We have said it before: opposing NATO is not a crime\u2014it is a responsibility.<\/b> Yet the AKP government is attempting to criminalize protests against NATO at a time when the massacre in Palestine continues, when it remains uncertain how far U.S.-Israeli aggression against Iran will escalate, and when the war in Ukraine threatens to expand even further.<\/p>\n
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We also made it clear that we would not accept this. NATO\u2014one of the forces behind coups, political assassinations, massacres, and occupations\u2014cannot be whitewashed by ministerial orders or governor’s decrees. Humanity will not allow it, and historical truth cannot be rewritten in this way.<\/p>\n
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Until very recently, government officials and their supporters blamed NATO and the Western imperialist countries for the attempted coup of July 15, 2016, proudly declaring that “this is no longer the old Turkey.” Now, invoking the very same slogan, they are trying to intimidate the country’s working class patriots, revolutionaries, and communists by brandishing the NATO flag.<\/p>\n
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Nothing has changed on the side of the rules of this system since Turkey joined NATO in 1952. While wrapping themselves in patriotic rhetoric, they have never abandoned their ambition of becoming a regional power by aligning themselves with the imperialist countries, above all the United States. Nor have we ever abandoned our struggle against imperialism and all of its institutions, foremost among them NATO. We stood against the U.S. Sixth Fleet; we stood against foreign military bases; we stood against occupations in our region; we stood against war. And we will continue to do so.<\/p>\n
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As the NATO Summit approaches, everyone who has refused to accept the arrogance, repression, and disgrace on display\u2014everyone who has spoken out and taken action, regardless of party, organization, or political affiliation\u2014has torn away the label of “collective collaboration” that is being imposed on Turkey.<\/p>\n
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The broad support for the TKP demonstration held yesterday in Ankara’s K\u0131z\u0131lay Square under the slogan “Standing against NATO is a duty”<\/b> is proof that, despite all the government’s efforts, Turkey’s anti-imperialist tradition remain alive.<\/p>\n
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But the struggle continues, and we must recognize that victory is still a long way off. We cannot be satisfied simply because several thousand people took part in protests in a country of 85 million, or because we once again proved that we would not submit to bans and repression. Not when every bourgeois party is working to legitimize NATO, and generations have been taught the falsehood that NATO guarantees Turkey’s security.<\/p>\n
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We are leaving our mark on history\u2014but our real task is to change its course. We will continue our struggle until Turkey is liberated from imperialism, multinational monopolies, and exploitation.<\/p>\n
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We demand the immediate release of the 145 TKP members detained in Ankara, Kocaeli, and Soma<\/strong>. We reiterate the same demand for all revolutionaries who have been detained or imprisoned for opposing NATO.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It is not a crime to say “No to NATO.” The real crime is supporting NATO.<\/strong> Let no one forget it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We wish a speedy recovery to all our comrades injured by police violence, and we thank all our friends and allies who have stood in solidarity with us.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Communist Party of Turkey<\/strong><\/p>\n Central Committee<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We have said it before: opposing NATO is not a crime\u2014it is a responsibility. Yet the AKP government is attempting to criminalize protests against NATO at a time when the massacre in Palestine continues, when it remains uncertain how far U.S.-Israeli aggression against Iran will escalate, and when the war in Ukraine threatens to expand […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":27880,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[255,257],"tags":[1720],"yoast_head":"\n