CP of Turkey, TKP Bulletin No. 24

["Hasan Ilkates" <hasan_ilkates@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

TKP BULLETIN No: 24 June 9, 2003

Contents:
It depends on your point view
Agenda: Peace
Homage for Nazim Hikmet
TKP Central Anatolia Administrators gathered

It depends on your point view

The pro-USA and pro-EU party holds political power on its own. Another
pro-USA and pro-EU party is the main opposition party. But the polls say
that the majority of the public does not trust the US and other imperialist
countries.

In the recent years the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF), in many ways, strived to
homogenize the political structure, distinguish the EU as the target of
Turkish capitalism and strengthen the strategic alliance with USA. Today
some analyses have appeared from the ranks of this institution that question
these efforts.

Every inch of the public domain is surrounded with bourgeois ideology, the
degenerate imperialist culture has spread to all corners. Besides these it
can be seen that everyday the search for "independence" "honor", and
"personality" is spreading to the wider masses.

What does all this mean?

It means that destruction is the main reference point of the system. This
wreckage alone cannot be the reason of optimism or pessimism  The problem is
your point of view and how you will act upon this.  The fact that the
public, "cold" to the USA and other imperialist countries, is following the
collaborating parties can be a reason to be hopeless. As the TAF is
improving the capability of making its own opposition, this can mean the
maturing of the state. The development of the search of independence, honor,
and personality in the masses can be seen as the legitimization of the
order.

Will it be wrong to analyze and think like this?

It may not... As we said it depends on your point of view.

Today there is no reason to be optimistic if you are looking from the
"outside" to the tensions that have emerged in the social and institutional
levels. In many past examples the distrustfulness towards the imperialist
countries has strengthened the racist, fascist tendencies and today there is
no objective reason for this not to happen. And also it must be known that
distrustfulness develops intimidation and submission, as is the case today.

It is also possible that the different tendencies in the TAF, which disturb
the authorities of the TAF forcing them to make statements to cool the
tensions, will turn to a pragmatic "power" ideology at the end. And also it
must be remembered that the sovereignty of capital has strong foundations in
its main institutions.

The same thing is valid for the tendencies in the public. For the left,
interfering with the whole situation from the outside, it is unavoidable to
be pessimist and even to panic.

In fact the wreckage at the main reference points of the system is a
development in which the left is a party. The existence of some ideological
and political issues that "shift the left to the right" in those tensions is
not the reason for the taking of sides. Taking sides is also a product of
the initiative to direct the developments. Today the left has the
opportunity and power to interfere with the wreckage at the reference points
of the system in accordance with its class view.

Clearly the usage of this opportunity and power must frighten. In case this
opportunity and power is not used, the working class will be condemned to
alternatives chosen by the system and the left will either disintegrate or
switch to rightist politics.

We are stating that these developments will occur. There is nothing to be
surprised about. Yet it is crucial that the independent positioning of the
working class is not understood as a subversive struggle and that there is
no possibility of recovering from this filthy system, which is near the end
of the road and bound to give way.
(By Kemal Okuyan General Secretary of the Central Committee (From 'The
Communist'; weekly of the CP of Turkey, No: 117)

 _____

Agenda: Peace

The Peace Society started her serial activities which would bring together
scientists, artists, students and syndicalists, by conferences, panel
discussions and other presentations during 7-8 June.

On 7 June, the president of the Society, Bilgutay Durna, made a speech in
order to give a start to the activities lasting the whole weekend. After
him, the Iraq War Survey Group of the society exhibited their report to the
audience, followed by a conference given by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alaeddin Senel,
on the psychology, sociology and philosophy of the war. Afterwards,
contributions from various domains of speciality illuminated the
participants: "the International Criminal Court" by barriseter Fikret Ilkiz,
"Effects of the Iraq War on Health" by Dr. Ali Cerkezoglu (administrator in
the Chamber of Physicians of Istanbul), "Ecological Effects of the Iraq War"
by Ender Eren(Greens), "The War and the Place of Iraq in the History of
Culture" by Assist. Prof. Dr. Asli Erim(Prehistory Department of Istanbul
Univeristy and "War and Woman" by Prof. Dr. Sahika Yuksel (Medicine Faculty
of Istanbul University). In the expositions, it was orally and visually
emphasized that the end of massive bombing did not mean the end of war for
the oppressed people, but somehow a beginning, as the environmental, social
and health problems begin to appear, due to the destroyed infrastructure and
political equilibre.

On the afternoon sessions, journalists and writers spoke on the "Invisible
Part of the Iraq War", succeeded by a diapositive exposition.

On 8 June, Assist. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Hasguler(International Relations), Prof.
Dr. Izettin Onder(Faculty of Economics, Istanbul University), Gaye
Yilmaz(Specialist in DISK, Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions)
and Kemal Okuyan, the General Secretary of TKP were the panelists of the
first session. There, all the speakers agreed that the anti-war posture,
founding its raison d'etre in pro-EU, pro-third world, fundemantalist or any
other non-popular tendencies were most probably subject to be mistaken and
that the Iraq War removed, among many others, some paradigms which deny or
despise the Marxist position against imperialism that requires an analyse
based on the interpretation of class antagonisms. In addition, Kemal Okuyan
said that by the imperialist victory on Baghdat, it was once again seen that
the sole way to resist the wild attack of the capital and imperialist
policies for a country, passed through an ensemble of popular policies and a
revolutionary-popular programme; of which gains for the labour class such as
public ownership will form the most crucial elements. He also emphasized the
importance of socialist Cuba and although in different way, Chavez
Venezuela, all two showing the enlightened way for the peoples of the world,
leading to independence, freedom and justice.
Among other participants of the second day were an administrator of the
former Peace Society(later banned) Ugur Kokden, Onder Atay(trade unionist)
and a radio programmer from Acik Radio, Tan Morgul. They shared their
opinions in the panel in which the elderest member of TKP, Rasih Nuri Ileri
as well as Bilgutay Durna, the president of the society, also made speeches.

Nikos Fotiadis, the representative of the Greek Committee for International
Detente and Peace was the guest of the Peace Society during the activities.

 _____


Homage for Nazim Hikmet

On 3 June, the 40th year of the decease of the famous communist poet Nazim
Hikmet was commemorated, at the same time with the inauguration of the new
place in Istanbul of the Cultural Centre which proudly bears his name.

Nazim Hikmet, who passed away in his "second homeland" USSR 40 years ago was
remembered by poets, students and his comrades, accompanied by poems and
songs performed by many artists. Speakers affirmed that Nazim Hikmet could
not be isolated from socialism nor from the socialist ideology and that the
political line which once caused his expulsion continued in the struggle of
TKP. It was also emphasized that the poet of hope, love and struggle,
Hikmet, had never made concessions through his life from his communist
identity and that nowadays we needed his liveliness in order to challenge
the aggressions of the imperialism.
Hikmet was also commemorated in various corners of Turkey, with picnics,
concerts and speeches organised by TKP, one of which(in Izmir) was honoured
by our Cuban artist guest Ximora Contrera Arguma.

 _____

TKP Central Anatolia Administrators gathered

On 31 May, administrators of TKP in Central Anatolia gathered with the
Central Anatolia Regional Committee in Ankara. Kemal Okuyan, the General
Secretary of TKP also participated in the reunion, starting the assembly
with his speech concerning the anti-imperialist struggle and patriotism.
Okuyan stated that communists should remember to internalize the conception
of patriotism, staying away from the demagogical sens that the bourgeois
politics associate it with.

In the regional assembly, responsables evaluated the productif political
tempo marked by May Day and concluded that the party will continue, during
June, this activity of organization and prepared for the next conference.

Turkiye Komunist Partisi
Osman Aga Mahallesi Nushet Efendi Caddesi No:38 Kadikoy
Istanbul / TURKEY
Tel: +90 216 414 65 04 - Fax: +90 216 346 11 37
http://www.tkp.org.tr <http://www.tkp.org.tr/>  , int@xxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:int@xxxxxxxxxx>

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