Turkish Workers' Solidarity with Pakistani Workers

We have received the following solidarity declaration addressed to the Pakistan workers from a group of trade union activists in Turkey.

Our dear class brothers and sisters,

We are passing through a period in which the attacks of Capital upon the working class is in full swing. And now they have launched an imperialist war threatening directly the life of the working class. Our brothers and sisters of the Pakistani working class are suffering in a most direct way the effects of this war. The Pakistani working class, which has been living under the repressive rule of military regimes for years. We believe that the fight that is being carried on by the Pakistani workers under the leadership of the PTUDC will accelerate the process of overthrowing the regime. The Pakistani working class is not alone in this fight.

We in Turkey also live in a country where democratic traditions are very weak. There were three military coups in the recent past and now there is still a reactionary and repressive regime and its laws are the direct result of the last military coup in 1980. Our socialist unionists constantly face arrest, repression, torture and killings under torture. Our strikes are banned with the excuse of "national security and national interests". Our worker brothers and sisters who wage a struggle to unionise are being sacked, intimidated and exposed to police repression. Just like our Pakistani brothers and sisters. Therefore we understand very well the importance of your struggle and under what hard conditions you live.

The release of 100 worker brothers and sisters and Hameed Khan, one of the leaders of the union struggle, is a success of the PTUDC and the whole Pakistani working class. We wish the strike you are carrying on to be successful as well, because, as you said, this strike "is the first successful strike against the present military regime" and "the victory of this strike will help to build the forces of the PTUDC on a national basis". This is very important from the standpoint of working class.

As Hameed Khan said: "This victory is not the victory of CSEA but a victory of the whole international movement." Our hearts, which are the hearts of your Turkish class brothers and sisters, beat alongside with yours in your fight. Your victory is ours.

To overthrow this rotten capitalist system and for the socialist transformation of society, workers of all countries, unite!

Signed by a group of:

Metal workers,
Petro-chemical workers,
Health workers,
Teachers,
Printing workers,
Textile workers,
Engineers,
Public employees,
and union activists.