UK trade unions write to the Turkish Embassy, denounce Turkey’s attacks

The General Secretaries of 13 major UK trade unions have written to the Turkish Ambassador to the UK Embassy of Turkey, Ümit Yalçın expressing concern over the Turkish aggression in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq), the continued attacks on the HDP and the murder of Deniz Poyraz in İzmir office of the party last week.

The letter by the General Secretaries of 13 trade unions reads as follows:

We are writing to you to express out serious concern at the reports of current Turkish military affression into northern Iraq in breach of Iraqi sovereignty and international law, and the appalling murder last week of the HDP worker Deniz Poyraz.

Concerning Turkish military actions, it is our understanding that this latest incursion into Northern Iraq is creating civilian and refugee causalities, and we are appalled at reports that the Turkish military may be using chemical weapons and targeting the UNHCR recognised refugee camp of Maxmur. We urge the Turkish government to immediately cease its military actions in Northern Iraq and to absolutely desist from attacks on civilian centres and refugee camps.

In relation to the murder of Deniz Poyraz in the HDP office in İzmir, it is our understanding that this was carried out by a member of the Grey Wolves organisation that is closely aligned with the MHP that actively supports President Erdoğan’s government.

With the unrelenting attacks and smears that President Erdoğan and the Turkish government are carrying out on the HDP and the hostile and bitter environment that has been created, it is no surprise at all that attacks of this nature have occurred.

We refer to jailing of numerous HDP MPs and thousands of activists under spurious charges of supporting terrorism, acts such as the Kobani trial that has targeted the HDP simply for protesting about the situation in Kobani at the time the city was threatened by ISIS, and the attempts to forcibly shut down the HDP and prevent it from acting as a democratic political party.

Our confederation, the Trade Union Congress, wrote to you over two years ago in connection with some of these issues and to request a meeting to discuss the possibility of releasing the jailed Kurdish political leader Abdullah Öcalan and re-engaging in a peace process. To our knowledge the TUC has not even received the courtesy of a reply let alone a meeting to discuss the matters.

We hereby reiterate or request for you to urgently meet with a delegation from our unions in order for a discussion to take place. We further urge you to convey to the Turkish government and President Erdoğan in the clearest possible manner how appalled we are at the events that are taking place – both within and outside the borders of Turkey.

As the recent letter from 50 UK MPs indicates, public pressure for the UK government to act concerning the human rights abuses and military aggression is growing sharply, as trade unions we add our voices to those calls and will continue to do so.

Signatories:

Len McClusky: General Secretary, Unite the Union

Doug Nicholls: General Secretary, GFTU

Mary Bousted: General Secretary, NEU

Kevin Courtney: General Secretary, NEU

Sarah Woolley: General Secretary, BFAWU

Manuel Cortes: General Secretary, TSSA

Mick Whelan: General Secretary, ASLEF

Gary Smith: General Secretary, GMB

Dave Ward: General Secretary, CWU

Mark Serwotka: General Secretary, PCS

Paddy Lillis: General Secretary, USDAW

Mick Lynch: General Secretary, RMT

Larry Flanagan: General Secretary, EIS

Matt Wrack: General Secretary, FBU

Clare Mellor: Chief Executive, Thompsons’s Solicitors