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 Earthquake: The Communist Party (TKP) on the frontline of solidarity and material aid

From the very first time after the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake that hit southern Turkey and parts of Syria, the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) mobilized all its resources in order to provide aid to the affected people. Members and supporters of TKP participated in rescue teams while others gathered humanitarian aid in numerous cities across the country. 

TKP has issued reports for the days following the earthquake, describing the situation and the role of the Party in providing actual solidarity to the earthquake-hit people.

Letter to Turkey: “Stay strong my comrade Mehmet”

By Nikos Mottas.

The powerful and destructive earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on Monday brought memories from the 17 August 1999 earthquake (7.6 magnitude earthquake) in Turkey's Kocaeli province, causing approximately 18,000 deaths. 

Two days later, on 19 August, the front page (photo) of the party newspaper of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) “Rizospastis” was reading: “Stay strong my comrade Mehmet”. It was an article written by journalist Pavlos Rizargiotis, emphasizing on the proletarian solidarity expressed by the workers and the people of Greece towards their neighbors. Freely translated, the article, a magnificent sample of internationalist solidarity, was the following:

Stay strong my comrade Mehmet

Communist Party of Turkey-TKP: Organizing people's solidarity after the earthquake

The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) has released a statement following the powerful earthquake that hit the country early on Monday, February 6, calling on the citizens to grow solidarity.

Dear comrades,

We are in deep grief and very sorry to inform you that the destruction and damage caused by the earthquake seem quite massive.

For a brief information: 

Türkiye — Suriye halkları ile dayanışma | التضامن مع شعوب تركيا — سوريا | Solidarity with the people of Turkey and Syria

Greece's PAME calls for material aid to earthquake-hit people of Turkey and Syria: "You are not alone"

In a statement following the devastating earthquake that hit regions of South Eastern Turkey and Syria, the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) expresses its full proletarian solidarity and calls for the collection of material aid for the earthquake-hit people:

"PAME stands by our brothers and sisters, the workers and the peoples of Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and all the neighboring countries affected by the massive earthquake in the morning of Monday, 6 February. We are shocked to see the images, especially from the region at the epicentre of the earthquake, where once again natural phenomena have victimised the poor people.

KKE expresses full solidarity with the earthquake-hit people of Turkey and Syria

Statement by Dimitris Koutsoumbas, General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), concerning the disastrous earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria:

"We express our full solidarity with the peoples of Turkey and Syria, who currently need urgent and coordinated international aid to rescue the missing persons and provide effective support to the people affected by the earthquake. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and our wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured.

Turkish Communist Party launches electoral campaign: "TKP comes, everything changes!"

In a press release titled "TKP COMES, EVERYTHING CHANGES", the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) launches its campaign for the 2023 parliamentary elections:

"In 1923, we broke the chains of dependence, we annulled the sultanate and the caliphate.

We overthrew the old and founded the new.

KKE condemns blockade on the Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh

In a statement, the International Relations Section of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) condemns the blockade imposed on the Armenian population at Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijan. More specifically, the statement (here in Greek) reads:

"The people of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) are once again experiencing great difficulties, following the complete blockade (ground and air) imposed by Azerbaijan, with the tolerance of the Russian "peacekeeping" forces. The Armenians of the region, deprived of food, medicine and fuel supplies in the particularly difficult winter conditions, are facing serious problems of survival.

Turkish communists condemn Erdogan's attack in Syria and north Iraq

In a statement concerning the air strikes of the Turkish Armed Forces on Kurdish settlements in Syria and Iraq, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) stresses out:

"Following the bombing attack on Istanbul’s Istiklal Street last week, the Turkish Armed Forces has been conducting air strikes on Kurdish settlements in Syria and Iraq since last night. Alleging that this operation is carried out on the pretext of “defense”, the AKP government is once again concealing the truth.

KKE denounces Turkey's air strikes in Syria, north Iraq

The new Turkish military offensive in Syria and northern Iraq consists a demonstration of power under the compliance of USA, EU and Russia, reads a statement issued by the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE).

More specifically, the statement reads (here in Greek):

"The KKE denounces Turkey's new unacceptable air strike on the Kurdish areas of Syria and Northern Iraq, which is added to the military operations of the previous period and the maintenance of the Turkish occupation of Syrian lands and military forces on Iraq's territory. 

Istanbul bomb attack: Statement by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP)

In a statement about the bomb attack in central Istanbul, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) points out:

We are deeply sorrowed and angry about the attack that happened on Istanbul’s Istiklal Street today, in which 6 citizens lost their lives and 53 were injured. We express our condolences to all our people.

We are against this anti-human attack and against the politics that legitimises such an attack.

PAME stands by the side of the working class of Turkey: On the employers’ crime in Amasra

In a statement about the employers' crime in Bartin, Turkey, which led to the deaths of 41 miners, Greece's All Workers-Militant Front (PAME) points out:

"PAME expresses its deep sorrow and condolences to the families and colleagues of the 41 miners murdered in the Amasra mines in Bartin, Turkey.

41 of our brothers, our colleagues did not return to their families because of the employers’ unending pursuit of profit. After the dead of Soma, whose families are still waiting for justice, comes another massacre of workers.

KKE: The images of naked refugees on Greek-Turkish border expose capitalist barbarity

Greek border guards and officers of EU border agency Frontex found 92 unclothed migrants from the banks of the river Evros, on the northeastern border with Turkey on Friday, Greece's Citizen Protection Ministry said on Saturday.

The migrants “had been abandoned completely naked and without any equipment,” the ministry said. 

 

 In a statement about the incident, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued the following statement (here in Greek): 

KKE on Erdogan's provocations: NATO, US and EU fuel Turkish aggression

In a statement concerning the provocative statements of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in the United Nations, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) points out:

“Erdogan's delirium at the UN General Assembly, where he presented the entire range of claims by the Turkish ruling class against Greece and Cyprus, cannot be interpreted as a pre-electoral tactic, nor as a product of Turkey's alleged isolation. 

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”. 

Turkey: Communist, Left parties formed the “Union of Socialist Forces”

An electoral alliance under the name “Union of Socialist Forces” (Sosyalist Güç Birliği) was formed in Turkey in order to context in the upcoming general elections which are due to be held on 18 June 2023.

Under the slogan “We protect the future of our country together”, the electoral alliance was announced on August 20th during a press conference in Ankara. 

 

The participatory parties include the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), the Left Party (SOL), the Communist Movement of Turkey (TKH) and the Revolution Movement (Devrim Hareketi). 

Sweden's Communist Party condemns the extradition of Kurdish fighters to Turkey

In a statement published in its official gazette “Riktpunkt” (here in Swedish), the Communist Party of Sweden (SKP) condemns the extradition of Kurdish fighters from Sweden to Turkey. The SKP also reiterates its strong opposition to Sweden's accession in NATO.

“In their effort to join NATO, Sweden's bourgeoisie and its social democratic government reject everything related to human rights. Sweden's social democratic government entered into a deplorable agreement with Turkey to extradite Kurdish communists and other fighters who have lived in Sweden for years and received asylum to escape Turkey's oppression and death threats”, points out the SKP. 

Swedish Communists blast Sweden-Turkey agreement over NATO

Swedish PM M. Andersson and Turkish President R.T. Erdogan.

After extensive bargaining within the imperialist NATO alliance, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dropped weeks of resistance to Sweden and Finland’s ambitions to join NATO at talks on Tuesday ahead of the NATO summit  in Madrid, Spain. 

Erdogan emerged from the meeting with Nordic leaders having secured a 10-point agreement under which the two countries vowed to join Turkey’s fight against banned armed groups, such as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), and to swiftly extradite suspects to Turkey.

KKE on Stoltenberg's remarks: NATO fosters Turkish aggression against Greece

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday urged Greece and Turkey to resolve their disagreements over the Aegean Sea, where the two are at loggerheads over islands and airspace.

“Diverse views and debate are an essential part of our democracies,” the head of the transatlantic military alliance told Greek news agency ANA.

But, he said, “we urge Greece and Turkey to solve their differences in the Aegean in a spirit of trust and Allied solidarity”. Stoltenberg’s comments came two weeks after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared he was ending regular high-level meetings with Greek leaders intended to foster cooperation between the two countries.