From December 2013 until March 2015, I developed and managed a research project into the Turkish paramilitary system, ‘The Village Guard’, funded by the Open Society Foundation and Istanbul Policy Center (a leading Turkish think tank). The research was conducted by three independent, leading academics and supported greatly by the research team at Süreç Research Center.
The paramilitaries are active in the country’s south east and are mostly made up of Kurdish speakers. The project explored, among other issues, the paramilitaries’ attitudes towards the then ongoing ‘Resolution Process’ between the Turkish government and the PKK.
The full report, ‘The Village Guard System and the “Resolution Process”‘ can be found here in Turkish. I am hoping to provide an English summary soon.
