The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) organized a mass march and demonstration in Ankara on the anniversary of NATO's founding. Addressing the citizens in Sakarya Square, TKP Secretary General Kemal Okuyan emphasized that Turkey's security can only be ensured through an independent line, not through NATO.
ANKARA/ HALKWEB The Communist Party of Turkey organized a large-scale protest march in Ankara on the occasion of NATO's founding anniversary. The party members gathered at the Kolej intersection at 18.30 and marched to Sakarya Square with banners reading ’We need a NATO-free Turkey!“ and ”We will uproot NATO from our country“.
TKP General Secretary Kemal Okuyan addressed the crowd, who chanted slogans such as “NATO get out, this country is ours”, “Murderer NATO, collaborator AKP” and “Confiscate the bases, get rid of NATO” throughout the march.
”Menderes is an Enemy of the People”
In his speech, Okuyan criticized Turkey's entry into NATO and the Democrat Party period, and reacted to the presentation of Adnan Menderes as a “hero of democracy”. Arguing that Turkey was pushed into US dependency between 1950-1960, Okuyan said the following:
“Between 1950 and 1960, the US influence in this country became so deep that everything we ate, down to the bread we ate, was passed through them. Adnan Menderes is an enemy of the people. They handed over the keys of the country to imperialism by saying ‘there is a threat of communism’.”
”Not a Security Company, but a Burglar Breaking Into Our House”
Okuyan likened NATO to a security company and claimed that this structure interfered in Turkey's internal affairs and committed murders through Gladio:
”You hire a company to protect your house, but that company is actually made up of thieves. NATO was behind the March 12 and September 12 coups. Gladio had a hand in the murder of seven TİP youth and the murders in Ankara. They say the US was behind July 15, but we still give them the keys to our house.”
Incirlik and the Nuclear Weapon Question
Okuyan drew attention to the contradiction between the government's “global powers” rhetoric and its NATO membership and posed a question over the Incirlik Base:
”Although not officially recognized, world documents say that there are US nuclear weapons in Incirlik. What is the purpose of these weapons? Why are nuclear weapons kept on our soil? There is no answer.”
”NATO enters the Black Sea under the name of ‘Volunteers’”
Criticizing the military mobilization in the Black Sea as “a group of volunteers, not affiliated with NATO”, Okuyan stated that this situation was fabricated to hide a possible conflict with Russia: “There is no volunteerism in state affairs. NATO is entering the Black Sea,” he said.
National Security or Security of Conglomerates?
Criticizing the sale of Turkey's strategic institutions to foreign capital, Okuyan said that without economic independence there can be no national security:
”Is NATO protecting us, or is it protecting the conglomerates and international monopolies from us? They gave Telecom, refineries, banks. What security secret are you talking about when international monopolies have all the information of our citizens?”
”Dismantling NATO starts by removing Turkey”
Okuyan concluded his speech by emphasizing that Turkey's exit from NATO is an urgent demand:
”Some people say ‘NATO should be disbanded’. Of course it should be disbanded, but this is a universal issue. Our duty is for Turkey to leave NATO. Because disbanding NATO starts from here; it starts by removing Turkey. In the spirit of 1920, we must show that we have no intention of opening Ankara to the imperialists.”
The protest ended with slogans after the speech.
