Statement of the Communist Party, Turkey, on the attempted coup, translation originally posted here.
The Communist Party is calling on our people to organize in the Party’s ranks against the enemies of the people and humanity. The liberation is in our own hands.
We do not have all the details of what happened during the coup attempt that took place in Turkey in the hours between July 15 and July 16.
However, we know very well that plans that are supported by foreign forces that do not take its power from the working class cannot defeat AKP darkness and solve Turkey’s problems.
The events of today reminded us of the following reality once again: Either the people of Turkey will organize and get rid of AKP or AKP’s reactionary policies will intensify, repression will increase, massacres, the plunder and theft will continue.
The only power that can overthrow AKP is the people’s power, there is no alternative to it.
AKP is responsible for all that took place tonight. All the factors that led to the current situation and the conditions are the product of AKP’s rule and the domestic and foreign bosses that support AKP.
However, the fact that the main responsible party is AKP does not mean that the coup attempt was one that was orchestrated by Erdogan himself in order to achieve his objectives such as paving the path to an executive presidency or clearing the obstacles facing the new constitution.
The tension and the rivalries between different groups within the state and the armed forces that have been known to exist for a while have turned into armed conflict. While the tension between these forces is real, it is a lie that any of the sides in this conflict represent the interests of the people. Following this, searching for the solution against AKP’s rule in a military coup is as wrong as lending any support to AKP under the guise of taking a position against military coups for whatever reason. The last thing that should be done in the name of supporting freedom and human rights in Turkey is to lend support to AKP which has proven over and over that it is an enemy of humanity.
While they have not orchestrated this coup, Erdoğan and AKP will make an effort to use the resulting conditions and the support they received as means to increase their legitimacy. Our people should be on the alert against steps that AKP will be certain to take in the days to come. Raising the struggle against AKP and its darkness is the only way to stop this failed coup attempt resulting in AKP’s solidifying its rule and turning into a tool for transforming AKP’s unstable Turkey into stability. The fact that all mosques in Turkey have broadcasted continuous Erdoğan propaganda the whole night is a concrete indication of the urgency of our task at hand.
The Communist Party is calling on our people to organize in the Party’s ranks against the enemies of the people and humanity.
The liberation is in our own hands.
Communist Party, Turkey
July 16, 2016