02.04.2003

Protests rock Latin America and Asia

Even as US and UK soldiers continue their attempted conquest of Iraq, the worldwide movement against the war continues to mobilise and demonstrate its potential power. On March 24, more than 100,000 employed and unemployed workers, students, professionals and political activists flooded into the Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to commemorate the 27th anniversary of the military coup and demonstrate against the war in Iraq. 'No more impunity, hunger and repression' and 'No to the imperialist war against Iraq' were the principal slogans. The march in Buenos Aires was headed by the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, an organisation formed to demand justice for the 30,000 Argentinians who were 'disappeared' during the military dictatorship of the 1970s and 1980s. Protestors linked the struggle of the families of the 'disappeared' to the fight against the war, raising slogans like: 'No more hunger, war and plunder - Yankees out of Iraq!' Juan, a member of the Communist Party of Argentina, said: "This advance of imperialism in Asia can end up continuing into Latin America. But I believe that it can also create the opportunity for the people of North America to open their eyes to the massacre." Three days later, on March 27, public workers in Turkey downed tools and demonstrated in Ankara's Kizilay Square. Members of the Turkish Confederation of Public Employee Unions (Kesk), the Revolutionary Confederation of Labour Unions (Disk), the Turkish Union of Engineers and Architects Chambers and the Turkish Doctors Union participated in the event. The day before, Disk and Kesk workers in Istanbul demonstrated against the war in Iraq. Kesk chair Sami Evren said in his speech to the rally that labourers in all provinces of Turkey would hold a protest against the war and the budget by gathering at town squares. Disk chair Suleyman Celebi said that US imperialism had once again turned toward the Middle East, and that the US invasion of Iraq violated United Nations resolutions. He concluded by calling on all democratic organisations across the globe to stand firm against the war. Kesk spokesman Orhan Karakaya, criticising the Turkish government, said that the current budget pushed back health and education investment. Martin Schreader