There is a significant revolutionary potential in Turkey, a neo-colony of imperialism.
What is the Situation?
While U.S. imperialism tries to implement its BMENA (Broader Middle East and North Africa) project in Palestine and Syria, the repression and attacks of the collaborationist AKP fascism in Turkey are intensifying. Initially targeting revolutionaries and democrats, the attacks have now extended to opposition figures within the system. The main opposition party CHP’s presidential candidate, İmamoğlu, was detained in a large-scale operation involving hundreds of police officers. This operation, meant to intimidate the public through the opposition, also reveals the depth of internal conflicts within the oligarchy. As in every country ruled by fascism, the regime in Turkey is violating its own laws and clinging to power through repression.
What Was the Reaction?
The people, who have endured over twenty years of AKP fascism, took to the streets in outrage following this latest attack, demanding justice. The youth poured out of universities. In dozens of cities across Anatolia, people filled the squares. However, it was not just the police of fascism that stood against the people’s anger—CHP’s leadership itself also blocked the uprising.
CHP, which seeks to maintain the system, could not openly say, “Our target is the government,” so it directed the crowds to irrelevant locations, effectively calming their anger. In Istanbul, they prevented the people from marching to Taksim Square, a historic site also known as the May Day square, and its central role in the June (Gezi) uprising.
In Ankara, the CHP provincial leadership announced in the evening that the demonstration was over, prompting the crowd to boo them. Similar reactions were directed at CHP leader Özgür Özel in various places.
As a party of the state, CHP is trying to downplay this major attack with mere protests to prevent damage to the system. The greatest fear of the ruling order is a new June uprising, and CHP shares that fear. That is why they are pursuing a strategy of defusing public anger. The AKP government, aware of this, continues its attacks. Currently, nearly ten CHP mayors have been arrested, and as usual, CHP has done nothing beyond issuing routine statements.
What is the Solution?
It is clear that the tens of thousands who have taken to the streets are not there solely for CHP’s mayor İmamoğlu. His detention was merely the “last straw” of AKP’s oppression—just as the cutting down of trees in Gezi Park was the last straw in that period.
The people have taken to the streets, fully aware of the risks. They know they might be arrested, expelled from work or school, and that taking to the streets comes with a price. They know they could face years in prison.
Yet, they are still in the streets.
The June uprising happened in 2013. The Saraçhane uprising is happening now. Twelve years have passed. The masses remained silent for twelve years. They did not rise up.
But now they are back in the streets.
The people are resisting once again.
This is precisely what both AKP and CHP fear the most.
That is why the fascist AKP government uses its police while the CHP leadership tries to suppress and pacify public anger through its policies.
And now, the people also know that the solution does not lie in elections.
When CHP leader Özgür Özel attempted to redirect public anger toward the ballot box by saying, “We will show our reaction in the elections!”, he was met with strong opposition from the crowd. In many squares, people chanted:
“The solution is not in the ballot box, but in the streets and squares!”
The slogans heard in the squares—“Justice, Law, Rights!” and “Police, get out! These squares belong to us!”—reflect the people’s true emotions and rage.
Yes, the people’s solution lies in the streets and squares. The people do not want to leave the streets.
But unfortunately, they lack leadership. The people’s leaders are in prison.
But fear will not stop fate.
Fascism and imperialism will not change the course of history.
Our time will come, and revolution will cleanse the filth.
ANTI-IMPERIALIST FRONT
