Incirlik Demonstration and International Conference
Global Peace and Justice Coalition (BAK) held a demonstration and an international conference against military airbases forum in Adana/Turkey on 14 June 2008. BAK had a demo in front of Incirlik American Military Air Base. In press release they told they wanted to close down Incirlik Air Base” and didn’t want 90 nuclear weapons in the base. The participants of the Forum were Sotirios Kontogiannis (Stop the War Coalition Greece), Kyriakos Kiliaris (Stop the War Coalition Cyprus), Murat Kanatlı (Stop the War Coalition Cyprus), Nilüfer Uğur Dalay (BAK). Forum brought Greek and Turk anti war activists together. We argued that all military airbases around Mediterranean Sea should be closed down for good.
In the Forum Sotiris Kontogiannis explained their campaign and struggle against Suda Air Base in Crete. He added that struggle against the invasion of Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine were also a part of the anti war movement. US are losing in Iraq and Afghanistan. Its defeat would have be a victory to all people around world.
Murat Kanatlı gave information about two English bases in Cyprus, Agratur and Dicelia, both holding nuclear and chemical weapons. Bases occupied appr. %2.7 of all island and there are living almost 10.000 English soldiers and officials. Both bases were used during Israeli and Lebanon war. All island is using as a military port or vessel. The division of the island in two parts as north and south Cyprus suits both US and England’s interests. The aim of anti war coalition is to build a Cyprus that free of military purposes.
Kyriakos Kiliaris expained how they build a common anti war coalition in both part of Cyprus after the year 2003. They have acted together since this time because they have seen that the enemy is common: the war, army industries and their collaborationists.
Finally Nilüfer Uğur Dalay explained the dangerous being of Incirlik Military Air Base, very close to Iraq, to Iran and Afghanistan, and one of the main logistical bases in zone for both Iraqi and Afghanistan Wars. The Base held 90 B61 type nuclear weapons, each 9 time more powerful than those which destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki. She informed also the huge military expenses of Turkey that form the humanitarian cost of war for civil population.
BAK wants to be clarified and to be reveal details of secret Cabinet Decree that allows the Incirlik Base to be use by “friendly and allied nations” for logistical purposes including the transportation of military materials and personnel.
BAK will continue the campaign “Close down Incirlik” till we demolish all the military airbases in the region.
Yildiz Onen
The Global Peace and Justice Coalition