HAK-İŞ delegation in Taksim: 'We want the killers to be found'
Mahmut Arslan, Chairman of the Confederation of Turkish Real Trade Unions (HAK-İŞ), and his accompanying delegation held a commemoration program at Kazancı Yokuşu for May 1st Labor and Solidarity Day. The group recited the Fatiha for those who died on May 1, 1977, and left carnations at the memorial.
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HAK-İŞ Chairman Mahmut Arslan and his accompanying delegation arrived at Kazancı Yokuşu at 08:30 to commemorate those who lost their lives on May 1, 1977.
Following a press statement made there, the delegation left carnations at Kazancı Yokuşu in memory of the deceased, and then proceeded to the Republic Monument in Taksim Square to lay a wreath.
Speaking after arriving at the site, HAK-İŞ Chairman Mahmut Arslan stated, "May 1st is 138 years old. For 138 years, laborers have been continuing their struggle for their rights, their freedom, and their future. On May 1, 1977, unfortunately, as a result of some provocations and treacherous plans, a truck was brought in front of the laborers who were leaving this square and going down this slope, blocking the area, and a large number of laborers lost their lives by being crushed or under the wheels.
'WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE IN THE SQUARES'
It saddens us all that this tragedy, the May 1, 1977 massacre, remains unresolved and its perpetrators have not been found. Despite the establishment of a parliamentary research commission on this issue, unfortunately, the perpetrators who opened fire and stained this place with blood have still not been found despite all the efforts. As HAK-İŞ, we come here every year to this square, to this slope, to commemorate our brothers and sisters we lost on May 1st and to remind once again that those responsible for what was done to them must be held accountable. We are here on May 1, 2024, with a group of our colleagues symbolically, and we will carry out this commemoration.
HAK-İŞ will continue to be in the squares on May 1st, the day of unity, struggle, and solidarity, to speak loudly about the problems we face, to present our solutions to these problems, and to hold those responsible accountable when necessary. Today, we will first hold our commemoration here.
We will leave our carnations, then place our wreath in front of the monument, and after a short speech, we will move to our rally area in Kocaeli. I remind you once again that today is a day of unity, struggle, and solidarity. We will continue to fulfill all the responsibilities that fall upon our confederation regarding ensuring the unity, struggle, and solidarity of laborers. We will continue this insistence until it is ensured that the killers are found and held accountable before the judiciary," he said.
Arslan said, "It was not just our brothers and sisters who participated in the May 1st events in 1977 who died here. In fact, this was a provocation against the entire labor movement, against all laborers; all laborers were targeted there. Therefore, we expect and want these treacherous people and killers who targeted them to be found and held accountable as soon as possible. For this reason, I want all our friends here to recite a Fatiha for those we lost here, and then we will leave our carnations and proceed to the wreath-laying."