Turkish teachers urgently need our financial support

URGENT ACTION APPEAL - TURKEY: Request for action and financial solidarity 

Today, (Sunday November 27) a congress of the Turkish teachers' trade union EĞITIM-SEN is meeting to discuss how to respond to the attacks on its members. In particular, they are voting on an emergency increase in subscription rates to help support their members who have lost their income because of victimisation by their Government. Trade unionists internationally can - and must - help them too!

Last month, under the guise of a new Presidential emergency decree, over 10,000 public sector employees, including around 800 members of EĞITIM-SEN, were permanently dismissed from their jobs. Over 50,000 more are temporarily suspended from their work. 

As was explained at an emergency meeting held in Ankara the day before, President Erdogan claims these dismissals and suspensions are to combat the threat of 'terrorism' after the failed July coup. They are nothing of the sort. In reality, his increasingly dictatorial regime is using the State of Emergency to launch a 'counter-coup', labelling a 'terrorist' anybody who opposes his regime.

The meeting in Ankara was attended by representatives from a range of Turkish political parties and international trade unions, including myself for the NUT, as well as some of the dismissed colleagues who had travelled there from across the country.

We heard Kamuran Karaca, President of EĞITIM-SEN explain that the Government’s actions "are a huge lie. We do not support any coup or violent attacks. The attacks on our union are not for the reasons given. We know why we are targeted, because we stand for secular free education, for democratic principles and peace, because we won't accept this 'new Turkey' ".

Trade unionists, journalists, elected MPs and Mayors have been detained. Newspapers and media channels have been closed down.  

Trade unionists face some of the worst attacks. As the President of the KESK trade union federation explained to the international trade union delegates later (from the Education International, OLME (Greece), GEW (Germany) and the NUT), the suspensions and dismissals could yet herald even greater repression against trade unions in Turkey. The sackings and suspensions of union activists that have already taken place are meant to intimidate workers as a whole into quietly accepting further attacks to come, for example with the 2017 Budget expecting to mean further cuts to living standards.

I spoke to bring solidarity greetings on behalf of the NUT, recognising the critical role trade unions can play in building united struggle against attempts to divide-and-rule, and promising to publicise their struggle and provide concrete support.

There are many concrete steps we can all take to make that solidarity a reality, including protest letters and rallies but also, and urgently, providing financial support too. 

Around 800 EĞITIM-SEN members are suddenly faced with no income to support themselves and their families. Kamuran explained that the Union needs to raise about 2000 TL a month for each dismissed member. The Congress would be asked to support an increase in subs from 17 to 25 TL a month - nearly a 50% increase.

However, we can't allow our teacher colleagues in Turkey to shoulder this burden alone. I hope that national unions, local associations and individual colleagues will respond to the international appeal that has been launched through Education International and the ETUCE.

The appeal letter sent out by Fred van Leeuwen, EI General Secretary asks affiliates to:

1.      Send protest letters to the Turkish government, Turkish embassy in your country and your country’s embassy in Turkey in order to demonstrate that the international education community has not turned a blind eye to the Turkish authorities’ biased, undemocratic and discriminatory actions, and will continue to monitor the situation in the country.

2.      Organise demonstrations in front of the Embassy of Turkey in your country to raise awareness and promote trade union and human rights.

3.      Urge your Government to make all necessary efforts to put an end to endless arbitrary dismissals, investigations and arrests of Turkish education staff, and to recall that the Turkish government has committed itself to promoting freedom of expression, free speech and basic human rights and fundamental freedoms.

4.      Demonstrate financial solidarity with EĞITIM-SEN by making a contribution to the EI Solidarity Fund:   

IBAN: BE05 3101 0061 7075
SWIFT/BIC: BBRUBEBB

Please indicate “UAA Egitim Sen” in communication.

Your contribution will ensure that legal assistance to Turkish education personnel in need can be provided sustainably via EĞITIM-SEN.

I will be reporting back to the National Union from my visit and to ask that we appeal for financial donations from across the NUT - and other TUC affiliates - to send to the EI so that they can be sent on to Egitim Sen for assistance as indicated above.

 

Let's build that real international solidarity !

A Crime against Miners and their families at Soma

The deaths of so many miners after the explosion at the Soma mine in Turkey has led to both shock and sympathy from across the globe. However, as SPOT, Solidarity with People of Turkey - a solidarity organisation which I have been supporting since my visit to the Gezi Park (See: http://electmartin1.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/direngezi-report-from-our-trade-union.html ) protests last year - have made clear, this was certainly no 'natural disaster'.

SPOT explain that, just 20 days ago, a “research and investigation commission” of mining risks proposed by opposition parties was rejected by the AKP government. The Soma coalmine was recently privatized with an opening ceremony attended by the Energy and Natural Resources and Social Security Minister Taner Yildiz, who declared the coalmine as the “safest coalmine in Europe”. The directors of the company that own the mine have boasted about reducing expenses by around 60%, yet want to suggest this is just an "accident".

At the suggestion of SPOT, I have sent this letter to the Turkish President and Prime Minister this morning:

Dear Sirs,

I am writing as a member of the National Executive of the National union of Teachers here in London to call on government ministers and senior officials in Turkey to launch a full independent investigation into the deaths of over 274 miners at the privately run Soma coalmine.

The deaths of the miners should not be categorised as “fate” or an “occupational hazard” as some of those who bear responsibility for this accident seem to be trying to imply. I urge you to listen to the demands of the Turkish public and international opinion, and call to account the owners of the Soma coalmine for the highly dangerous health and safety conditions that led to so many deaths.

The anger at this crime, as shown when the Prime Minister of the Turkish Republic visited Soma, is felt internationally. International comparisons with mining accidents in other nations cannot hide the facts about the life threatening working conditions in Turkey’s privately run coalmines. It is well documented that the death toll in private mines in Turkey is eleven times higher than those in state owned mines. Furthermore, the request made to the Turkish parliament on 29 April 2014 for an enquiry into the health and safety conditions at the Soma coalmine presented an opportunity to prevent this tragedy. It seems clear that the lives of thousands of miners have been risked as part of cost saving measures, with tragic consequences for miners and their families.

The Turkish government must bring to account those responsible for the brutal corporate murder of the Soma coalminers and ensure that steps are taken to improve health and safety in the mining sector with the aim of preventing such “accidents” in the future.

Yours sincerely, 

Martin Powell-Davies,
Member of the NUT National Executive for Inner London            

Turkish Police use 'Chemical Weapons' on Protestors

WATCH: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Zi4pRW7pMk

As I wrote in my report from the trade union delegation visit to Istanbul last weekend, the pictures of the TOMA water-cannon vehicle spraying peaceful demonstrators only tell part of the story.

As I explained then, after being sprayed with the 'water' from these police vehicles, "it took all of us time to realise that the choking fumes and burning skin were coming from the water from the TOMA. A soaking from this chemical spray left protestors clutching for air and ready to vomit ... if the British and American governments are really concerned about the use of chemical weaponry, perhaps they could start by pressurising their ally Erdogan to stop spraying acidic chemicals on its people". 

Now I know why our skin was burning, eyes stinging and lungs choking. A Turkish news website has posted a video showing police adding pepper-spray directly to the water-tanks!

Have a look for yourself on: http://gundem.milliyet.com.tr/tazyikli-suyun-icinde-ne-var-/gundem/detay/1723722/default.htm

Is it pepper-spray? Well it's clearly a chemical manufactured by Jenix, an Istanbul-based pepper-spray manufacturer with a website: http://www.jenixpepperspray.com/en/

Who can tell what the side-effects and reactions are of receiving a soaking in this kind of chemical, a chemical sprayed sprayed so liberally around Taksim Square last weekend?  It looked, and felt, like a form of chemical weaponry to me.

For further information, see a video report of Friday's Lobby of the Turkish Embassy where I have a chance to make these points on film:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Zi4pRW7pMk

Read my report from last weekend's delegation to Istanbul, including photographs of the TOMA water-cannon vehicles:
http://electmartin1.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/direngezi-report-from-our-trade-union.html

Turkish Embassy insults our trade union delegation

Arm-in-arm to deliver our letter of protest (Martin on the left)

Yesterday, the ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation), IUF (International Union of Food workers), the TUC and UK unions UNITE, RMT, PCS, CWU, Prospect, ASLEF and NUT amongst others, joined forces with the Taksim Solidarity Committee to demonstrate outside the Turkish Embassy in London against the ongoing oppression of protestors in Taksim Square and throughout Turkey.

UPDATE: See this ITF video of the protest - where I am able to point out how Turkish police are using chemical agents in the water-cannon sprayed on protestors: http://youtu.be/_Zi4pRW7pMk

I was part of a delegation of union and community representatives that had hoped for a meeting with the Turkish Ambassador. Insultingly, but perhaps not surprisingly given the Turkish Government's record of repression against trade union activists, the Embassy even refused to open the door to accept our letter of protest.

Despite their refusal to meet us, a noisy demonstration gathered outside the Embassy, finishing with a silent 'duranadam' standing protest. 

I was one of a number of speakers who were able to bring our messages of support and solidarity to the assembled members of the Turkish and Kurdish communities in particular. However, I also pointed out to UK trade unionists that, as the victory against price-rises in Brazil had shown, sometimes the best way to show solidarity is to give workers internationally your own examples of successful struggle. British trade unions urgently need to co-ordinate strike action to oppose cuts and attacks on jobs, pay, pensions and conditions.

The demonstration coincided with other actions taking place around the world. Get more info: http://www.itfglobal.org/campaigns/Direngezi.cfm

Tell tear-gas manufacturers to stop arming Erdogan's police

Erdogan's violent repression of his opponents has already seen five people die in the last three weeks, with many thousands injured, including at least fifteen demonstrators losing eyes.

Many of these injuries have come from the Turkish Police's indiscriminate firing of tear gas cannisters like this one in Ankara:

From: https://www.facebook.com/SosyalistAlternatif

The South Korean distributor CNO Tech (www.cnotech.com), has left its calling card stuck to its weaponry. So now the world can ring CNO to tell them what we think.

E-mail cnotech@yahoo.com and demand that they stop the trade in CS gas to Erdogan's police.

 

The manufacturer of the DK-N500 grenade may in fact be Dae Kwang Chemical Company Limited, since its website boasts that it is "the only manufacturer of teargas products in Korea"

As it explains on http://www.koreaforce.co.kr/tear_gas_products/tear_gas_grenades_tear_gas_canister_dk-n500.html, “Tear gas works by irritating mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, mouth and lungs, and causes crying, sneezing, coughing, difficulty breathing, pain in the eyes, temporary blindness, etc. Lachrymators are thought to act by attacking sulphydryl functional groups in enzymes”.

Dae Kwang’s website suggests that it trades with United States / United Kingdom / Germany / France / Monaco / Turkey / Syria / Saudi Arabia / Iran / Bahrain / Dubai / Oman / Liberia / Ghana / Nigeria.

So is Dae Kwang supplying Erdogan’s police as well? Why not ask to make sure? The website suggests that Dae Kwang can also be contacted on: winandwin@naver.com

UPDATE: Here is the letter that I have sent:

To the Managing Director
Dae Kwang Chemical Company
Haeundae-gu
Busan
South Korea

Dear Sir or Madam

I am writing as a National Executive member of the National Union of Teachers in London, UK, the largest teaching union in Europe.

This weekend, at the invitation of Turkish trade unionists, I had the chance to visit Istanbul to discuss with trade union leaders. I was given shocking reports of deaths and injuries, including skull fractures and permanent loss of eyes, caused by the Turkish Police's firing of CS gas directly at citizens as well as by firing it into confined spaces. In case I needed further evidence, I then witnessed for myself, in the streets around our Hotel, the brutal behaviour of the police and the use of CS gas that trade unionists had described to me.

I see from your website that you describe yourselves as "the only manufacturer of teargas products in Korea" and that you state that you trade with Turkey. I should therefore alert you that I have photographic evidence of DK-N500 canisters that have been picked up in the streets of Ankara and other cities. I therefore need to warn you that, should these products, traded through CNO Tech, have been manufactured by the Dae Kwang Chemical Company, trade unionists believe that you will carry a moral and, potentially, legal responsibility for the deaths and injuries that have been sustained.

I would be for grateful for an urgent response to this complaint and assurance that you will be acting on this evidence to make sure that your equipment is not used in this way, preferably by ceasing any further trade with Turkey.

Martin Powell-Davies
Member of the NUT National Executive, UK

Lewisham NUT ready to do battle on pay!

Thirty-seven members packed into Lewisham NUT's General Meeting tonight to show that they were ready to do battle to oppose performance-pay - and to support my campaign to become NUT National Vice-President as well!

After hearing a reportback from our two delegates to the Annual NUT  Young Teachers' Conference, our first decision was to send messages of support and encouragement to NUT members in Liverpool preparing for regional strike action on June 27th.

Our second key decision was to agree that we would all be marching in London on June 25th in the Regional NUT 'March for Education'. Orders for T-Shirt sizes were taken so that we can all march to the rally in the same NUT clothing, behind the Lewisham NUT banner!

The next vote was to agree that we must urgently go back to our schools tomorrow and warn Heads that, if they support the damaging draft pay policy that Lewisham Authority has circulated in advance of Tuesday afternoon's negotiation meeting, then Lewisham teachers would be calling for National Union support for urgent strike action.

The meeting then unanimously agreed to nominate me to stand in this Autumn's  NUT Vice-President election and also to contribute to my campaign with funding, support, and through a campaign team.

Finally, after a short report of my experiences in Istanbul, the meeting agreed to donate £200 to Turkish teacher unions as a gesture of international solidarity. 

This is a picture of Turkish teachers taking strike action today in protest against state repression

Direngezi - a report from our trade union delegation to Istanbul

Banner in Gezi Park

The brutal invasion of Gezi Park by police on the night of June 15th, the eighteenth day of its occupation, will be remembered as a significant event in the growth of resistance to the authoritarian rule of Tayyip Erdogan’s AKP Government. 

Erdogan sent in the police to demonstrate to his opponents – and his supporters alike – that he was still the master of Istanbul and the Turkish state. However, while he can use bulldozers and tear-gas to clear Gezi Park, he will not be able to sweep the growing hatred of his oppressive regime from the minds of increasing numbers of Turkish workers and youth.  

UPDATE: For a printable .pdf of this report, go to: http://local.teachers.org.uk/templates/asset-relay.cfm?frmAssetFileID=11008
My video footage of the festival atmosphere in Gezi Park and the angry response that followed the police attack: http://youtu.be/x2ym6PuNmqE  plus a link to the report in Sunday's 'Observer' newspaper: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/15/turkey-police-clear-gezi-park

Meeting with HDK MPs

I was in Istanbul as one of a delegation of five trade unionists who had flown from London as part of an international visit, along with delegations from Austria, Germany and Switzerland, organised by EMEP, the Party of Labour. It included Steve Hedley, Assistant General Secretary of the RMT union, together with two other RMT Executive members. 

As originally planned, we were able to attend a meeting convened at our hotel to discuss with the General Secretaries of both of the two main left trade union federations, KESK and DISK. A further meeting was arranged to hear from elected MPs of the HDK coalition of left parties, including those from both Turkish and Kurdish roots.

Steve Hedley (RMT) and Turkish Airlines strikers

I also had the opportunity to leave my NUT flag with Turkish Airlines pickets, already on strike for over a month in defence of trade union rights and to demand the reinstatement of sacked colleagues from their union Hava-Is. This is a dispute which, just in itself, was worthy of a visit to Istanbul in order to develop international solidarity and support from other trade unions across the world.

However, it was Erdogan’s decision to move in the police to crush the Gezi Park occupation that made sure that our visit will not be forgotten by any of the delegations. Our hotel, on a side-street just a few yards from Taksim, turned out to be just on the perimeter of a wall of police, tear-gas and water-cannon thrown around the square. 

Gezi Park just hours before the police attack

Arriving in the early hours of Saturday morning, we had gone straight to Gezi Park, situated just to one side of Taksim Square, to look around. This small wooded park was filled with tents, stalls and sleeping occupiers, a scene that would be familiar to anyone who has visited an Occupy event in many other cities. It had become a forum for debate and discussion between people from a range of backgrounds and traditions.

The stores of gas-masks, fire-extinguishers and medical supplies gave the only indication that this occupation was facing a significant threat of violent police attack. After all, at least three people had already died in the face of police brutality across Turkey in the previous fortnight.

3 am in Gezi Park

Chatting to a young woman, a member of Day-Mer, the Turkish/Kurdish community group in London that had invited me to take part in the delegation, it was clear that the occupiers’ grievances were about a lot more than protecting Gezi Park’s trees from destruction.

She explained how, like many other young women, she saw Erdogan threatening culture, personal freedom and her rights as a woman in particular. Theatres, cinemas and any media outlet critical of the AKP faced harassment and threats of closure. Rights to abortion were being abolished with Erdogan insisting that women should expect to bear at least three children.

Delegation meets with KESK

We learned more about the threats to trade unionists in particular in the discussions that took place on Saturday morning. Both the leaders of DISK and KESK explained how Erdogan’s authoritarian style of Government was alienating increasing sections of the population, with the Gezi Park struggle acting as a catalyst to bring together different groups with a range of grievances and demands.

Education was being threatened by having Islamic theology imposed on the curriculum, health services were facing privatisation, trade unions fighting for improved wages and working conditions and for the right to freely organise. 

DISK banner in Gezi Park

The DISK GS explained how they had been represented alongside other groups on the Taksim Resistance committee for over a year now. DISK was trying to integrate the demands of the Gezi protestors with the wider demands of the trade union movement. In answer to my question, the KESK GS made clear that, if the police were to move on the park, the federation would respond by calling a national strike. I am glad to report that KESK has kept that promise and, as a separate blogpost indicates, http://electmartin1.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/turkey-statement-from-disk-trade-unions.html , will also be joined by DISK in that action.

At the concert on Saturday evening

On Friday night, with many occupiers clearly exhausted by 17 days of occupation, and with no obvious stewarding of the perimeter, it seemed to us that Gezi Park was vulnerable to police attack. However, returning on a sunny Saturday evening, with the park packed with thousands of trade unionists, local residents and families, it was hard to imagine that any Prime Minister could order police to attack in the way that Erdogan seems to have done.

Nevertheless, it was clear that, with Erdogan planning to hold a mass rally of his supporters on the outskirts of in Istanbul on Sunday, the stage was set for a possible confrontation. Few in the Park seemed to be aware of the specific threat to the occupiers that had been made by Erdogan at his rally in Ankara that afternoon. 

Zulfu Livaneli

Unaware of the events that were about to unfold, the Park was in a festival mood on Saturday night. Trade unionists were standing with flags among the crowd in front of the stage where striking transport workers addressed the Park, followed by speeches from DISK speakers commemorating the uprising of 15/16 June 1970, when hundreds of thousands of workers had taken to the streets of Istanbul. A concert by well-known singer Zulfu Livaneli followed with both old and young singing along to the music. Soon, these crowds would face a terrifying assault.

To the later relief of our partners and friends, our delegation decided to take a break from touring around the different trade union and party stalls in the park. Instead, we left to grab a bite to eat in a nearby restaurant so we could discuss further with a DISK organiser about how a strike movement could be extended to workers beyond the two left-wing federations. 

Facing the TOMA water cannon

Soon after our food arrived, the DISK organiser received a call on his mobile. The police had just made an ultimatum that everyone had to leave Gezi Park. Soon after, as people fled past our windows away from Taksim Square, and the waiters rushed to close the doors before choking chemicals could drift in, we knew the police attack was underway.

As we later found out from other delegations who had remained there, police first fired tear gas bombs into the air right across the park, then attacked to drive people out into the surrounding streets on the opposite side of Taksim from where we had gone. Police reportedly even chased protestors into the Divan Hotel, firing choking water cannon through its doors.

In the restaurant, the colleague from DISK had been explaining how Erdogan had hoped that he had struck a deal with the Taksim Resistance committee that would buy him time to prepare for a promised ‘referendum’ over the future of this remaining piece of greenery in the heart of Istanbul. However, Erdogan had reportedly become enraged when a DISK representative had pointed out that the protests were no longer just about trees but about wider social issues. Nevertheless, in order to gain time to consolidate and build the movement, the Taksim Resistance committee had apparently reached the conclusion that they would make an offer to Erdogan that they would just maintain a token presence in the park while discussions continued. The police attack put an end to any such negotiation. 

Choking fumes on Istiklal

We headed out into Istiklal street, the main pedestrianised road leading up to Taksim Square. It was already thronged by thousands, soon to become perhaps tens of thousands, of people who flooded into the streets to demonstrate their anger and defiance. Between us and the square stood lines of riot police and a threatening white ‘TOMA’ vehicle armed with a powerful water-cannon.

Seasoned protestors came with gas masks and a hard-hat, others wore swimming goggles or scarves as protection. Youth banged the shutters of the shops lining the streets. Protestors chanted and shouted, rising to a loud cat-call when the noise of the pumps of the TOMA vehicle could be heard, meaning its water-cannon was about to fire down on us. 

Defiance on the edge of Taksim Square

Basing our expectations on British media reports of tear-gas and pepper-spray, it took all of us time to realise that the choking fumes and burning skin were coming from the water from the TOMA. A soaking from this chemical spray left protestors clutching for air and ready to vomit. Crowds parted every now and again to allow the injured to be rushed away.

The RMT flag was unfurled amid the chanting crowds while I managed to grab a chance to give some interviews over the noise in response to some calls that I was receiving from Britain, including ‘The Observer’.

With phone batteries dead, we made our way back to our hotel through the back-streets to pause and get a change of clothes. The protests in our area subsided for a while until a group of working-class youth marched into the neighbourhood chanting and waving football scarves. They set straight to work ripping down some metal sheeting to form a mobile barricade from behind which they could shout at the police above them on the Square. 

Tear gas fired down from Taksim

Some taunted police with a song that, roughly translated, calls on them to put down their shields and helmets, to then see who would win the fight. This time the noise of the exploding tear-gas shell could be heard as police fired at them down the hill. The skirmish ended although battles reportedly raged in other parts of the city with many tens of thousands taking to the streets.

By Sunday morning, Taksim was quiet, protected by a line of police that was turning anyone away, even the elderly, who needed to cross the square. With the RMT delegation having returned to London to join a protest rally in Trafalgar Square, I joined the other international delegations in a taxi ride to the studio of the Hayat TV channel, one of the few who had been prepared to broadcast the protest movement. Most of the big channels had tried to pretend it wasn’t happening and had just broadcast shows on cooking, penguins and soap operas! It had just fought-off an attempt to revoke its broadcasting licence, an attack which had been seen as an act of political victimisation by Erdogan’s regime. 

Tear gas on Sunday afternoon

We then held our own Press Conference back at our hotel. I was able to explain my view that, under the guise of defending ‘religion’ and ‘traditional values’, the AKP were, in reality, seeking to attack every worker through cuts, privatisation and attacks on personal freedoms and freedom of the press. The movement now needed to organise, extending and co-ordinating committees across the country. A key role fell to the trade union movement to use the power of collective strike action. I congratulated KESK for its decision to strike (now joined by DISK as well) and pledged that we would use our visit to publicise and explain the struggles of Turkish trade unionists and youth. 

Water cannon and police seal off top of Istiklal street

I walked with a colleague from Day-Mer to attend one last meeting, a Press Conference where the Taksim Resistance committee was going to call for further mobilisations around Taksim that afternoon. However, perhaps to disrupt that meeting, the police started to attack protestors in broad daylight.

Early on a Sunday afternoon, with locals and tourists running for cover, the riot police were again firing tear-gas and the TOMA letting out their torrents of chemical spray. Indeed, if the British and American governments are really concerned about the use of chemical weaponry, perhaps they could start by pressurising their ally Erdogan to stop spraying acidic chemicals on its people. 

An Erdogan battle-bus near the AKP rally

After coming face-to-face with the riot police, we managed to find our way out to a passing taxi and get away to the airport for the flight back to London. On the way we passed a AKP bus headed for Erdogan’s rally on the road out to the airport. It was a concrete display of the polarisation in Turkey between the two sections massed in different parts of the city. 

The trade union movement has to organise to undercut Erdogan’s support by explaining that his Government represents the interests of a wealthy few, while it is the trade unions and Left parties, acting to defend ordinary people’s rights and livelihoods, that can help build a movement, and a society, that acts in the interests of the millions, not the millionaires.

INTERNATIONAL PROTESTS ON FRIDAY JUNE 21:
https://www.facebook.com/events/673431279340973/

In London: outside the Turkish Embassy, 43 Belgrave Square, London, SW1X 8PA:
The ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation), IUF (International Union of Food workers) and UK unions, the TUC, UNITE, RMT, PCS and NUT amongst others, are joining forces with the Taksim Solidarity Committee to demonstrate outside the Turkish Embassy in London against the ongoing oppression of protestors in Taksim Square and throughout Turkey.

The demo will coincide with other actions going on around the world. Get more info: http://www.itfglobal.org/campaigns/Direngezi.cfm

SEND IN YOUR PROTESTS TODAY:
Email protests to the addresses below, demanding the Turkish authorities stop the repression:
The Turkish Republic, Prime Ministry
Tel: +90 312 422 10 00
E–mail: bimer@basbakanlik.gov.tr
Fax: +90 312 422 18 99

Mayor of Istanbul
Tel: +90 212 204555953
E-mail: basin@istanbul.gov.tr

Turkish Consulate in London
Tel: 020 7591 6900
Fax 020 7591 6911
E-Mail consulate.london@mfa.gov.tr

SIGN THE 'LABOUR START' PETITION ON:
http://www.labourstartcampaigns.net/show_campaign.cgi?c=1840

SIGN THE PETITION BY TAKSIM GEZI EUROPE ON:
www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/to-turkish-prime-minister-recep-tayip-erdogan-end-the-suppression-release-all-people-in-custody-immediately

Turkey: Statement from DISK trade unions - striking with KESK tomorrow

This way to Taksim

Before I post my own report, I am sharing a message I have received tonight from Kivanc, from DISK's International Relations Department. He was a great support to the British trade union delegation over the weekend, including as we stood facing the police near Taksim last night.

Kivanc confirms that the DISK federation of unions will be joining the KESK federation in taking strike action tomorrow in protest at the invasion of Gezi Park. 

In addition, here is a statement that he also passed on to me from a DISK source:

The people's resistance and mobilization is in its 20th day. Since 8 pm last night, in Taksim Square and many districts there have been non-stop clashes with police. Police attackes over peaceful protestors with excessive violence, with pepper and tear gasses, water cannons and water with liquid pepper gas and plastic bullets.

On Friday early morning, PM Erdoğan had to meet with Taksim Solidarity representatives including DİSK General Secretary Mrs. Dr. Çerkezoğlu, Turkish Doctors Association, Turkish Architectures Association and other mass organizations to find a solution however PM was very angry and agressive, he discussed with our General Secretary and after the meeting he targeted our Secretary, claiming that she is a "ultra unionist". After the meeting, spokeperson of the government stated that they would respect to the legal court's decision that stopped the construction of the shopping mall in Gezi Park, the only green public place in central Istanbul.

However this is not sufficient for people. If government had stated this 20 days ago, this might be a solution, however in this 20 days, 5 people died, almost 7.000 people were injured. 15 people lost their eyes. There are 50 heavily injured people. Thousands of people were taken under custody. In all cities millions poured to the streets demanding resignation of the government. The number of people joined this mobilization is estimated to be as almost 10 million by press but this may be higher. Government now tried to limit all mobilization to Gezi Park issue and make propoganda to spare "innocent-pacifist environmentalists vs marginal, illegal groups." People oppose and object this issue.

In Saturday, Taksim Solidarity decided to normalize the process, they cleaned some barricades and decided to establish one symbolic tent and lifting all other hundreds tents. Platform decided to continue mobilization with other peaceful mass demonstrations. However despite such decision, at 8 pm, police attacked Gezi Park with intense gas bombs, injured hundreds of people and destroyed all tents. Since then, spontenously, hundred thousands poured to streets in all parts of Istanbul, ten thousands of people closed the traffic in main international motorway and marched over the Taksim Square. Ten thousands marched in Asian side over Bosphorus Bridge. They clashed with police and passed all police barricades.

Police forces normally have numbers in their helmets but in this two days, there is no any number in helmets of police that let them to do whatever they like. They even got in Shopping Malls and 5 star hotels where protestors try to hide. They send pepper gas inside hotels, cafes and normal houses. There is no limit of the police violence.

Clashes still continue in many districts and people insist on pouring streets and marching over police by using ferries, buses, cars and on foot since 8 pm last night. (this is written on 6 pm) People will meet at 7 and 9 pm as well. People only use peaceful ways, protesting police, horning their cars and they try to re-send pepper gases back to police.

Last night one lady (55) was died in Istanbul by hearth attack after police attack with pepper gas. Today there are many heavily injured people and there may be more deads.

Clashes have spread to Ankara, Adana. In Ankara since last night, clashes have been continuing. Today there was a funeral of a young man, Ethem Sarısülük, who was killed last week by police bullet that was recorded by TV channels. Police even attacked over the funeral with water cannons. There are mass demonstrations in Izmir, Eskişehir, Bursa, Trabzon and even strongholds of the government as Kayseri, Konya.

DİSK and KESK declared strike and called their members to be at demonstrations to protest government.

Government and Pm Erdoğan's reaction was to polarize people and suppress the mobilization with violence. He calls mobilization of his supporters. Yesterday, he had a mass meeting in Ankara and he declared that he will clean the Taksim Square and just 2 hours later police started intervention. Now he organizes a mass meeting in Istanbul. government uses all public sources to mobilize his supporters with free transport and free meal. Erdoğan targets CNN; BBC and other international media channles by giving fabr,cated news and blaming foreign and domestic interest groups to stop raise of Turkish State as a global power. But until today, he was defending to be a part of EU, NATO and he was enjoying the US support. He is threatening protestors and making propaganda of fabricated lies as showing people as looters, anti-religion, anti-nationalist people.

His aim is to consolidate his support. He had almost 50 % vote in the election and he defends that he is still having support of 50 % and threatening the other 50 %. But it is widely known that AKP government is a coalition with different groups. ıt is estimated that political Islamists have almost 10 % vote power. AKP Government could come to power after the 2001 economic crisis in which central right parties had collapsed. People who vote for central right, secular parties voted for him for the economic stability. And he knows that he may lose this support immediately as a result of this mobilization and authoritarian rule of PM. Additionally, economy is not going well for over 1 year. Also his adventurous Syrian policy had conflicted with the US policy, so he had danger of losing support of the US. It is necessary to note that Turkish economy is heavily dependent to short flow of foreign debt. They fear of losing flow of debt that would definitely bankrupt the economy. Now from one hand, by polarazing people, he tried to consolidate his power and tried to show that he preserves mass support to international public.

However hundred thousands of people who are resisting against excessive police violence in Istanbul and in almost all cities, demonstrates that this is the final phase of the PM Erdoğan.


We call for international support for the cause of people!