Turkey: POW's report

[ozgurluk at xs4all.nl]

THE DHKP-C prisoners recorded the attacks and the resistance of recent
months in several prisoners in Turkey on paper.

ANKARA prison:

When the news about the attacks the revolutionary prisoners in the
Ceyhan prison and the following events reached us, several
organizations in the Closed Central Prison of Ankara held a day of
actions, like refusing the prisoners count, occupation of the air
shaft and the corridor, and pressure was applied to get information
about the situation of the prisoners who had been injured in the
attack in the Ceyhan prison. It was decided to evaluate new
developments. No information could be received from the prison
administration, despite the actions. A majority agreed to a decision,
made the next day, October 21, after the evaluation. The action, in
which the organizations of the DHKP-C, EKIM, TKP(ML), TIKB, DY,
TKP/ML, MLKP and TDP participated, was continued with fires in the
corridor, string dancing (Halay) and shouting slogans, expressing our
determination ("We will break the hand which is held up against the
prisoners in Ceyhan", "The attacks and transfers cannot break us")

On October 23, 1998, in connection with the attack against the
prisoners in the CANKIRI prison, a proposal of the DHKP-C prisoners to
take hostages was discussed in the council. The prisoners of the
TKP(ML) and the TKP/ML participated. The girders the guards carried
with them constantly, showed they were prepared for such a
development. The chief guard Mehmet ORHAN was injured as a result of
his aggressive conduct when the prisoners tried to intern him. Some
senior guards and prison orderlies became abusive and gave the order
to attack. After our medical attendant examined the wounds of the
injured guard, he was handed over to the prison administration for
treatment. At that moment, we were bombarded with stones and tiles
which had been stored in the watchtowers. Shots were fired in the air,
at the crowd, and at the team that brought the hostages back. The
soldiers held their fire temporarily when they received the warning
"We are bringing the hostages, don't shoot", but they kept firing at
the prisoners who didn't have any hostages with them. A social
prisoner, who was in his cell, was wounded at his hand. These attacks
could be overcome with only minor grazes. After consultations between
lawyers, a representative from the department and representatives of
the Central Prison Co-ordination (CMK, founded during the hungerstrike
till death of 1996, representing several organizations), which ended
with the written promise to concede to the demands of the prisoners,
the hostages were released and the prison count was acceded to.

BARTIN prison:

After we heard of the attack, in the night of October 19, against the
prisoners in the CEYHAN prison, we demanded from the prison
administration to make inquiries by telephone for more details. It was
reported that there had been attacks and that people had been wounded,
and that the situation had normalized again. The next morning we
talked with the other political prisoners and we agreed with the HDOE
prisoners on our proposals to refuse the count and yelling slogans.
The TKP/ML and the RIZGARI prisoners only agreed to the slogans. The
PKK declared it would not participate. But when the attacks went
beyond CEYHAN, and a new wave of attacks started in BERGAMA, we,
including the HDOE, started our action again to refuse the count. From
the day we refused the count, the prison administration only admitted
the personal to count the PKK and the social prisoners and to lock the
doors to the yard. Then they were called back to the administration
building. On the evening of October 23, 1998, we heard from attacks
against the CANKIRI prison. We had been patient till then. But now it
had become necessary to oppose these attacks more clearly. The enemy
knew before us that their had been hostage taking in other prisons.
While some personal was dragged to the administration buildings, as an
exhibit, a barricade was being constructed there. Our proposal, which
we came up with during these events, to occupy the corridor was only
accepted by the HDOE prisoners. Thus began the occupation action and
the non-closure of the doors to the yard. The administration personal
left the prison and withdrew into the administration building. Even
the count of the PKK and social prisoners was canceled. As a result
from the negotiation between a representative from the department, a
delegation of lawyers and representatives from the Central Prison
Co-ordination on October 24, 1998, the meeting of our demands was
confirmed in writing and the action was ended.

CANKIRI prison:

When we watched the television news on October 19, 1998, we heard that
a tunnel had been found in the Bayrampasa prison and that an attack
had occurred in the Ceyhan prison. As a first step, we prevented the
closure of the doors to the dining room and the dorm which usually
occurs around 3.15 a.m. The next morning we continued our action with
the refusal of the count. And at 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., the slogan
"We will break the hand which is held up against the prisoners,
revolutionary prisoners cannot be broken", yelled in the corridor,
resounded through the prison. The DHKP-C and the EKIM prisoners
participated in this action. While this kind of action continued, they
wanted to conduct a search on October 23, at 9 a.m. We declared that
we would refuse to be searched. Later, the director called upon our
representative and said that "there won't be a count, just a search".
Our representative stated once more that no search would be allowed
before there was any news from prisoners in Ceyhan. The state
prosecutor, we participated in the talks, declared in a threatening
tone "What are you trying to convince him, tell the chief prosecutor
to initiate the necessary". The representative of the prisoners, not
impressed, left the talks. Half an hour later, the director came to
the door of the cell and said that our friends in the Ceyhan prison
were in isolation, that cell doors had been broken open, but that the
prisoners were now in communal cells again after the doors had been
repaired and the tunnel that had been discovered was shut down. He
also said that the prisoners were in good health. After this talk, the
prison guards were withdrawn from the corridor immediately and it was
clear that an attack was being prepared. We told the social prisoners,
who had indicated their willingness to participate in the action:
"You'll know from our slogans when the attack begins. Break open your
cell doors then and take part in the action". We addressed the PKK
prisoners with the words: "It's clear now, an attack will occur, what
will be your attitude?" While the PKK kept their silence to us, one of
their representatives went into the cells of the social prisoners and
with the words "this is not our problem, and it isn't yours. It's a
DHKP-C problem, do not take part in the action", he tried to withhold
them from the action. The social prisoner then came to us and said:
"They try to leave you on your own, do something". When we went into
the communal cells of the social prisoners, we said: "We are here with
49 people as Party-Front prisoners. And 2 prisoners from EKIM are
taking part in the action as well. Even if we die in the end, we will
emerge as the winners. We trust our own strength and we will fight. We
regard you as our friends. Whether you take part or not, that's your
decision". Some ten minutes after this talk, one by one the answers
came from the cells of the social prisoners: "We've come to a joint
decision, when there is an attack, we will be on your side, we will
participate in the resistance. If you want, we can break open the
doors now and go into the corridor, if you want we can take the prison
guards hostage as well". The director showed up again. He emphasized
that a search was necessary. Our stand was clear, EXPLAIN THIS WITH
CEYHAN. We saw that soldiers, policemen and a fire-engine were lined
up outside. Around 2.30 p.m., chief prosecutor Ethem TUERKER came. He
said that the search would be carried out one way or the other. And we
discussed Ceyhan. Tuerker said after a brief discussion: "What will be
your last word?" "Clear up the business in Ceyhan!..." "Well, you know
it", he said and went to the director and ordered the preparations. It
was now evident that they were going to attack. We immediately went
into the corridor and erected a barricade in front of the bars. It was
not quite finished when some 50 prison guards and 20 soldiers entered,
together with the directors and the chief prosecutor. The electricity
was cut off and they came before the barricade. We prepared the beds
and shanks. Then we started to yell: "Human dignity will defeat
torture", "Down with fascism, long live our struggle". And we sang our
march: "Come if you have the courage"... The director tried to silence
us and our representative cried out even louder. They wanted
"negotiations", protected by guards and soldiers. We rejected this.
The demand was clear: CEYHAN. We heard how the social prisoners in the
upper floor tried to break open the cell doors with force. At that
same moment, some 30 soldiers, armed with girders, sticks and tear gas
came through the back entrance. We divided our forces and went in both
directions. When the soldiers were very near to us, they lined up and
began to beat their sticks on the girders. They practically engaged in
psychological warfare. We hit the floor with girders and iron bars as
well. With an even louder voice, we yelled: "Down with fascism, long
live our struggle". The soldiers were amazed and they tried to
intimidate us and the social prisoners by breaking the windows in the
corridor. The PKK member yelled, `close our doors', but nobody
reacted... The soldiers freaked because of some Molotov-cocktails we
threw. The soldiers in the front row, with the girders, took back a
step. At that moment came the order "Attack, throw them out of the
corridor" and we went into the attack position, yelling "Down with
fascism, long live our struggle". The soldiers, who had launched a
counterattack, panicked and started to run away. They stopped near the
kitchen and constructed a barricade with their girders. After we threw
a Molotov-cocktail, the social prisoners started to hurl stones on the
soldiers from the windows. While we went there as well, we were hit by
some of their stones. When we yelled at them that they should stop
throwing stones, one social prisoner replied: "What do I know,
brother, not ten seconds ago there were soldiers there, how quickly
they ran". We could hear steps on the upper floor and thought it were
soldiers. The doors from the cells to the upper floor were all right,
we had barricades and enough people. While we were thinking it were
soldiers, a confrontation occurred on the upper floor between the
social prisoners and the soldiers who had to retreat there as well.
This situation came as a sudden surprise to the soldiers, they had
been pushed back there as well. Later we heard that the soldiers had
entered the upper and the lower floor at the same time. Above the
officer had said: "No mercy, beat the vermin on their heads". There
were Robocops as well as soldiers. The social prisoners broke open
their doors and pushed back the soldiers with sticks and the slogans
"Human dignity will defeat torture", "We are the people, we are right
and we will win". Pushed in a corner here as well, the soldiers ran
after throwing a tear gas grenade. Thus the corridor in the upper
floor came under the control of the social prisoners. The words later
of the regiment commander to the social prisoner, "We didn't expect
you to participate in the actions, we expected you to support us",
essentially betrayed the plan; while we were being diverted in the
corridor, soldiers were to come simultaneously from the back and the
top. But this plan could not be realized. After we closed the doors of
the lower corridor, we gathered with the social prisoners. After the
director saw their was no chance of success, he proposed a meeting. We
declared we would agree to that after the soldiers would be withdrawn
and the operation was ended. We told him to come to the cell for
talks. Because he didn't dare so, we gave our word that he wouldn't
come to any harm. We told him their were soldiers on the roof and he
said they would be withdrawn. Just two minutes later, two tear gas
grenades were thrown from the same roof. The director panicked. He
began to yell for the petty officer, but the grenades had affected him
as well. We said their intentions were clear, that there was nothing
more to talk about and then sent him away. There was no further
confrontation after that. We connected the upper and the lower floor.
There were 15-10 guards behind the bars. We called the chief guard and
said: "We do not want to harm you. We will tear away the bars and go
under them, withdraw yourselves". Thereupon the chief guard: "There's
no problem with us, we will not attack you. Don't get us wrong. Okay,
we will go outside then." We broke away the bars and erected a large
barricade on the other side. We put on the DHKP flag and two banners
and started waiting. Around 10 p.m., a conversation occurred between a
social prisoner, on guard next to the block, and a petty officer on
the watchtower. The petty officer: "Damned, where have they found you,
this wasn't expected." The social prisoner replied: "What do you mean,
aren't we condemned too? You attack our friends and you expect us to
remain calm?" The petty officer: "I lost my watch during the clash. I
got it from a friend who was murdered in the East. I'll break in at 12
with my gun to get it back." With the words "you do whatever you like,
you'll see what it will get you", the social prisoner pointed his
stick to the petty officer.

We heard that there had been hostage taking and corridor occupations
in several prisons because of the attacks against us. The demands were
identical: - The attacks against the prisoners in Cankiri and Bergama
must be ended. - The demands of the prisoners in Ceyhan must be
fulfilled.

We told the director, who constantly came to us, that he would have to
talk with the Central Prison Co-ordination, not us. He told us their
would be a IHD-delegation, that there wouldn't be an attack and that a
doctor could be send, if needed. At 10.30 p.m., the delegation
entered. We explained the situation and made our demands known. They
talked with the state prosecutor and said we had to wait for a fax
message. This arrived in the early hours of the morning. We read this
message to the several groups that had been formed at strategic points
of the prison and the action was ended with the words "Long live the
resistance, long live victory".

BUCA prison:

After we heard from the attacks against the Ceyhan prison, we told the
other leftists our demand and action proposals. Because we knew that
we would have to act quickly with these kind of attacks. An agreement
was reached with all the organizations present, the TKP(ML), MLKP,
PKK, TKP-ML, TDKP, KPIOE and TKP-ML-allies on actions like refusing
the general search and count, and keeping the doors to the yard
open. We named our only demand: the friends in the Ceyhan prison must
be released from their isolation cells. The same night we started with
refusing the search. The first day of action, the locks of the cell
doors 3 and 4 to the yard were broken open. When we heard of the
occupation of the corridor and the attacks in Bergama on the second
day, our representative had a meeting with the prison directions, also
in the name of the other organizations. While we repeatedly told them
we were waiting for a fax message from our friends in Bergama, we
announced we would move over to action in case there would be an
attack in Bergama. The same day, all the representatives of the
prisoners had a meeting with the state prosecutor. We repeated our
demand. That night, some of the murderers who had been used during the
massacre of September 21 (note: that day in 1995, 4 prisoners in Buca
were brutally murdered during an attack) were brought to the corridor.
>From the third day, the administration tried to rob us from our
rights. When we heard about the attack in the Cankiri prison, we
agreed with the TIKB and the TKP-ML to occupy the corridor. There was
an attack during the attempt to break open the second door.
Immediately after that, they wanted to carry out an operation in cell
3. That's why we set fire to the cell. Water was hosed into the cell
from high-pressure hoses. They tried to force entry but failed because
of the barricade. There was a brief confrontation in cell 4, where
fire was set as well. Till the end of the action, the enemy continued
its psychological attacks in several variations. Around 2 p.m. we
received the fax message from the Central Prison Co-ordination.

MALATYA prison:

We heard from the attacks against our friends in the Ceyhan prison and
started actions the following day, demanding that they would be
released from the isolation cells. The first day, the prisoners' count
was refused and slogans were yelled. The TKP(ML), TKP-ML, MLKP and
DHKP-C participated. However, the following day all organizations,
except ours broke off the action. We continued till the end. It was
decided that the doors to the yard remained open, which was then the
case for the women cell of the DHKP-C. Besides discussions between the
female prisoners and the guards and some threats from the side of the
employees, nothing happened. One was awaiting the arrival of the fax
message from the Central Prison Co-ordination that the action was
ended. Because the administration refused to pass this message
through, the action continued. Later the message arrived and the
resistance was ended. The winners were, as always, we, the "free
prisoners".

BERGAMA prison: 

After the news arrived that our comrades in the Ceyhan prison had been
attacked, we immediately told all our friends of the other
organizations of our decision. While the TKP(ML) agreed immediately,
the TKP-ML, TIKB and MLKP said they had to think it over first. In the
mean time we deliberated on how we could realize the planned
occupation of the corridor. When the others agreed as well, we started
the action. We took the guards, arriving for their duty between 7 and
8 p.m., into our cells (in total 9 persons). We quickly set up an
action committee and divided the tasks. We organized a commune in our
cell and decided on an orderly functioning. After we had occupied the
entire block, including the administration building, and had it under
control, we informed the other left which did not participate, the PKK
and the social prisoners about the situation in general. We asked them
for their opinion and all of them declared they would stay on their
places. The chief prosecutor arrived at 5 in the morning and inquired
into the reason for our action. After he received our answer, he went,
uttering his threat. In the afternoon, the chief prosecutor came along
once again and he threatened to carry out the orders from the general
directorate in case we wouldn't withdraw. Once again we insisted that
the problem in Ceyhan had to be solved first before we would withdraw.
The dialogue broke off shortly after. In the meantime, troops were
gathering in the area. The lawyers which arrived at midnight, Metin
Narin and Ercan Demir, informed themselves on the situation. The next
morning, the enemy started several acts of pestering while increasing
their troops and declaring that an operation was inevitable. They
tried to drill through the walls of the neighboring blocks. We
resisted with the words "This is our last warning, otherwise we will
blow up the prison with propane cylinders, in no case will we
withdraw". Metin Narin and Betuel Duran, arriving for a second time
during the afternoon, started a new dialogue. Besides our general
demands, we also demanded that the troops should be withdrawn
completely, that there should be no attempt to rob us from our rights
and that we would be able to continue the action in the corridors
after returning to our cells voluntarily. After they accepted these
demands and withdrew the troops, we returned to our cells and
continued our action with the general demands. Independent from the
news of the attack in Cankiri, we decided to act again. We put our
proposal to the others from the left but they said they would await
the decision of the Central Prison Co-ordination. We remembered them
about the stand of the Co-ordination and that we had to act quickly.
On October 27, at 5 p.m., we went into the corridor and took the chief
guards and the others into our cells. After a quick search they were
split up in two groups and guarded by 5 people each. To give our other
units an entrance, at the back as well as at the front entrance of the
main corridor, a communicating door was forced open, barricades were
set up at key positions, and the entire lower level, including the
administration, was occupied. Even though the friends of the other
organizations did not participate at that moment, they helped in many
ways. At 6 p.m., the TIKB, MLKP. TKP(ML) and TKP-ML joined the action.
Three readers of Kaldirac (a magazine) participated as well as a
rear-front. Just 15 minutes later, the enemy launched it attack
against the barricade at the rear entrance. They tried to break trough
by using high-pressure hoses and other means. When they remained
unsuccessful, they fired some 30 bullets at random from 3 pistols in
order to intimidate us and to see how we would react. Despite the
probability that they would shoot at us, we attacked and reinforced
the barricade with several items. This attacked continued for two
hours, without interruption. The enemy withdrew as they remained
unsuccessful. Immediately after, they opened the cell doors in the
A-blocks where the civic fascist are , the doors to the main corridor
we had occupied. They armed them with iron bars, sticks, et cetera,
and let them loose against us. This attack lasted for one hour and we
were able to push them back. Because success failed to materialize,
they were forced to enter a dialogue. The state prosecutor arrived.
All we had to say to him was: "When this attack isn't sufficient, come
with your bombs and all your heavy weapons. Like you did in Buca and
UEmraniye. When you don't come, your without honor. We are here and
wait for you." The attack from both sides had been beaten back but
some pestering continued. Around 1 a.m., a delegation of four lawyers
arrived at the prison. We reported briefly on the events and declared
we would give the enemy one hour to withdraw from the upper and the
rear block, to withdraw from Cankiri, to clear up the case in the
Ceyhan prison, and to withdraw the civic fascist immediately.
Otherwise we would blow up the prison, using the propane cylinders.
One hour later, the enemy withdrew all its forces from the upper
corridor and the civic fascist as well. Both sides started waiting.
After the fax arrived the next morning and the enemy agreed to all our
conditions, withdrawing all its forces from the prison and the area
and keeping the old status after the action, not carrying out searches
and allowing the visits from our relatives, we ended our action.

CANAKKALE prison:

In the night of October 20 actions were started like not allowing the
general evening search, keeping open the communicating doors and
refusing the count of the prisoners. Besides ourselves, the TKEP-:L,
TKP(ML), DY, TKP(ML)-B, TKP-ML, TIKB, MLKP and TDKP took part in the
action. On October 23 we heard from the attack in the Cankiri prison.
We then decided to take hostages. We addressed the other organizations
and asked for a quick answer for we could not wait too long and we
said that we for our part would carry out the action anyway. Given the
decision of the Central Prison Co-ordination, there were no problems
and it didn't take long. The TDKP prisoners did not participate but
they declared: "If the area where you set up your barricade happens to
include our cells, open our doors. We will join de facto but
officially we will not take part." We started the action, took 9
guards hostage and brought them into our cell. We then set up our
barricades. We organized a central committee for the action (we,
TKEP-L, DY and TIKB). Among its tasks was to keep guard. We explained
the goal of our action to the guards and asked them to stay calm. In
the course of the action, the enemy not once tried to communicate.
There was no dialogue. At 1 o'clock at night, chief prosecutor Cemal
Sahir Guercay arrived together with a group in civilian clothing. They
were in a part where we could see them and they apparently discussed
architecture and several plans. But there were no preparations for an
attack. After we received a confirmation the next morning by fax and
telephone, we ended the action. We told the administration: "You will
allow all our relatives outside in, without the state prosecutor
making problems about permissions. Furthermore, there will be no
search, et cetera. You will carry out a search when the normal time
for it has come." All the relatives were let in. In the end we won
again, proud of being worthy to our Idil...

UEMRANIYE prison:

In the days we still felt anger for the fact that the freedom actions
of our comrades were discovered, first in Ceyhan and then Sagmalcilar
(tunnels), we heard that the enemy had launched an attack against
Ceyhan. Television did not report in detail about it but wounded
people were being reported. It was emphasized in a demagogic manner
that the wounded had been prison guards. Obviously, the
revolutionaries, being attacked, had resisted, but it was also evident
that the wounded had been our comrades. We met with the other
organizations and it was decided to start with refusing the count and
the evening search. This action was started in the night of October 20
with the participation of prisoners from the DHKP-C, TKP-ML, TIKB,
TKP(ML), TKEP-L, MLKP, MLSPB, TDP, HKG, TKP-Kivilcim and the TDKP.
Because we did not receive a real answer from the administration
regarding information about Ceyhan, despite repeated insistence, we
told them we were going to get them if the attacks against our friends
in Ceyhan wouldn't stop. While we continued our protest against the
attacks in Ceyhan we heard, at the end of the visit of our relatives
on October 23, that our friends in the Cankiri prison had been
attacked. There was no time to loose. It was necessary to have a
serious talk with the enemy. The enemy, who de facto wanted to use the
isolation cells in Ceyhan at first, now also attacked in Cankiri.
Making the preparations, we took our proposals to the prisoners from
the other organizations. Our decision was made. We would carry out a
occupation and take hostages... We moved, together with all the
organizations which had participated in the previous actions. We took
a director, 22 guards and 3 female guards hostage. Two female guards
were taken hostage by the female revolutionary prisoners. But the
action was not limited to that. The prison was taken under control,
including a part of the administration building, by occupying the
lower and the upper corridor and the block where the social prisoners
remained. We had divided our forces over all the occupied areas in
case there would be an attack. In the mean time we also released the
social prisoners who had been in the isolation cells for months.
However, we rejected the request of the social prisoners to take part
in the action personally in this phase. We heard, through television
and radio, that similar actions were carried out by our comrades in
other prisons. This further increased our enthusiasm. The news was
spread immediately to our friends in the corridor. At that moment we
watched ourselves on television which particularly distorted the goal
of the action. Television persistently spread the news that "the PKK
prisoners had provoked a rebellion". However, the PKK prisoners were
far remote from participating in the action. Especially Rehar Muhtar,
the clown from SHOW TV, insisted on spreading this demagogy as news.
We promised the director and the personal, taken hostage, that they
wouldn't be harmed as long as there wouldn't be an attack, here or in
another prison. During the time they were under our control, no
negative incidents occurred and we fulfilled their needs as good as
possible. We watched the situation outside from the roof and saw how
soldiers and policemen were gathered. From time to time we could hear
the slogans of our relatives outside. We answered them with our own
slogans and were filled with joy to be one big family. Television
showed the families in front of the military vehicles, telling the
soldiers "You will not get in without running us over". Furthermore we
could see the police attacks. On the one hand we were filled with joy
about these images, on the other hand they filled us with rage. We
were angry because the torturing murderers were attacking our
families, our 70 year old mothers, our husbands and wives, our
children, brothers and sisters. The eyes of all the prisoners betrayed
the same thought: "You lowly bastards, why don't you come in and we
will show you what it means to attack our mothers". The ones who
couldn't see their own families on television were even angrier.

-  What love for your family means becomes clear in moments like this.
Let them come in, I know what I'll tell them... - Don't talk like
that. Maybe the camera just didn't catch them... - I hope that's the
case. If not, it's over for me, I'll even tell them not to come
anymore. - Look, aren't that your people? - Bravo, that's how a mother
should be, for she is one of the Front-mothers...

The hours quickly passed with spirit, going around with our comrades
who weren't used to the prison yet, with the tired prisoners resting.
In the front, rear and middle areas, as well as in the upper floors,
comrades of ours stood guard and prepared for a possible
counter-attack. When the lawyers arrived during the night and met the
representatives, they were told that a solution could be found by
releasing our friends in Ceyhan from the isolation cells and ending
the attacks in Cakiri and Bergama. For that, it would be necessary for
the department to talk with the Central Prison Committee. We saw how
the increased their troops around the prison. We were prepared for
everything. "Let them come, they'll see what that will get them", we
thought. Maybe there would be casualties on our side, but we were sure
that there would be some on their side too. We waited... concentrating
on Cankiri, Bergama, Ceyhan, waiting and thinking of our comrades. At
daybreak, the lawyers came by again. They brought the message from the
Central Prison Committee. Soon after, the statement from the Central
Prison Committee was reported on television. Finally the fax arrived
which we had waited for. All who had participated in the action
gathered in the corridor and danced the Halay. "Ugur, Mecit (murdered
in Buca prison in 1995), Idil, Mujdat, Berdan, Ilginc and Yemo (among
the 12 people who fell during the hungerstrike till death of 1996) are
with us again. Apo, Hasan and Fatih (fallen in the hungerstrike till
death of 1984) are lightning our way. We will proof worthy of them. We
know we can only cross the isolation policy that way. We promise we
will always keep their inheritance high".

BURSA prison:

The attacks against the revolutionary prisoners within the context of
the isolation policy in Ceyhan prison were followed by others during
protest action against them in the prisons of Cankiri and Bergama. The
resistance grew and spread to Bursa as well where four guards were
taken hostage.

BAYRAMPASA prison:

As a first step we informed the left about the attacks in Ceyhan and
proposed to them to refuse the count as a form of protest. Except for
the PKK, TIKB, TKP-ML. MLKP and TKP(ML), all organization participated
in this action on October 20. The reason why they didn't take part
wasn't that they opposed the actions, but that a representative of the
TIKB forgot to inform them. Although we demanded to be informed about
the Ceyhan prison, the prison administration refused, except for some
generally unimportant facts. They tried to keep us busy. First, we
demanded true information about Ceyhan. We were told there were no
transfers in Ceyhan, that all our friends who had been in hospital
were now back in prison, except for Semsettin Kalkan who had had an
operation. The demands of the prisoners in Ceyhan were that they could
return to their cells and that there would be no criminal
investigation from the side of the authorities. Regarding Ceyhan
prison, there were talks again with those responsible. The talks with
Ferzan Citicim, the minister and the general director didn't lead to a
solution of the problem. Soon after, there was an attack in Ceyhan,
the Central Prison Co-ordination was convoked and we presented our
proposals regarding the new developments. As a final conclusion
regarding Ceyhan, we declared that we wanted the promise that our
friends in Ceyhan were going to be released from the isolation cells
and that we saw this situation as an attempt to push through the
isolation policy because they refused to give such a promise.
Therefore we proposed to start with actions like taking hostages,
occupations and alike, demanding that the attacks in Cankiri prison
were stopped. There was a joint decision reached after discussion but
the MLKP prisoners declared they didn't want to take part, despite the
fact that decisions of the Central Co-ordination are binding. They
argued that "taking hostages does not concur with our central
policies". The occupation of the corridor started at 5 p.m. with the
participation of the HDOE, not a member of the Central Prison
Co-ordination. At the start of the action, the PKK prisoners said "We
want to be counted, stop the occupation action or take a break, we
will call the direction for a count". One was busy for a long time
with the provocative conduct of the PKK prisoners. In the end their
demand was granted. But the direction didn't show up for the count. On
the one hand, the discussions continued, on the other the enemy
continued its attacks in several prisons. At that moment we heard that
an attack was to be expected in Bergama. At a meeting that night we
heard that the attacks in Cankiri had been stopped. A fax report
arrived from Cankiri which stated that they were waiting for a message
from here and the results of the negotiations in connection with
Ceyhan. The prison director told us that the problem in Ceyhan had not
been solved. We the repeated our demands. In the mean time we told the
organizations in the Central Prison Co-ordination that the actions
shouldn't be stopped without a message from the friends in Ceyhan. But
this proposal was not accepted by all. After a while we were called
again for a meeting in the administration building. There was a
meeting between a delegation (consisting of the lawyer Behic Asci from
the Halkin Hukuk Buerosu, the chairman of the CHD (Contemporary
Lawyers Association), lawyer Murat Celik, the TOHAV (relatives),
S. Okcuoglu and lawyer Muharrem Coepuer) and the prison director, on
behalf of the department. After the demands were met, the action was
ended in the name of the Central Prison Co-ordination.

The press statement of the CMK (Central Prison Co-ordination):
Our resistance, mounting in several prisons against the attacks  which
ended with the wounding of revolutionary prisoners in the Ceyhan
prison and the transfer to isolation cells, was ended with the
recognition of the demands of the prisoners in the course of the
negotiations between the CMK and the representatives of the state. 

Here are the demands we put forward:

1. The isolation of the revolutionary prisoner in the Ceyhan prison
must be canceled and they are to return to their former cells in the
shortest possible time. 2. The old order in the Ceyhan prison is to be
restored. 3. All the prisoners who have been wounded during the attack
will receive medical treatment. 4. There will be no criminal inquiries
against the prisoners. 

Central Prison Co-ordination (DHKP-C, TKP(ML), MLKP, TKP/ML, TIKB,
TKEP/Leninist, Direnis Hareketi, HKG) and the THKP-C/HDOE prisoners in
the Sagmalcilar prison.

Despite the agreement with the department that the isolation policy,
which they wanted to push through in the Ceyhan prison, will be
canceled, they still want to implement it, according to the latest
information. We know that the `Susurluk' state and all its
representatives are insidious in this matter. But we are warning them.
When this policy is not stopped, we will crush the prisons above their
heads. As a warning in this matter, the prisoners of the DHKP-C, TIKB,
TKP(ML), TKEP-L, TKP/ML. HKG, DH and MLKP refused the prisoners count
in Sagmalcilar prison on October 29, 1998. One should not forget that
this was merely a warning.

---
Press Agency Ozgurluk
For justice, democracy and human rights in Turkey and Kurdistan!
Website: http://www.ozgurluk.org                          
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