Ringsted AKM - Denizler ENGELSK

They were the voice of the world youth and labourers, whose freedom demands uprose, in Turkey at the end of 1960´s. Their names were Deniz Gezmis, Yusuf Aslan and Huseyin Inan. They raised up the struggle and resistance flag against USA, NATO and the ones who wanted to give away the motherland to domestic and foreign capitals.

Although there was no a legal basis, they were executed in Ankara by hegemonic classes on 6th May, 1972. In fact Yusuf Aslan explains the real basis of their execution in the letter which he wrote just before going to death : “ I fought for liberation of my people and total independency of Turkey… A handful of exploiters, traitors and quislings have tried to take us away from our people. For a year, they have presented us as traitors, separatists and external-aided persons by using all opportunities in their hands... According to the handful of minority, patriotism means: “to sell the homeland, to collaborate with foreigners, to defend NATO and USA, to accommodate the 6th Fleet of USA, …to prevent the workers´ right to strike and to serve USA imperialism. We opposed all these aspects. That is why they call us as traitors, but they call themselves as patriots. The ones, who judge us in their so-called fair trails because of this struggle and will also execute us by the hand of their so-called institutions, should know that we will die “just once” for the liberation of our people and independency of Turkey in an honored way but they will die in…….“every day”…”

Deniz Gezmis, Yusuf Aslan and Huseyin Inan exclaimed the faitfullness to people´s struggle for equality and freedom even on the gallows in Ankara on 6th May, 1972. They have become a symbol of the resistance, revolutionary stance and solidarity against fascism and military coup in our country. They were always at the frontline to represent the honor of humanity with the sense of right to legitimate self-defence against the attacks of imperialism and fascism. They gave rise to a radical revolutionary revival in our people´s and the youth´s hearts and senses by defending and promoting the revolution ideal in a self-sacrifiying way till the last moment. As for the ones who signed a death warrant for them, they have already thrown into the waste-basket of history. Deniz, Yusuf and Huseyin are still living and they reborn on every 6th May.

These three valiant leaders of Turkey were commemorated on the 37th anniversary of their execution in the cemetery in Ankara and everywhere in Turkey on 6th May. The young-the old people, womens-men and children, thousands of people promised to struggle.

Mustafa Yalçiner, who is a comrade of Deniz, Yusuf and H?seyin , gave a speech in front of their graves, in the commemoration in Karsiyaka Cemetery in Ankara and made a call to struggle for a total independency of the country and against imperialism. His words were often interrupted by the slogan “Imperialists! Quislings! Don´t Forget the 6th Fleet!”* Yalçiner had the crowd chant the slogans belonging to Deniz, Yusuf and Huseyin, “, “Long live Independent Turkey! Long live Kurdish and Turkish Peoples´ Struggle for Independency! Long live Marxism and Leninism! Long live Workers and Peasants! Damn to Imperialism! After Deniz, Yusuf and Huseyin´s lawyer , Halit Çelenk´s speech, people put carnations, rosas and lilacs on their graves.

Further more, thousands of members of Labour Youth made activities to commemorate them firstly in Istanbul and everywhere in Turkey.

* Deniz Gezmis and his friends had protested the advent of the 6th Fleet of USA to Istanbul and thrown the soldiers of the fleet into the sea.