NATO letter to CHP Chair Özel from TKH Chair Tekerek

Tekerek sent an open letter to Republican People's Party (CHP) Chair Özgür Özel, who voted in favor of Sweden's NATO accession in parliament.

Aysel Tekerek included the following statements in the letter, which was also shared on the Communist Movement of Turkey's social media account:

An Open Letter to Republican People's Party Chair Özgür Özel

Dear Özgür Özel,

This letter, as you will appreciate, was not written to you personally. The CHP group's decision to vote 'yes' to the Bill on the Approval of the Ratification of the Protocol on the Accession of the Kingdom of Sweden to NATO, by party mandate, has compelled us, as the patriots and leftists of this country, to write this letter to you.

As the CHP group, you voted 'yes' alongside the AKP and MHP to the expansion of NATO, the armed force of US and EU imperialism. To speak plainly, this stance is not surprising to us. Mr. Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who sat in the CHP chair before you, was also able to call NATO, which is directly the military power of imperialism, a "guarantor of democracy." We must state from the outset that you are under the historical delusion of expecting democracy from imperialism and its military organization, and that with your 'yes' vote, you have become complicit in every crime NATO will commit.

Due to our historical responsibility to our country and our people, we, as leftists, patriots, and communists, warn you once again: NATO is the terrorist organization of imperialism, and every support given to it means being complicit in the crimes against humanity that will follow!

Considering the millions of patriotic, republican, and progressive citizens who voted for you, your party's stance has been a complete disappointment. We, however, have a duty to tell the truth to the millions of citizens of this country who voted for the CHP to escape the darkness of the AKP.

For this reason, our letter should be seen and evaluated not as a diplomatic letter, but as a political one.

Mr. Özel,

In our view, the US is not a strategic ally, but quite the opposite, an adversary! Imperialism means exploitation and captivity not only for our country but for all oppressed nations.

By saying 'yes' to NATO's expansion, you too have become complicit in the crimes of imperialism, just like the AKP and MHP!

While the AKP and MHP deceive the public by claiming a "national stance," you feigned a left-wing approach while striking from the right again!

The imperialist bloc, led by the US and the UK, continues to feed on regional war, conflict, and terror to maintain its hegemony. It is clear how the Greater Middle East Project has destabilized the region that includes our country. The fragmentation of Iraq and Syria by states led by the US and the UK, and including the European Union, the encirclement of Iran, and the protection of Israel as an outpost, appear as the goals of imperialism.

Today, Israel's military aggression and occupation policy against Palestine continue; planes taking off from Incirlik carry bombs to Israel, and the Kürecik base operates its radars for Israel's security. The AKP allows this. You are also complicit in this situation.

Behind this recklessness of Israel lies US imperialism. The foundation for this recklessness was laid by the Greater Middle East Project. It is necessary to remind you once again that the then-Prime Minister and AKP Chair Erdoğan served as the co-chair of the Greater Middle East Project, which was launched in 2010. That is why we watch the crocodile tears of the AKP administration regarding Palestine with anger.

From the Middle East to the Balkans, from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, imperialism continues to fuel conflict, war, and terror in all regions surrounding our country. While US imperialism encircles our country with its military presence in Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East, it seeks ways to enter the Black Sea.

In this sense, the expansion of NATO does not serve the interests of our country; on the contrary, it has placed another brick on the path for US imperialism to take over our country even further.

Mr. Özel,

You are the chair of a party founded by Atatürk. Given the reality of this country, which did not accept even a US mandate, let alone the British, French, and Italian occupations, the fact that the CHP persistently follows a pro-NATO political line is an indication of how far the CHP you represent today has actually drifted from its roots. Your meeting on the same axis as the AKP, which destroyed the 1923 Republic, is, in our view, the concrete equivalent of the fact that the CHP has transformed, just as the current regime, which is named a Republic, has transformed.

Although you made left-wing statements before becoming CHP Chair, we see that you left leftism behind in the congress halls. As we said, while it is not surprising to us, allow us to state that one of the first conditions of being a leftist is to stand tall against imperialism.

Mr. Özel,

Years ago, we communists were working on a local election campaign in a town in Anatolia when we encountered "People's Party members." When the "People's Party members" saw us, they took us directly to the "Democrat Party members" and said, "These are the communists, don't call us communists anymore." We agree with this sensible and realistic approach.

With this moral of the story, we end our letter here.

You may approve of NATO's expansion, but the patriots, leftists, and communists of this country will never bow down in the struggle against imperialism!

We leave you alone with the historical mistake and responsibility you have committed against our people, and we declare once again that we will stand against every war and every drop of blood that will be shed because of NATO!