Bolshevik Party (North Kurdistan-Turkey)
Encyclopedia
Bolshevik Party (in Turkish
: Bolşevik Partisi (Türkiye)) is a clandestine communist organization in Turkey
. It was founded as the Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist-Leninist (Bolshevik) in 1981, following a split from the Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist-Leninist
.
Despite having the denomination "Kurdistan" in its title the party is not a Kurdish separatist organisation. Instead it follows the Leninist concept of the brotherhood of peoples.
was established in 1972 by İbrahim Kaypakkaya
who was a former member of the Revolutionary Workers and Peasants Party of Turkey
. Following the military memorandum of 1971 the Turkish government cracked down the communist movement in Turkey. Kaypakkaya and several of his colleagues were arrested. The party machinery was destroyed. Kaypakkaya died in prison in 1973 allegedly because of torture
.
Between 1973 and 1978 the disfragmented party re-organized. The first party congress took place in 1978 (TKP/ML I. Kongresi in Turkish). In 1981 the second congress was organized (TKP/ML II. Kongresi). Between 1978 and 1981 the party circles were deeply involved in ideological discussion and carried out contacts with their German and Austrian counterparts. Two different lines, conceived as the bolshevik
and the menshevik
, appeared.
According to the bolshevik side the mensheviks, despite being a minority, carried out secret meetings and gained the control of the party. As a result the bolsheviks decided to split up and established the Bolshevik Party (North Kurdistan-Turkey).
(also called organisational rules) of the party regulates membership, the organisation principle called "democratic centralism
", party structure, party discipline and the financial resources of the party.
.
The party considers itself part of the international communist movement and participates in International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organizations
.
It gives a special importance to organising women.
The organisation is critical of the so-called death fasts carried in protest to changing conditions in Turkish prisons because of tactical reasons.
According to its website the party has three periodical publications: Bolşevik Partizan (Bolshevik Partizan), Sterka Bolşevik (in Kurdish) and Bolşevik Devrim (Bolshevik Revolution). The organisation has also published eight book/booklets and some special issues of Bolşevik Partizan dedicated to specific issues.
). That party has an armed wing named Turkish Workers' and Peasants' Liberation Army (Türk İşci ve Köylü Kurtuluş Ordusu, abbreviated as TİKKO). However the Bolshevik Party (North Kurdistan-Turkey) itself has no such wing and is not on the list .
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
: Bolşevik Partisi (Türkiye)) is a clandestine communist organization in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. It was founded as the Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist-Leninist (Bolshevik) in 1981, following a split from the Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist-Leninist
Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist-Leninist
Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist-Leninist is a clandestine communist organization in Turkey currently waging a war against the Turkish Government. It was founded in 1972 with İbrahim Kaypakkaya as its first leader...
.
Despite having the denomination "Kurdistan" in its title the party is not a Kurdish separatist organisation. Instead it follows the Leninist concept of the brotherhood of peoples.
History
Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist-LeninistCommunist Party of Turkey/Marxist-Leninist
Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist-Leninist is a clandestine communist organization in Turkey currently waging a war against the Turkish Government. It was founded in 1972 with İbrahim Kaypakkaya as its first leader...
was established in 1972 by İbrahim Kaypakkaya
Ibrahim Kaypakkaya
İbrahim Kaypakkaya was a leader of the Turkish communist movement. He was a former member of the Revolutionary Workers and Peasants Party of Turkey...
who was a former member of the Revolutionary Workers and Peasants Party of Turkey
Revolutionary Workers and Peasants Party of Turkey
Türkiye İhtilâlci İşçi Köylü Partisi , a pro-Chinese communist party in Turkey. TİİKP was founded in 1971 by the Proleter Devrimci Aydınlık group, that had broken away from Dev-Genç . The chairman of TİİKP was Doğu Perinçek...
. Following the military memorandum of 1971 the Turkish government cracked down the communist movement in Turkey. Kaypakkaya and several of his colleagues were arrested. The party machinery was destroyed. Kaypakkaya died in prison in 1973 allegedly because of torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
.
Between 1973 and 1978 the disfragmented party re-organized. The first party congress took place in 1978 (TKP/ML I. Kongresi in Turkish). In 1981 the second congress was organized (TKP/ML II. Kongresi). Between 1978 and 1981 the party circles were deeply involved in ideological discussion and carried out contacts with their German and Austrian counterparts. Two different lines, conceived as the bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
and the menshevik
Menshevik
The Mensheviks were a faction of the Russian revolutionary movement that emerged in 1904 after a dispute between Vladimir Lenin and Julius Martov, both members of the Russian Social-Democratic Labour Party. The dispute originated at the Second Congress of that party, ostensibly over minor issues...
, appeared.
According to the bolshevik side the mensheviks, despite being a minority, carried out secret meetings and gained the control of the party. As a result the bolsheviks decided to split up and established the Bolshevik Party (North Kurdistan-Turkey).
Statute
The statuteStatute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
(also called organisational rules) of the party regulates membership, the organisation principle called "democratic centralism
Democratic centralism
Democratic centralism is the name given to the principles of internal organization used by Leninist political parties, and the term is sometimes used as a synonym for any Leninist policy inside a political party...
", party structure, party discipline and the financial resources of the party.
Activities
Bolshevik Party (Southeast Anatolia-Turkey)'s final target is carrying out a revolution in Turkey. However the party does not seem to ever have the capacity to reach that target. Its political activities are limited to organising demonstrations and carrying out propagandaPropaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
.
The party considers itself part of the international communist movement and participates in International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organizations
International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organizations (International Newsletter)
The International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organizations is a grouping of parties and organizations adhering to Marxist-Leninist-Maoist thought...
.
It gives a special importance to organising women.
The organisation is critical of the so-called death fasts carried in protest to changing conditions in Turkish prisons because of tactical reasons.
According to its website the party has three periodical publications: Bolşevik Partizan (Bolshevik Partizan), Sterka Bolşevik (in Kurdish) and Bolşevik Devrim (Bolshevik Revolution). The organisation has also published eight book/booklets and some special issues of Bolşevik Partizan dedicated to specific issues.
Terrorist Status
Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist-Leninist, from where Bolshevik Party (North Kurdistan-Turkey) has split, is listed among the 12 active terrorist organisations in Turkey according to Counter-Terrorism and Operations Department of Directorate General for Security (Turkish policeLaw enforcement in Turkey
Law enforcement in Turkey is carried out by several departments and agencies, all acting under the command of the Prime Minister of Turkey or mostly the Minister of Internal Affairs....
). That party has an armed wing named Turkish Workers' and Peasants' Liberation Army (Türk İşci ve Köylü Kurtuluş Ordusu, abbreviated as TİKKO). However the Bolshevik Party (North Kurdistan-Turkey) itself has no such wing and is not on the list .
External links
See also
- List of illegal political parties in Turkey
- Communist Party of TurkeyCommunist Party of TurkeyThe Communist Party of Turkey was a political party in Turkey. The party was founded by Mustafa Suphi in 1920, and was soon to be banned. It worked as a clandestine opposition party throughout the Cold War era, and was persecuted by the various military regimes. Many intellectuals, like Nazım...
for a list of communist parties in Turkey