February 24, 2017: The following article has been written by Kurtuluş Kılçer, member of
Central Committee of TKH, regarding Raqqa and the approach of Kurdish political movement to
USA. The article was orginally published on GazeteManifesto.com news portal.
RAQQA ISSUE: POLITICS OF INGRATIATING WITH USA
Unfortunatelly, no one is questioning what the United States is doing on Iraq and Syria. There
is an acceptance, some kind of a submission on its presence, as if it is natural. It looks like that
nowadays, both AKP and Kurdish Political Movement are racing with each other in order to
“sell themselves”.
Pro-AKP media is giving the coverage of capture of al-Bab. On the other hand, the news of
arrival of PYD forces to Raqqa and Deyr ez-zor offence has been given coverage on other news
channels.
This is a race for who the most pro-American is. What we are seeing is the desperation,
oddness and colloboration of “I will operate the Raqqa operation, support me” policy.
The policy of “selling themselves” to USA will not bring any benefit to Turkish and Kurdish
people just like it did no good to Arab people. Just like when USA occupied and brought the
destruction to Iraq. Just like when an imperialst plan was enabled as the Islamist terror in
Syria.
We have to be clear on this. Imperialism has been using ethnic wars, religion wars and any
other means for its own benefit. This is the reality that we are seeing in the Middle East. By
igniting sectarianism in Iraq and Syria, imperialist backed terror and destruction bulldozed
through these two countries. Now, Iran is the new target and as the Islamist movement in
Turkey showing hostility towards Iran, its two characteristics have been revealed: their
secterianism and their hidden motives for colloboration with USA by saying the same things.
The process mentioned above has been named as The Great Middle East Plan and its
destination point is nothing but blood and terror. AKP’s coming to power in Turkey has to be
interpreted as a part of this process. The enterance of jihadists to Syria through Turkey is a
part of this plan. AKP is the major responsible force of this situation.
The purpose was to divide Iraq, Syria and then Iran. It would be a naive to think that
imperialism has not accomplished its plans partly. It is clear that this “disintegration policy”
would end with the actual presence pf USA in the region and at the same time, it is impossible
for Turkey to be exempt from it. By analyzing the consequences of this “disintegration policy”,
new governance units, which USA rooted in, is the motivation of this plan.
USA has been using Peshmerga, PYD and Turkish soldiers as “foot soldier” as it tried to get
settled in Syria and Iraq.
Great trick… Target PYD for Turkey and target Turkey for PYD and then use them both! By
playing a dirty trick, Turks and Kurds are going for their death and USA is stationing in the
region! That is all it can be said. While everyone is justifying the presence of USA for the battle
against ISIS, they keep their heads down as imperialism is settling down on the region.
AKP and the Kurdish Political Movement are analyzing this situation exactly in the same
direction: “I will make the Raqqa operation, support me…”
This is the very consequence of keeping its head down for imperialist actions: Secterianism,
colloboration, nationalism, Americanism… Barzani is trying to found a Kurdish state and is
dependened on the American imperialism. PYD is trying to protect its “achievements” and
found a local government and is basing its trust on USA and backed by it. Turkey is seeing this
situation as a threat to itself and tries to get help from USA. It is a simple matter that Turkey
can open up a new front before the presidency referandum.
Imperialism is harmful for Arabs, Turks and Kurds as well. That is the missing point. The
revolutionary politics and anti-imperialism are the only answers against this acceptance
policy towards imperialist politics.
We, the communists, are not part of this situation as we oppose it by all means.
AKP is a so-called “national force” and defeating the plans against Turkey, really?
Kurdish Political Movement is defending the Kurdish people’s rights who are oppressed by
AKP, really?
By Americanism, you can not support any one’s rights, a nation’s dignity and sovereignity. By
Americanism, you can only be a colloborator regime which is backed by USA. If that is what
you want, go ahead.
Questions like “But USA is a reality, what can we do?” has no consistency at all. The reality is
the “Kurdish card” is at the hands of imperialism.
New developments will occur as a result of Raqqa operation. AKP government can open a new
front in Northern Iraq, play new moves on the Menbic topic. PYD can make new moves after
Raqqa operation and Barzani can make new moves after Mosul operation.
These potential developments can happen alongside with other possibilities. Don’t be
surprised…
February 27th, 2017: Progressive Women’s Association (İlerici Kadınlar Derneği – İKD),
socialist women’s movement in Turkey, gained momentum as the campaign against the
“Presidency Constitution” progresses and have opened its headquarters in İstanbul.
PROGRESSIVE WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION (İKD)
HEADQUARTERS HAS BEEN OPENED
The event began with the talk of Nuray Yenil, the president of the Progressive Women's
Association, which has been reestablished as the heir and successor of the historical İKD.
Yenil talked about the establishment process of the İKD and said, “We knew that we were
going to move on step by step in the struggle. Within the last year, the Progressive Women's
Association has actually done important work in a number of areas, holding important positions
in the society. We started to organize the İKD in the localities. Today, we think that, with the
opening of our headquarters, we have passed a new phase in order to organize and grow the İKD.
Now, we all know there is a referendum agenda in front of us. The Progressive Women's
Association took the decision to organize No Committees and now we organize and grow in a
number of places and in many places outside of Istanbul and outside of Istanbul. Our voice
should be much more glowing; the presidential agenda, the referendum, the regime change and
how Turkey's fate will be determined, are very important points for women. If we think that the
most of the women are affected by the reactionary attacks of the AKP for 15 years, and if we are
aware of the exploitation of women's labor, the violence against women, and the increase of
women's murders, today we must raise our voice against the regime change. We need to grow up,
multiply, and organize İKD so that we can struggle with all of this. I think for the 8th of March
today it is a new beginning for all of us and we should get together with more women. From
tomorrow, on March 8, in the name of the İKD, let's be in the streets. Let's start to organize so
that the branches of the İKD can be established everywhere in all the localities that we are in."
Hande Durna, a member of the General Executive Board of İKD, said, “The root of the struggle
of the Progressive Women's Association must be on every street in every neighborhood.
Whatever is bad in Turkey, exploitation, violence, child and woman murders, women are always
there. It is the right of live that we are talking about now. Even if you are in a bus with wearing
shorts, play sports when you are pregnant, even if you come back from one place late at night,
can be a reason of your right to live is taken from your hand. We have to grow the struggle of the
Progressive Women's Association for our right to live. Women will make it if they want it, the
important thing is to decide to do it. We want women in Turkey not to be notified of their
victimization, but of resistance, and of struggle.”
Berçem Göktürk, Chairwoman of İKD Şişli Branch, talked about the decision to organize the
No Committees in Şişli in order to organize the comitees neighborhood by neighborhood and
street by street and to convey the work they have done. Göktürk said, “We will organize ‘No’ in
every house, neighborhood, and we will grow. But our work will not end with the referendum, as
we will have to organize in a way that will continue this struggle for Turkey as İKD on April 17th
(the day after the referendum). We must have an agenda to open branches in all localities, a
place where women can be in it, where solidarity will grow. We invite all women to become
members of our association. Now we are leaving from here with the responsibility of “what can I
do to raise both the İKD and ‘No’ in the referendum?” We wish you to note these questions in a
corner of your mind and your heart.”
Following their speeches, the participants also spoke to express their own views on the
upcoming presidential referendum, the work to be done for the No organization, the struggle
of women and the organization of laboring women.
At the end of the event, the event of the Progressive Women's Association on 8 March
Working Women's Day was shared. In this context, it was first decided that all the guests
should organize the action titled “Women Say No to the Presidential Dictatorship!” to be held in
Kartal Square on March 5th with the invitation of the Progressive Women's Association. Many
İKD sympathizers participating in the event filled in their member forms and joined İKD.
February 19, 2017: “Construction workers are joining together against exploitation” event was
held by Construction and Building Workers Association (İYİ-DER) in İstanbul. Journalist İsmail
Saymaz, author of the book, Nature of Things: Murder not Work Accidents (Fıtrat: Cinayet İş
Kazası Değil),which is about the workers that dies in easily preventable industrial accidents
around Turkey, and Kıvanç Sezer, director of the movie, My Father’s Wings (Babamın Kanatları),
which is about the life a construction worker with a serious illness and made its premiere on the
51th International Film Festival Karlovy Vary while earning the Best Movie Award in Adana Film
Festival, were also with the construction workers on that day.
CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ARE JOINING TOGETHER AGAINST
EXPLOITATION
The event started with one minute silence in the honor of all those workers who died in
constructions.
Opening speech was made by Ali Öztutan, head of Construction and Building Workers
Association. In his speech, he stated the importance of organised struggle against industrial
accidents and deaths in the construction areas. He also mentioned that Construction and
Building Workers Association were started with a handful of people but now it became one of
the biggest organizations which have been fighting in the name of thousands of workers. In
his speech, he highlighted the importance for struggling against this system of exploitation
which today named as presidency system and called to vote for “No”.
After Ali Öztutan, construction worker Abdurrahman Eren, who was forced by economic
conditions to work as a construction worker to support his father’s health condition at the
same time as he has been pursuing his educational life, took to the stage.
He told his story about the inhumane conditions on construction areas in which the workers
were forced to sign an empty blank of paper in order to get fired whenever their boss’ wanted.
As he has been working as a construction worker since 2012, he stated that after he met with
Construction and Building Workers Association (IYI-DER), his working standards got
improved. He exlaimed, “Now all those beautiful houses were ascended on our breads and
labour.” He ended his speech by saying that after he met with Constuction and Building
Workers Association (IYI-DER), he has been telling every construction worker about the
association to join the struggle.
After Abdurrahman Eren’s speech, Kıvanç Sezer’s movie, My Father’s Wings, which made its
premiere on the 51th International Film Festival Karlovy Vary and earned the Best Movie
Award in Adana Film Festival, were shown as Kıvanç Sezer was present. After the movie,
Kıvanç Sezer talked about what motivates him to make this movie.
He stated that he was deeply touched by a university student which fell down from a building
construction as he was working on 2010 and stated that the idea about making a film about
construction workers was first come up on 2012. He highlighted that in reality, there is a
much worse scenario than what it is in his movie. “As Marx said, De te fabula narrator” he
ended his speech. He also said that he is willing to do many other film screenings with
Construction and Building Workers Association (IYI-DER).
Another construction worker got on stage and stated that there are many other deaths in the
3rd Airport Construction which are covered up. “Industrial accidents are concealed. We have to
stop this exploitation system. We have to get organized against mafia wannabes and bosses.
There have been lots of deaths in the construction site of the 3rd Airport.” he explained.
Journalist İsmail Saymaz was also present in the organization. He stated that last year,
officially 1980 workers were killed in construction areas, which statistically mean that a
worker has been killed since the beginning of the event. He ended his speech by saying, “If you
do not want to be the next victim, hold the banner from the end of it.”
The last speech was made by Erkan Kılıç, a member of administrative body of Construction
and Building Workers Association (IYI-DER). He stated that the association has been
struggling against the exploiting system of bosses since its foundation and from now on,
voices of the construction workers will be heard more than ever.
He stated that, “We have to ask my friends, as construction owners siphoning off massive
amounts of money, how come construction workers are heavily exploited? Did not they enslave
construction workers while they say the construction sector is shining star of Turkey? Don’t we
lose our construction workers friends every year just because of there are no measures about
worker's health and safety? In the construction industry, which has become a “paradise” for
subcontracting, do we not find ourselves often at the door of the worksite without being granted
our rights? The capitalist class in construction industry is organised in Turkish Contractors
Association. They are organised in the Housing Development Administration of Turkey (TOKİ)
and Labor Bureaus. We are the ones that are not organised. There are more than 2 million
construction workers who are not organised. IYI-DER is here to organise construction workers
and become their voice. If the capitalist class their own union and organisations, then
construction workers have IYI-DER. “
January 31st, 2017: Following content provides a detailed analysis regarding to executive
presidency and constitutional amendment. It is orginally published in the second issue of NO
newspaper.
WHY"NO?"
Executive presidency is one-man rule!
What is the republic?
Republic is the people's administration. It is a historical progress that arose in France, 1789
against the monarchy. The concept of popular sovereignty came up with the Republic and
ended the rule of monarchy and sultanate. Republic means that progressing popular
sovereignty through Parliament and representatives.
The republic has four essentials: Parliament, constitution, elections and political liberties. The
republic gains significance with those essentials. Any change that empties those essentials
means a backward move.
There has been a struggle of the republic against sultanates and monarchies and there have
been constitutional monarchies in the cases of partial achievements. Constitutional monarchy
is a backward form of government than the republic.
Today, there are discussions about switching to executive presidency which will give
permissions for making parliament useless whenever wanted as well as changing election
system highhanded. This constitutional amendment has nothing to do with the Republic.
They don't want the republic, they want constitutional monarchy!
The executive presidency is a backward regime than the republic. What AKP wants to do is
that they want to adapt constitutional monarchy to modern-day. The only difference is: rather
than handing power from father to son, the "sultanate" will be elected. The President will have
power that even not given to the monarchs.
The Parliament will be a notary institution!
The Parliament, the essential institution of the Republic regimes, will be a symbolic and
useless institution with executive presidency. It will only have the name but no power. The
Parliament will be a notary institution with a majority party that President is also member of.
Executive presidency means permanent state of emergency (OHAL)
The only proposed amendment to the constitution is the introduction of a permanent state of
emergency regime. Even though it is not related to the constitutional amendment, state of
emergency is regulated as a news regime and it gives permissions to the President including
oppressing basic rights and liberties in all areas. Executive presidency means permanent state
of emergency.
Judiciary will be handed over to one-man!
With the constitutional amendment, appointing higher judicial bodies would be duty of the
President and the parliament. Yet, with the appointment of a majority party in the parliament
that the president is also member of, judiciary can not be considered as independent.
Judiciary will be handed over to one-man.
The permission to dissolve the Parliament would make it functionless!
The President will have the permission to dissolve the Parliament. Despite the fact that both
the Parliament and the President elections would be elected at the same time, it will be
possible to dissolve the Parliament under the circumstances of war, state of emergency or
martial law. It is clear that this type of regime would lead to a dictatorship.
The President will have legislative power!
The President will have the legislative power same as sultanates. This means replacing oneman with the Parliament. The fate of the country will be dependent on one-man who is not
even supervised.
The State Supervisory Council, legislation and judiciary would be controlled by
executive!
The President is objective and represents the state under current system. That's the reason
why the State Supervisory Council was created in order to supervise legislative, executive and
judiciary institutions. However, the President would not enable the State Supervisory Council
under this executive presidency.
Not separation of powers but one-man rule!
They [AKP] want a system which does not include checks and balances but only one man
rules. Judiciary members are appointed by the President according to constitutional
amendment. The Parliament will be organized by the party that the President is also member
of.
The constitutional amendment is a follow up of 12 September 1980 constitution
The AKP, which has been in power for 15 years, has not written a new constitution. The
constitutional amendment introduced today is nothing more than the continuation of
the constitution of September 12th coup. The AKP, which came to power after the reactionary
policies of the September 12th coup, wants to continue its rule based on the September 12th
coup. The saying of "We are changing the constitution" is a big lie.
Executive Presidency is dictatorship!
AKP wants to change the constitution and go to presidential regime. The presidency is not a
more stable country, but a transition to one-man rule. The Parliament will now look at the
mouth of one man, the judge will decide by the commands of one man. They want to replace
the rule of law with the dictatorship regime. Today it is a dictatorial regime requested by the
AKP. Our country is going to a great disaster. It's the last exit before the bridge. Our working
people are going to stop the dictatorship!
Do not forget!
If there is executive presidency, there will not be freedom!
If there is executive presidency, there will not be popular sovereignty!
If there is executive presidency, there will not be rule of law!
Stand against executive presidency!
VOTE “NO” FOR A NEW TURKEY!
They are [AKP] in power for 15 years. They captured the state and annihilated secularism.
They became the executive of U.S.A's Greater Middle East Initiative (BOP) and destroyed the
benefits of 1923 Republic. They sold public property and made benefits available to the
bosses. Summary of the 15-year AKP government is clear: bombing massacres, war, coup
attempt, industrial accidents, poverty, unearned income, lawlessness and FETÖ...
They established their own tutelage. Now, they want to create the status quo of this
reactionary regime. That's why they are insistent for one-man rule. This 15 years of sultanate
has to be finished. The way to New Turkey must be opened.
"NO" for a New Turkey!
February 8th, 2017
Headline of the third issue of “NO” newspaper
NO TO NEW KENAN EVREN
The constitutional amendment of executive power brought to the agenda by the AKP is
neither a new constitution nor a salvation of September 12th, 1980 constitution. On the
contrary, the soul of September 12th has been processed on the new constitutional
amendment. Let's remember how FETÖ occupied jurisdiction after the constitutional
amendment in 2010. Then they said that we were paying off with September 12th and asked
to people for yes vote. Today, they are playing the same game.
February 15th, 2017
Headline of the fourth issue of “NO” newspaper
DO NOT BELIEVE THE LIES OF “YES”
AKP with the support of fascist MHP continues to call people to vote "Yes" for the dictatorship
regime. However, almost all things that do not fall from their tongues are based on lies. They
are trying to scare people by saying that there will be a civil war if the constitutional
amendment is not approves in April 16th and try to fool people with discourses like "this is a
change of the system". But they are forgetting one thing: The people of this country can not be
underestimated...
February 22nd, 2017
Headline of the fifth issue of “NO” newspaper
February 2017: In the previous months, Communist Movement (Party) of Turkey (TKH) started
its campaign against the referendum on constitutional amendment of executive power, which
will bring nearly endless authority to the president without any chance for any kind of checks
and balances. TKH called for the organization of “Committees for No to Presidency” in every city,
district, neighborhood, workplace and school in Turkey and abroad.
ACTIVITIES FROM COMMITTIEES FOR NO TO PRESIDENCY
February, 5th: Sakarya / Committee for No to Presidency in Sakarya founded!
February, 19th: Eskişehir / Committee for No to Presidency organized their first meeting.
February, 24th: İstanbul / Students in Kemerburgaz University held a meeting to establish the Committee
for No to Presidency.
February, 25: İstanbul / Çekmeköy branch of Committees for No to Presidency has been founded.
February, 25th: Konya / “No” Newspaper is distributed.
February, 26th: Kahramanmaraş branch of Committees for No to Presidency has been founded.
February, 27th: Ankara / Keçiören branch of Committees for No to Presidency has been founded.