Obama and the May Day
The Voice of the Communist Party of Turkey
Weekly Bulletin of the Political Bureau
Obama and the May Day
It is our duty to deflate the Obama bubble
1. Obama is not someone elected as a result of the decline of imperialism in the United States. Obama is the precaution taken by imperialism.
2. A change in the fundamental orientations of imperialist monopolies, which afflict not only the toiling masses of the world, but also the peoples of their own countries, is out of question. For this is not possible...
3. The US imperialism has to assert political dominance over regions rich in energy resources, carry on the petrodollar hegemony that it has been utilizing for generating unfair financial resources, exploit the workers of dependent countries and its own country further.
4. An aspect of the problem for the US is that she has met with severe reactions in her actions to this end and threats against her imperialist hegemony.
5. USA, the political superstructure of international monopolies of US origin, has to counteract both the factors threatening her dominance and hegemony, and to deepen the same dominance and hegemony in an agonizing way. The presence of Obama serves to these ends.
6. By no means Obama administration implies a moderation in the policies of the US:
a. The bailout of the rich with crisis measures within the country is the summary of Obama administration. The bailout of huge monopolies is set as a goal for American laborers, who suffer from devastating unemployment and poverty. Obama does not take into account at all the demands of the poor, who certainly played a great part in his coming to the office, such as “let the rich pay the price of the crisis” or “predicate the crisis measures on the bailout of the poor, not the rich”.
b. The essence of Obama administration’s policies is to engage other international forces more to her global gendarmerie activities, and to suppress the rivals who hinder or trouble these. While Obama is maneuvering to achieve a temporary relaxation on issues such as Iraq, Iran and Palestine, where the US aggression has met with great resistance, he will become as violent as Bush on other issues such as Afghanistan as he confides in the fact that public opinion has been sufficiently falsified.
c. In essence, the United States has no option of “détente” or “departing from violent capitalism”. It is not surprising that Obama has been channeling all wealth to the rich despite the expectations of pursuing “social policies”. It is not a surprise that Obama has set issues such as NATO and the Afghan War as his top priority despite the expectations of pursuing policies for “building peace on earth”. It is Obama’s choice not to touch the torturers of Bush administration in the CIA or the Department of Foreign Affairs, despite the naïve expectations that he would “take issue with the Bush era”.
7. The facts we observe in relation to the question “what are the implications of all these for Turkey?” are striking:
a. With the initiatives that make Turkey “contempt”, Obama, in fact, assures the interests of American imperialism. It is possible to think that the new tasks to be charged on Turkey imply that “we are an important country since such important roles are bestowed on us”. However, contraction of Turkey through these tasks and roles is inevitable.
b. The solution proposed by Obama to Turkey on the Kurdish problem once again supports a hypocritical aggression against the Kurds in Turkey while taking Barzani under Turkey’s wings.
c. The so-called support provided by Obama on the issue of European Union has no other purpose than constraining Germany with Turkey, while reinforcing the position of our workers as the cheap labor force of Europe.
d. The roles bestowed on Turkey as a regional power imply nothing but deceiving the Arabs, governing the Africans and killing the Afghans. These will both wear out our country and reduce the number of our friends.
8. The atmosphere created in previous weeks regarding the relations between the US and Turkey is a venomous one. Our members and our friends must do their best to change this atmosphere. We cannot merely confine ourselves to simple slogans such as “Damn with America”. We have to point out all dangers awaiting Turkey one by one, and warn our people.
9. The Ergenekon operation, a new step of which was taken last week, can be understood better within this context.
10. The Justice and Development Party (AKP) has decided to hold even the tiniest units of the state and the society captive in order to enforce the orders of the US word by word. For sure, it is important that persons from various sections of the society are arrested and charged with accusations, but terrifying and oppressing large sections of the society by means of this operation is way more important.
11. The “12th wave” of the operation carried out last Monday, in which university presidents and the administrators of well-known non-governmental organizations are put under arrest, is important in this respect. The arrests declare that “opposing AKP” is sufficient for being accused.
12. The patriotic, progressive and revolutionary potential of our country should get together to build resistance in all sections of the society in face of these events. The struggle for enlightenment that covers the entire social sphere must be raised. It should be known that nothing but getting organized can generate resistance.
The Real Meaning of the May Day
1. May Day is the feast of workers. It is utterly important that workers have their own feast and celebrate it together with intellectuals on the side of labor and the youth with courage and conscience.
2. The essence of the May Day is to cry out loud in large masses against capital as “this country stands on the back of the workers and toiling masses”.
3. This is even more important in periods of rising unemployment, and when developments such as rising inflation, crisis and war that impoverish and batter toiling masses are happening. In such periods May Day parades are an opportunity to say, “We exist and we will not let you oppress us more” on account of workers. In other words, the May Day is, first of all, an act of showing power and decisiveness.
4. We know the measures taken by capitalists against such act well. All we have experienced so far are instructive enough:
a. By deflecting the solidarity and the struggle day of the workers by means of the atmosphere created before the May Day, bourgeoisie presents workers’ demonstration of power and decisiveness as an act of terror.
b. They try to prevent the unification of the working class and the workers’ recognition of the power they possess by threats and lies.
c. In case a great and decisive force emerges in May Days, the media and the state attempt to counteract this cooperatively. News on demonstrations of hundred of thousands of workers are made under headings such as “there were no conflicts this year” or “there were clashes again”, which proves the true colors of the bourgeois media.
5. It is important to celebrate the May Day in Taksim Square, for Taksim is a symbol of the decisiveness and power expressed by the working class even under the toughest conditions and against the heaviest threats.
6. On the other hand, the decisiveness about Taksim should be explained well. Everybody should be consistent on this point. We have to expect the same from all trade unions which talk about “winning Taksim”: Cancel all other celebrations elsewhere and bring all your forces together in Istanbul for Taksim Square.
7. It would not be an achievement for the working class if the picture of the 1st of May 2009 would be a protocol demonstration of a handful of trade unionists along with European human rights activists, while several thousands of leftists are clashing with the police outside. In a period when millions of workers are laid off, forced to unpaid leave, wage deductions and immense impoverishment, it would not be acceptable in any way to confine ourselves with an act for “saving the day”.
8. The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) believes that a massive and united demonstration that will advance the cause of the working class in 2009 is possible. TKP will be the most determined participant of a massive gathering in Taksim Square. The members of TKP will make their preparations to this end, and they will carry on their efforts to celebrate the May Day not as a “calendar” day, but a day of massive struggle that will further the class struggle.
The meaning of TKP’s central decisions regarding May Day celebrations is simply this.