01 April 2008 / International Bulletin / No: 68

Celebrations for Newroz 2008

The period "March to May" plays an important role in the class struggle in Turkey and Northern Kurdistan. The communist and revolutionary movement prepares itself with a lot of joy for this period which has important historical developments.
The communist and the revolutionary movement prepares itself with great enthusiasm for this process which contains the anniversaries of important historical developments. The process begins with the commemoration of the workers' communist leader Suleyman Yeter on 7 March, the anniversary of the day he was murdered. Then comes the 8th of March, International Women's Day, commemorations for those who turned into martyrs during the Gazi Uprising on 12 March 1995, protests on the anniversary of the murder of students at Beyazit Square/Istanbul on 16 March and the massacre of 5 thousand Kurdish people in Halabscha through chemical weapons on 15 March, huge rallies on 21 March for the celebration of the Kurdish feast "Newroz" and the commemoration of the revolutionaries who had turned into martyrs in Kizildere on 30 March 1972. This process extends to Mayday and continues with the same intensity.
While the communist and revolutionary movement prepares itself for this period, the enemy usually does not stay calm, but does everything to weaken the struggle. With operations, attacks, arrests, imprisonments and torture it tries to hinder and weaken our struggle and enthusiasm. In Vain! The fight for revolution continues. While commemorating our comrades and youth, while protesting the murder of 5000 Kurds poisoned with chemical gas, our anger gets so impatient that it turns into the serhildan of Newroz (serhildan means "uprising" in Kurdish language).
This year the March-May period started with many developments such as the brave resistance of the PKK guerrillas against the colonial fascist Turkish dictatorship's attack and occupation of South Kurdistan and its defeat of the Turkish state. There were also the occupation of the factory TEKEL by the workers to prevent the sale of it; and the struggle led against accident-related murders at Tuzla, Istanbul as well as the way leading to victory. The month of March was entered with the following events, too: the communist prisoners held speeches during the trial on the end of February exposing fascism; and the socialist youth went from cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Adana in Turkey to Amed, the heart of Kurdistan by organising the march for peace and brotherhood titled "I have a brother/sister over there" to met with the Kurdish youth. The socialist youth and the Kurdish-patriotic youth together threw carnations into Dicle River and displayed the brotherhood of the Turkish and Kurdish people in Mesopotamia.
7 March: Suleyman Yeter is alive!
Our comrade Suleyman Yeter who had been killed with torture by the police on March 7, 1999 when he was the responsible for education at Limter-Is union was also commemorated this year by his comrades, family and union Limter-Is gathering at his grave. The fascist dictatorship that could not bear the struggle that he was carrying out as a communist leader of the workers had arrested and imprisoned him several times before. Every time our comrade Suleyman Yeter did not give up despite heavy torture and his struggle that he led at the shipyards is continuing and growing today. Today we communists, comrades and workers will continue to learn from him.
8 March: Day of revolting against sexual, national and class oppression
On March 8, the International Women's Day, ten thousands of Turkish and Kurdish women met on the streets. Slogans were shouted saying no to war, violence, poverty, discrimination and SSGSS draft law, and demands were raised for equality, freedom and brotherhood in all fields of life. It was also said that "We will not stay silent, but stop it" concerning the cross-border operations. The March 8 activities this year have been the most splendid mass women activities in the last years. The joy and celebrations of the victory of the Kurdish resistance which defeated the Turkish army were reflected on the streets. Despite the attacks and massacres of the Turkish state, serhildans took place in whole Kurdistan, mainly Suruc province of Urfa.
At the rallies of March 8, Kurdish women reflected the fact that they are the subjects of the freedom struggle. The communist women went on the streets following its policy "Freedom to the women, brotherhood to the people" and ensured the gathering of Turkish and Kurdish women on the streets.
12 March: Demand for justice raised
While the massacre that was carried out in Istanbul quarter Gazi by the fascist dictatorship 13 years ago was protested, the revolt that had started at that time under the leadership of communists and revolutionaries against the massacre was saluted. Thousands of people who gathered and organised a march to commemorate the martyrs of the massacre in Gazi raised their demand for justice and declared to demand an account for this massacre. Besides the commemoration in Gazi, actions were also realised in other boroughs of Istanbul, in Adana and Ankara. Militants of the MLCP and Communist Youth Organisation realised a march after the commemoration in Gazi. With their banners carried and the slogans shouted, the communists saluted our comrade Hasan Ocak, who had been kidnapped and killed under arrest after the revolt in Gazi, and shouted that they will demand an account for the massacre on March 12.
15-16 March: Beyazit and Halepce massacres
On March 16, 1978 a massacre had been realised at Beyazit Campus of Istanbul University where 7 students had been killed. On the anniversary of this massacre, actions took place in Istanbul, Ankara, Samsun and Adana to protest once again against this killing. With their actions the students of Istanbul University pointed out that it is the state responsible for the massacre and demanded the conviction of those responsible for it.
The murder of 5000 Kurds with chemical gas on March 15, 1988 in Halabscha by the Iraqi state supported by the USA was protested with actions throughout Turkey and Northern Kurdistan. Ten thousands joined these actions and called for the struggle against the Turkish state's annihilation and denial policy as well as for a mass participation on Newroz.
21 March: The fire of Newroz lightened the cities
Newroz feast, that has been a symbol against tyranny and oppression, was turned into serhildans in whole Kurdistan and many cities of Turkey. The activities to celebrate Newroz calling for a free life against slavery had started a week before Newroz in Kurdistan. INAT the Turkish state's bans, hindering, attacks and massacres, the Kurdish people went on the streets as masses and raised its longing for freedom. In Amed nearly 1 million Kurds joined the Newroz celebrations, and in Istanbul 300.000 Turks and Kurds gathered for brotherhood. While in Amed the military operations were protested and the demand for peace put in the foreground, in Istanbul the masses mainly demanded the common struggle against military operations, the oppression against the Kurdish people and the fight against SSGSS. On Newroz 2008 the Kurdish people clearly showed its mass protest against the Turkish state's land operations in Southern Kurdistan and the military operations in Northern Kurdistan. With its serhildan realised on Newroz, the Kurdish people saluted the defeat of the Turkish state by the guerrilla and displayed its broad support of the guerrilla. Newroz celebrations reflected the moral strength and the enthusiasm of the Kurdish resistance caused by the resistance of the PKK guerrillas against the Turkish state and the fast withdrawal of the Turkish state. Newroz was also celebrated in cities such as Izmir and Antep although having been banned before. During Newroz the ESP raised the demand of a labourer solution to the Kurdish question and organised a march from Istanbul to Amed under the slogan: "Freedom for peace, equality for brotherhood."
With its statement published before Newroz our party's CC called on joining the celebrations on the streets against chauvinism and for peace, freedom and brotherhood. MLCP Kurdistan organisation also made a statement celebrating the Kurdish people's Newroz feast. MLCP militants joined the celebrations with enthusiasm and shouted slogans and at some places even opened banners. We, the Marxist Leninist Communists, must march towards Mayday with no interruption during the period of March-May, with enthusiasm and determination. The period March-May will be ours!