>Subject: "[Ozgurluk.Org]" Relatives op Political Prisoners in Turkey (TAYAD) > TAYAD > > (Association of Solidarity With The Families of Prisoners) > > TAYAD AND ITS STRUGGLE > >The history of the struggle of the Association of Solidarity With the >Families of Prisoners (TAYAD) goes back to �80s. Following the coup of >September 12, 1980, tens of thousands of revolutionaries, progressives >and patriots were thrown into prison. In order to �destroy� the >opposition to the regime in the prisons, from the day one, the >military fascist junta launched a systematic attack. Oppression, >torture, massacres, bans and denial of rights have been widely used in >the prisons. On the other hand, there have been revolutionaries who >did not submit and resisted against these practices. Revolutionaries >resist with their own bodies. They resist with hunger strikes, death >fasts and by defending their actions in courtrooms. Prisons become the >focal point of the resistance and opposition to the junta. > >TAYAD, the families from TAYAD, was formed in this struggle. They have >become the voice of their revolutionary children outside of the >prisons. Not only the voice, they also have become the vanguard of the >social opposition during the dark years of the junta when the >oppression was intensified. > >During the 75-day-long Death Fast action of their children in 1984 in >Metris - Sagmalcilar prison, they carried their voice not only to our >country but to the rest of the world. > >As long as the struggle and resistance continued in the prisons, the >struggle of TAYAD also continued. Whenever there was resistance in the >prisons, it was the members of TAYAD who raised the slogan of >resistance. > >It is essential to sacrifice in order to win. The families from TAYAD >have learned this through practice. Their centre has been raided and >has been subjected to arson attacks. Their houses have been raided in >the middle of the night and they have been threatened. They have been >detained and arrested. None of these attacks succeeded. Then TAYAD was >arbitrarily and illegally closed down on December 13, 1990 under the >pretext of its "functioning outside its regulations". > >The TAYAD members responded by saying: "They can lock the doors but >never our hearts" > >The struggle of TAYAD does not cease because: > >TAYAD is the name of the struggle against all unjust practices. > >TAYAD is a front in the democratic struggle. > >TAYAD is organised under the slogan of "disorganised people are >slaves" and it is conscious that is is waging an unconditional >struggle against oppression, torture and massacres. > >As long as unfairness, injustice, torture and massacres exist, TAYAD >will exist too. These are the preconditions of its existence. > >The strength of TAYAD comes from its legitimacy and propriety. > >Therefore, they kept contact with each other, conscious that they were >the families of captives, even though their centre was closed down. >From then on the prison gates have become the places to gather, >discuss and make decisions. Even though TAYAD was closed down, the >families from TAYAD continue their struggle one way or the other. > > "WE WILL NOT ALLOW THE ISOLATION CELL" > >The families from TAYAD are with their children again. They are >struggling against unfairness, oppression and torture, as happened >before. They are teaching lessons to those who do not know how to >learn. Their calls are for humanity, justice, honour and a dignified >life. They know and show that it is essential to be organised and to >dedicate yourself to these aims. > >They conquered the squares again before anyone else to protect the >lives of their children. > >In the middle of May 2000, they initiated a campaign called �Isolation >Cells are Torture, Oppose Death Through Torture.� > >They have visited their local political parties, trade unions, >professional bodies, foundations and associations. They have visited >individuals one by one. Journalists, artists, intellectuals, >teachers,�etc. They have talked about what they want to achieve and >asked them for support. They reminded them of their duty to be a >human, an intellectual and a democrat. > >They have organised house meetings. > >They made public announcements in markets, squares and streets and got >people to participate in petitions. They explained the aims of the >isolation cells in their statements and bulletins. They responded to >those who defend the isolation cells. > >They have faced oppression and bans again. Their press releases, >panels, exhibitions and demonstrations were banned. In our country it >was forbidden to issue press releases. In our country it was forbidden >to organise panels. In our country it was forbidden to struggle for >your rights, to oppose unfairness and to demand justice, and these are >treated as criminal activities. > >They were detained in every struggle for their rights. They were >beaten with truncheons and were kicked. They were threatened in police >centres. They were told BE QUIET, GIVE UP STRUGGLING FOR YOUR RIGHTS >AND STAY AT HOME. > >They could not be deterred. Their beliefin the justice of their cause >increased further. They refuse to give up, no matter how much they are >oppressed. Submission means to approve torture, injustice and >unfairness. Submission means watching their children being killed >through torture in isolation cells. > >This time they set off to Ankara to hand over the petitions to the >Ministry of Justice. They faced oppression as soon as they left their >homes. The authorities tried tried to prevent the departure of their >coaches from their districts. They tried to prevent the coaches from >gathering. They tried to prevent their public announcement about the >reason for their trip to Ankara. Even those who gather to say farewell >were not allowed to come close. When they came close to Ankara the >oppression and attacks were intensified. On the route, the coaches >were not allowed to stop or have a break. They did not accept this. >They were detained. Their old bodies were kicked, hit with truncheons >and combat boots. They were dragged to the floor. They were verbally >abused. Some of them were taken to hospitals, some others to the >police stations. They waited. The march took three days. They >completed their march despite everything. > >For those who want to learn, this march of TAYAD is educative from all >perspectives. > >TAYAD is a legitimate and democratic force. > >TAYAD and those from TAYAD will continue to exist wherever there is >unfairness and injustice. > >TAYAD will continue to be one of the vanguards of the democratic >opposition in the struggle against the isolation cells and in the >struggle for rights and liberties. They will also complete this march >with success. > >TAYAD > >(Association of Solidarity With The Families of Prisoners) > >Address: > >Ordek Kasap Mah. > >Ibrahim Muteferrika Cad. > >Lale Apartmani. No:6/1 > >Findikzade / Fatih / Istanbul > >Tel / Fax: (0090) 212 5323700 > >Internet: www.hucreiskencedir.cjb.net > >E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii >Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=".signature" > >Press Agency Ozgurluk >In Support of the Peoples Liberation Struggle in Turkey and Kurdistan >http://www.ozgurluk.org > > _______________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________________
