Statement from IRSP
IRSP: Turkish Regime's Attack on Death Fasters is Barbaric
Press Release
5 November 2001
The joint-heads of the IRSP's international Department have condemned as barbaric the attack today by Turkish police on the Death Fast houses, in the Kucuk Armutlu area of Istanbul, resulting in at least six deaths. Mr. Harkin further called on the Irish government to intervene.
Terry Harkin, speaking from London for the IRSP's International Department, where he is in contact with the Death Fasters through their representatives, said:
"The IRSP's International Department have received reports today of an operation by the Turkish state against the Death Fast houses at Kucuk Armutul, a suburb of Istanbul. These reports indicate that at 12:00 PM, local time, Turkish para-military police stormed the area, armed with CS gas made in the USA, AK47s and Panzer armoured cars provided by the German government. They used live German rounds and American gas to drive local residents and Death Fasters from their homes and into the streets, where at least six of them were butchered by the police, with hundreds more injured and arrested.
"The Turkish Democratic Republic then brought in bulldozers and commenced the demolition of the homes of the local population, in scenes reminiscent of the Highland Clearances and Evictions during the Irish Famine.
"This is the country that Bertie Ahern is so anxious to have admitted to the European Union that he is thinking of having a rerun of the referendum on the Expansion Treaty.
"Mr Ahern should think hard on his position of accepting a pariah quasi-military state like Turkey. Turkey is only tolerated by the West because of its usefulness as a static aircraft carrier for the USA.
"Ireland has a key place at the heart of Europe and has grown prosperous through her involvement. It is time for this to be paid for, the Irish government is in receipt of a set of proposals that have already been seen by the Death Fasters' representatives. These contain the blueprint for an intervention that could see negotiations to end the Death Fast started quickly.
"The IRSP calls upon the Irish government to review its position on these proposals quickly and positively, and then act before any more lives are lost. We call on Mr. Ahern to be courageous; go to the Turkish state and say 'enough, stop this now and we will help you."
Mr. Harkin concluded by reiterating the call made recently to Sinn Fein and Green Party TDs by former MP Ms. McAlisky, to table a motion in An Dail to have the government recall Ireland's Ambassador to Turkey.
"After today's butchery, I would go further than that and call for the expulsion of the Turkish Ambassador, as he represents a government that commits acts of genocide against its own people," Mr. Harkin said.
ENDS
Irish Republican Socialist Party
P.O. Box 1981, Derry, BT48 8GX, Ireland
Tel: 028 90 321024
Fax: 028 90 330786
Email: Terryirp@aol.com
Web site: http://irsm.org/irsp/
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