Today's Topics:
1. Britain, afed: SOLIDARITY DEMO WITH ARRESTEES IN TURKEY -
STARTED HUNGER STRIKE IN CUSTODY (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
2. France, Alternative Libertaire AL #272 - unionism, Toulouse:
A college against class contempt (fr, it, pt) [machine
translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
3. International Freedom Battalion morn omrades Cömert,
Zahide, Cihan and Idil (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
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Message: 1
Comrades arrested and under custody in Turkey went on a hunger strike as of today (May
24,2017) ---- Yesterday an anarchist-comrade along with several others were arrested
violently by the police during a solidarity demonstration with Nuriye Gulmen and Semih
Ozakca*. Comrades in question are held arbitrarily by the police in custody and in protest
of their treatment, yesterday they went on an indefinite hunger strike until they are
released. As the anniversary of the Gezi Revolt approaches (the end of May) fascist
Erdogan government fears another revolt against its violent dictatorial regime. It is
keeping every protester it can arrest as hostage. I will update this as more information
arrives. As always, but as it becomes more and more clear everyday, our only weapon
against the state and sectarian violence directed everywhere against the working class is
international solidarity!
*Nuriye Gulmen, a university professor, and Semih Ozakca, a high school teacher, were
sacked by the government for no reason except being leftists and participated in the Gezi
demonstrations after the military coup last year. The government officials and prosecutors
clearly know that Nuriye&Semih have no ties with the islamist/Gulenist coup plotters who
were until yesterday partners of Erdogan in repressing the working class and the Kurds.
Unsurprisingly though state officials fear the militant working class people more than
they fear coupist Gulenist army generals. Hence, Nuriye and Semih were sacked together
with thousands of other teachers, professors and civil servants without any real evidence.
Nuriye and Semih are on hunger strike for 76 days. Their only demand is to be reinstated
at their jobs. Two days ago they were arrested at their home after a night raid by the
police. These people are already under surveillance, their passports have probably been
cancelled and they never attempted to hide. The prosecutors asked them if "any radical
left wing group promised them any material benefit in exchange of their hunger strikes and
if they are trying to overthrow the government by triggering a revolt, similar to the Gezi
revolt". These outrageous questions constituted the basis for their imprisonment. Clearly
this naked state terror is only aimed to intimidate the workers not to oppose the
government, whose self-confidence is daily eroding and, in fear, using the only weapon it
knows best: violence.
More to follow soon.
Reported previously on Leicester AF website and Libcom.org
Other relevent press about original hunger strike by Nuriye Gulmen and Semih Ozakca:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/24/turkey-jails-academics-hunger-strike-losing-jobs-post-coup-purge/
and another hunger strike on same day by French photographer Mathias Depardon:
http://www.bjp-online.com/2017/05/mathias-depardon-on-hunger-strike-against-detention-by-turkish-authorities/
https://afed.org.uk/arrestees-in-turkey-on-hunger-strike-since-24th-may-2017/
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Message: 2
Against the closure of two Toulouse colleges, the struggle was organized at Mirail and La
Reynerie. Women in the neighborhood are on the front line. ---- Faced with class contempt,
political violence and the racist remarks of "decision- makers " and their
spokespersons, the struggle was organized in the Mirail district against the closure of
the Badiou and Bellefontaine colleges: the struggle was launched mainly By the women of
this district. If this project succeeds, the 16,000 inhabitants of Reynerie and
Bellefontaine will live without college for several years ; They will have to send their
children to remote settlements, without the conditions of reception being guaranteed.
Behind this project lies a violent stigmatization of the working-class neighborhoods, a
contempt for the citizens who live there, a neo-colonial assimilative will.
Interview with Fanny, teacher at Badiou College and activist SUD Education 31.
Alternative libertarian: Who is at the initiative of this project and what are its
objectives ?
Fanny: This project has a national and local dimension. At national level, it is part of a
broad plan of social mix and within the framework of the mobilization of the school for
the values of the Republic. In France, 84 institutions will undergo experiments under the
label of social mix, but constituting an attack on priority education.
At the local level, the implementation of this plan was delegated to the departmental
councils. In Toulouse, experimentation, considered as the most ambitious, consists of
closing down two colleges in the poorest district of the city, Badiou à la Reynerie and
that of Bellefontaine, gradually emptying them of their pupils: in 2017, 6 th and 5 th the
following year and, in 2019, complete closure of Badiou college. At the Bellefontaine
College, the closure would begin in 2018.
The departmental council justifies this closure under the pretext of the failure of
priority education and social mix, arguing that this neighborhood is a " time bomb " and
that there is a duty to " civilization of the Republic ". These colleges, the county
council have let them die without renovation works for years ...
The project envisages the possible construction of a new college within the next four to
five years, but this is not at all guaranteed: the land is not bought and the budget is
not guaranteed. Moreover, if this institution is born, it would not be in priority
education since the aim is to make social mix, a criterion taken into account in the
allocation of the designation " priority education ". Meanwhile, pupils will be sent,
according to their addresses, to more privileged establishments in the inner city or
suburbs which will lead some pupils to take a 55-minute journey to their alternative
establishment.
This project constitutes an attack, concerted and well in the air of the national time
against the priority education as a whole. All the schools that serve us will lose their
priority education status within two years. It is also part of a more global attack on
popular neighborhoods. In the Reynerie district, if you take the school and the college,
there's nothing left. They will soon blow up the CAF.
What form has the mobilization taken ?
Fanny: The mobilization was based on a parent-teacher-inhabitants' assembly that had
already existed for many years and which is growing with every mobilization. It is made up
mainly of inhabitants and parents of pupils. We are three to four teachers to go there
each time. This assembly is very interesting because it proposes a framework of struggle
really self-managed by the users and the workers of the public service. It was through
this assembly that large demonstrations were organized in the neighborhood (during the
strikes of 31 January and 2 March) which had not taken place since the bombing of Gaza. On
30 March 2017, a peaceful occupation of the college was also organized on the day when
anyone could attend classes.
We have already done five days of strikes but overall we want no less school but more
school: it is a little slogan of the assembly. We do not want to deprive students of a
school we are defending.
What was the involvement of teachers in the project ?
Fanny: At that level, it was more complicated. In Badiou, when we had the announcement at
the beginning, many of them and they did not believe in it. For years the college has to
be destroyed and nothing happens. In addition, behind this project, there are many good
feelings like the social mix. Then the situation evolved as the project became more
specific and the representatives of the county council showed incredible arrogance and
contempt for us. They tried to tell us that our college was rotten, that we could not
teach, and that there was violence all the time.
Finally, with the opposition of a majority of parents and the contempt of decision-makers,
the majority of the college's faculty is today opposed to the closure of the college.
On the other hand, at the college in Bellefontaine, activists have more difficulty in
mobilizing because they do not have as good a relationship as we do with parents. In
addition, the parents' association is held by a person completely at the boot of the PS
who spends a lot of time dividing teachers and parents. It is a shame because in
Bellefontaine I am sure that there are parents who are opposed to the project but the
institutional framework represented is fraught with the stakes of power.
And what was the reaction of the unions ?
Fanny: The CFDT, Unsa and the FSU are for the project but only the majority union, the
FSU, is campaigning for its implementation. This is an obstacle that is encountered when
touring all the primary schools concerned or in the host institutions in the different
colleges. On the other hand, at the level of the unions opposed to the project, there is
SUD Education but also FO and the CGT. It is an interesting intersyndical framework which
in fact was that of the fight against the labor law.
What is the current state of mobilization and what are the prospects for the struggle ?
Fanny: During the April holidays, there will be door-to-door sessions as we have been
doing for a few months, teachers, teachers and parents, to sign a petition and to inform
the parents of pupils of CM2 on the Project that was set up without any consultation with
the main concerned, the parents of pupils. A lawsuit has also been filed to request a
cancellation of the procedure, hoping at least to gain time to block the abolition of
sixths next year. Eventually, it is also thought to file a legal claim on the merits of
the case by attacking the county council and the rectorate for discrimination. Residents
and residents of the neighborhood and parents are currently working on this issue with a
lawyer.
Interview by Caesar (AL Toulouse)
http://www.alternativelibertaire.org/?Education-Un-college-contre-le-mepris-de-classe
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Message: 3
As the anglophone members of the International Freedom Battalion we are deeply saddened to
hear of the loss of our dear comrades Cömert, Zahide, Cihan and Idil. Over the course of
many months we lived, fought and learned together in the very close and intimate spaces
that only the front lines of revolution can provide. We have to the best of our abilities
translated the original #BÖG martyrdom announcement from Turkish to English. We regret we
do not have more time and resources to devote to a more personalized eulogy to each one of
our beloved comrades, for we could spend hours furiously typing through tears and
laughter, writing anecdotes and fond memories that would not cover a single percent of the
greatness that deserves to be understood of these heroes.
Instead, we hope that this will serve as a spark for the English speaking world to renew
interest in the Turkish revolutionary left. Sadly the geopolitical climate does not allow
much English language coverage of the Turkish left but nevertheless it is
our belief that the current situation in Turkey is one of the foremost revolutionary
situations in the world today-- second only to Rojava.
Although many of us come from different ideological backgrounds and vastly different
stages/situations in our native countries, we have been treated here excellently not
simply as guests here but as true comrades and we wish to return the favor; sadly our
current situation on the embattled #Raqqa front prohibits us from doing this. So with this
in mind we call on all supporters of the Rojava revolution, the #IFB, and revolutionary
internationalism to please do what you can to familiarize yourself with the
revolutionaries of Turkey (BÖG, #MLKP, #TIKKO and the #HBDH as a whole). Please translate
their texts, read their movements' histories, analyze their constantly maturing ideology
and praxis, follow their actions and news as it unfolds - make this fight yours as they
have made our fight theirs. It is only through this-the continuing of struggle (whether it
be of mind, in the streets, or on the barricades) - can we properly honor the life of our
comrades Cömert, Zahide, Cihan and Idil.
This is why we say with Love & Rage In our hearts
The Martyrs are Immortal!
Shahid Namarin!
Long Live the Global Revolution!
- Anglophone members of the International Freedom Battalion
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