Page 215 - KAZOVA - ENGLISH

Y: What actions are you carrying out to get your rights?

Ali Yaman: Up to the present I could not take part in many
actions as I think we are doing what is necessary to get our rights.
We began actions as our bosses are not honourable people. Nine
days ago we set up our tents and began rotating shifts in front of

the factory. We never lost hope. We want our rights, what is owed
to us, from our labour.

Y: Are you referring to your tent resistance? What else are you
thinking of doing?

Ali Yaman: We have decided that our friends will come to-
gether on a regular basis. Over time we are thinking of doing dif-
ferent things. I want better laws to be introduced so working
people like us are not victimised.

Yuruyus: Can you introduce yourself?

Arif Ramazan Aktas: My name is ARIF RAMAZAN AKTAS.
I started in Kazova in 1984. I retired in 1999. They gave me 2 mil-
lion in compensation (translator’s note: this is in old lira, influ-
enced by hyper-inflation – currency reform knocked several zeroes
off). It should actually have been 6 million. They cheated me. They

ran off without paying four months of wages or 13 years’ compen-
sation. I had worked at their side for 30 years. What they did is
not in line with humanity.

Y: Why are you resisting? Can you tell us what you experi-
enced?

Arif Ramazan Aktas: I think resisting is the only way to en-
sure getting what is owed.

215