Thousands of people participated in the May Day celebration organized by the Confederation of Revolutionary Trade Unions (DISK), Confederation of Public Employees' Trade Unions (KESK), Union of Chambers of Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) and the Medical Chamber in Amed (tr: Diyarbakır).

Tuncer Bakırhan, Co-Chair of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), congratulated the working people on May Day and commemorated those who lost their lives in the struggle for labor and peace.

'A humane life will come through struggle and common solidarity'

Remarking that laborers increased solidarity with their sweat and labor, Bakırhan said, “You have defended the Kurdish language and identity, you have stood by students' demands for housing. You are the ones who produce and create. You are the ones who beautify. You are the ones who defend and serve the society. As the DEM Party, we reiterate our promise that we will stand by your right to a humane life and your demands. You have always been in solidarity with us, shared with us, and even put your lives on the line. A humane life will not come with favors, but through struggle and solidarity. We believe that by organizing further and by growing our alliances, we will create a country where our working comrades will live humanely.”

'Peace cannot exist without labor'

Drawing attention to the economic crisis in Turkey, Bakırhan said, “The biggest bill of this crisis is being paid by laborers, pensioners and employees. Not only are you paying the price of inflation and the economic crisis, but they are also stealing from your pockets, your table, and your bread with new taxes every day due to the transfer of resources to war policies. Therefore, the struggle for labor and peace is one and inseparable. Peace cannot exist without labor. There can be no peace without labor, without laborers. Mr. Öcalan's February 27 'Call for Peace and Democratic Society' essentially means peace that advocates for the rights of laborers, defends justice in the economy, stands against subcontracting and work-related deaths. It means making women's labor more visible. If we can embrace the 'Call for Peace and Democratic Society' together with the laborers, the oppressed, the retired, the working people, the Kurds, the Alevis, then good days await us. Therefore, it is the duty of you, our working brothers and sisters, to embrace this call.”

Öcalan said that 'Capitalism is stealing our hope’

Pointing out that laborers were paying the price of the capitalist crisis, Bakırhan continued, “This brutal order exploits you the most. This capital-friendly order siphons off what you have from your pockets and gives it to a handful of capitalists. In the face of this order, we must stand together and united; we must be organized and strong. We need to grant the rights of laborers, the Kurdish demand for identity, and the Alevis' right to equal citizenship. We talked with Mr. Öcalan on the island of İmralı for 4 hours. It was not only the Kurdish question we discussed at that table. Workers, laborers, women and youth were discussed the most. Mr. Öcalan's 'Call for Peace and Democratic Society' also involves the labour of workers. Mr. Öcalan said exactly this; 'Capitalism is stealing our hope.’ Therefore, we have to raise our hope, solution and peace. If we can socialize the call and make peace the agenda and common demand of the laborers - factory by factory, house by house, street by street-, we will achieve beautiful days.” 

‘Kurdish people and the working class of Turkey have to struggle together’

Bakırhan stated that they had no choice but to struggle together and concluded, “DEM Party is struggling for a productive and just economy instead of the current rent-oriented and manipulative economy. The DEM Party is not only fighting for peace. Just as you stood in solidarity with us, we stood by every worker, laborer and comrade who went on strike day and night. Where there are laborers, where there is a struggle, we are closer to attaining our democratic rights. Our salvation is interconnected. In a Turkey where there is no labor problem and laborers get their rights, the Kurdish issue will also be resolved. If salvation is to be achieved together, we have no choice but to fight together. The organized Kurdish people and the organized working class of Turkey have to struggle together. We promised a democratic, peaceful Turkey where the Kurdish question is resolved democratically. We believe that we will achieve it.”