs 5 months ago following gun attacks.

A manager of one of the biggest private companies, whose name remains anonymous, said “we received an envelope in which it is written that’ we are in an awkward situation as Kurdistan passes through, all our commercial activities have been cut by state. We are in economic difficulties. We wait Kurdistan businessmen’s support.’ “

Indicating that they reacted to this ‘extortion envelope’ when they were given, manager said: “I tore up the envelope when I saw the things written in the envelope. I said to them that we have no money to give them. Then the person brought the envelope said to me that I was only a courier.”

Another business owner, whose name remains anonymous, told us about the envelopes that: “those who paid extortions after being kidnapped or voluntarily are being haunted by some other units demanding money. As you see they have never run out of units.  City organization! District organization! Youth organization! Such and such.

And he added that employees in municipalities are also obliged to pay extortion under the faculty principle of taxation, those, who feel uncomfortably, also pay this so called tax for fear of their lives.

PKK member who came to collect extortion shot with his gun

In Mardin’s Kızıltepe district, a PKK member who came to collect extortion from a workshop was shot in his foot by the owner of the workshop.

Born in Germany, a Turkish national, S. A. came to an auto dealer in Kızıltepe. He extended a check to the business owner and said that PKK fined him and he was there to collect it.

Then, a quarrel broke out between PKK militant and the owner and the owner took the militant’s gun and shot him in his feet.

It is complained by a very large group of people from different cities in the region that PKK members take advantage of security vacuum after July 15 coup attempt.

 “Security mustn’t be neglected while dealing with putschists”

A businessman in Muş province, A. C said: “PKK has begun to emerge in the cities again especially after the coup attempt. As far as I know, a lot of people were asked to pay extortion and those who refused to pay were threatened. As we see PKK again started to block the roads, detonate the bombs and carry out raids. Security mustn’t be neglected while dealing with putschists.”

“They turn up with notes of Serhad Area Command”

Saying that especially in recent weeks PKK militants have begun to show up in the city centers and threatening business owners, R. B a business owner in Van province, said that if necessary measures aren’t taken, PKK will step up its crackdown on people.

R. B said: “they turn up with notes written Serhad Area Command and levying sizeable amount of money from business owners. They oblige us to pay this money. Otherwise they threaten us to arson our workshops or abduct us. I seriously think of leaving here. I got sick of their threats and persecution. They even continue their threats during solution process. They had been weakened by military operations after June 7 but the coup attempt has encouraged them again and they are again persecuting people.” (ILKHA)