British trade unions, the TUC (Trades Union Congress) and Turkish community groups will be among those joining the ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) in London tomorrow to protest at the savage repression taking place in Istanbul. The UK action is just one part of a world day of action supported by global union organisations such as the IUF (International Union of Food Workers), ITF and ITUC (International Trade Union Confederation).
The London demonstration will take place outside the Turkish Embassy at 43 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8PA on Friday 21 June from 15:00 to 17:30. Journalists and photographers are invited to attend. A delegation will attempt to enter at 15:30 to hand deliver a letter to Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (text below).
Similar actions are expected in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Lebanon, The Netherlands, The Philippines, Thailand, Tunisia and the USA, among others, while international trade union members have also been showing their support in Taksim Square itself.
ITF president Paddy Crumlin commented: “Erdoğan’s actions are shaming himself, his government and Turkey. Trade unions will be holding up a mirror to his disgrace tomorrow and demanding an end to this repression. In the name of civilisation and decency he must cease these savage attacks. The future of Turkish democracy depends on it.”
The letter being delivered at the Turkish Embassy in London states:
We the undersigned on behalf of global unions ITF and IUF, UK trade unions and the Taksim Solidarity Committee London between us represent millions of union members and workers worldwide, including in Turkey.
We stand in solidarity with the peoples of Turkey and express serious concern at the use of brutal and excessive violence by government security forces against people peacefully exercising their rights of freedom of assembly, an essential part of freedom of expression. Turkish police actions have turned Istanbul, Ankara and other cities where demonstrations take place into battlegrounds and according to reports received, four people have died, many have been seriously injured and thousands are in custody.
We are concerned that your Government appears to be engaging in such repression as a regular practice based on this and earlier episodes; still fresh in our minds are the year’s May Day celebrations, which turned to bloodshed after attacks on demonstrators by the security forces.
We believe that the right to peaceful demonstration is a basic element of genuine democracy. We are also concerned that since the 2011 elections, the legal and illegal denial of fundamental trade union rights has increased. This has included the adoption of laws that discourage rather than encourage the exercise of those rights, inaction, at best, against employers who deny workers’ fundamental rights, abuses in the judiciary system, prevention of de facto application of legal strikes, and violence against trade unionists coupled with limits on freedom of assembly and expression. These constitute attacks on fundamental human rights and democracy.
We urgently call on you to take the following actions to calm the current situation:
• The Government in Ankara should put an end to state violence against peaceful demonstrators and ensure that the right of freedom of expression and assembly is guaranteed in all public areas of Turkey. In particular we call on your government to ban the use of tear gas.
• Those responsible for the thousands of injured people and the deaths of Mehmet Ayvalıtaş, Abdullah Cömert, Ethem Sarısülük and Mustafa Sarı should be held accountable, dismissed from their posts and prosecuted before the law.
• Detained citizens who attended the protests across the country should be immediately released with an official statement declaring that there will not be any investigations pursued into them.
• All the legal and practical barriers against the exercise of trade union rights are removed and the right to strike is respected.
• KESK trade unionists, detained journalists and all others unjustly held for legitimate acts of protests and opposition should be released immediately.
• Turkey and its people deserve much better. They deserve democracy and the protection of all their human rights, including trade union rights. We encourage your Government to move in that direction in the crucial days and weeks ahead.
For more information contact ITF press officer, Sam Dawson.
Direct line: + 44 (0)20 7940 9260.
Email: dawson_sam@itf.org.uk
International Transport Workers’ Federation – ITF:
HEAD OFFICE
ITF House, 49 – 60 Borough Road, London SE1 1DS
Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7403 2733
Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7375 7871
Email: mail@itf.org.uk
Web: www.itfglobal.org
