LETTER FROM TURKEY TO THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD.
Source: http://www.kp.org.tr
The
Central Committee of Communist Party, Turkey (KP) released a
declaration for the peoples of the world in the aftermath of the July
15 coup attempt in Turkey:
"We
witnessed an attempted coup in Turkey on the night of July 15.
Despite its oddnesses, obscurities and uncertainties about the actors
behind it, this was a genuine coup attempt.
That
Fethullah Gülen was behind the coup and that Fethullah Gülen has
deep ties with the U.S. administration are facts. Additionally, there
were more than a few traces of Pentagon and CIA behind the coup
attempt.
The
failure of this attempted coup is to the benefit of our people. If
the coup had succeeded, the working people already burdened with all
the imaginable problems laid on them by the capitalist system would
have had to face heavier and more destructive conditions. One needs
to keep in mind that the coup plotters have a pro-NATO and Islamist
orientation and they have been serving the international monopolies
for decades.
Another
fact that one should keep in mind is that Fethullah Gülen emerged in
the arena of politics within the ranks of the “Organization of the
Struggle against Communism”. This organization was founded in
1960's by the CIA.
What
is interesting and ironic is the fact that Erdoğan, the primary
target of the coup, and the coup plotters share the same ideological
and political background. Islamism, anti-communism and full loyalty
to the capitalist class are defining characteristics of Erdoğan as
well and just like Fethullah Gülen, Erdoğan has also played
significant roles in the Middle East scenarios spearheaded by the
U.S.
There
are a few reasons behind the recent tension between U.S., E.U.
countries and Erdoğan. The failure in Syria, Erdoğan's continuous
triggering of tensions within Turkey, his creation of a large room
for maneuver with electoral support behind him, his 'out of control'
moves are some of the first reasons that come to mind. However, this
tension has gradually become a factor in the contest created by the
deep economic and political conflicts ongoing between U.S. and the
forces under U.S. influence against the Russian Federation.
As
Erdoğan and his clique are in an existential struggle, facing
domestic and international isolation, Putin administration, using
'carrot and stick' tactics, are advising Erdoğan to break ties with
NATO or at least refrain from supporting NATO policies of Russia's
encirclement.
Following
the coup attempt, there are many within the government circles in
Turkey who are accusing U.S. and E.U. and advocating for
“collaboration with Russia”. Without a doubt, this current trend
is not one preferred by the bourgeoisie of Turkey but the product of
the government clique looking for a safe haven and extremely scared
following the coup attempt.
The
dissolution of Turkey's economic, political and military relations
with especially Germany and U.S. can only be achieved by a socialist
revolution. A change of axis within the current order will only
increase the possibility of chaos, conflict, civil and international
war.
The
developments show that tough negotiations between the current
government and U.S. and EU will continue. Turkish bourgeoisie is
increasingly taking more initiatives while the opposition within the
system is playing the mediator role for the ongoing negotiations.
On
the other hand, Turkey is going through a period following the coup
where all law has been suspended, all decisions and the restructuring
of the state are monopolized by a small government clique. While not
at a mass scale, arrests and purges that are targeting the coup
plotters have now extended to progressive, revolutionary and
communist sectors that have been struggling against Fethullah Gülen
sect and other similar Islamist organizations.
Under
these conditions, the Communist Party is making the following call to
the peoples of the world, to the working class organizations, to all
revolutionary and communist forces:
1.
You do not have to make a choice between the coup plotter Fethullah
Gülen or the current government. The coup plotters executed a
bloody, treacherous and insidious plan. The current government
however is a relative of the coup plotters, having oppressed our
peoples for years. It is the millions of workers suffering under
capitalist exploitation and repression and the political
representatives of those workers that you need to stand in solidarity
with.
2.
The debate in the international press about whether “the coup was
real or not” is a trap, one that should be avoided. What needs to
be discussed are the nuclear weapons in İncirlik base, NATO's covert
operations, how and on whose behalf Fethullah Gülen founded this
dark organization that serves the capitalist class in over hundred
countries, the profits that tie Islamist Erdoğan and “secular”
European leaders, the plunder of Turkey's public resources by the
international monopolies and the immense exploitation all workers and
toilers in Turkey are subject to.
3.
While seemingly against the anti-people government of Turkey, we need
to stand against all interventions of imperialist centers and
attempts of a “color revolution”. There is no good and bad
capitalist. The insincerity of the statements by NATO and E.U.
expressing concern about the issues of freedom and democracy in
Turkey is obvious. The social liberation in Turkey will be the
product of only the working people in Turkey.
4.
Similarly, it is incomprehensible that Putin's Russia is portrayed as
the liberator. The position of the Russian Federation towards Turkey
is totally pragmatic and is completely shaped by the interests of the
Russian ruling class. Putin administration that extolled Erdoğan a
year ago declared the same Erdoğan a war criminal following the
downing of the Russian war plane and even handed the U.N. a file full
of proofs. However a few weeks before the coup attempt, the love
affair between Putin and Erdoğan war rekindled. We will not let the
forces within the imperialist-capitalist world order be the ones
determining the future of our country.
5.
Moderate Islam is a concept fabricated by the U.S. Freedom of belief
and worship is a fundamental right. However, religion needs to be
pushed out of all fields of politics and law. There is no moderate
version of it. Any person or movement in Turkey doing politics in the
name of religion or with religious references is committing a crime.
The current situation in Turkey is an opportunity for appreciating
the importance of secularism and understanding its vital meaning for
the oppressed. This opportunity can be put to good use only by
linking such prior gains of humanity with the struggle against
capitalism, not by clearing the field for racist and xenophobic
ideologies in Europe.
6.
The history of Turkey is the history of coups, political
assassinations, religious fanaticism and militarism. However, this is
not all Turkey is about. Throughout its history, there have also been
good developments in Turkey. The Republic of Turkey was founded as a
result of the struggle waged together with the young Soviet Russia
against an imperialist occupation. Since 1923, struggles against war,
tyranny, capitalist exploitation never ceased to exist, with mass
actions of the working class. An international communist poet like
Nâzım Hikmet is the product of this country. The legitimate popular
movement that rose up against the government three years ago also
point to the fact that there also exists a different front in Turkey
that recently witnessed the fight between two Islamist cliques. We
are calling on you to follow the front of the workers, to stand in
solidarity with them and to make its voice heard. Against the
capital, dictators, coup plotters of the monopolies, the working
people, the revolutionary intellectuals and the communist militants
have the tradition of internationalism.
DOWN
WITH IMPERIALISM
NATO,
IMPERIALIST E.U. AS THE SOURCE OF COUPS SHOULD BE DISSOLVED
LONG
LIVE THE STRUGGLE OF HUMANITY FOR EQUALITY, FREEDOM AND JUSTICE"
COMMUNIST
PARTY, TURKEY.
The coup attempt and the continuing dispute in its aftermath was not only the concern of Turkey but of the workers’ and communist parties all over the world. Definitely, the course of the events should be considered regarding the class struggle in Turkey but at the same time that very coup attempt also referred to the class struggle around the world, indicating the relentless rivalry and weaknesses within the imperialist order.
In order to share with the international communist movement, the International Relations Bureau of the Communist Party,Turkey has prepared an analysis which consists of 10 critical questions on recent coup attempt and its aftermath in Turkey.
Critical questions on recent coup attempt and its aftermath in Turkey:
5
– Is it possible for capitalism and bourgeois politics in Turkey
normalize in near future?
No
doubt that there is not any “normal” capitalism for the working
class politics. Yet the term “normalization” refers to a more or
less steady regime, which is able to manage possible crisis while the
system of exploitation continues to exist.
In
the aftermath of the coup, such a normalization seems unlikely in
Turkey. This is more related to the elusive position of the Turkish
bourgeoisie along imperialist powers than to AKP’s hopes of a
dictatorship.
Imperialist
centers, which stayed silent during the coup began unwillingly to
announce their support for the “elected government” as the
failure of the attempt became clear. However, media organizations
dependent on such centers began to expose their real purposes.
At
this point, it is likely that the NATO and US will not let Erdogan in
peace and unless a very particular kind of compromise is achieved,
they will try to discharge him. The AKP under Erdogan rule is
experiencing the fear of that.
They
are afraid of assassinations, a new coup, instability, and even a
foreign intervention. Shortly before the coup attempt, there were
claims about the lack of security for the nuclear weapons in Incirlik
Base. Nowadays, pro-AKP media reflects worries about an escalation of
Alevi-Sunni conflict or of the war with Kurdish separationists.
On
the other hand, Erdogan and his associates are also facing with the
threat of an international trial for their corruption.
Furthermore,
there is the risk of an economic crisis. The economic instruments of
imperialism, international credit institutions lowered Turkey’s
grade. However, Turkey’s economy is so intertwined with imperialist
system that such an intervention has limits due to the risk of
triggering a larger depression. Thus we should consider that they do
not control everything and a crisis with economic aspects is
possible.
In
sum, a normalization with political “stability” seems to take
some time. What they intend is to build this up on the basis of a
larger consensus within bourgeois politics. Yet the position of
Turkish bourgeoisie seems to keep its fragile nature with crisis
potential.
6
– Is it possible for Turkey to shift towards the Russia-Iran axis?
There
is a tendency among Turkish bourgeoisie to develop relations with
Russia and Iran based on mutual interests, and to make long-term
strategic agreements. Yet, when Russian state’s class character is
taken into consideration, this would not mean a shift of axis
including ideological aspects, which could be possible during Soviet
period. The main reason behind such a tendency is the profit
maximizing impulse of Turkish monopolies.
Moreover,
Turkish bourgeoisie must have considered the possibility of a war
between the Russian and American blocs, given the military
preparations and provocations of the US, which would lead Turkey into
a catastrophe as a country in the frontline. Nevertheless, it seems
very unlikely for Turkey to break off with US/EU axis.
European
countries continue to be the largest market for Turkey. Financial
system of Turkey is integrated to Western finance monopolies to a
very large extent. Also, Turkish capital did quite a number of joint
investments, notably in automotive sector, together with Western
monopolies in Turkey.
Turkish
Armed Forces is dependent to NATO for almost 70 years now. So it
would be a big mistake to consider the only pro-NATO elements in the
TAF are Gulenists.
In
these circumstances, AKP and other bourgeois actors will possibly
pursue conciliation, with or without Erdogan. Such conciliation would
continue NATO membership and EU negotiations whereas searching for a
relative autonomy in international relations.
Despite
all these, it seems doubtful that they will manage to find grounds
for such conciliation under the escalating tension –even to armed
measures- between blocs. Although Erdogan received some political and
economic support from Russia in the aftermath of the coup, affording
a radical shift of axis seems impossible for Turkish bourgeoisie in
short or middle terms.
