Turkey/REVOLUTIONARY WORKERS MOVEMENT

Fri Oct 17 18:27:19 BST 1997

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A CALL FOR SOLIDARITY WITH THE WORKING CLASS IN TURKEY TO THE WORKING
CLASS EVERYWHERE AND TO ALL WHO ENGAGE THEMSELVES FOR DEMOCRACY AND
FREEDOM

1. In Turkey, the only union which opposes fascism, the DISK
(Revolutionary Trade Union Confederation) is going through a phase of
severe liquidation.  The unionist who do not bow for the regime, who
do not obey the directives of the generals and bosses, were expelled
from the union and the regional chapters of the union which do not
conform to the standards of the contra-guerrilla are being shut
down. This liquidation is ordered by the MGK (National Security
Council), the leading staff of the oligarchy in Turkey and the
liquidation is led by the MGK-unionists in the leadership of the DISK.

2. This is a struggle, led by the MGK-unionists, against the
revolutionary unionists. At the top: Ridvan Budak, who was re-elected
as DISK-chairman by the last congress, and his crew. Their target is
the liquidation of the DISK which has always, since 1960, been a
militant organisation, fighting for democracy for the working class
against the oligarchy. 

3. The last DISK congress, on 12 September, was held secret for the
workers themselves. 300 delegates and a limited number of guests met
in the 5-star Dedeman Hotel in Istanbul. The workers themselves did
not have the opportunity to follow the congress, but government
representatives and employers were invited as guests of honour. Ridvan
Budak was elected as chairman again by the congress. Even the date on
which this congress was held was interesting: 12 September is the
anniversary of the military junta of 1980. And the MGK-unionists, in
stead of uttering even one word against the junta, invited as many
state representatives as guest speakers as possible. They even
postponed the opening of the congress by one day so prime-minister
Mesut Yilmaz could participate. The MGK-unionists arranged a massive
police presence to protect the congress against the workers. This is
the first time such a treason occurred in the DISK. It was also the
first time in the history of the DISK that such an open battle was
witnessed of one class against the other. The candidate for the chair
of the revolutionary workers was granted only 5 minutes to address the
congress and his microphone was disconnected just like that. And a 
former prime-minister and chairman of a regime party held a one and a
half our speech against the workers at this workers' congress... Until
now the DISK congress has always been held in a sports stadium with
the participation of some 10.000 workers. Despite the protests by the
workers, which went on for weeks, this last congress was held in a
5-star hotel. The reasons: firstly achieving a moral blow of
MGK-unionism against the militant tradition of the DISK and sending a
message of co-operation to the oligarchy. Secondly: waging a battle
against the workers, not on the workers' level but on the "field" of
the bourgeoisie because this stage was far to small for the workers.
And this nest of capital didn't suit the workers at all. In this way
the MGK-unionists found a possibility to silence the opposition of the
workers and they prevented that their cruel collaboration with the
contra-guerrilla regime was publicly held accountable. They decided to
start the liquidation within the DISK and they needed a congress
without participation of the workers to do this. 

4. The first attack after the DISK congress took place against the
second largest and most dynamic union within the DISK, the
Genel-Is. All regional chapters of this union were closed down on
orders from the top. 13 unionists of these chapters were expelled. Two
months ago, a congress to decide the statutes of this union blocked
this conspiracy attempt. Afterwards, three board members carried out
this conspiracy anyway, ignoring the union statutes and the congress
decisions... The reason: these regional chapters were the ones which
carried the dynamics of the working class, they reflected its will
directly. The MGK-unionists wanted to liquidate revolutionary unionism
to get rid of the pressure, exercised by the workers. 

5. The chairman of the 2nd. chapter (and the strongest) of the
Genel-Is, Mehmet Karagöz, was expelled from the union for three
months. Memhet Karagöz is a well-known workers' leaders who has led
large workers' resistance. He was expelled from the union because he
did not join the disgrace of the MGK-unionists.  His person was used
to punish all workers and unionists who refused to bow for the methods
of the contra-guerrilla. 

6. Mehmet Karagöz was expelled because of the following "crimes"

 a. He had ordered an announcement to commemorate the DISK chairman
 Kemal Türkler, murdered in 1979 by the contra-guerrilla. The
 announcement stated: "His murderers must be looked for in Susurluk".
 b. He made the union telephones available for the search of the body
 of the textile union activist Düzgün Tekin, kidnapped by the security
 forces and made "disappeared". 

 c. He had supported the unionist and organisation specialist of the
 Genel-Is, Aynur Karaaslan, on behalf of the union. 
 d. The MGK-unionists wanted to sell the building of the 2nd. chapter
 to block the union work of the members. Therefore they wanted to
 attach a 4 meter long banner to the front of the building with the
 text "For sale". Memhet Karagöz prevented this.

 e. The MGK-unionists and the DISK chairman, Ridvan Budak, wrote a
 pamphlet, together with the employers associations, against the
 Refah-Yol government, supporting a new government. They wanted to have
 this pamphlet distributed in the factories and workplaces, but Mehmet
 Karagöz and the civic workers refused to participate in this disgrace.

 f. Mehmet Karagöz criticised the "Social Economic Council" which the
 DISK leadership, the employers and the government wanted to establish,
 as well as its intrigues against the workers. (The government has a
 the largest vote in this council, followed by the employers, the
 workers on the other hand, only have minor influence. This council was
 to affirm the bitter recipe of the rich at the cost of the
 workers. The unions had to share the consequences, not only the rich.)

7. Mainly responsible 

The Main respocibles for this liquidation within Genel-Is are its
chairman, Atilla Öngel, the secretary-general Muharrem Kurt and the
director if the finance department, Nurettin Dincer. These liquidators
bowed for the contra-guerrilla and betrayed the workers. Board member
Abdülkerim Timur, who always behaved progressive, contributed to the
liquidation by abstaining although his vote coul have crossed the
plans.

8. Why this liquidation? 

- Fascism in Turkey can make use of the so called "Social Economical
Council", controlled by the MGK. It supposedly has to "bring together"
the government, employers and workers. The MGK-unionists and the
leadership of the DISK want the DISK to participate in this council.
But they see themselves confronted by the resistance of the workers
and the progressive unionists. - Ridvan Budak & Co. wanted to use the
workers in the operation to change the government. Again they met the
resistance of the workers. Ridvan Budak & Co. did not succeed in using
the workers for their scheme. - Ridvan Budak takes upon himself the
task of a diplomatic missionary in the name of "the democratic
Turkey", together with the representatives of the employers by
supporting the entrance of Turkey in the European Union. As chairman
of a union confederation, he shamelessly works for the oligarchy in
Turkey by getting political and economical support. The MGK-unionists
know that they have to destroy the organised and militant workers
movement, or at least they'll have to weaken it.

9. The liquidation has started

The liquidation of the DISK has already started, beginning with the
Genel-Is. How grave this liquidation may be, and even though the
forces of fascism are behind it, to prevent this liquidation - even
changing it into a honourable struggle against the MGK-unionism - is
in our hands. They will meet with the workers.

INTERNATIONAL WORKING CLASS... OUR SISTERS AND BROTHERS...
WE EXPECT YOUR SUPPORT AND SOLIDARITY. GIVE US YOUR STRENGTH. WE
EXPECT YOU TO PROTEST THE - CONTINUING LIQUIDATION OF THE DISK, - THE
SHUTTING DOWN OF THE REGIONAL CHAPTERS, - THE EXPULSION OF MEHMET
KARAGöZ FROM THE 2ND CHAPTER OF THE GENEL-IS, AND WE EXPECT YOU TO
EXERCISE PRESSURE TO ACHIEVE THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE EXPULSION ORDERS. 

USE THE RIGHT TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REASONS AND THE ACTUAL FACTS.
LONG LIVE THE SOLIDARITY BETWEEN THE WORKERS! WE ARE WORKERS, WE ARE
RIGHT, WE WILL WIN!

DISK Headquarters:     Tel: 0090 - 212 - 5048083
   Fax: 0090 - 212 - 5061079
Genel-Is Headquarters: 	Tel: 0090 - 312 - 391547
   Fax: 0090 - 312 - 3091046/47
Genel-Is, 2nd. chapter:	Tel & Fax: 0090 - 212 - 5207565

REVOLUTIONARY WORKERS MOVEMENT

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Devrimci Halk Kurtulus Cephesi (Revolutionary Peoples Liberation Front)
DHKC Informationbureau Amsterdam
http://www.ozgurluk.org/dhkc                          

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List info: english-request at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl