Trade unions condemn Turkey – general secretaries urge the UK government to act

Thirteen general secretaries representing millions of UK workers and their communities have demanded that prime minister Boris Johnson deploy the UK’s influence to prevent a humanitarian disaster as a result of the Turkish invasion of north and east Syria.

Resurgence of ISIS

Thirteen trade unions and a leading law firm are warning that President Trump’s ‘appalling abandonment of the fragile region will see Turkey seek its own military and strategic advantage which will `undoubtedly lead to ethnic cleansing and genocide of the Kurds as well as a resurgence of ISIS’ in the region.

Calls for a no-fly zone 

The move by the unions is a major display of solidarity with those forces fighting against repression in the region. The unions say that the UK must show its clear and utter condemnation of Turkey’s invasion, calling for a no-fly zone and international force deployment.Having recently returned from the region,

We have been part of a parliamentary and union delegation to this region. It is plain for all to see how extremely dangerous the situation is and the human misery that will unfold unless the international community comes together and stands as one against this appalling and unwarranted aggression.”

Simon Dubbins – Unite’s director of international 

Trade unions condemn Turkey for illegal aggression

In a letter to prime minister Boris Johnson, the unions urge the UK government to condemn outright the Turkish aggression, reminding both the UK government and the international community of the debt owed to the Syrian Democratic Forces for their `sacrifice in stopping and defeating ISIS’.

What you can do

The Freedom for Ocalan campaign welcomes the news that trade unions condemn Turkey for the illegal invasion of Syria. Time is now short with the ground invasion possibly underway and the aerial bombardment of civilians underway at the time of writing, so it’s critical that maximum pressure is applied to our elected representatives either in writing or on the streets. You can use this resource to write to your elected official, sign this petition or join upcoming demonstrations such as this one on Sunday 13 October in London.

#RiseUp4Rojava

It’s vital that the international community does not fall into silence on Trump’s betrayal of the Kurds, tweet to your elected representatives using #RiseUp4Rojava.