Statement on the Delegation to the Anti-NATO Protests
On the 7th and 8th of July, the 36th NATO summit took place in Ankara. Socialists and internationalists from Europe traveled to both Istanbul and Ankara with the goal of participating in the protests against this summit. Even though they were arrested and faced harsh violence by the fascist Turkish state, they were still able to carry the struggle against the NATO across borders and showed that the socialists will not be intimidated by any repression.
While in the Presidential Complex of Ankara the imperialists came together and discussed their strategies for the coming wars and the exploitation of the people around the world, the Turkish state
tried to use this moment as an opportunity for massive repression against all revolutionary, socialists and democratic forces. With several waves of house raids, already starting early this year with the February 3rd operation against 100 socialists, the imprisonment of huge numbers of progressive forces, surveillance cameras, and police guards at every corner of the city, a complete ban on gatherings in the days before and during the summit, the state tried to silence the anti-war movement.
Turkey is an important stronghold in the Middle East for the Western imperialists. With many migration routes leading through Turkey, it also serves as an outpost of the EU’s racist migration policy, where migrants are stopped, detained, tortured and pushed back.
Therefore, the imperialists seek a strong Turkish state that can act as a reliable partner in enforcing their interests – from military intervention and the implementation of the EU’s racist migration policy to its anti-revolutionary repression.
It is clear: This 36th NATO summit was an important moment in the imperialists’ path toward a third world war.
It is our task as youth to show the masses that we do not have to accept the fate the ruling class wants to appoint to us. We can take the future into our own hands!
The internationalists who went to Turkey to join the protests showed what that means in practice: to cross borders, stand shoulder to shoulder in the struggle against imperialism and war – wherever the imperialists meet, the youth will be there and not be intimidated by any threat.
Suruç’s Call: From the People’s Caravan to Kobanê, to Ankara – Long Live Proletarian Internationalism!
The internationalists who traveled to Istanbul were able to participate in the actions against NATO and marched together with many socialists in the streets. They met with dozens of socialists and were able to build bridges between revolutionaries from different parts of the world.
In Ankara, the internationalists saw how the whole city was in a state of emergency. At every corner of the city, posters announcing the summit were hung up, and huge numbers of police were present in the streets. Even though they were arrested before being able to participate in the protests, they were still successful in crossing the borders of imperialism and successfully sent their message from Ankara to the world.
Through the resistance of all internationalists during the arrests and in custody, they showed that no repression could force them to lower their heads.
After being arrested, they all started a hunger strike and continued the struggle even inside prison walls. They were met by other political prisoners who were also arrested in connection with the NATO summit. And together their slogans and songs echoed through the cells and and filled the rooms of the prison with resistance and strength.
While the internationalists in Istanbul were deported without being brought before a judge, in Ankara the prosecutor made accusations and tried to have the comrades imprisoned. They won in court but were met with a ban on leaving the country. It was the effort of everyone who took to the streets in Europe, as well as the lawyers and families who put so much pressure on the Turkish state, that they were forced to deport and release them all.
Before coming to Turkey, the comrades knew what would await them. Especially moments like the People’s Caravan to Kobane showed how the Turkish state treats revolutionaries. They knew that they were traveling into a country where strip searches, sexualized violence, torture, and isolation are often used against political prisoners. They also knew that there was a chance of imprisonment. This never held them back. With their action they showed: it is not only the right of everyone to protest against the NATO summit, but it’s also an internationalists duty to stand together across border to oppose the imperialist war preparations.
The call that echoed from Suruç to the streets of Ankara continues: We will continue the struggle against imperialism, war and fascism with even greater determination. We will grow the struggle for the freedom of all political prisoners, all comrades who are still imprisoned because they resisted NATO and all oppressed people who are still imprisoned behind imperialist walls.
Long live the revolution and socialism!
Yaşasın Devrim ve Sosyalizm!
Bijî şoreş û sosyalîzm!