Double bombing at Ankara peace demonstration massacres over 100
Trade unions’ 48 hour general strike must be first step to building mass, united movement against murderous regime of Erdoğan
Socialist Party member Rob Williams addressing the solidarity rally in London the day after the Ankara massacre, photo by Cedric Gerome (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)
Sosyalist Alternatif (CWI in Turkey)
The horrendous double bombing attack that struck a protest rally for peace organised by several trade unions in Ankara, Turkey’s capital city, on Saturday 10 October, led, at the last count, to at least 128 deaths, and hundreds injured.
It is the largest terrorist attack in the country’s history. Many victims are still in intensive care units in various hospitals, while a number of bodies, unrecognisable, have not yet been identified.
This attack, by its human and political magnitude, has shaken the country to its foundations.
Saturday’s demonstration was organised by the Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (KESK), the Confederation of Revolutionary Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK), the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) and the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB.
A few minutes before the start of the protest, a bomb exploded where activists from the left and pro-Kurdish party HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) had gathered.
A second blast occurred about fifty metres from the first one, bringing more destruction and deaths. Eyewitnesses, including members of Sosyalist Alternatif (CWI) who arrived on the scene just a few minutes after the bombing, reported scenes of unspeakable horror.
Assistance obstructed
They also confirmed other reports of attempts by the police to obstruct help being given to the victims.
Tear gas was fired into crowds of surviving protesters and relatives and ambulances were stopped. Riot police were sent to the scene of the carnage even before the first ambulances arrived.
Huseyin Demirdizen, from the Physicians Association of Turkey (TTB) said: “While the doctors from the health workers’ union were calling for blood donations, the government announced there was no need for blood.
“If the health workers were not already at the demonstration the number of deaths and wounded would have been much higher.”
Almost immediately after the attack, the regime decided to block Twitter and Facebook accounts, in an obvious attempt to prevent grassroots reports circulating and to give to the media controlled by the AKP (Justice and Development Party, the governing party) the upper hand, which accused left groups or the PKK of being behind the twin bombing.
The first response by state forces has left absolutely no doubt about where the regime stands in relation to what is not just a tragedy, but clearly a politically-orchestrated massacre.
Whatever is the exact role played by the Erdoğan regime in this attack its political responsibility is overwhelming.
This bombing took place in a context of a strategy in recent months of growing escalation and provocation, including physical attacks, by Erdoğan’s regime forces and his thugs against the Left and the Kurdish national movement.
A brutal war of aggression is also underway by the Turkish army against the PKK and the Kurdish people in the country’s south east, which has killed hundreds.
Even though the PKK said on Saturday that it would hold a ceasefire before Turkey goes to the polls on 1 November, the Turkish army bombed PKK positions in south east Turkey and northern Iraq, killing scores over the weekend.
The “anti-terrorist” drum beat of the regime fools no one. It has been mainly used as a cover to crack down on the Left and against the pro-Kurdish and HDP activist base, which have overwhelmingly been at the receiving end of a campaign of state terror.
Over the last years, ISIS and other jihadist groups have, on the contrary, benefited from the established complicity of the Turkish state in their activities in Syria.
Desolation and rage
Hence the sadness and desolation provoked by Saturday’s horrendous bombings rapidly and rightly merged into rage against the AKP government, including internationally.
On Saturday afternoon, tens of thousands of people demonstrated against the government in Istanbul and other cities.
On Sunday, in Ankara, about 10,000 were back on the streets, at the very square near the railway station where the bombings took place the day before.
This shows the mood of defiance and fearlessness that exists. At the burial of some of the victims, the anger of the masses was running deep, and it is very unlikely to evaporate anytime soon.
The four left-wing trade union confederations have called for a 48-hour general strike on Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th October.
This is a very appropriate and welcoming move that needs to be supported by the Left and the labour and trade union movement internationally.
A general strike, by bringing together the Kurdish and Turkish people to fight in a united way, is the best response to Erdoğan and his ruling clique’s attempts to use the blood of working people to divide-and-rule and enhance their power, as well as the profits of the rich business tycoons which this power defends.
Seeing the utter failure of the state and police forces to protect the people, Left and union rallies and demonstrations will have to be properly stewarded and protected.
Appropriate self-defence measures, involving all communities, need to be taken in conjunction with trade union organisations.
The CWI wants to bring its full solidarity, sympathy and condolences with all those who have been victims of Saturday’s attack, all those who have lost relatives, friends and comrades.
The best way to honour their deaths is by renewing the struggle against the thuggish and dictatorial regime of Erdoğan, against the capitalist system and imperialist powers that stand behind it, and for a socialist and democratic world.
Let us make sure that this strike is only the beginning of the building of a mass and united workers’ and youth movement that can put this cynical and murderous regime into the dustbin of history.
Extract from a statement from Day-Mer, Turkish and Kurdish community in London, 10.9.15
Bomb attack on Ankara peace demonstration
A peace and democracy rally in Turkey was targeted this morning, Saturday 10 October 2015, by two suicide bombs.
People were simply exercising their democratic right to peacefully protest when the explosions killed 86 innocent people.
In the elections held on 7th June the ruling AKP lost some of its vote and did not get enough MPs to form a majority government.
The AKP refused to enter into a coalition with the other parties, prevented attempts to set up a government and secured another election to be held on 1st November.
Furthermore, ending its five year negotiations with the Kurdish political establishment, the AKP started terrorising the Kurdish regions with its military and police forces.
Due to the terror politics of the AKP more than 1,000 soldiers, police, guerrillas and civilians (including women, elderly and children) have been killed in the last three months. This approach has inevitably pushed Turkey to the brink of a civil war.
The rally in Turkey was organised by trade unions and NGOs against the ruling AKP’s increasing use of violence and war as a means to suppress democratic opposition.
The rally represented hope for a peaceful and stable Turkey in which people of all backgrounds and ethnicities can live together in unity.
It was this dream that was targeted. Hundreds are injured and the death toll is likely to rise in the aftermath of these terrorist attacks which targeted a wholly peaceful rally calling for an end to the bloodshed in Turkey.
The Turkish state has repeatedly failed to investigate or bring to justice those responsible for attacks against opposition groups.
International solidarity and togetherness in such times plays a key role in the struggle of those demanding freedom and peace.
We therefore call on the public and representatives of organisations to show support and solidarity with the people of Turkey.
We the members of Day-Mer, Turkish and Kurdish community in London, would like to express our condolences and deep sorrow for those who died tragically and their families.
We vow to expose the faces of those who are responsible for this tragedy, namely the government. We also call all communities, democratic organisations and trade unions to voice their concerns on this matter and to join us in protesting both the AKP government who have provoked such attacks since their defeat at the last general election.
As listed below, you can send emails of protests to the government officials in Turkey and we urge you to raise this with the British public through the media, parliament and other means. Please cc [email protected] to e-mails sent.
Protest to:
President of Turkey: Mr Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Email: [email protected], Fax 0 (312) 470 24 33
Prime Minister of Turkey: PM Ahmet Davutoğlu,
Email: [email protected], Fax: +90 312 422 26 69, +90 312 422 18 99
This version of this article was first posted on the Socialist Party website on 12 October 2015 and may vary slightly from the version subsequently printed in The Socialist.
