‘This is a message by the US, it has symbolic importance’
It was revealed that Turkey’s first amphibious warships TCG Anadolu and TCG Gökova conducted joint training exercises in the Mediterranean between August 13-17 with US Navy forces USS Wasp and USS Oak Hill.
TKP reacted to this joint exercise with a statement and said ‘Hypocritical Pro-NATOs are at Work’
One of the US ships taking part in this exercise anchored in Izmir Port. Asked for his views on this issue by a national news channel, TKP General Secretary Kemal Okuyan stated that this move by the US has a symbolic meaning.
Stating that the Anadolu TGC and the USS Wasp have almost the same features and systems, Okuyan said, ‘Now why is this important?’
The Anadolu TGC was declared as the symbol of Turkey’s defiance against the US and the West, and arrived in Izmir Port last year. Now, the United States of America is sending the warship which is most similar to the ship Anadolu in its navy to the place where the ship Anadolu made a show of honour one year before. This is a message, and the AKP government accepts this and supports this process. Therefore, our protest tonight is not a simple protest. We are reflecting this anger here. What is this anger? Our people are being deceived persistently. What did we say? Behind these discourses there is a bargain with the United States of America, they will eventually come to an agreement. Now they have entered into an agreement process. The United States is celebrating this by sending this ship. We would have reacted the same way to any US warship, but it has a symbolic importance here. When the ship Anadolu came to the Gulf of Izmir, it was visited, the people of Izmir went there, and with this ‘domestic and national’ discourse, the AKP actually made election propaganda there. Now this propaganda is being made by the United States of America.
Our protest tonight will be a challenge. Challenge to what? Against imperialism, but also against hypocrisy.’
‘If you accept the domination of multinational monopolies and Turkish capital, you cannot stand against NATO’
Stating that the AKP developed the discourse of ‘domestic and national’ especially after the July 15 coup attempt, Okuyan said, ‘We have always said that they are not honest. Why did we say they that? If you accept the domination of multinational monopolies and Turkish capital, you cannot stand against NATO.’ ‘In the last 3-4 months, these discourses of the AKP have been systematically regressing and the government is getting closer and closer to the US line, taking a more pro-NATO position,’ Okuyan continued.
Emphasising that Turkey has never been honest in its Palestinian agenda, Okuyan said: ‘Therefore, the issue is not only about Israel. Israel is a part of this issue. Because the allied relationship with the US limits the hostility towards Israel and we never thought that the AKP government was honest on the Palestinian issue.’
‘Security of a handful of exploiters and holdings is presented as national interest’
In response to claims that Turkey’s exit from NATO would create a security gap, Okuyan said, ‘The moment this country leaves NATO, it gains identity and our people will rise up. A state can only protect its independence and sovereignty as long as it relies upon the people’s power.’
‘What is called the security of Turkey should not be the security of a handful of individuals (bourgeoisie), it should be the security of our people, the security of the vast majority of the population, our citizens. How dare they present the security of a handful of exploiters and holdings as national interest?’
Protest by TKP at the Port
The demonstration by TKP organization in İzmir with the call for action stating ‘The ports of our country cannot be the supply and logistics point of the imperialists. We will not allow US imperialism to turn our country and our region into a war zone.’ attracted great attention. In the statement made at the demonstration it was stated that ‘Today this warship, tomorrow imperialism will be expelled from Turkey and the region. Brothers and sisters, we announce from here. We will not leave this place before this ship leaves this port, before those US soldiers leave the streets of İzmir’ and it was announced that TKP will keep a ‘honour watch’ until the ship leaves the port.
Egg protest against US soldiers
After the speech, during a mass march in the city centre, US soldiers were encountered on the streets of İzmir and eggs threw to the US soldiers by the participants.
tkp.org.tr
