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Derry Journal A FEMALE Turkish hungerstriker who recently made an impassioned plea to Derry nationalists has burnt herself alive during a police attack on a 'deathfast' village. Arzu Guler, whose picture has appeared in the 'Derry Journal' recently, was one of four hungerstrikers who died when Turkish police launched a concerted raid on an area populated by them and their families near the major city of Istanbul. Tear gas and live rounds were fired by Turkish police before bulldozers moved in to flatten several deathfast houses. Female prisoners on the death fast recently made a personal appeal to 'Journal' readers. They were protesting against the introduction. Among them was Arzu Guler, her sister Ayfer and Serpil Donmez. All of the young women aged between 19 and 23 gave this message to the Derry public: "Our Death Fast attack against the F-types is not only for the Turkish people, it is for all the world. "We cannot separate our struggle from the world's. We know about the struggles of Patsy O'Hara and Michael Devine and we support their cause. We greet you from the depths of our hearts." Details continue to emerge of what has already been described in left wing circles as a massacre. The joint head of the IRSP's international Department, Derryman Terry Harkin has condemned the attack by Turkish Police on the Death Fast Houses in the Kucuk Armutlu area of Istanbul. He called on the Irish Government to intervene. Speaking from London where he is in contact with the Death Fasters through their representatives Mr Harkin said. "The IRSP's International Department have received reports today of an operation by the Turkish state against the Death Fast houses at Kucuk Armutlu, a suburb of Istanbul. "These reports indicate that at 12PM local time Turkish para military police armed with CS gas made in the USA, AK47's and Panzer armoured cars provided by the German government stormed the area. "They used live German rounds and American gas to drive local residents and Death Fasters from their homes into the streets where at least six of them were butchered by the police with hundreds more injured and arrested. "The Turkish Democratic Republic then brought in bulldozers and commenced the demolition of the homes of the local population." "This is the country that Bertie Ahern is so anxious to have admitted to the European Union that he is thinking of having a rerun of the referendum on the Expansion Treaty," Mr. Harkin said. "Mr Ahern should think hard on his position on accepting a pariah quasi military state like Turkey. "Turkey is only tolerated by the West because of it's usefulness as a static air craft carrier for the USA." "Ireland has a key place at the heart of Europe and has grown prosperous through her involvement. "It is time for this to be paid for, the Irish government is in receipt of a set of proposals that have already been seen by the Death Fasters representatives." Mr. Harkin said that the proposals submitted provide a blueprint for a resolution of the ongoing problem in Turkey. "The IRSP calls on the Irish Government to review it's position on these proposals quickly and positively, and then act before any more lives are lost." "We call on Mr Ahern to be courageous and go to the Turkish state and say enough, stop this now, we'll help you." He went on to call for the withdrawal of the Irish Government ambassador in the country. "After this week's butchery I would go further than that and call for the expulsion of the Turkish Ambassador as he represents a government that commits acts of genocide on its own people," Mr. Harkin added. Recently a delegation of republican activists including Michael Devine Jr. travelled to Turkey to view the situation. Mr. Devine met with deathfasters during his stay and expressed deep sorrow at the latest deaths. "It was with great shock that I received this news and in response I would urge the IRSP to continue to redouble their efforts to pursuade the Irish government to act on this issue." |