LABOR NEWS FROM TURKEY 7/30/94
Labor Video Project
lvpsf at igc.apc.org
Sun Sep 11 04:03:06 BST 1994
From: Labor Video Project <lvpsf>
/* Written 9:54 PM Sep 8, 1994 by lvpsf in igc:labr.turkey */
/* ---------- "LABOR NEWS FROM TURKEY 7/30/94" ---------- */
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LABOR NEWS FROM TURKEY
July 30 1994
Compiled from a collection of newspapers, magazines and news
reports.
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'FREEDOM TO THOUGHT' CAMPAIGN
The Human Rights Association together with The Contemporary
Jurists Association have started the 'Freedom to Thought'
campaign in Istanbul after establishing the 'Committee for The
Freedom of Thought'.
On July 22, the president of The Human Rights Association of
Istanbul Branch Ercan Kanar gave a press release in Sultanahmet
Park where he stated that Turkey was one of the few countries
left in the world where a thought could be prosecuted under
criminal law.
Gercek
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WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES LAY A BLACK WREATH AT THE DOOR OF ARAS
CARGO
55 Workers who were fired from Aras Cargo have laid a black
wreath as a protest at the door of the Aras Cargo with their
families. Also placards reading "Aras Cargo laid my father off",
"Put an end to lay offs at Aras Cargo", "Long Live Workers
Solidarity", "Workers solidarity will win over capital" were
carried by the workers and their families. Workers said they
started a resistance in Susuzkoy but the security forces attacked
and dismantled their resistance tent. The workers will continue
their struggle in Ankara from now on. OLEYIS (Hotel, Restaurant
and Entertainment Industry Workers Union) has protested the
firings and Mehmetali Akpinar from OLEYIS has said that,"Our
struggle should teach our children not to be slaves on a chain,
otherwise we will raise nothing but slaves".
Veli Beysulen, the branch manager of Birlesik Metal-Is (United
Metal Workers Union) said what was happening at the Aras Cargo
was not the first and that they would continue supporting the
workers to the end.
Ozgur Ulke
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COUNTER-GUERILLA KILLS TWO SHEPHERDS
Mehmet Alabacak and Mehmet Yolpir, two shepherds in Malatya were
killed after being tortured and their arms cut off.
The villagers who called the soldiers to search for the missing
shepherds said that although they told the soldiers where to
search for the shepherds, the soldiers did not listen to them and
they went off in the other direction. Later when the villagers
insisted for the soldiers to search the place where the shepherds
were prior to their disappearance the search was conducted and
the two missing shepherds were found. The bodies showed signs of
torture and both of them had their arms cut off. This is typical
of the contra-guerilla killings, the villagers said.
Gercek
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POLICE HARASSMENT TO PUBLISHER SATIK'S FAMILY
Kadir Satik, the publisher in charge for KOMAL publishing said
the police harassment and arrests on his family has been
accelerated in the last weeks. Satik stated that his brother
Murat Satik and his wife Fahriye Satik had been arrested and
tortured on July 8th.
Later the police arrested his two sisters Ayse and Hulya Satik
who work in Marmaris on July 19. Satik said that the assult on
his family and to the publishing house was a direct attack on the
Kurdish nations national liberation and democratic struggle.
Ozgur Ulke
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UNION CONTRACT AT HAVZA MUNICIPALITY
Belediye-Is (Municipal Workers Union) signed a contract for two
years at Havza municipality which fixed the minimum wage at the
municipality at 100,000 TL ($3.00) daily. On the first year the
workers will get 65% raise and the second year the raise will be
80%. Also, the workers secured a 500,000 TL ($16.50) cleaning
allowance. The fuel allowance will be 6,000,000 TL ($200.00) for
the first year and 7,500,000 TL ($250.00) for the second year.
Ozgur Ulke
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CONTEMPORARY JOURNALIST ASSOCIATION CONDEMNS CENSURE
On the 86th anniversary of abolition of censure, the Contemporary
Journalists Association has sent a letter to more than 90
journalists, scientists and writers who are jailed because of
their thoughts and protested the use of censure. The Association
repeated their July 1993 declaration that, "Until all anti
democratic preventions and oppression is completely lifted, to
say that the censure has been abolished is nothing but deceit."
Gercek
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SOLDIER KILLED BY OTHER SOLDIERS.
On July 23, Yuksel Guzel, a private in Izmir's 57th Artillery
Brigade was killed by covering his head in a sack and beaten by
iron clubs. His father Riza Guzel said he was given four
contradictory explanations over the phone on how his son was
killed.
Yuksel's funeral was brought to his home town Adana on July 26
and was attended by a crowd of 250. The funeral was carried on
shoulders to the graveyard with a march that lasted for more than
an hour and a half. The marchers chanted slogans and shouted
'Long Live the brotherhood of the peoples!'
Goksel Yuksel, the brother of the deceased said that his brother
was murdered intentionally and the authorities were trying to
cover up the killing.
Gercek
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WORKERS FIRED FOR PARTICIPATING IN JULY 20 ACTION.
80 Workers at Sariyer municipality was fired for participating in
the July 20 action. The workers said they were fired for being a
union member.
On July 27 the workers held a press conference in front of their
work and said that after the local elections when the Refah
Partisi (RP) (Islam fundamentalist Prosperity Party) got elected
it started conducting business with the contracting firm Albayrak
and that the union workers were being laid off from Albayrak.
The workers said that if they were not unionized they would still
be working today. The workers accused the RP also in the firing
as, "Those who keep on talking about a just system or being a
Muslim have fired us to have workers from Romania take our jobs".
Abbas Atli, a fired worker, complained that the union was not
standing behind them and have left them alone in the struggle.
Ayhan Yildiz another fired worker said,"They think they can
silence us, but, this makes us more aggressive!"
Workers have started a sit in at the steps of the workplace and
have said that they will continue their struggle.
Gercek
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90 YEAR OLD RESIDENT OF SIRNAK MURDERED BY SECURITY FORCES. THEY
SUSPECTED HIM TO BE A GUERRILLA!
Sahin Bektas (90) residing in the Bilmat village of Sirnak was
murdered by security forces while watering his garden. He was
machine gunned down because the security forces suspected him to
be a guerrilla for the PKK (Workers Party of Kurdistan). Other
residents of Sirnak have said that the village was also bombed by
helicopters.
Ozgur Ulke
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'LABOR'S FLAG' MAGAZINE CLOSED DOWN BY THE STATE SECURITY COURT.
Istanbul State Security Court has closed down the magazine Emegin
Bayragi (Labor's Flag) for 15 days. The journal was closed down
because of the news and commentary articles: "Dictatorship is
attacking, Kurds are resisting" and "A step towards the struggle
for freedom against the fascist dictatorship".
The court ruling was delivered to the magazine at 3:00 PM on the
day a new issue was published. Although the new issue had been
printed the morning before the ruling was delivered to the
magazine, the officials said they will start an investigation of
printing against the court ruling.
Another magazine Devrimci Cozum's (Revolutionary Resolution)16th
issue was confiscated by the police. Devrimci Cozum workers
stated that, "In general the whole socialist press, in particular
our magazine Devrimci Cozum, has been the target of a policy of
daunting. All of our issues since we started publication and
lastly our 16th issue has been confiscated because of all the
articles in it".
Ozgur Ulke
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MUNICIPAL POLICE ATTACKS STREET VENDORS.
30 Municipal Police suddenly attacked street vendors with clubs
without any reason. Several people and vendors were injured from
the attack. People standing by wanted to interfere with the
beating but undercover and uniformed police prevented them from
stopping the attack. Vendors have said that the revolutionary
and democrat vendors were chosen for the attack and many vendors
have been arrested.
Ozgur Ulke
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SIT IN CONTINUES AT OY-PI
100 workers laid off last week is continuing their protest of sit
in at the gates of the OY-PI factory in Bursa. The Employer has
called the police saying that the resisting workers have
assaulted the workers in the factory. Police have started a
questioning on the matter.
Ozgur Ulke
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3 MAGAZINES CONFISCATED
Yeni Demokrat Genclik (New Democratic Youth), Denge Azadi and
Yoksul Halkin Gucu (Poor Peoples Power) magazines were
confiscated. State Security Court found criminal ideas in the
articles printed.
Ozgur Ulke
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WORK STOPPAGE AT MAN FILTER FACTORY
Protesting for not being paid and their social rights not given,
350 workers stopped work at the Gebze plant. Workers were not
paid their June paychecks, bonuses, fuel allowances, 2 months of
tax returns and meal allowances for a month.
Ozgur Ulke
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SINGER BILGE ERENUS ON TRIAL
Bilge Erenus and OZDEP Istanbul Branch President Orhan Kaya stood
trial for a meeting they attended to support the workers fired
from the Kagithane Municipality. The municipality is run by the
RP (Islamic fundamentalist Prosperity Party) which came to office
in the last elections and fired hundreds of workers.
Bilge Erenus is on trial because some people chanted slogans
while she was singing and Orhan Kaya and Hasan Sincar are on
trial for the speeches they gave at the meeting. They are being
charged for speaking against the indivisibility of the Turkish
State. If sentenced, they may get jail terms ranging from 1 to 3
years and fines up to 100,000,000 TL ($3330.00).
The state police which was present in the meeting stated that
there was no such action in the meeting and everything was under
control. He said if there was any subversive activities he would
have included that in his report. The trial will continue at
October 5.
Ozgur Ulke
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CONFISCATED MAGAZINES AND BOOKS
The following magazines were confiscated by the State Security
Court:
Yeni Demokrat Genclik (New Democratic Youth)
Haberde Yorumda Gercek (Truth in news and commentary)
Ozgur Gelecek (Free Future)
Gencligin Sesi (Youths Voice)
Express
Newroz
Also, the book 'Kapitalizm, Sosyalizm, Orgut' (Capitalism,
Socialism, Organization) written by Teslim Tore has been
confiscated.
Ozgur Ulke
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PARASITES, WORKERS AND GAP PROJECT
'Turkey's Parasitological Association' prepared a report on the
impact of GAP project which will build huge dams and waterways in
the east. The report calls for action to prevent parasitological
diseases which may spread throughout the area when the GAP
project is completed. But their approach to people is only from
the standpoint of 'labor power'.
The report states that, "Only the healthy people can work
productively. Those who are losing blood to parasites in their
intestines, who have became pale, who have lost the joy of life
can not contribute to productivity but can only become a
consumer".
Ozgur Ulke
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NOBODY TO NEGOTIATE, SO POSTPONE ACTION!
Ozcelik-Is (Steel Workers Union) had prepared for a joint action
with other democratic mass organizations to protest the plant
closing of publicly owned Karabuk Demir-Celik (Karabuk Iron-Steel
Works) factory. But the action has been postponed due to the
internal crises of the government. Metin Turker, the president
of the Ozcelik-Is Union said they can not proceed with the
actions before talking to the authorities and since the
authorities were not there the action had to be postponed.
Ozgur Ulke
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PROTEST BY BMC WORKERS IN IZMIR
226 Workers fired from BMC plant in Izmir showed up in front of
the plant the other day to protest the firing by clapping their
hands and calling for the management to resign.
The president of Turk Metal Sendikasi (Turkish Metal Workers
Union) said for 7 months the negotiations have gone nowhere and
that after every negotiation more workers are being laid off.
There has been 593 lay offs since January at BMC. The workers
had accepted to take a leave without pay for the last 3 months
and the last lay offs of 226 workers were from those on unpaid
leave. The workers have estimated that by taking unpaid leave
the employer gained access to a 60 billion TL ($2,000,000.00)
credit but turned around and fired the workers who sacrificed
their income for the employer. Turan also called the workers to
a meeting in the Union hall to decide on opening a court suit
against the employer.
Ozgur Ulke
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GEBZE WORKERS RELEASED FROM JAIL
Workers accused of clashing with the police were released by the
Judge. 34 workers were on trial 5 of which were arrested
previously. Union leaders including the President of DISK
(Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Union) were at the trial.
5 lawyers represented the workers.
Ozgur Ulke
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POLICE ATTACKS COMMEMORATION OF A UNION LEADER.
Police attacked a commemoration meeting on the 13th anniversary
of the death of Kenan Budak who was the president of DERI-IS
(Leather workers Union) under DISK ( The Confederation of
Revolutionary Workers Unions).
About 100 people gathered by the grave and observed a minute of
silence. After several short speeches by unionists the police
attacked the crowd as it began to disperse quitely. When people
started to flee from the attack, police opened fire at the crowd.
One person was injured by the police bullets while 10 people were
arrested.
The Leather Workers Union protested the police attack where
police was taking aim before firing. Fevzi Gercek, the president
of TUM SAGLIK-SEN (Health Workers Union) said, "As if the killing
of Kenan Budak was not enough, now it is becoming illegal to even
mention his name or go near his grave'.
Gercek
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OZGUR ULKE CORESPONDENT MIHRIBAN ARTIKLAR ARRESTED
When Mihriban Artiklar went to the police headquarters to learn
the result of her application to get a passport the correspondent
for Ozgur Ulke newspaper was arrested. She was detained for two
hours in the passport division of the police before being taken
to the political branch of the police. No reason for arrest was
given.
Ozgur Ulke
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SHEPHERD LOSES LEG AFTER STEPPING ON A MINE
A 12 year old shepherd who stepped on a mine lost his leg in the
Soban village of Kars. He was grazing the sheep at the time.
Ozgur Ulke
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VILLAGERS DEMAND REPARATIONS FOR THEIR BURNED CROP
Villagers who had their crops burned down by the state security
forces have demanded to be paid by the government for their
losses. The incident which left several families without any
crop this year involved the security forces attacking the village
and burning crops, vineyards and fruit trees. The cost of damage
is estimated at 500,000,000 TL.
At a similar incident near Atabag village a crew of experts are
being expected to come and prepare a damage assessment after the
security forces burned down the villagers crops.
Ozgur Ulke
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OZGUR ULKE CORRESPONDENT NECATI BOZKURT ON TRIAL IN MILITARY
COURT.
In an article published in Ozgur Ulke, Necati Bozkurt had written
on the 'conscientious rejection and the state'. This article is
the subject of investigation by the military court which
questioned the correspondent the other day. If convicted,
Bozkurt could get a jail sentence from 2 months to 2 years in
prison. In his defence, Bozkurt claimed that the news article he
had written did not contain any criminal activity.
Ozgur Ulke
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THREE MORE MAGAZINES ARE CONFISCATED
Add three more magazines to the list of magazines confiscated
this week:
Haberde Yorumda Gercek S:17 (Truth in news and commentary No:17)
Ozgur Halk S:45 (Free People No:45)
Alinteri S:22 (Sweat of Brow No:22)
Ozgur Ulke
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