The hunger-strikes may have ended yesterday but the struggle continues, as does the determination of the Welsh! Activists protested outside Tui in Barry, leafleting and talking to holiday-makers about why they should #BoycottTurkey. Afterwards, the group headed down to Barry Island to talk to locals and visitors there for their Bank Holiday, and made some very tidy banners!
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Source: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2019/05/19/supporters-of-kurdish-hunger-strikers-say-boycott-holidays-in-turkey/
On 18 May, demonstrations were held in several cities around Wales and England calling on holidaymakers to boycott tourism in Turkey. Kurdish Solidarity Cymru and the Kurdistan Solidarity Network say that tourism in Turkey supports the repressive military policies of the Turkish state. Boycott Turkey Kurdish activists have repeatedly called for holiday-makers to boycott Turkey in protest at the state’s crimes against Kurdish communities. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s increasingly authoritarian regime destroyed Kurdish-majority cities within Turkey’s borders in 2015, carried out massacres and displaced thousands. Turkey also has the highest number of imprisoned journalists in the world. In 2016, Erdoğan’s regime jailed and sacked mayors (and high-profile politicians) from the leftist, feminist and pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP) and replaced them with state appointees. Following the most recent local elections in 2019, many HDP candidates won back their seats. But the Turkish state has already opened criminal investigations against some of them and in other areas has ruled the candidates cannot take office. In six areas, this has led to HDP mayors being replaced by mayors from Erdoğan’s party. Support the hunger strikers The demonstrations were called by Kurdish Solidarity Cymru in solidarity with Kurdish hunger striker Ilhan (Imam) Sis. Newport resident Sis has been on hunger strike for over 150 days. Continue reading. Activists in Newport, Bristol, Reading, and Brighton picketed local Tui shops to convince holiday-makers to #BoycottTurkey. For a full write-up see this article in The Canary.
Activists assembled outside Tui travel agency in Aberystwyth today to persuade customers not to holiday in Turkey. The call to #BoycottTurkey arose in protest of the Turkish State's treatment of PKK founder Abdullah Öcalan, and to highlight the struggle of the thousands of hunger-strikers, including İmam Şiş, on day 151 of his hunger-strike in Newport.
Over the past few weeks actions have taken place in thirteen towns and cities. If your group would like to stage a #BoycottTurkey protest, you can use the resources in the Leaflet and Posters section. STARTS
(UK) On the 4th May activists in twelve towns and cities across Wales, Scotland, and England took part in a day of action in solidarity with Kurdish hunger strikers across the world. The campaign highlighted Turkish human rights abuses and discouraged people in the UK from holidaying in Turkey, arguing this indirectly supports human rights abuses in Turkey. The day of action focused on Tui (formerly Thomson Holidays). It included protests and leafleting at TUI branches across the UK. In Bristol activists occupied a Tui branch, with two activists starting a 5-day hunger strike from within Tui. The list of places where actions took place are: Barry, Swansea, Newport, Cardiff City Centre, Bristol, Brighton, Hull, Exeter, Merthyr Tudful, Manchester, Roath (Cardiff), Dundee, London. Actions will be happening in Liverpool and Bangor early next week. See this document for photos and links to further information on the various actions. The day of action also raised awareness of the Kurdish hunger strikes happening across the world. Over 7000 Kurdish activists are on hunger strike across the world. This action was initiated by Kurdish member of the Turkish Parliament, Leyla Güven, on 7th November 2018. Imam Sis, a 32 year old Kurdish resident of Newport, has been on an indefinite hunger strike since the 17th November 2018. Their conditions are rapidly deteriorating. The hunger strikers are calling for an end to the isolation of imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan who has been held in a Turkish prison since 1999 and denied access to his lawyers since 2011 and only allowed very brief family visits to check he is alive in recent years. The hunger strikers are also demanding the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) re-open its investigation into the prison on Imrali Island (Turkey) where Öcalan is held. On 3rd May Eluned Morgan AM, the Welsh Government’s Minister for International Relations and the Welsh Language, sent a letter to Jeremy Hunt asking him to act on the hunger strikers’ demands. Activists chose to target UK travel agents to highlight the links between the UK and the oppressive Turkish regime. Turkey continues to oppress the Kurdish people even after Kurdish-led forces have recently liberated the last of ISIS’ territory in Syria. Activists also highlight recent Turkish atrocities committed against the Kurds, for example in Afrin and Cizre. In Bristol there are people starting a 5 day hunger strike in solidarity on this day of action. CONTACTS Interviews available on request Telephone: +44 7565 156655 Twitter: @KSCCymru Email: [email protected] QUOTES Memed Aksoy from the Kurdish community in Newport (South Wales) “Despite its appalling human rights record, Turkey is still one of the most visited holiday destinations in the world. In 2018, it made $26.3 billion from its tourism industry, which is intrinsically linked to its war machine. “Turkish tourism directly funds the state’s war on the Kurdish people. In the name of humanity, we ask everyone to boycott holidaying in Turkey. Therefore we call up on every one who stands in solidarity with the Kurdish People to avoid visiting Turkish Holiday resorts. Every penny spent in Turkey, turns into bullets and victimises Kurdish Civilians.” Rosa Gilbert, Co-Secretary of the national Kurdistan Solidarity Campaign “For many years, solidarity campaigns have used boycotts as a way to not only communicate to oppressed people that they have friends and supporters on their side, but to leverage economic pressure over the oppressors. This was used historically against the apartheid South African regime and currently is used by BDS campaigners against Israeli human rights abuses and settlements. Given the situation in Turkey, with the Kurdish people's political representatives locked up in extreme conditions, thousands of activists, party members and representatives from the HDP behind bars, with the Kurdish enclave of Afrin, northern Syria occupied and economically exploited by Turkey, we must put pressure on the Turkish state. “The Turkish economy is in freefall and tourism is a hugely important sector to the economy. Unknowingly, holidaymakers from England and Wales pump huge amounts of money into sustaining Erdogan's regime - he is able to present the "normality" of Turkey to tourists visiting the western Turkish resorts (in contrast to the devastation wreaked on the Kurdish southeast, hidden from view) and can use the economic injection to finance NATO's second largest standing army, which colludes with jihadists in Syria and attacks Kurds across Turkey, Syria and Iraq. This alone should make people pause for thought whilst booking their summer getaways.” Kurdish Solidarity Cymru “We have the potential to raise awareness of the hunger strike, and the fact that Turkey as a state tortures Kurds and supports ISIS. A place totally unsuitable to go on holiday and support economically. “Tourism accounts for 11.6% of Turkey's economy, contributing $26 billion to their economy in 2017. This income helps fuel Turkey’s war on the Kurds. There are also direct links between Turkish holiday and arms companies. Over 2 million people from the UK visited Turkey in 2018, making the UK one of the top 5 countries supporting Turkey's tourist income. “We cannot rely on governments alone to pressure Turkey, attacking their economy through boycotts is an important part of the campaign. Tui profits from facilitating holidays to Turkey - in addition to encouraging individuals to boycott Turkey we will put pressure on the travel agent TUI to drop Turkish holidays from it’s selection.” NOTES FOR THE EDITOR
PHOTOS
FURTHER READING
On the 4th May activists in twelve towns and cities across Wales, Scotland, and England took part in a day of action in solidarity with Kurdish hunger strikers across the world. The campaign highlighted Turkish human rights abuses and discouraged people in the UK from holidaying in Turkey, arguing this indirectly supports human rights abuses in Turkey. The day of action focused on Tui (formerly Thomson Holidays). It included protests and leafleting at TUI branches across the UK. In Bristol activists occupied a Tui branch, with two activists starting a 5-day hunger strike from within Tui. Barry // Y Barri Activists paste posters reading 'Boycott Turkey - Support the hunger-stikers' at the Tui store in Barry. Swansea // Abertawe A small group of locals leaflet and picket Tui in central Swansea. Newport // Casnewydd Hundreds of leaflets handed out as the Tui shop is covered in stickers bearing İmam's face. Cardiff // Caerdydd Activists conduct a flying picket at the Tui in central Cardiff during the May Day march, and follow up by leafleting outside a smaller Tui agency in Roath. Merthyr Tydfil Comrades from Undod (Welsh socialist independence movement)picket the Tui shop in Merthyr before a meeting. Exeter Devonian activists protest outside their local Tui. Brighton Supporters leaflet for a couple of hours. Bristol Bristol Kurdistan Solidarity Network occupies a Tui shop and holds a rowdy demonstration. Hull Kurdish comrades in the north-east unfurl their banners to protest at the Tui in the city centre. Dundee // Dùn Dè
Scottish supporters finish off a day of action with speeches outside the Tui in Dundee. |
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