“Great Tuzla March” by students as solidarity action for workers
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After long years in Turkey's history, the students again realised a big gathering with the workers and showed their solidarity.

01 May 2008 / International Bulletin / No: 69
After long years in Turkey's history, the students again realised a big gathering with the workers and showed their solidarity. The youth who set off from different universities at Istanbul and Ankara with the slogan "Turkey should not become Tuzla" marched to Tuzla to support the struggle of the shipyard workers firstly against accident-related murders as well as against the inhuman working conditions. The students started their action with a press statement at Kadikoy, Istanbul on the morning of April 19, 2008 and marched then for 12 km arriving at Tuzla in the afternoon. During their march, they attracted a lot of interest with their t-shirts on which it said "There's no liberation on your own. Either together or none of us" and "Long live the solidarity between students and workers" as well as with their banners read "The resistance is as global as capital" and "Let's show our solidarity with the shipyard workers". In a statement by the students concerning the solidarity action, the following was said "Turkey should not become Tuzla. We are shaming us because we did nothing until dozens of shipyard workers at Tuzla died, because we realised the importance of defending our own lives and own rights only after the death of dozens of shipyard workers of Tuzla." The students whose number grew more and more during the march also distributed leaflets explaining their aims.
Arriving at Selah shipyard belonging to Tuzla, the youth were welcomed by the union Limter-Is and the shipyard workers holding a banner read "A ghost is sparkling around: The spirit of 68. We are saluting it."
By shouting the slogans "The union of the workers will beat capital", "We are all harbour workers" and "Stop the accident-related murders", the students showed once again the way they will follow: The students have left their schools, universities and campuses to take part actively in the struggle against social problems. The student's slogans saying "The way of Tuzla will lead to Taksim" and "No to SSGSS, for free education and free health" show their determination to march to Taksim on Mayday together with the working class despite all bans and threats of the state. The struggle against house demolitions, for a free health insurance and free education, for a safe future and human working conditions is not to be lead by only some groups of society but will be possible with the resistance of the whole society. This is why the students are saying "Defending Tuzla means defending our own life, too".
The struggle of the shipyard workers of Tuzla against accident-related murders and the strike realised on February 28-29 throughout at the shipyards` district gave energy and strengthened the determination of the social struggle. This march of the students must be considered as an important achievement of the Tuzla strike.
At the 40th anniversary of the `68 youth movement the youth are commemorating the leaders of the `68 movement on the one hand, and they are gathering with the workers and labourers with the spirit of the `68 movement on the other hand approaching their energy and the spirit of enlightenment to them.

 

 

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“Great Tuzla March” by students as solidarity action for workers
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After long years in Turkey's history, the students again realised a big gathering with the workers and showed their solidarity.

01 May 2008 / International Bulletin / No: 69
After long years in Turkey's history, the students again realised a big gathering with the workers and showed their solidarity. The youth who set off from different universities at Istanbul and Ankara with the slogan "Turkey should not become Tuzla" marched to Tuzla to support the struggle of the shipyard workers firstly against accident-related murders as well as against the inhuman working conditions. The students started their action with a press statement at Kadikoy, Istanbul on the morning of April 19, 2008 and marched then for 12 km arriving at Tuzla in the afternoon. During their march, they attracted a lot of interest with their t-shirts on which it said "There's no liberation on your own. Either together or none of us" and "Long live the solidarity between students and workers" as well as with their banners read "The resistance is as global as capital" and "Let's show our solidarity with the shipyard workers". In a statement by the students concerning the solidarity action, the following was said "Turkey should not become Tuzla. We are shaming us because we did nothing until dozens of shipyard workers at Tuzla died, because we realised the importance of defending our own lives and own rights only after the death of dozens of shipyard workers of Tuzla." The students whose number grew more and more during the march also distributed leaflets explaining their aims.
Arriving at Selah shipyard belonging to Tuzla, the youth were welcomed by the union Limter-Is and the shipyard workers holding a banner read "A ghost is sparkling around: The spirit of 68. We are saluting it."
By shouting the slogans "The union of the workers will beat capital", "We are all harbour workers" and "Stop the accident-related murders", the students showed once again the way they will follow: The students have left their schools, universities and campuses to take part actively in the struggle against social problems. The student's slogans saying "The way of Tuzla will lead to Taksim" and "No to SSGSS, for free education and free health" show their determination to march to Taksim on Mayday together with the working class despite all bans and threats of the state. The struggle against house demolitions, for a free health insurance and free education, for a safe future and human working conditions is not to be lead by only some groups of society but will be possible with the resistance of the whole society. This is why the students are saying "Defending Tuzla means defending our own life, too".
The struggle of the shipyard workers of Tuzla against accident-related murders and the strike realised on February 28-29 throughout at the shipyards` district gave energy and strengthened the determination of the social struggle. This march of the students must be considered as an important achievement of the Tuzla strike.
At the 40th anniversary of the `68 youth movement the youth are commemorating the leaders of the `68 movement on the one hand, and they are gathering with the workers and labourers with the spirit of the `68 movement on the other hand approaching their energy and the spirit of enlightenment to them.