Kemal Okuyan: The left that tries to choose between factions within the CHP cannot offer hope to society

Stating that May 1st is not on the agenda of the working people in Turkey, Okuyan said that participation remained weak for this reason.

Underlining that this is not a negative development, Okuyan said, "The bond between the working class and May 1st has weakened. There is no need to break away from reality; everything is clear. I say this for all the May 1st celebrations; it did not enter the public's agenda, and it was the same last year."

He also reminded that a portion of the working class is working, while a small portion and the middle classes take a holiday on May 1st.

"There is a serious difference between the volume of the working class in Turkey and the quantity of the actions where we took initiative in 4 places," said Okuyan, emphasizing that the TKP is also a part of the picture he described. On the other hand, he drew attention to the content of these four rallies.

'Taksim must now be earned'

Stating that they do not underestimate the effort to go to Taksim, the TKP General Secretary also expressed that turning this situation into a "police matter" has distanced the masses from the May 1st agenda. "All efforts are worthy of respect, but on the other hand, our problem remains in the middle. There is a strange image at the unions' rally," he said. Stating that May 1st should be on the agenda of millions of workers in the country, Okuyan continued as follows:

“DEM and KESK have retreated. The relationship between DİSK and the CHP has come to the fore. However, this relationship does not generate energy. It has no resonance among the CHP base either. Özgür Özel had also said 'Taksim' last year, but it didn't happen. For once, Taksim must now be earned. 1 year is a significant period. The working class movement and the revolutionary movement in Turkey must start solving the problem regarding May 1st. The address for this cannot be the CHP. The CHP is a party of the establishment."

'Do DİSK and KESK not have the resources to set up a stage?'

Upon Nevzat Evrim Önal's reminder of Metropolitan Mayor Cemil Tugay's words in İzmir, "We set up the podium," Kemal Okuyan said, "The only one expressing discomfort with this picture is the TKP. Tugay's signature was everywhere on the stage set up this year. Do DİSK and KESK not have the resources to set up a stage? It doesn't require huge resources for this. Furthermore, Tugay's resources are also the resources of the people of İzmir. This attitude is unbelievable. In this respect, I think that union administrations no longer have any resistance left."

Noting that one of the positive results of this May 1st was that "it emerged that some things will not continue like this," Okuyan stated, "May 1st celebrations must pass something on to the organized struggle of the working class; they must help with this."

Reminding of the May 1st article in the journal *Ortaklaşa*, Kemal Okuyan said, "Everything is proceeding exactly through an 'image' May 1st. No benefit will come to the working class from this. There is no settling of scores by riding on the back of May 1st."

'The rallies showed how strong the TKP's organizational body is'

Okuyan also evaluated the question of whether the rallies held in four provinces with the call of the TKP were successful. Using the phrase "absolute success" for the content, form, and message of the rallies, Okuyan stated that the decision "not to be a part of something" was also a success.

Underlining that in terms of scale, the point that the political line the TKP is in could reach has not been reached, Kemal Okuyan said, "These rallies showed how strong the TKP's organizational body is. But in terms of the TKP's political influence and the friendship and alliance relations it has established, it does not yet reflect that sociality." He added that they are not on the path to opening up a change, but they are aiming for it.

'There cannot be a May 1st independent of the country's and the world's agenda'

"Next year is the fiftieth anniversary of the bloody May 1st; this has importance. But Taksim must be earned. Therefore, we will work very hard, not for May 1st. There cannot be a May 1st independent of the country's and the world's agenda," said the General Secretary, adding that this one year will be difficult.

Pointing to the "energy" heading, Okuyan said, "There will be an electricity and natural gas bill attack that a large part of our people will be crushed under. Just this alone is a very large tension line."

Drawing attention to the uncertainty of the attacks on Iran and Turkey's effort to carve out a new place for itself in NATO, Kemal Okuyan reminded of the summit to be held in July, saying, "This summit is the product of the claim to make Turkey a new focus in the NATO alliance." He stated that an arming Europe needs Turkey's land army.

'The left that tries to choose between factions within the CHP can never, ever offer hope to the Turkish society'

Mentioning the new privatization topics planned by the government in our country, Okuyan said the following:

“We have a very serious struggle agenda. If there were a mass movement involving millions, you would try to give it direction. Whereas you are trying to mobilize people in a consistent direction. A scale is needed to turn the country's course in a popular, revolutionary direction. The destination to be reached with shows, symbols, and ballot box alliances is clear. Nothing comes out of those. There is a difficult period ahead of us. We need to work well."

Emphasizing that the left still cannot break away from the CHP and DEM line, Okuyan noted that there are common points between these two lines along with significant differences. And he added, "As for the partnership the left has established with these two powers, there is an absolute similarity."

Stating that with the latest resolution process, the Turkish left has been forced to distance itself from the DEM, even if reluctantly, Kemal Okuyan continued as follows:

'There were those who said, "While there is a possibility of cooperation with the AKP, let's not hang around here too much." This is not a sign of health on its own because they started to lean more on the CHP. There is even a left that takes sides in the infighting within the CHP. This is not even an effort to "pull the CHP to the left." There is a left that is begging the CHP administration not to make Mansur Yavaş a presidential candidate. There is a left that has declared Ekrem İmamoğlu the "candidate of the left." This is very bad. This is not the left; we have said it many times, and it is a pathetic picture.

Our distancing from the HDP and DEM line is not something new. A portion of those who applaud this very much recently are pro-CHP. They do not understand the essence of the matter; they do not look at it from a class perspective. The Turkish left is also oscillating between the HDP and the CHP. Now is the era of pro-CHPism. The left that tries to choose between factions within the CHP can never, ever offer hope to the Turkish society. What is needed is an independent line. We will continue on our way to strengthen this. Those who think there is no way to continue without being a part of this are those who have lost hope in Turkey."

News Source: 12punto