The political landscape is changing in Turkey, strengthening its integration into the imperialist chariot.

Article published in Rizospastis

These elections are the ones that established the AKP as the real government. Now, the population is experiencing the true identity of this government. They are speeding up privatizations, they began a distinctly anti-worker policy and the role of Islam is being upgraded at a brisk pace, both in the political and social life. Now Turkey is facing the reality of the AKP and that is being reflected mainly in the poorer sectors of society and workers. Now the people are saying, perhaps we were wrong to have voted AKP. It should nevertheless be noted that there are still no radical changes and therefore if elections were to take place again today, perhaps the AKP would even to increase its scores.

Another parameter is the AKP relations with the United States. Before the elections, there was intense anti-americanism. But now the government and the army are cooperating with the United States, so the people perceive that they are at a stalemate, which reinforces the sense of absence of options. We have not lived in the past such situation, there is no opposition and no objections. So this is the chance of our party. This is for us the time to work towards our empowerment.

The army ally of the government,

-- What is the position of the army?

-- This was a period of real change in the history of the Turkish Republic. Turkey has always been a bourgeois democracy, but now it is changing, because the situations change. The Turkish Republic was the indirect result of October Revolution. The “Cold War” and the contradictions between the West and the Soviet Union led the way, created space for its creation. They have always benefited from the “Cold War”, taking help from the imperialist powers. Now, however, there is no Soviet Union, and Turkey is a very large country. The United States do not need now a “partner” of such magnitude. The imperialists and the ruling class are trying to change the shape of the state.

The traditional state apparatus is over, and they are trying to establish a new, weaker, decentralized, and more Islamic course entirely handed over in to major capital formations.

Turkey had a huge state sector they destroyed. The three institutions of power in the country were: the army, the Justice and the Universities, which is not like in Europe, because they are a branch of the state structure. In a year the AKP controls two of these three institutions, justice, which also islamized, and the Universities. In parallel the army changes hands, while being particularly strong, its infiltrated with Islamic ideas and cannot resist. Unable to resist to the USA as well.

The Turkish army has always been an instrument of the USA. We think therefore that there is no substantial conflict between the army and the AKP. The differences were overcome, and now they are in harmony.

We are at critical point because Turkey has to do three important steps, amendment of the Constitution, the reform of the Social Security System, which is very important for us, and the change of local government. The reform of the constitution means further islamization, with religion starting to get more decisively in political life. Secondly, there will be an attack on social rights. We are being submitted to full liberalization. Liberalization, which, through the decentralization of the administration, gives greater strength to the Local Government authorities, thus, more power to Capital. It also, uses ethnic characteristics to create “provinces” with different laws. For example, in the Kurdish region are preparing to have a different limit of minimum wage. In Istanbul, for example, the salary is 500 Turkish liras, while in the Kurdish region will be 300. There is a fundamental change in the administrative structures. This is a huge loss for the working class in Turkey.

So let us talk about the Kurdish problem and religion. There are not distinct issues. It is the same procedure, set in motion by the imperialist powers to change the structure of Turkey. Not related to the rights of the Kurds, but with the change of political system. Obviously, this does not involve us but the whole region, but it involves the plans for the Broad and the broader Middle East.

The working class is beginning to realize
-- The EU congratulates Turkey for the economic “development”. What is the real picture?

-- The AKP uses the story of the period of economic stability, which Turkey is going through. Alright, inflation was reduced, but at what cost? Unemployment, is officially hovering at 10%, in real numbers is 25%. Wages are degrading, uninsured work is dominant and the percentage of workers who are organized in unions there is less than 5%. So, we have a working class without rights. This is also part of the economy.

When the AKP took power in 2003, the Turkey’s total national debt was about 350 billion Dollars, both internal and external. Today is 500 billion Dollars. They create a false economy based on debt, channeling money into the market, without increasing production which has instead been reducing. Until recently our economy was based on agricultural production. Now, thanks to the EU, we import everything and do not produce anything. As a result prices are increasing every day. Turkey owes the survival such a large population to large local agricultural production, with such low-income, since the products were affordable and that residents of urban centers had some relatives in the province that could send them food, which they produced themselves. The internal migration to urban centers increasing unemployment, reducing agricultural production, destroys everything. Now we import from the UK, Germany. This is absurd. How can we then say that the economy is going well? In a following economic crisis “miracle” will collapse.

The working class has begun to realize the situation and is starting to struggle. There are strikes, marches... We had a strike a ago month, in the telecommunications sector, which for Turkey is an unprecedented fact, but also in factories and elsewhere. The “climate” is changing. The Party is trying to combine its work in the working class with that of unity, as Turkey is facing the risk of disintegration, but also of involvement in the conflict Iraq - Iran.

Our position is not easy. The election results were disappointing for us. To be honest, we expected more. We could have gone much better, however, the limit of 10% is prohibitive for anything more, as people say, “why should I vote for you?” This is the problem. Nonetheless we are going well. We are optimistic because we believe that this is an historic period for Turkey. Things are not as easy for the government. Turkey is a big country, with different dynamics. Suddenly, something can happen and everything could change. The balance of power is changing. So, every day we try to interpret the various signs.

-- Is the TKP getting government attacks?

-- Forward and aggressive government attack, no. However, we are the objective nationalist groups. It should be noted that in Turkey, the concept of nationalism is not identical to that in Europe and the rest of the world. Here, nationalism is artificial. When the state decides that it needs a nationalist movement, it creates it and its goal is attained it stops. Therefore, it uses these groups, these fascist elements against us. And we know that if there is, for example, an attack in the city, it is a government decision and they use citizens. Thus, we feel the pressure, and particularly in small towns. After the election is a lot of our offices have been attacked and burned, and our comrades got harassed during political activities on the streets.

Now the attacks have starting to be launched by “radical Islam”. In a large mobilization at the University of Istanbul, in fact, members of our Party were for the first time attacked by a group of Islamists and 36 comrades were arrested and put in detention for two days. We are thus faced with a difficult but different type of attack.

Islamization, the American plan

-- What is your opinion on the operations against the PKK in northern Iraq?

-- We are opposed to these operations. First, we are against any military aggression and military involvement of Turkey outside its borders. We are opposed to maintain troops in Afghanistan, and of course in Cyprus, Bosnia.

However, this is not the first time that the Turkish troops enter Iraq. They have done it more than 20 times in the past. What is important is that they increase the tension between Kurds and Turks and increase even further the influence of the US in the region.

They say that in Iraq, Turkey is acting against the wishes of Washington. This is ridiculous ridiculous. Of course it is a decision of the White House. These operations are an act and involve all sides in the roles. Neither of the moves that are taking place nor the outcome is true. Barzani and the authorities of northern Iraq condemn these operations, but this is game. They are also a part of the agreements and know exactly what happens and what comes next. As for the PKK it is has been a while that an effort is being made to cooperate with the United States and in some areas they do, organizing, for example, the attacks in Iran, which are 100% an American plan. However, now the United States decided to change the structure of the PKK and to transform it from a military to a political organization. They try to be “freed” from some elements passing them on to the PKK.

It is worth noting that the PKK is a whole apparatus, and whose branches spread out all over the West. It is located in northern Iraq, in Turkish Kurdistan, but also in large cities and is currently active in political life in Turkey.

These operations are different, because they are no longer aimed at the complete destruction of the Kurds. Today they want to create real conditions for the much discussed “solution” to the Kurdish problem, which is not a real solution. After these operations, which we believe will keep on going for five to six months, they will launch the “reforms” in Turkey, the release of political Kurds in Turkey, and liberation and islamization. Since no-one in Europe believes that Turkey is the Islamic threat. You should know, however, that the most powerful Islamic strongholds in Turkey is the Kurdish cities that are no longer dominated by the political PKK, but by “radical” Islam.

This is the plan of the US and it is strengthen it. Let us see the general climate. The United States in Iraq face a problem. The composition of the population is Kurdish, Sunni and Shiates. Therefore there is an attempt to combine the Kurds and the Sunni, whose common feature is Islam. We believe that all these elements are interconnected and are related as well with the Turkish operations in northern Iraq. Iran represents a big threat- besides, there are talks about a new military base on the border with Iran - and there will be a major threat to Turkey, since there is no longer a desirability of unity. Hence, the debate on the separation and autonomisation of different regions within it has started, we all know the outcome of such a debate, let me remind you of the example of Yugoslavia.

-- What do you think will be the role of Turkey in the “Broader Middle East”?

-- Many people say that Turkey has a key role, with some academics thinking that it will be transformed into a great imperialist power. This is a trick to fool the people. Turkey will never take a leading role, the USA will not allow it. Turkey is simply, through its commitment to the American policy will destroy other nations. It will try to destroy the unity of Iran, for example, but in fact will destroy itself, and that is our fear.

Alexandra Fwtaki 13-14/01/07