May Day marked in Kurdish cities: 'Poverty when working, death after retirement'

Workers and laborers from 9 cities in the Kurdish-populated regons of the country gathered in Batman to celebrate May Day, where concerns about deepening poverty were voiced alongside calls for action.

Attendees from Diyarbakır, Siirt, Mardin, Şırnak, Urfa, Maraş, Bingöl, Adıyaman, and Malatya joined the event in Batman.

Starting from Turgut Özal Junction, the laborers marched in a procession towards the 8 March Women's Park, where the rally took place. The demonstration, organized by KESK, DİSK, TTB, TMMOB, TÜRK-İş ÖHD, and İHD, saw the participation of various groups including the pro-Kurdish DEM Party, DBP, ESP, and municipality co-mayors, along with thousands of others.

Addressing the crowd on behalf of the organizing committee, Veysel Kartal, the President of the Petroleum Workers Union (Petrol İş), emphasized the urgency for reforms to protect workers and laborers, denouncing the mounting pressures of inflation and economic strains. "We have reached a breaking point. It is imperative to implement regulations that safeguard the rights of workers and laborers. Instead, we are faced with austerity measures. The taxation system must be immediately revised for fairness. The list of labor issues is endless, and our patience has worn thin. We demand equality, peace, and justice. It is time to say 'enough'."

"Every morning, we wake up to poverty"

Döne Gevher Koyun, the Women's Secretary of the Confederation of Public Employees' Trade Unions (KESK), also spoke out against the relentless exploitation perpetuated by the capitalist system. "Every morning, we wake up to poverty and unemployment. Seasonal agricultural workers and migrants are subjected to precarious employment conditions. Our fundamental human rights are being trampled upon. While we are forced to endure poverty while working, death awaits us in retirement. We say 'enough' to this system," Koyun asserted.

Mustafa Mesut Tekik, the Provincial Chair of the People's Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) in Batman, emphasized the importance of addressing both poverty and war policies. "While addressing poverty and unemployment, do not forget the policies of war," Tekik urged.

Echoing similar sentiments, Çiğdem Kılıçgün Uçar, Co-Chair of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), highlighted the pervasive poverty in the country, attributing it to the choices made by the ruling AKP-MHP alliance. "They have created a system where the rights of labor are exploited through seasonal employment. Workers are losing their lives due to precarious working conditions. Batman suffers the most from unemployment and poverty, despite being rich in oil resources," Uçar remarked. She also criticized the closure of an association dedicated to combating poverty in Batman by the AKP government and called for a unified stance against oppressive policies. "We must respond strongly to the trustee policies. We cannot back down from hearing the voice of peace. Just as a common will was formed in Van, we must continue to demonstrate the same determination," Uçar concluded. (İY/VK)