Page 149 - KAZOVA - ENGLISH

became by itself. We tried out a path of getting our rights. On the
first day of the holiday we wanted to have an interview with Prime
Minister Tayyip Erdogan. Our aim was to go to his house in Kisikli
and explain our problem. But even when we were in front of the
factory the police were following us. We got into buses in groups
of five. But before we had even got to the Anatolian side of Istan-

bul they forced us out of the buses. There is no freedom of travel
in this country, this we learned. They said the GBT was not work-
ing and brought us to the police station. Here too the system was
not working. Hours later we were given the GBT. The aim was un-
doubtedly to stop us from seeing the Prime Minister. When we
left the police station, Erdogan was already long gone.”

Now there is no road back

Unal said they had gain support from a number of quarters
for their right and honourable struggle. “They are making a doc-
umentary about us. The story of our resistance will become known
in Turkey. The Contemporary Lawyers’ Association (CHD) and
the Turkish Doctors’ Association (TTB) are on our side. They have
come to our tent every day.” Unal reproached workers and trade
unions in neighbouring side streets. “Other workers have stopped
greeting us in the morning out of fear. The system is using their
fear to protect itself. The head offices of trade unions are close by

but we have not had sufficient support from them. Only Nakliyat-
Is has been on our side from the start. The Gezi resistance has
been a source of hope for us, as for all of Turkey. The people and
the workers have become more conscious. The workers have
woken up and nothing will be the same again.”

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