Turkey News

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kurekmurek
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Jul 27 2015 11:10
Turkey News

The peace process and temporary ceasefire (declared only by Kurdish forces) seems to be broken in Turkey after the Suruc massacre. . I am opening this forum thread to report on developments related to social (ethnic) peace and conflict in Turkey and the position of state and Kurdish authorities on it. Also to follow its effects on social movements and political organisations in Turkey.

A summary of how we come here;

The tensions were high especially before the election in 7th June (which resulted end of one-party rule of Akp of last 13 years, and with the rise of HDP - the Kurdish and leftists's party- above the electoral threshold. ) The government and especially the president Tayyip Erdogan was showing signs of stepping back from negotiations. There were even occasions of killed Kurdish guerrillas or attacks of cops over kurdish civilians and arrests in various events or demonstrations. Kurdish movement was dedicatedly not replying back with violence.

However after the elections the government started to use a much more aggressive discourse that reminded of the civil war times. In response KCK allowed attacks of guerrillas in spirit of self-defence agains the ecological destruction of Kurdistan (like, forest fires and dams, which according to kurdish sources mainly made to prevent mobilization of Kurdish guerrillas and remove the population and culture of kurdish people from rural places in Kurdistan)

Lastly after the Suruc Massacre, (and some retaliation attack by kurdish forces (HPG) against cops associated by IS and killing of one army officer) government acted fast and declared a campaign against terrorism and changed its foreign policy. Externally they started to support the coalition against IS. However they also started to bombing Quandil and other PKK camps. killing currently 4 guerrillas and injuring many civilians and guerrillas. The people in camps are supported by many kurds in turkey and seen as their legitimate self-defense force versus oppressors of Kurdish nation.

Also -maybe more tragically- AKP government started an operation on paper against all terrorist organisations internally very fast. The list includes IS but also Kurdish organisations, DHKP-C (a Stalisnist revolutionary organisation), MLKP (associated to the SGDF who organised the trip to Suruc), TIKKO and many other smaller groups. in 3 days now the total arrests are about a thousand people. Most of these people are leftists and not Islamic militants. There is also a wave of arrest of civilians who are members of HDP in many cities and speeches by AKP and MHP (the nationalist movement party) about the need to close down the HDP.

So basically, AKP government (even if we forget about the state practices of organised racism in Turkey) appears to push the state in a condition of a civil war, postponing maybe the hopes of a peace between Turks and Kurds indefinitely. The anger in the Kurdish cities is increasing with every killed guerilla or civilian and arbitrary police violence and the empty lies of Turkish government to make peace with them and let them live with honor. On the other hand Turkish society is unfortunately a fertile soil to grow hatred against the Kurds and Kurdish freedom movement by propaganda. This way AKP hopes to consolidate its power by exclude the legal Kurdish political organisations once again. HDP is trying to reply back on forming a peace block with socialist parties, CHP and NGOs. However the future looks very grim due to the shameless attacks of state forces.

kurekmurek
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Jul 27 2015 11:49

In friday cops attacked to peace march in Ankara. Yesterday cops attacked the demonstration for the people killed in Suruc in Izmir. Now they arrested people who just opened a stand for the memory of killed in Suruc in Ankara. 8 people are arrested
http://www.evrensel.net/haber/256900/suructa-yasamini-yitirenler-icin-acilan-taziye-cadirina-polis-saldirisi

kurekmurek
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Jul 27 2015 11:54

http://www.evrensel.net/haber/256834/yeni-safak-grevlere-de-komplo-dedi
AKP's media just recently found that the metal strikes that happened last month before the elections were a conspiracy against the state. The worker's were acting "weird" (sriking for their rights and wages and stuff) possibly due to foreign influence .

kurekmurek
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Jul 27 2015 13:11

With operations 96 news sites were banned, some are Kurdish sources and some are leftist sources.
http://www.radikal.com.tr/turkiye/96_internet_sitesine_mahkemeden_yasak-1404566

On the other hand you can reach to IS's turkish website even from schools and public places very easily. http://www.darulhilafe.com/

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Chilli Sauce
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Jul 27 2015 17:42

Thanks for the K. You should set up a blog here on libcom, man.

Flint
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Jul 27 2015 18:13

(delete)

kurekmurek
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Jul 27 2015 19:40

Thanks Chilli maybe I can

The reason of the ban on 96 websites is just declared it is "making propaganda of terrorist organisations" (again IS supporting webpages are forgotten somehow) Also it is very funny that some of these websites have legal newspaper that are still being published. There are no court orders against them interestingly. Though the journalists who work for these newspapers can of course expect state repression in the future (like ozgur gundem and azadiye welat)
http://aljazeera.com.tr/haber/96-internet-sitesine-erisim-engeli

kurekmurek
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Jul 27 2015 20:12

This is also bit interesting and a bit funny but explain a lot related to AKP's media (actually the mainstream media in general) and being a Kurdish person in Turkey today.

First there was this news:

6 people were captured before they were about to attack a police station. "They were planning to make a bloodbath in police station"
http://www.sabah.com.tr/gundem/2015/07/26/6-pkkli-karakola-giremeden-yakalandi
The link below gives more info and says that: "They cried when they were captured"
http://m.ensonhaber.com/haber.php?id=370915

Anyway today they were released.
http://www.imctv.com.tr/yoresel-kiyafetlerle-dugune-giderken-gozaltina-alinan-gencler-serbest/
They were just some Kurdish kids who were coming back from a wedding in traditional Kurdish dresses.

Flint
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Jul 27 2015 22:13

Police Raid Teachers Union in Anarka

nokta
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Jul 28 2015 07:19

Last sunday there was a call for international actions by turkish anarchist groups in solidarity with the suruç massacre: http://sosyalsavas.org/2015/07/anarsi-inisiyatifinin-yaptigi-uluslarasi-cagriya-gelen-yanitlar/ (I thought this was postes somewhere here already but I couldn't refind it)

There was at least one action in Germany at the Consulate near Cologne: http://apjkoeln.blogsport.de/2015/07/27/solidaritaet-mit-den-ermordeten-genossinnen-in-suruc/
Shortly after the action in front of the consulate started they were filmed and threatened by Bozkurts (Turkish fascist / MHP), apperently they have their meeting space right across the street from the consulate...

nokta
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Jul 28 2015 09:27

I am getting confused myself from all the news and links etc.

I think we need a blog like the occupied london blog for the greece riots.

kurekmurek
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Jul 28 2015 09:42

Well I am in. I also used to operate such blog in Turkish for Greece riots myself (with friends of course).

kurekmurek
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Jul 28 2015 09:47

http://www.sendika1.org/2015/07/erdogan-emri-verdi-cine-gitti-dokunulmazlik-kaldirilsin-hdpliler-bedel-odesin/
President Tayyip Erdogan: "HDP must pay the toll" The immunity of parlamento members must be taken away" (so they can be judged by court because of their speeches and actions) "The peace process can not continue"

http://www.sendika1.org/2015/07/bedel-emrinin-ilk-adimi-yargitay-cumhuriyet-bassavciligi-hdpye-sorusturma-baslatti/
The head prosecution office of Turkish repucblic (following Erdogan's lead) opened a case against HDP based on fake news appearing on AKP's media.

nokta
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Jul 28 2015 11:48

The Supreme Court (of Turkey) has opened an investigation against HDP: http://national.bgnnews.com/terrorism-investigation-launched-by-supreme-court-against-turkeys-hdp-haberi/8058

Do they really go this road and close HDP? What will happen than? What is the position of CHP? This really looks like a coup.

baboon
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Jul 28 2015 16:52

It looks to me as if the Turkish state has used the Suruc attack, which, on form, poses the possible involvement of Turkish intelligence, in order to have done with any “peace” deal with the Kurds and go on to a direct offensive in this imperialist war. The “new” situation seems to be indicated by the fact that just after the Suruc attack the PKK carried out the killing of two Turkish cops. I don’t think, at the moment at any rate, that Turkish forces are about to launch a serious assault against Isis but this is rather a fundamental realignment of Turkish/US interests in an attempt to override and put an end to the US/YPG coalition that has been steadily gaining ground (the latter has also been supported by German and British imperialism).

Almost from the beginning of the war in Syria, Turkey has been actively supporting jihadi forces and their transit into the battlefronts. Isis commanders have openly been seen in the streets and resorts of Turkey. Halis Bayancuk, the reputed Isis leader in Turkey has just been arrested in Turkey – just as he was a year ago and then quietly released while the cop that detained him was sent to prison instead. US news agencies reported last night that there had been only one Turkish air assault on Isis positions while there have been numerous attacks against Kurdish targets, along with the general repression that always accompanies developments in imperialist war. Turkish attacks include those on PKK bases in Qandils, northern Iraq and Turkish tank attacks on YPG positions.

Four years into the Syrian war and one year of the "Caliphate" and Isis seems to be getting stronger and more extensive. It could be that the relative success of the US/Kurdish military coalition has forced Turkey to move but it’s more likely to be the result of last month’s election where the opposition HDP took away the majority from Erdogan’s AKP. Thus the latter is attempting to whip up Turkish nationalism against that of Kurdish nationalism and its military “successes” which a new election could turn on. Turkey has opened serious talks with the US since the result of that election and the availability – not yet a done deal – of the Incirlik air base is an important element in the development of this imperialist war. The idea of a Turkish/Syrian buffer zone seems to have been accepted by the US and this will be to the detriment of Kurdish nationalism.

All this manoeuvrings and Machiavellianism leaves the Kurdish forces in a bad place but being stitched up by the US and the west generally is nothing new in the hundred year old saga of the pious hopes of a Kurdish state. Just after World War One the Kurds, after sending a delegation to Versailles, were given a statelet with one hand that was rapidly taken away with the other. In the 1991 Iraq War, Britain and the US called on the Kurds to rise up against Saddam, herded into a “safe haven” and shot down by Iraqi helicopter gunships acting with express US permission. These are the sort of “morals” of imperialist war and they apply to all the actors involved in them – however big and however small. And this is just another twist in the growing expression of chaos and decomposition in the whole region.

Flint
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Jul 28 2015 17:56
baboon wrote:
In the 1991 Iraq War, Britain and the US called on the Kurds to rise up against Saddam, herded into a “safe haven” and shot down by Iraqi helicopter gunships acting with express US permission. These are the sort of “morals” of imperialist war and they apply to all the actors involved in them – however big and however small. And this is just another twist in the growing expression of chaos and decomposition in the whole region.

Let us not forget that at the same time, there was the uprising of the Kurdish Workers Councils.

Flint
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Jul 29 2015 05:01

Public Perception of the Kurdish Question in Turkey, 2009

kurekmurek
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Jul 29 2015 10:01

baboon
I read your account, fine. but you seem to very hastily connect Kurdish liberation movement with a state. It is true that there were and was Kurdish nationalist organisations in last century and today and they aimed for establishment of a Kurdish state based on Kurdish nationalism.

Can you point me one proposal, demand or anything Kurdish liberation movement made in last ten years that calls for a state? Well of course you can always take the road that says you know "the true intentions of Kurdish movement etc..." but, well this road in my opinion is another way of avoiding engaging with anything, but just an aversion to get learn, analyse and ultimately maybe reach to a place where your dogmatic views might be a bit shaken.

Anyway let me give some, to demonstrate that Kurds from the start of the war acted based on not to establish a state but end the war by negotiation of all groups (and this in turn hoping to form a democratic -and federal- Syria)
2013 http://peaceinkurdistancampaign.com/resources/pik-campaign-statements/the-kurds-stand-for-a-peaceful-secular-and-democratic-syria/
2014 http://www.ekurd.net/mismas/articles/misc2014/1/syriakurd1031.htm
2015 http://www.basnews.com/en/news/2015/03/16/kurds-propose-a-solution-to-syrian-crisis/
And two days ago: Salih Muslim: If the Syrian government does not turn back being a Bas dictatorship, we can join the Syrian army, why not? http://www.turkiyegazetesi.com.tr/dunya/292248.aspx

Another example from Turkey: In this latest speech by Demirtas (co-chair of HDP) he says that, if the President Tayyip erdoğan did not stoped the peace process PKK and Turkish army could be fighting against IS together now.

You can of course check Ocalan's writing on subject, but I do not know what or where sth can be found in english on this topic. But google it, you will.

Do you wanna see a party that is for Kurdish satate based on Kurdish nationalism: See this party: https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%BCrdistan_%C3%96zg%C3%BCrl%C3%BCk_Partisi They in their programme aim for self-determination of kurds, this party is really small and it is in direct opposition to kurdish liberation movement.

Let me conclude with some of my observations from my trip to Kurdistan and my town: Kurdish liberation movement has a huge basis most of it consist of culturally and socially (various) Kurdish groups. However as the existence as a Kurdish person is already politicized in Turkey, there are different lines of thought or different approaches. The main party line of Kurdish movement is for brotherhood and sisterhood of nations in Turkey and for a democratic reconstructing of Turkish state. (For example: I went to an anti-dam protest, a mother of killed guerrilla speak there; her speech was based on dirty politicians making Turks and kurds enemies just to make profit from the war.) However at the base of movement or among sympathizers you can find some micro nationalism or hatred against some other ethnicities, or some who thinks nationalism and state are the only solution but these individual ideas do not represent the current position at all (and they are results of personal histories and local contexts and I assure you all who have such ideas are people not directly connected to movement).

So basically; It helps to first listen and then evaluate as in most issues, Kurdish movement ideologically oppose any separation and formation of a state since last decade. This is actually what must be seen as anti-imperialist itself (unlike Barzani crowd who follow anywhere USA is going) as it is opposed to chaos that is generated by self-interested approaches of imperialist powers to region (This I think also includes war politics of Turkey) One thing to keep in mind though, unlike FSA, Kurdish movement did not originate or depend upon Imperialist powers and they are determined to democratize the nation states (mostly politically but also economically) they are part of by appropriate means (elections, social movements or armed struggle) and still very bold on taking any necessary steps. If we forget that, I think our analysis can have wrong results.

EDIT: For clarification, as it must be obvious what I am explaining above is the current stand and position of Kurdish liberation movement not its past, or some its possible futures. For example you can get the information that PKK was a some sort of pawn between different imperialist powers and states in the past from even Kurdish population sympathetic to Kurdish movement (let's not accuse anyone here grin ) For example as it was the case with Syria in the past. Nobody is romanticizing about a past that never were. But current approach and proposals of Kurdish movement -in my opinion- needs at least a reading and a real evaluation in context of their emergence. I find ahistorical accounts linking past (or present but different: Barzani for example) Kurdish nationalism with Rojava in a direct way as wrong. Just as I find propaganda of Turkish state (which argues more or less the same): Kurdish movement is just a nationalist movement, they want to separate us, they want to built a state at our borders etc... I think revolutionaries should be more objective in their analysis than stupid bourgeois states and avoid reductionist answers (like idea of a pertaining kurdish nationalism that is more or less destiny of kurdish nation -unless we, revolutionaries came and enlighten them of course- tongue )

kurekmurek
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Jul 29 2015 08:01

Balance-sheet of last days operations (21 – 28 July) in Turkey according to HR society.

- People arrested and then released: total 1034 (36 are children). Charges: 140 Is member, 22 Fetullah movement, rest is PKK/KCK or other leftist groups.
– Arrested: 5 Is, 49 PKK/KCK
– Injured by attacks of Cops (accoridng to hospital records): 16 people (three kids)
-Killed: 32 in Suruc, later 5 more people (one is 11 year old kid)
– Injured Cops/Jandarma: 1 cop is killed 11 injured, 3 solider is killed 7 soldier is injured.

Source: http://inadinahaber.org/2015/07/ihdden-bir-haftanin-bilancosu-41-kisi-oldu-1034-kisi-gozaltina-alindi-sadece-5-isidci-tutuklandi/

kurekmurek
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Jul 29 2015 09:59

HDP yesterday called for a second communication for peace, AKP rejected it (if they have power they should order kurdish forces to give up their guns) So AKP appears to be not change and will go for the civil war route (at least until the next early elections)
http://www.radikal.com.tr/politika/yalcin_akdogandan_demirtasin_tekrar_muzakere_cagrisina_yanit-1405695

KCK: Either turkey will become democratic or Kurdish people will establish their self-government by their own power.
http://t24.com.tr/haber/kck-ya-turkiye-demokratiklesecek-ya-da-kurt-halki-kendi-gucuyle-ozyonetimini-kuracak,304358?utm_medium=social&utm_content=sharebutton

EDIT: Also for a better representation of Kurdish movement: Kurdish movement still did not opened war to Turkish state. And PKK helds responsible (for attacks against security forces) individual groups at the base of movement who act according to their own will. And KCK calls for democratic opposition to War politics of AKP now. Though the violence and deaths increase still at the both sides. KCK representative Agit says: We can still go back to a peace process.

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AndrewF
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Jul 29 2015 11:48

Kurremkarmerruk are you aware of a similar list of who has been hit in the airstrikes (it looks to me like its 3 against ISIS on Friday and then dozens against the Kurds but after some googling I haven't found a list in English)

kurekmurek
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Jul 29 2015 11:56

Yeah, I see something like that. I will edit this when I found one.

kurekmurek
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Jul 29 2015 12:00

Vauw!
This is from AKP's media:

http://www.sabah.com.tr/gundem/2015/07/29/hava-harekatinda-kullanan-fuzelere-sehitlerin-isimleri-yazildi

The name of the killed soldier's and cop's names were written over the bombs that are used to bomb Kurdish bases.

kurekmurek
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Jul 29 2015 12:46

I found it Andrew, though it was this:

In the first two days of the Turkish campaign it sent only a few planes to bomb Syria while there were 185 air missions against about 400 PKK targets.
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/turkeys-conflict-with-kurdish-guerrillas-in-iraq-can-benefit-isis-in-syria-10422690.html

Not more concrete data now, sorry

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Entdinglichung
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Jul 31 2015 08:32

http://weeklyworker.co.uk/worker/1069/wrecking-the-peace-process/

http://weeklyworker.co.uk/worker/1069/erdogans-twin-strategy/

kurekmurek
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Aug 8 2015 18:03

The recent clashes between kurds (armed and civilians) versus the cops and military continues, there are dozens of killed in each side.
Anyway the link below is to a video where Turkish police forces invade a construction site and tie the hands of people (well nearly all of the construction workers especially the lowest paid ones are kurdish in Turkey) and force them to lie on the ground. Cops then insult and threat the kurdish workers. The officer who is doing the insulting can be heard saying: " You will see the power of Turks!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42pNz2EpmJY

Flint
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Aug 8 2015 20:27
Quote:
"The Kurdish people must wage all-out resistance against these attacks in all areas and demonstrate to the Turkish sate and the AKP government that the people of Silopi and Amed are not alone"

Kurdish Movement Calls for All-Out Resistance Against AKP and Turkish State

Flint
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Aug 9 2015 04:21

Gov. introduces "Temporary safe zones" in 8 provinces to ensure "peace & security"

tweet

Geçici güvenlik bölgeleri huzur ve güven için ilan ediliyor

Notice any similarity?

7 Haziran Sandık ve Seçmen Analizi

2015 Turkey General Election Results

kurekmurek
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Aug 18 2015 09:37

http://www.etha.com.tr/Haber/2015/08/17/guncel/izmirde-suruc-bildirisi-dagitanlara-gozalti/
There will be a memorial and solidarity event for the people killed in İzmir (and also in other localities I suppose at different times) Also this even tis to help families and injured for their health expenses. Anyway The cops arrested people who give flyers of this event in izmir. This is as far as I know the third time this week people are arrested for opening a stand for this event. Which is - I repeat- basically a concert to rise funds and respect the killed people in Suruc. Anyway the arrested people are currently released again.

kurekmurek
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Aug 18 2015 09:42

http://www.sendika1.org/2015/08/orgutlen-oldur-imzala-gec-gozaltindaki-13-isidli-adli-kontrol-ile-saliverildi/
This is a bit old but I wanted to translate it anyway. As there were operations against the IS and leftist groups in turkey arresting like 1000 people. However as of 15th August now all IS militants who were arrested are released. There is hundreds of arrested people mainly from kurdish freedom movement though.

kurekmurek
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Aug 18 2015 09:48

http://www.milliyet.com.tr/diyarbakir-silvan-da-son-durum-gundem-2103874/
In Silvan after the declaration of autonomy by Kurdish forces. (Though it is a bit complex but technically kurdish forces did not declared autonomy they more like declared they do not recognize the state institutions in the city as they are against the people living in the city, So it is as far as I understand not a total autonomy declaration, but let's call it for simplicity for now) State forces surrounded the city. The cell phone operators stopped working in the city. The HDP comitee was not allowed into the city. state of emergency declared. there is a ban on walking on the streetç. still There are reports of attacks to houses including plain machine gunning of homes. There is at least one death. As there is no way to get information from city there is danger of state terror going wild.