Where we go from here

Jan 21, 2008

So far, no one is explaining to Turkish workers why they must oppose the bombing of Kurds in northern Iraq. Instead the Turkish leaders instill nationalism and hatred of Kurds, always presented as “a handful of terrorists.”

So far, no one has raised their voices against the anti-Kurdish campaign in the media. While the left and certain union leaders speak about how the military expense weighs on wages, all they say is “there, they bomb, here they increase prices.” Others say vaguely, we must “put the accent on peace.”

Even if the war and bombing take place far from us, in the mountains of northern Iraq, they affect us profoundly. Since this summer, tens of thousands of soldiers, who are young workers, children or fathers, are compelled to live in the mountains, under tents or in makeshift huts for months, fearing death at any moment, suffering heat and cold in difficult conditions.

Such conditions destroy soldiers’ mental and physical well-being. When thousands of these young soldiers return to their work in the cities, how will they adapt to society?

The war hurts not only the PKK and the Kurds, it rots the entire society from within. This war, which has lasted for more than 20 years, has allowed nationalism to poison the society. The government, applying austerity measures for the bosses, can clear themselves of any responsibility by blaming everything on PKK “terrorists.”

The Turkish bourgeoisie and its political leaders don’t recognize the economic, social and cultural rights of the Kurdish people. The interests and conditions of existence of Kurdish and Turkish workers are closely linked. We must affirm the solidarity of all workers.