From the Committee of the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement
To the Revolutionary Political Prisoners of Turkey on Hunger Strike
Revolutionary Worker #1087, January 21, 2001, posted at http://rwor.org
We received the following statement from the Committee of the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement (CoRIM):
Dear Comrades:
On behalf of RIM and its participating parties and organisations, we send our warmest revolutionary communist greetings to you who have led a daring and audacious struggle against the reactionary state of Turkey and made the prisons a shining trench of revolutionary combat. The International Communist Movement and especially RIM hold dear with deep sentiments the memory of the comrades of the Communist Party of Turkey (Marxist-Leninist), TKP (ML), and the other revolutionary political prisoners who laid down their lives in the recent prison struggles for the cause of revolution.
Comrades: Your struggle was a crucial battle at this juncture in the life of your country. The ruling classes of Turkey with the assistance of their imperialist masters want to consolidate their state and crush the revolutionary sentiments and struggles of the oppressed masses. After the capture of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) leadership, the Turkish State was dreaming of crushing the revolutionary will of the political prisoners. But you turned this dream into a nightmare for the reactionaries and capitulators. This righteous battle brought fresh air to the masses. It inspired tens of thousands of the young generation who are stepping into revolutionary life. This struggle has served People's War in Turkey and advanced the cause of overthrowing the reactionaries and imperialists. Internationally it has had the effect of raising the flag of resistance, which so urgently needs to become more visible in many parts of the world.
RIM is specially proud of this struggle because one of its participating parties, the TKP (ML), played a key and central role in staging and leading this struggle with a correct line and with revolutionary perseverance. The reactionary state with the help of the imperialists tried hard to smother the hunger strike in state-imposed silence. Finally, in desperation, they cowardly used the army to attack 20 of their own prisons to re-gain control. It was tremendously inspiring for the masses of the world to see that even in the darkest dungeons of this brutal regime one can deal blows to the enemy if the flag of resistance and struggle is held high.
Comrades: Your struggle has handed the enemy a political and ideological defeat. The bombs, helicopters and assault rifles of the Turkish State failed. Audacious revolutionary struggle and unwavering confidence in the masses and our communist cause was advanced. We are confident that you will continue to fight to turn Turkey's prisons into shining trenches of combat. The revolutionary masses and their Maoist vanguard parties and organisations around the world draw inspiration from your fight and stand shoulder to shoulder with you.
Down with the reactionary state of Turkey and its imperialist masters!
Red Salute to the memory of the fallen comrades!
Long Live proletarian internationalism!
Yasasin TKP(ML) and TIKKO! Long Live RIM!Committee of the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement
28 December 2000
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