Opposition Joins Missile Shield Protest

The "Initiative against the Missile Shield in Kürecik" carried their struggle against the Early Warning Radar System as part of the NATO Missile Shield to the heart of Istanbul. About 500 people joined the protest march from Taksim to the Galatasaray Square on Sunday (25 September). The action alliance demonstrated against installing the radar in Kürecik in the south-eastern province of Malatya.

The protest action was joined by the Deputy Chair of the Republican People's Party (CHP), Gürsel Tekin; Labour, Democracy and Freedom Block Deputy Levent Tüzel and members of the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP), Community Centres Organization, the 78'ers Initiative, Workers Movement Party (EHP) and the Turkish Communist Party (TKP).

Subsequent to a press release issued on Taksim Square, the group walked along the popular Istiklal Avenue chanting slogans like "No to a shield in Kürecik", "Down with the USA, collaborator AKP", "We will not be a shield for Israel" or "No to war, peace here and now".

"We will not be the live shield of the USA"

The President of the Kürecik Culture and Solidarity Association, İbrahim Duman, said in the statement of the action alliance that the people of Kürecik were not going to allow the installation of the missile shield now just as they stood up against the NATO radar base in the 1960s.

"It was said that the AKP [Justice and Development Party] signed this project out of national interests. But the Alevi, Sunni, Kurds and Turks living in Kürecik oppose these means of war. They want efforts to support peace", he announced.

Duman claimed that Turkey had no enemies who were going to attack with missiles. He said that the reason of "protection" only applied to the protection of Israel from Iran and that the USA was using Turkey as a live shield in the war they were preparing against other peoples.

"Harm to health and environment"

Duman also stressed the system's adverse effects on the environment and human health as one of the reasons for the opposition of the local people.

"The radiation and harmful gases discharged by the radar system and the missile shield will damage the livestock as the city's main source of income", Duman warned.

The initiative has scheduled another protest in Kürecik on 2 October. Busses will be organized for people from Istanbul to support the demonstration. (NV/VK)

Click here to view the video of the demonstration in Istanbul.