From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Sun, 9 Sep 2001 02:51:06 +0200 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [Ozgurluk] Turkey: Property seized from thousands of farmers in Erzurum 8 September 2001, Property seized from thousands of farmers in Erzurum EZO Chairman Aydemir: Obtaining credits from the bank or union is the same as committing suicide Erzurum Chamber of Agriculture (EZO) Chairman Neset Aydemir spoke to the Anatolia news agency, complaining of the sequestration process against 10,600 farmers in Erzurum. Blaming the recent economic crisis for the harsh economic situations farmers are made to bear, Aydemir stated that farmers who had borrowed money from the Ziraat Bank and Union of Agricultural Credit Cooperatives were having a hard time paying their debts. The situation of the stricken farmers was explained by Aydemir, who used "barter" for an example. He stated that purchasing a liter of diesel required selling eight kilograms of wheat -- this being very costly due to the fact that goods are being sold for less than the costs of production. Adding that the agricultural sector has been neglected for years, Aydemir said: "People are engaged in farming in vain. Farmers unable to pay their debts are forced to sell their land. For them to be able to pay off their debts, the capital must be obtained -- however, this must be done by subtracting the cost of interest rates. Otherwise, the farmer will not be able to pay either." With interest rates being set at somewhere between 118.5-122.5 percent, Aydemir said that "obtaining credits from the bank or union is the same as committing suicide." Ankara - Turkish Daily News -- Press Agency Ozgurluk In Support of the Revolutionary Peoples Liberation Struggle in Turkey http://www.ozgurluk.org _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________
