The suicide bomb attack that took place in Ankara on the morning of 10 October 2015, caused the death of more than a hundred people and more than five hundred people were wounded. A number of people remain missing.
The peaceful demonstration was organized by the trade unions KESK, DISK, (federations), TMMOB (engineering) and TTB (Doctors), other organisations and parties such as HDP, EMEP (opposed to the government) and the SGDF (youth section of EMEP) were also present.
The bomb attack took place in the areas where HDP, EMEP and SGDF had gathered with their banners. Two explosions were heard.
No police were injured because they were not close to where the bombs exploded, and at that time internet links in the area went down. For these reasons demonstrators have accused the government of complicity.
Some demonstrators chanted, “This is a huge crowd and those who cannot tolerate it terrorise the gathering”.
TTB doctors at the demonstration helped the wounded and the dead. While they helped, the police brutally attacked innocent peaceful demonstrators and the doctors with tear gas. When riot police, who arrived before the ambulances, they attacked those trying to help the dead injured with water cannons and tear gas.
The wounded were carried to hospitals in private vehicles. A crowd who gathered in front of the Numune hospital, chanted the slogan ‘Erdogan murderer!’ The murderer for the past 13 years is known!
Doctors that helped were later prosecuted and punished just because they helped those who had been attacked and injured by the police on the demonstration.
On 20 July 2015, a similar attack by a IS suicide bomber took place in Suruç, during a press conference held by members of SGDF (a socialist youth federation) and many were killed. They were preparing to travel to Kobane in Syria with books and toys and to build parks for the children. Once again peaceful humanitarian campaigners were killed with no security personnel present.
The security forces: army, police and guards operate under the orders of the dictatorial regime of Erdogan. After the Suruç massacre the Turkish State took steps to further escalate violence in that region; and killings have continued on a daily basis in the South East.
At the same time a curfew has been declared in many parts of Kurdistan. Following the curfew, in Sırnak Cizre 13 year old Cemile was killed in front of her house by security forces. Her body was then kept for three days before she could be buried.
After the Ankara massacre, the trade unions and mass organizations organised a two day general strike. But the opportunist AKP government took advantage and declared three days of mourning.
But the government is complicit or shuts its eyes to these brutal events: the killing of civilians, children and innocent people. They do not mourn for their deaths.
The AKP government and Erdogan regime has consistently brutally and openly attacked Kurdish people as well as the people fighting for social rights.
The repression continues
Erdogan increased his majority in the national election, although many believe he rigged the vote to win. After ‘winning’ he pressed ahead with severely limiting press freedom, attacking democratic rights and security force killings.
On 22 December, Human Rights Watch stated that 15 people have been killed during curfews between September and November in the south-east. But the Kurdish people are fighting back.
We call on all trade unionists, workers and all concerned organisations to show solidarity with the Kurdish people, the Turkish unions and social movements who are fighting for their rights. And also the youth and workers who are trying to build support for the struggle of the democratic forces against Assad and IS in Syria.
