Turkey

Turkish workers commemorate historic struggle

The Association of International Workers' Solidarity (UID-DER) in Turkey organised a commemoration this year of the 15-16 June 1970 workers' protests against anti-union laws, known as "The Great Workers' Resistance".

Soma mining massacre: the terrible cost of capitalist exploitation

On 13 May, the capitalist system of exploitation took the lives of around 300 workers in a coal mine “accident” in Soma, a town in western Turkey. This is the biggest massacre of workers in the form of a “work accident” in the history of Turkey. The technical reason for the incident is still unknown. But for some reason a fire erupted in the mine, producing carbon monoxide with the fatal effect of poisoning the miners. What happened in Soma cannot be downplayed as a “work accident”. What happened was a mass murder at a workplace perpetrated by the boss of Soma Holdings and its accomplice, i.e...

Turkey's sub-imperialist choices

Turkey’s recent political crisis started with the arrest of the sons of three cabinet ministers over claims of bribery and the rigging of state tenders. This quickly developed into a state-wide crisis. The events appear to be a cut-throat power struggle between the government and Gülen movement, a transnational religious and social movement. But the matter cannot be reduced to that. During the 12 years of AKP [Justice and Development Party] rule Turkish capitalism has grown fast; both natural resources and labour have been exploited and plundered immeasurably. During this period, besides...

Teenage Gezi victim dies

15 year-old Berkin Elvan, who was hit by a police canister in the head during the Gezi protests in June 2013 and had been in coma since then, died on 11 March. He was hit in Istanbul’s Okmeydani neighbourhood when he went out to buy bread. He became one of the symbols of the Gezi protests. News of his death has created a burst of anger leading to numerous protests across the country. His funeral was a huge protest participated in by hundreds of thousands of people. They expressed their anger at the AKP government and its police force. But the police did not hesitate to attack the funeral as...

Marxist Revival # 1 out now

The first issue of a new journal of international discussion among revolutionary socialists, Marxist Revival , is out now. Click here to download it as pdf , or to get a printed copy, click here to send us £2 plus £1.20 postage . The journal is produced by the Alliance for Workers’ Liberty and the Iranian Revolutionary Marxists’ Tendency. The first issue also includes a long contribution from the Turkish revolutionary socialist group Marksist Tutum, and a survey from Workers’ Liberty Australia of the revolutionary left in Australia. The journal declares that “it will not be just an open forum...

Turkish trade unionists on trial

On a chilly Thursday morning in late January I found myself standing at the entrance to an ultra-modern building that looked exactly like a shopping centre or hotel . An immense atrium, mirror-like glass everywhere, it was certainly designed by architects with ambitions. The building was the main courthouse in downtown Istanbul — the largest courthouse, we were told, in all of Europe. I was there in order to attend the opening of the trial of 56 members of KESK, the Turkish trade union for public sector workers. The KESK members are accused of membership in an illegal organisation, and making...

Socialist Worker looks two ways on Islamists

Socialist Worker of 21 January cites approvingly "a statement issued by the Revolutionary Left Current [in Syria which] spoke of 'the double repression' suffered by the popular movement - from the regime and armed Islamist groups". It quotes an RLC activist: "people say we need a second revolution". Until now, mostly, Socialist Worker , and related currents of thought, have been willing to criticise Islamists only when, and on the grounds that, they are neo-liberal, pro-IMF, etc. The Islamist ultras of ISIL/ISIS in Syria are not particularly pro-IMF. They are more "anti-imperialist", if "anti...

More "3 Cosas" solidarity from Turkish workers

Workers at the Hacettepe University in Ankara, Turkey, have contacted the University of London's "3 Cosas" campaign for equality between outsourced and directly-employed staff to express their support and solidarity. The workers at active in UID-DER, a rank-and-file network in the Turkish labour movement which sent solidarity greetings to 3 Cosas from its 15 December conference (see here ). The Hacettepe workers write: Our dear class brothers and sisters, We are sending our greetings to you from Hacettepe University, Turkey. We are workers who had been dismissed because of our struggle against...

Turkey: pro-US or Putin path?

Recent developments in Turkey represent a new crisis within the political establishment. On the surface we see an investigation into corruption initiated by the judiciary. The scandal reached the top of the ruling AKP (Freedom and Justice Party) and government officials, even Prime Minister Erdogan’s son. A cabinet reshuffle followed, with many ministers being forced to resign by Erdogan. On one level this is a power struggle between the Gülen movement and the Erdoganists. The AKP and the Gülen movement are both soft-Islamists, but with different roots. The Gülen movement holds many positions...

Turkish trade union militants' 3 Cosas solidarity

Solidarity editor Cathy Nugent, along with other AWL members, recorded a video message of solidarity that was broadcast to the recent UID-DER conference. The Association of International Workers' Solidarity (UID-DER in Turkish) is a network which helps rank-and-file militants in the Turkish labour movement organise, co-ordinate, build solidarity, and plan joint campaigns. Workers' Liberty has been developing links with Marksist Tutum , the anti-Stalinist revolutionaries who have been active in developing UID-DER. On 15 December, UID-DER held a campaign conference for its latest campaign...

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