"We will not suffocate under rubble once again!": Large solidarity event by the Communist Party of Turkey held in Ankara

On the dawn of the 6th of February, the southern region of Turkey was hit by a grave earthquake, followed by another one during the day, of 7.7 and 7.6 magnitudes, respectively. The earthquake impacted a wide zone of more than 10 cities. The Communist Party of Turkey initiated its rescue and solidarity work immediately after the earthquake, in the impacted region as well as other parts of the country, collecting aid materials and channeling them to those in need. 

On Saturday, the 18th of February, a massive event in the Kocatepe Cultural Center of Ankara was held, with the slogan “We are standing up, not to suffocate under rubble once again!

Turkish communist leader Kemal Okuyan assesses the earthquake disaster: "A big storm is brewing"

On February 10th, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), Kemal Okuyan, made an assessment about the disaster in the earthquake-hit region of southern Turkey:

"The darkness of the AKP along with the market economy based on exploitation and plunder cost the lives of tens of thousands of our citizens , and left millions of people homeless. This is a terrible, unacceptable, revolting situation. There is more. Turkey has become completely open to a new operation of domestic and foreign capital and imperialist centers.

Turkey: Communist Party's 102nd founding anniversary celebrated in Istanbul

The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) celebrated its 102nd anniversary with a political and cultural event held in Istanbul. Under the slogan “victory belongs to the workers who resist”, ETF workers who have been fighting for their rights entered the hall receiving the warm applause by the large crowd, including workers, unionists, associations' members, young men and women.

Speaking at the opening of the event, the head of TKP Istanbul Provincial Organization Senem Doruk Inam underlined: “We know that we can rebuild this country together. The owners of this country can and will rule this country”. 

Quadripartite meeting of Communist Parties of Greece, Spain, Mexico and Turkey to be held in Athens

A quadripartite meeting between the Communist Parties of Greece (KKE), Workers of Spain (PCTE), Mexico (PCM) and Turkey (TKP) is going to be held on Friday 8 July in Athens. 

The theme of the meeting, which will take place at the KKE Party headquarters in Perissos, is "We strengthen the workers-people's struggle against the imperialist war and capital's attack, for socialism". According to Rizospastis, all the four parties will be represented by their heads. More specifically, the participant comrades are:

Turkish and Greek communists: "USA and NATO, get out of our neighborhood"!

With a large anti-imperialist political event held on Sunday 15 May in the southern Turkish city of Adana, the five-day visit of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) delegation in Turkey was concluded. 

The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) and the KKE, two parties that share a long history of fraternal relations, organized bilateral meetings and joint events in Turkey between 11 and 15 May. 

During the week, cadres from the two parties jointly traveled in different provinces, visiting TKP's District Houses and attended in political activities. Communists from the two countries have voiced their demands together, against NATO and US imperialism, against exploitation and capitalist barbarity.

TKP-KKE: Turkish, Greek communists strengthen joint struggle against imperialism-exploitation

The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) and the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), two parties with a long history of fraternal relations, organize bilateral meetings and joint events in Turkey between 11 and 15 May.

More specifically, TKP will host a delegation of the KKE within the framework of comprehensive program of visits, meetings and political events throughout Turkey, including major cities Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya and Adana. 

KKE-TKP: Joint statement by Dimitris Koutsoumbas and Kemal Okuyan

On Monday 11 April, the General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas met with Kemal Okuyan, General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), in Athens where they talked about the developments with the war in Ukraine as well as the political situation in Turkey, Greece and the broader region.

Following the meeting, the two leaders signed the following joint statement (in Greek and in Turkish): 

Kemal Okuyan: Who will stop NATO?

The following article was published earlier this month, in the midst of the war in Ukraine, by Kemal Okuyan, General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP):

 

WHO WILL STOP NATO?

“NATO is not an organization, a force, or an alliance system that can be defeated militarily.” We have been stating this since the Russian armies entered Ukraine. 

The world’s plunge into ever increasing darkness and the fact that the international working class movement has for a long time been in retreat undoubtedly leads people to despair and the tendency to fall for the first “remedy” they come across.

Okuyan: "The Communist Party of Turkey will not enter into an alliance with any party of existing social order"

Interview with Kemal Okuyan, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), on the recent extraordinary conference and political debates on the opposition, by journalist Özlem Temenna:

— The Communist Party of Turkey shared the resolutions taken at the extraordinary conference with the press. The title of the conference was declared as “One More Step Further”. What kind of roadmap did you employ while preparing the conference resolutions? What kind of a country did you call the masses for? 

Turkish communists commemorated Mustafa Suphi: Mass events in Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir

With political events titled "TKP calls for a new Turkey", the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) honored on Saturday 29 January the memory of its founder Mustafa Suphi. 

Events, with both political and cultural programs, took place in the country's three largest cities, Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, with the participation of numerous party members and supporters, soL portal reported.

The event in Ankara was attended by the TKP General Secretary Kemal Okuyan who delivered a speech in memory of Mustafa Suphi and his 14 comrades who were killed in 1921. 

Turkish communists lead protests over price rises: "Stand up against expensiveness"

While the Turkish Lira collapses and the cost of living is rising day by day, demonstrators are taking the streets in Turkey's major cities in order to protest Erdogan government's economic policy.

The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) is once again on the forefront of the protests, organizing rallies in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and other cities.

 “Our labor is exploited, our country is plundered. Our lives are being stolen with prices that change every day, with increasing bills. We have to resist for our life, for our future. Now is the time to stand up!”, reads a statement by the TKP which calls the working people to mobilize against the governmental policies. 

Big rally by TKP in Istanbul: Now is the time for socialism!

Photo: sol.org.tr

Under the slogan "Now is the time for socialism", thousands of people, men and women of every age, gathered at Kartal Square, Istanbul, in order to attend the rally organized by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP). 

Speaking at the rally, TKP Secretary General Kemal Okuyan said among others: "We are a family, a growing family that fights against lies and exploitation. TKP is acting with great self-confidence at its 101st year, it is spreading and growing. Come and be a part of this struggle, if you are still not in the ranks of the TKP. We are the future of Turkey". 

Large political rally by Greek and Turkish communists held in Lesvos: Socialism is the future!

Under the slogan “In Greece and Turkey, the enemy is the same: NATO – governments – capitalism! Socialism is the future!”, hundreds of communists from the two countries participated in a large rally held on Saturday 10 July in Mytilene, Lesbos, 

 

The rally was organized within the framework of the 30th Anti-imperialist camp of the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE). 

"The real enemy isn't the neighboring countries, but capitalism, its monopolies and their imperialist alliances", underlined Dimitris Koutsoumbas, the General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), during his greeting speech at Sappho Square in Mytilene. 

Greek and Turkish young communists to meet in Lesvos

Dimitris Koutsoumbas (KKE) and Kemal Okuyan (TKP)

Greek and Turkish young communists, members and friends of the KKE and the TKP, are going to meet on July 9-11 in the island of Lesvos (Lesbos), at the 30th Anti-imperialist Camp of the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE).

KNE organizes this year's Anti-imperialist camp in Mytilene, Lesvos, under the slogan: “In Greece and Turkey, the enemy is the same: NATO – governments – capitalism! Socialism is the future!”.

The two-day events will conclude with a large political rally on Saturday 10 July, at 8 pm, at Sappho's Square in Mytilene. A speech will be delivered by Nikos Abatielos, Secretary of the Central Council of KNE. 

Under the Shadow of the Revolution: Berlin, Warsaw, Ankara 1920 — Book by Kemal Okuyan

The International Relations Bureau of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) launched the latest book of Kemal Okuyan, the General Secretary of TKP, titled "Under the Shadow of the Revolution: Berlin, Warsaw, Ankara 1920" in English and published by Yazılama Editorial House.

Originally published in Turkish in 2019, this work does not only analyzes the achievements but also the shortcomings of the communist movement during the rise of the revolutionary wave in the early 20th century.

Turkey and Covid-19: Interview of TKP General Secretary Kemal Okuyan in "Rizospastis"

In an interview with the daily newspaper of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) "Rizospastis", the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) Kemal Okuyan commented on the Covid-19 pandemic, its effects on working-class and TKP's initiatives to protect the health and rights of the workers. Okuyan noted that they have built solidarity networks organized by the district organizations of TKP:

— What is the evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic in Turkey? How does the TKP judge the measures of the Erdogan government and the positions of other bourgeois parties?

Neo-Ottomanism: the political economy of contemporary Turkey

The following article, published in "Morning Star" newspaper on January 20th, under the title "Neo-Ottomanism: the political economy of contemporary Turkey", was written by the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) Kemal Okuyan:

After failure in Syria, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is busy developing a second version of his neo-Ottoman project, which he first brought onto the political agenda in the second half of the early 2000s.

"We will change this city, this country": Mass gathering of TKP in Istanbul

The second of the events organized by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), calling for "hope, organizing, and celebrating to win 2020" was held yesterday in Istanbul Bostancı.  

It was the second of the events organized in three major cities with the title of the Istanbul Bostanci Showland. The first gathering was held in Izmir on Saturday.

Before the start of the event, resisting workers from many sectors, including Bimeks workers, textile workers, teachers of Doğa schools, construction workers, metal workers, and cafe workers, came to Bostancı Showland by shouting slogans and holding banners.

Scientific symposium on Socialism initiated by the Communist Party (TKP) held in Ankara

Photo: soL news.

An interesting symposium on Socialist future and planning began on Friday 6th December in Ankara, after an initiative by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP). 

The meeting takes place under the auspice of the "Academy of Science and Enlightment" at the premises of the Middle East Technical University (METU), with more than 300 scholars, university students and workers attending the event.

The General Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkey, Kemal Okuyan, was among the speakers of the first day. Okuyan pointed out that the only goal of scientific work in capitalism is the maximalization of profits, because its organization is in the hands of monopolies. In socialism, he said, the organization of scientific work will be transformed into a large network of all the working people. 

21st International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties: The opening speeches by Dimitris Koutsoumbas and Kemal Okuyan

The 21st International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties (IMCWP) kicked off today, Friday 18 October, in Izmir, with the participation of 75 Parties from 61 countries. 

The hosting Parties are the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) and the Communist Party of Greece (KKE). The meeting takes place between 18 and 20 of October.

Below, you can read the full transcripts of the opening speeches delivered by the General Secretaries Dimitris Koutsoumbas and Kemal Okuyan.