Turkey: Reactionary attacks against communists will not reach their goals — TKP will continue its struggle!

In a letter addressed to fraternal Communist and Workers' Parties, the International Relations Section of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) refers to a recent malicious attack by reactionary elements against Party members in Istanbul and the role of the governing AKP party. The text is the following:

Dear comrades, 

We are writing this note to inform you about some recent developments and an attack against our party by the reactionary forces.

Turkey's Communist Party slams Erdogan's warmongering plans in Libya

In a statement issued today, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) condemns the warmongering plans of Tayyip Erdogan's government in Libya. 

More specifically, the TKP statement refers to the recent adoption of a bill by the Turkish Parliament which gives the green light to Erdogan to deploy troops in Libya.

TKP called for the cancellation of this recent bill and those which proceeded it and called on all armed forces in the territory of other countries' lands to return to the country.

The full statement published in soL news portal is as follows:

In Erdogan's Turkey 18 million people are living below poverty line

While the world's media are busy covering Tayyip Erdogan's visit in the United States, a report issued by the General Workers Union exposes the harsh reality of the deepening of social inequalities in Turkey. 

According to a report titled "Income Inequality and Poverty in Turkey", the number of poor people in Turkey is 16 million, while 18 million people are living below poverty line. 

As the report notes, the working pverty in the country has increased by 11% in one year, while the capitalist crisis has created more than 1 million newly unemployed. 

"Erdogan and the USA are partners in crime in Syria" — Communist Party of Turkey (TKP)

The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) has released a statement regarding the military offensive into northern Syria, on which Turkey carrying out ground attacks and airstrikes. Shouting "hands off Syria!", TKP says AKP and the United States are partners in crime in Syria for the last eight years. The statement is the following:

"Syria has been suffering for eight years.

About eight years ago, anti-government demonstrations commenced in Syria. These demonstrations soon turned into an armed uprising and clashes in certain cities. Then together with the involvement of foreign forces, the civil war and the occupation of imperialist powers led by the US started.

"Hope is flourishing in Turkey": TKP reflects on the results of local elections

The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) issued a statement after the local elections, declaring that the party will not allow the two-party system that started to be considered as the normal in Turkey today. 

TKP stated that despite the system seems to be a two-party system in the elections and despite all the difficulties, pressures and restrictions, Turkey's communists have increased their votes radically.

Erdogan and Gülen, former accomplices in CIA anti-communist campaign in Turkey

Fethullah Gülen, the islamic preacher and businessman who resides in Pennsylvania, is today regarded as the number one enemy of Tayyip Erdogan's AKP government which has repeatedly asked for his extradition to Turkey. 

However, it is known that Erdogan and Gülen were once close allies. What is less known is that both men had participated, in one or another way, in the CIA-designed anti-communist campaign in Turkey during the Cold War years. 

Crisis and Revolution - A report by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP)

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) has recently published a report on the 1917 October Revolution anniversary. 

The report assesses the economic and political crisis in Turkey and the actuality of a socialist revolution for Turkey. 

You can read the full text of the report below:

Turkish workers establish solidarity network against the crisis and the capitalists

The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) has inaugurated the solidarity, struggle and communication network of workers against the crisis and the capitalists, soL news portal reports. 

In its appeal, “the TKP will welcome those who wish to have access to this network at its buildings, clubhouses and representative agencies,” the party said. 

“We will join our forces. We will not bow down to the bosses. We will clamp down on the exploiters. Those who suppose that workers are all alone should know that we will breathe down bosses’ neck.”

Turkish communist leader Kemal Okuyan talks about the economic crisis

Kemal Okuyan, Secretary General of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), elaborated on the ongoing economic crisis for soL news portal. 

Okuyan highlighted that crises are inevitable under capitalism, and that they result in further monopolization as well as the reallocation of funds from toiling masses to capital. 

Emphasizing that expecting the crisis to lead Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan or his AKP government to a political stalemate would be too optimistic, Okuyan pointed out that the political outcomes of the crisis would be determined by the struggle of the working class.

Communist Party of Turkey: We have to kick all of US imperialism out of our land!

Statement of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) on the recent tension between the governments of Turkey and the United States: 

We have to kick all of US imperialism out of our land, along with its bases, soldiers and collaborators.

It is impossible to achieve this within today’s system. Because today’s rule is the rule of money bags who make huge profits owing to their close relations with the US, NATO countries and the European Union and who see those relations as the assurance of the continuation of their rule. The party that is ruling today is a party that came to power by the open support and guidance of US. Those who are having a row with the US today are the same ones who were boasting of being strategic partners with the US yesterday.

Turkish Elections: Tayyip Erdogan's victory celebrated by major capitalists

Turkey's capitalists' organizations have celebrated the victory of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his electoral alliance between the ruling AKP party and the ultra-right MHP party following the presidential and parliamentary elections on June 24, reports the news portal soL. 

As Erdoğan won 52,5 per cent in the first round of presidential poll, The Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD), the country’s wealthiest capitalist establishment, has released a press statement following the voting:

16 years of Erdogan's rule in Turkey: Profits for capitalists, poverty for workers

16 years under the rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's AKP government stand for poverty and occupational murders for working people as capitalists enjoy Erdoğan's 'resurrection' model, writes soL international in an interesting report. 

As Turkey is heading to the polls for presidential and parliamentary elections, statistical data contradicts President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan‘s electoral manifesto and the rhetoric of ‘resurrection’ considering Turkey’s 16 years under the rule of his AKP party government.

Defying Erdogan: Turkey's Communist Party will nominate candidates for June elections

Despite the decision of the country's Suprepe Electoral Council to prohibit its participation in the upcoming parliamentary elections in June, the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) is determined to fight against Erdogan government's authoritarianism and will nominate candidates under the slogan "This social order must change". 

TKP WILL NOMINATE INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES for the PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS.

Erdogan's regime prohibits Communists from participating in June elections

According to soL international latest report, Turkey's top election authority has ruled the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) will not be allowed to run in June 24 snap elections. 

Supreme Election Board (YSK) has also not approved the participation of the leftist ÖDP and EMEP. YSK, which acts according to the directives of the AKP government, announced that only 10 political parties were eligible to take part in the elections. 

TKP statement on Turkey's early elections: "We hold our salvation in our own hands"

Following the call by President Rejep Tayyip Erdogan to hold early elections on June 24th, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) issued a statement:

"Turkey is experiencing a political gridlock which binds both the ruling party and opposition parties. This gridlock cannot be eliminated with early elections as suggested by Erdoğan and his partner Bahçeli. 

For at the root of this gridlock, there lies the Turkish economy that has come to an almost complete standstill; there lies the Turkish foreign policy which tosses and turns restlessly within the imperialist world; there lies internal policies which fail to go to the root of the problem but fiddle with fake solutions; there lies the fact that large masses are condemned to despair and helplessness; there lies this social order that persistently creates poverty, unemployment, injustice and tyranny.

Did you dare to criticize Erdogan on social media? You are under arrest!

The government of Tayyip Erdogan escalates repression measures thus increasing the number of the people detained for sharing social media posts which criticize the AKP government. 

As soL international reports, over a thousand of people including TKP members and citizens from other left-wing parties have been detained for sharing social media posts criticizing the government as the AKP tries to criminalize sharing news from soL.

845 Turkish citizens were detained in January and February for sharing social media posts criticising the government or “defaming” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as the number of detentions is gradually increasing every day.

Turkey: Erdogan's regime and capitalists intensify their attack on workers' rights

While President Tayyip Erdogan and members of his AKP government escalate the dangerous and provocative ultra-nationalist rhetoric on foreign affairs, inside Turkey the working people are facing an increasing attack on their rights. 

Despite the governmental proclamations about Turkey's "economic development", the workers and popular strata of the country are struggling hard for decent employment, stable wages and labor with rights.

The news portal soL international has lately published some developments which are indicative of what is taking place in workers' daily struggle in Turkey. 

Erdogan's AK Party members attack young communists in Istanbul

Another violent attack against communists has been occurred in Turkey, as soL international reports, with members of Erdogan's ruling AK Party attacking members of the Communist Youth who were distributing anti-imperialist leaftlets in Istanbul.

More specifically, two members of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) attacked on March 27 the members of the Communist Youth of Turkey (TKG) who distributed anti-imperialist and anti-NATO leaflets in Istanbul’s Sarıyer district.

The Communist Youth members, affiliated with the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), were distributing leaflets, reading, 'Those who don't target imperialism cannot defeat imperialists' in front of a high school in Istanbul. Meanwhile, hanging a banner of the ruling party, two unidentified members from the AKP attacked the communists.

Anticommunist delirium by Erdogan: He labeled anti-war students as "terrorists"

In a delirium full of anticommunism, nationalism and hate, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lambasted anti-war students at Bogaziçi University who protested other students for commemorating soldiers killed in a military operation in Syria. Spreading more nationalist poison, Erdogan promised to clean “communist and terrorist students” out of universities, the Cumhuriyet daily has reported.

On March 19 a group of students who disagree with the Turkish government's offensive war in Syria protested a ceremony set in memory of soldiers killed during the military operation in Afrin, Syria. Police identified 17 students and detained five of them, while 12 are being sought.

The Communist Party of Turkey demands: "Leave NATO, close down Incirlik base!"

A campaign of collecting signatures against NATO has been launched by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), demanding Turkey's disengagement from the imperialist North Atlantic alliance and the closure of the Incirlik military base. 

Members of the Communist Party have already started the effort to reach as many people as possible, distributing the party newspaper "Boyun Egme" in the streets. 

In a statement, TKP strongly condemns the policy of Erdogan's AKP government, writing among other things: "The reactionary capitalist class and the AKP government have no other purpose than to find a new role in the imperialist order and continue on the same path as a desirable partner".