This Many Casualties is Out of the Common

The State is Responsible for It!


As usual in every natural disaster, this time too, it is the workers and laborers who have to go through the greatest suffering and loss! The earthquake, which struck the Marmara region (north-west of Turkey) of our country, already caused the death of more than 20 thousand, the injury of more than 50 thousand people, and the loss of over 120 thousand people’s homes. Even though days have passed since the earthquake, there are still thousands of people who are to be rescued beneath the ruins!

The fascist state authorities, same as after every earthquake, did not miss the occasion to express generously their grievances, condolences, and with crocodile tears, their wishes for "God’s mercy" for the dead ones, "quick recovery" for the injured ones, and "patience" for the survivors. Thereby, it is proved that they fulfilled their tasks for the people! But the people are not waiting to hear some empty demagogic speeches. They are waiting for the rescue vehicles, for the ambulances, for the doctors and the other health practitioners, and for the bread and water to arrive urgently at the disaster region.

While no aid is being brought to any disaster site on time, people are crying in great pain and blood all over! However, the enemies of people, a handful of ruling classes, were not late, same as after every earthquake, in mentioning the "distorted construction" and the "corrupt developers", as well as hypocritically bragging about the "greatness of the Turkish state"! Whereas the people are striving to pull out their dead and injured ones beneath the rubble with very limited resources. On the other side, the ones who brag about the "Great Turkish State" are busy with lying and making empty promises, instead of running to help the people and putting the resources of state in the service of people.

The scientists had predicted the coming of a big earthquake in the Marmara region as back as 2 years from now. But the fascist state of comprador bourgeoisie and of feudal landlords could not even tolerate the newspapers that had published such news. Is not the task of a state, which is concerned about the lives, health and security of its citizens, to take all the precautions on time in such case? These traitors, who never lose any time in fulfilling the requests of the imperialists and possess a fame of offering the resources of our country to the imperialist monopolies as gifts, are still neglecting the lives and needs of people. With this earthquake, once more the state’s fascist character and its position toward the people are clearly exposed.

Same as after every earthquake, the fascist state did not have any trouble in finding the reasons and the guilty ones of the earthquake! In effort to convince everybody into believing that they had no responsibility in this massacre and to be able to justify the massacre, they ascribe it to "God" by saying that it was of the "divine order". In the other hand they are blaming the contractors in order to create a false target. However, in a few months, even this will be quickly covered, as hundreds other examples we have experienced, and for the sake of the "state’s eternalness" everything will be forced to be quiet and forgotten.

No, the strike of an earthquake cannot be prevented. However, by taking all the necessary precautions before the earthquake, the damages and the number of casualties can be certainly and greatly decreased. The fact that all the necessary and available precautions were not provided, especially in a time of extraordinary scientific and technological developments, is due to the fact that the fascist state is offering all the resources to a handful of imperialist monopolies and to the domestic servants of theirs as gifts. The state is the only responsible for the distorted construction development, for the buildings that are constructed cartoonlike, and for the buildings that turn into a mass of sand in the slightest earthquake. For the ruling classes try any sort of imposture in order to meet the capital’s interests and are making great profits at the expanse of people’s lives.

The state promotes the distorted constructional developments and the real-estate creditors in every aspect. Thereby, the state directly encourages deals at the expanse of people’s lives. By permitting the constructions of 10-20 floor apartment buildings at the sites where it is not suitable to build any structure more than 2 floors, the state creates the basis to turn natural disasters into massacres.

The state considers even one cent too much for the workers, civil servants and laborers, believing that if it gives one cent extra to them the whole state treasure will go bankruptcy. The slightest economic-democratic demand is suppressed with the clubs of soldiers and police. While putting fascist oppression upon people in every aspect, the state is feeding the ever-hungry stomachs of the IMF, imperialist monopolies and their domestic servants. None of their demands has to be repeated for a second time in order to be responded. It is because the capitalist-imperialist plunder and exploitation system can survive only by stealing the lives of people and exploiting them to the last drop!

Only cause of the great loss of life in this earthquake is the state. Our people will certainly demand the accounts of this massacre from the Turkish ruling classes by embracing the revolutionary struggle. Unless we end the robbery and plunder system of these blood-drinking vampires, we will still be massacred in many yet to come earthquakes and natural disasters.

The enemies of the people such as Demirel, the President of the Republic of Turkey, and Ecevit, the Prime Minister, who are decayed and became the zombies of politics, are again trying to deceive the people and distract their attentions with the lies of "we will bandage the wounds." However, as the people know it very well, the aids that are made internationally and domestically from the people will not reach those in need. Even if some of these aids reach their destinations, they will be turned into show cases of the state by bragging that "the state is grand", "the state is strong", "just trust the state" etc. These aids are being hoarded under the hands of profiteers and plunderers. They are leaving the people in this destitute, grateful to receive just a tent and a few loaf of bread.

Our party, TKP/ML (Communist Party of Turkey / Marxist-Leninist) deeply feels and shares from the heart the pains of people. Our party will continue to demand the accounts from the county’s traitors and will continue to grow the struggle. We are calling everyone who sees the true face of the fascism and who are against this oppressive exploitation system to join struggle in the ranks of TKP/ML. Every economic and other types of aids that are collected by our party will reach the disaster region directly and immediately. Our party also, within all our capacity and ability, will call the accounts of all other aids that are held by the profiteers.

Down with the fascist Turkish State and its robber system!

Long live the solidarity and common struggles of our people of different nationalities!

People’s pains will not end until the fascist Turkish State’s profiteer and tyrannical system is destroyed!

The Communist Party of Turkey / Marxist Leninist

International Relations Bureau

20 August 1999