Political parties, student groups, lawyers’ organizations and others have announced their backing for a two-day general strike starting Monday to protest the 10 October Ankara Massacre, which killed more than 100 people Unions and professional organizations that organized the 10 October Labor, Peace and Democracy Rally in Ankara have called for a general strike on […]
Political parties, student groups, lawyers’ organizations and others have announced their backing for a two-day general strike starting Monday to protest the 10 October Ankara Massacre, which killed more than 100 people
Unions and professional organizations that organized the 10 October Labor, Peace and Democracy Rally in Ankara have called for a general strike on Monday and Tuesday to protest a state-instigated massacre against more than 100 people early Saturday.
“To honor our dead friends and to protest the fascist massacre, we are in mourning for three days and on strike on 12 and 13 October,” said the organizing committee, which includes the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK), the Confederation of Public Sector Unions (KESK), the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers And Architects (TMMOB) and the Turkish Medical Association (TTB).
“To show that they will not be able to rule this country and this people with dictatorship, and to call those who murdered our friends to account, [we call on] all to stop their normal lives and join the People’s Strike,” People’s Houses (Halkevleri) Director Oya Ersoy said.
“Let us abandon our offices, our construction sites and our workplaces to silence in the face of this massacre,” said the organization Politeknik.
“Whether in our workshops, factories or workplaces, let us support the call for a work stoppage,” said the Socialist People’s Party of the Oppressed (ESP). “We call on students to boycott class, on tradespeople to halt their work, on drivers to turn off their engines and on all to make noise at night as they hit the streets to demand an account [for the massacre]. We must back the resistance everywhere. We must attach black ribbons to our houses, collars and cars.”
“We refuse to be accustomed to the idea that we are a country that has become synonymous with massacres,” said the Communist Party (KP) in announcing its support for the strike. “It is only the people’s determination and organizational strength that can halt the massacres committed by reactionaries and imperialists in collaboration.”
The Socialist Women’s Assemblies (SKM) also backed the labor action, noting that the murderers were well-known from recent attacks such as in Suruç and Cizre, the murder and exposure of PKK guerrilla Kevser Eltürk (Ekin Wan) and last week’s incident in which Turkish soldiers murdered amateur actor Hacı Lokman Birlik in Şırnak before dragging his body through the streets by the neck.
“As oppressed women, we must step up for our martyrs together,” it said.
At universities, the Federation of Thought Clubs (FKF) backed the struggle, saying “Our pain is great, our anger is great. We are not fine, and we will not be fine” – referencing a famous social media message from LGBTİ activist Loren Elva after she was injured in an attack by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) on Suruç in July.
The Students’ Collective noted that there was “no other path – the palace will be destroyed.” Likewise the Labor Youth organization vowed not to step back in the face of the fascist onslaught. “We will not weaken when confronted by these massacres!”
At the same time, 11 lawyers’ organizations issued a call to bar associations, professional groups and lawyers to support the unions’ calls for a strike.
Sendika.Org
