1. The only union which opposes fascism, the DISK (Revolutionary Trade Union Confederation) is going through a phase of severe liquidation. The unionist who do not bow for the regime, who do not obey the directives of the generals and bosses, were expelled from the union and the regional chapters of the union which do not conform to the standards of the contra-guerrilla are being shut down. This liquidation is ordered by the MGK (National Security Council), the leading staff of the oligarchy in Turkey and the liquidation is led by the MGK-unionists in the leadership of the DISK.
2. This is a struggle, led by the MGK-unionists, against the revolutionary unionists. At the top: Ridvan Budak, who was re-elected as DISK-chairman by the last congress, and his crew. Their target is the liquidation of the DISK which has always, since 1960, been a militant organisation, fighting for democracy for the working class against the oligarchy.
3. The last DISK congress, on 12 September, was held secret for the workers themselves. 300 delegates and a limited number of guests met in the 5-star Dedeman Hotel in Istanbul. The workers themselves did not have the opportunity to follow the congress, but government representatives and employers were invited as guests of honour. Ridvan Budak was elected as chairman again by the congress. Even the date on which this congress was held was interesting: 12 September is the anniversary of the military junta of 1980. And the MGK-unionists, in stead of uttering even one word against the junta, invited as many state representatives as guest speakers as possible. They even postponed the opening of the congress by one day so prime-minister Mesut Yilmaz could participate. The MGK-unionists arranged a massive police presence to protect the congress against the workers. This is the first time such a treason occurred in the DISK. It was also the first time in the history of the DISK that such an open battle was witnessed of one class against the other. The candidate for the chair of the revolutionary workers was granted only 5 minutes to address the congress and his microphone was disconnected just like that. And a former prime-minister and chairman of a regime party held a one and a half our speech against the workers at this workers’ congress… Until now the DISK congress has always been held in a sports stadium with the participation of some 10.000 workers. Despite the protests by the workers, which went on for weeks, this last congress was held in a 5-star hotel. The reasons: firstly achieving a moral blow of MGK-unionism against the militant tradition of the DISK and sending a message of co-operation to the oligarchy. Secondly: waging a battle against the workers, not on the workers’ level but on the “field” of the bourgeoisie because this stage was far to small for the workers. And this nest of capital didn’t suit the workers at all. In this way the MGK-unionists found a possibility to silence the opposition of the workers and they prevented that their cruel collaboration with the contra-guerrilla regime was publicly held accountable. They decided to start the liquidation within the DISK and they needed a congress without participation of the workers to do this.
4. The first attack after the DISK congress took place against the second largest and most dynamic union within the DISK, the Genel-Is. All regional chapters of this union were closed down on orders from the top. 13 unionists of these chapters were expelled. Two months ago, a congress to decide the statutes of this union blocked this conspiracy attempt. Afterwards, three board members carried out this conspiracy anyway, ignoring the union statutes and the congress decisions… The reason: these regional chapters were the ones which carried the dynamics of the working class, they reflected its will directly. The MGK-unionists wanted to liquidate revolutionary unionism to get rid of the pressure, exercised by the workers.
5. The chairman of the 2nd. chapter (and the strongest) of the Genel-Is, Mehmet Karagöz, was expelled from the union for three months. Memhet Karagöz is a well-known workers’ leaders who has led large workers’ resistance. He was expelled from the union because he did not join the disgrace of the MGK-unionists. His person was used to punish all workers and unionists who refused to bow for the methods of the contra-guerrilla.
6. Mehmet Karagöz was expelled because of the following “crimes”:
7. He had ordered an announcement to commemorate the DISK chairman Kemal Türkler, murdered in 1979 by the contra-guerrilla. The announcement stated: “His murderers must be looked for in Susurluk”.
8. He made the union telephones available for the search of the body of the textile union activist Düzgün Tekin, kidnapped by the security forces and made “disappeared”.
9. He had supported the unionist and organisation specialist of the Genel-Is, Aynur Karaaslan, on behalf of the union.
10. The MGK-unionists wanted to sell the building of the 2nd. chapter to block the union work of the members. Therefore they wanted to attach a 4 meter long banner to the front of the building with the text “For sale”. Memhet Karagöz prevented this.
11. The MGK-unionists and the DISK chairman, Ridvan Budak, wrote a pamphlet, together with the employers associations, against the Refah-Yol government, supporting a new government. They wanted to have this pamphlet distributed in the factories and workplaces, but Mehmet Karagöz and the civic workers refused to participate in this disgrace.
12. Mehmet Karagöz criticised the “Social Economic Council” which the DISK leadership, the employers and the government wanted to establish, as well as its intrigues against the workers. (The government has a the largest vote in this council, followed by the employers, the workers on the other hand, only have minor influence. This council was to affirm the bitter recipe of the rich at the cost of the workers. The unions had to share the consequences, not only the rich.)
13. Mainly responsible for this liquidation within Genel-Is are its chairman, Atilla Öngel, the secretary-general Muharrem Kurt and the director if the finance department, Nurettin Dincer. These liquidators bowed for the contra-guerrilla and betrayed the workers. Board member Abdülkerim Timur, who always behaved progressive, contributed to the liquidation by abstaining although his vote could have crossed the plans.
14. Why this liquidation? Fascism in Turkey can make use of the so called “Social Economical Council”, controlled by the MGK. It supposedly has to “bring together” the government, employers and workers. The MGK-unionists and the leadership of the DISK want the DISK to participate in this council. But they see themselves confronted by the resistance of the workers and the progressive unionists. – Ridvan Budak & Co. wanted to use the workers in the operation to change the government. Again they met the resistance of the workers. Ridvan Budak & Co. did not succeed in using the workers for their scheme. – Ridvan Budak takes upon himself the task of a diplomatic missionary in the name of “the democratic Turkey”, together with the representatives of the employers by supporting the entrance of Turkey in the European Union. As chairman of a union confederation, he shamelessly works for the oligarchy in Turkey by getting political and economical support. The MGK-unionists know that they have to destroy the organised and militant workers movement, or at least they’ll have to weaken it.
15. The liquidation of the DISK has already started, beginning with the Genel-Is. How grave this liquidation may be, and even though the forces of fascism are behind it, to prevent this liquidation – even changing it into a honourable struggle against the MGK-unionism – is in our hands. They will meet with the workers.

International working class… our sisters and brothers… We expect your support and solidarity. Give us your strength. We expect you to protest the – continuing liquidation of the DISK, – the shutting down of the regional chapters, – the expulsion of Mehmet Karagöz from the 2nd chapter of the Genel-Is, and we expect you to exercise pressure to achieve the withdrawal of the expulsion orders.
Use the right to ask questions about the reasons and the actual facts. Long live the solidarity between the workers! We are workers, we are right, we will win!