----- Original Message ----- From: Barry Stoller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2001 4:54 AM Subject: [downwithcapitalism] FW: Political Instability in Turkey (con't.) Here we read that the protests in Turkey, formerly reported as consisting of tradesmen and shop-keepers, now include labor unions, i.e. a definite proletarian composition. This is the classic revolutionary situation---or, at least, it could be: the proletariat advancing the complaints of the petty-bourgeois against the large bourgeois (primarily comprador stooges of the IMF), bringing a sharper class struggle into the streets. One can only hope that fundamental Marxist texts---such as Engels' Preface to the 2nd edition of The Peasant War in Germany and Marx's 1st Address of the Central Committee of the Communist League---have been absorbed by those who lead the workers against the crumbling Turkish government this weekend. Let us wish them well. <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> Turkish Daily News. 14 April 2001. Despite ban, labor unions determine to take to streets. ANKARA - Despite the government decision to ban street demonstrations, labor unions are determined to take to the streets and press forward with demands that the government resign. The government banned protests in 11 cities as pressure mounted amid an economic crisis that has led to widespread layoffs. Emek Platformu, a group representing 15 labor unions, said that it was trying to convince the Interior Ministry to lift the bans on protests in Ankara and 10 other cities and added that it would press forward with protests around the country. The group represents more than 1 million workers. Emek Platformu term spokesman Kaya Guvenc said on Friday that there is no change in their plans to stage a demonstration on the streets. "Banning street demonstrations is a political decision and it aims to prevent Emek Platformu from declaring its program to the public," Guvenc claimed. The unions are demanding the government's resignation amid a financial crisis that has seen the lira lose more than 40 percent of its value against the dollar and has led to at least half-a-million layoffs. The call for more demonstrations shows a widening of the unrest. Meanwhile, the farmers are also preparing to take to the streets. Kayseri Chamber of Agriculture Chairman Emin Yilmaz said on Friday that tradesmen who staged week-long demonstrations in various Turkish cities were successful in getting a reduction in the lending rates. "We want the government to allow some advantages to us, too," Yilmaz said. Thursday's protests in Ankara and three other cities were led by groups of small businessmen who are not members of the unions. Some 129 demonstrators who were present at Wednesday's street protests were detained by the Ankara Police. According to the information received from the police, 58 of those who were detained were tradesmen, 13 of them were students. During the protests, 202 people were injured, including 137 policemen. All of the injured were in Ankara. The protest was the largest since the Turkish lira began plummeting in February, leading to soaring interest rates and a half-million layoffs. Many of the demonstrators have accused the government of doing little to stabilize the economy. SPAM TO FOLLOW Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
