Documentation of the Symposium “ON THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF İBRAHİM KAYPAKKAYA GIVING HIS LIFE IN STRUGGLE” available
We are glad to be able to inform that the documents presented at the International Symposium, organized by Partizan with the support of the International Communist League (ICL) on the 27th-28th of May 2023 in Vienna (Austria), now are available printed as a book in English and Turkish. Below we publish the preface, written by Partizan.
Those of our readers who would like to become hard-copies of the book should contacts us, we will help you to arrange the contact with the publishers so you can make your order – we strongly recommend that you use our PGP-key to send us any addresses or alike.
If in the future humanity builds a pantheon of communism, there is no doubt that in the part of this pantheon that used to be called Turkey, there will be the head with the laurel wreath, the head with the shining cap of a young and ardent communist leader, a symbol of faith and resistance.
The documents are from the International Symposium, organised by Partizan with the support of the International Communist League (ICL), which took place on 27-28 May 2023 in Vienna. The symposium was entitled ‘ON THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF İBRAHİM KAYPAKKAYA GIVING HIS LIFE IN STRUGGLE’ and was held within the framework of the 50th anniversary of his murder by the fascist Turkish state. This book summarises the documents presented at the symposium in Turkish and English. The ‘Campaign for the 50th Year Of His Immortality Communist Leader İbrahim Kaypakkaya’, organised by Partizan, can be described as a comprehensive process consisting of various activities. These included meetings, marches, various demonstrations and banners. The campaign also included various forms of artistic expression such as poems, graffiti, dazibaos and music written and performed for Comrade Ibrahim KAYPAKKAYA in different countries around the world. The campaign concluded with an international symposium held in Vienna, the capital of Austria.
The symposium was attended by representatives of communist Parties and revolutionary mass organisations from various countries around the world, who made a significant contribution to the success of the symposium through their speeches, active participations and messages. Partizan from Turkey, The Revolutionary Front for the Defense of the People’s Rights, Peruvian People’s Movement from Peru, Frente Revolucionario de Defensa de los Derechos del Pueblo from Colombia, National Democratic Front of the Philippines, Klassenstandpunkt Magazine from Germany, Harbinger – For way and goal of the revolutionary movement from Austria, The Anti-Imperialist League from Finland, representatives of the Red Flag Journal from Norway, Servir al Pueblo from Spain and the Maoist Communist Party of France held speeches at the symposium. From Turkey, the TKP/ML, the International Communist League, Committee for the Reconstitution of the Communist Party of Mexico, People Revolutionary Front of Chile, Communist Party of the Ecuador – Red Sun and representatives of the journal Theorie und Politik made presentations.
The two-day symposium, which focused on the themes of “İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA, the soldier of Maoism and his international significance” and “The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, the leaders it created and settling the accounts with modern revisionism,” also included presentations by participating organisations on the struggle of the classes in their respective countries, with a particular emphasis on the worldwide context.
The symposium occurred at a time when the majority of revolutionary forces in Turkey were focused on the parliamentary seats they could win in the upcoming parliamentary elections. Two distinct paths and methods became evident during this period. On the on e hand, there are those who remain within the system of exploitation, believing that they can improve the system without having the courage to work towards the abolition of this system. They believe that they can “satisfy their hunger with cheese in a mousetrap” and make the oppressed masses a part of this manipulation. On the other hand, there are those who take the experiences of the class struggle as a concrete guideline and realise the necessity of breaking with the system of exploitation. It is first necessary to emphasise that this is an ideological positioning that takes place in the specific context of this symposium. The aim is to clarify once again the lines of our struggle against the imperialist system and against the parts of this system in which we live. The process of the parliamentary elections in Turkey has also made it clear that reformism and parliamentary idiocy have penetrated the revolutionary movement in Turkey. This is evidenced by the fact that the majority of Turkey’s revolutionary movement is expecting help from the founding party of the ruling system. We have seen that the parliament, whose only function is to maintain the manipulation that the people are governed by those they elect and to prevent them from going beyond the limits set by the system, is presented to the oppressed and exploited masses with great commitment as an ideal field for the struggle for democracy and revolution by falsifying “revolutionary slogans”. The fact that the fascist dictatorship is an instrument of imperialist rule and is organised according to the interests of the imperialists and the Turkish ruling classes is deliberately ignored. A process of reformism and parliamentary idiocy can be observed, which perceives the sovereign state system as a dictatorship of the person. This is based on the assumption that it is a state apparatus that is constructed according to the preferences of Erdoğan and his party. Moreover, the representative institutions of the bourgeoisie are assigned a role that is independent from and even above the ruling classes.
The symposium made it clear that the distinction between communist stance and reformism as well as parliamentary idiocy is a relevant issue. The call for participation on behalf of Partizan in the International Symposium ‘On the 50th Year of His Immortality Communist Leader İbrahim Kaypakkaya’ illustrates this reality: This year we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the immortality of our communist leader, comrade İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA.’ As it is known, the anniversaries of the immortality of our leader are considered as a special process and various events are organised. Comrade İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA’s ideas representing communism and the ideological-political, organisational-practical and military forms in which these ideas are embodied in the concrete of the class struggle will be explained to a wide circle. The communist life of our leader will also be a focus of attention. The commemoration of Comrade İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA means for our party, on the one hand, the struggle against revisionism, reformism and parliamentary stupidity at the international level. On the other hand, it also means that our party is in a constant process of reconstructing its ranks around the communist line.
‘Our party is the product of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution’ (İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA)
The TKP/ML is the greatest legacy of the communist leader Ibrahim KAYPAKKAYA, who acted within the framework of the world revolution, established the party on the territory of Turkey as part of the world revolution, being a humble disciple of the communist lines of comrades Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin and Mao, the great masters of the international proletariat. Comrade KAYPAKKAYA, who adopted and implemented this reference as a guideline, can be regarded as one of the most consequent advocates and practitioners of Maoism, the highest level of Marxism-Leninism. The founding of the TKP/ML on the territory of Turkey, in the ranks of the international communist movement, can undoubtedly be characterised as a new position in the struggle against imperialism and all forms of reaction. In this context, comrade KAYPAKKAYA, as the founder of this line, has also positioned himself among the communist leaders of the international proletariat. The communist line that he built was formed as a product of the line of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism, which shows the way of liberation to the peoples of the world. The content of our symposium was not limited to the ideological-political, theoretical-practical line of comrade İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA, but also concerned the ideological-practical processes of MLM leaders such as Gonzalo, Charu Mazumdar and Sison, who, like comrade İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA, followed Chairman Mao’s communist line in the ideological purification that caused the class struggle and the polarisation between ML and revisionism. It is of great significance to comprehend this dialectical interconnection, which enables the attainment of a unified communist line across diverse geographical regions. In this regard, the speeches delivered at the symposium serve as invaluable resources, offering perspectives on the subject. Despite the fact that our communist leaders inhabited disparate geographical locations, they collectively arrived at the same understanding and espoused the same communist line.
They represent a resolutely, decisive and steadfast stance in the communist ranks under the leadership of Chairman Mao under conditions of ‘uncertainty’, when the main tendency was to lose the way and direction in the revisionist and communist polarisation at the international level. In this situation, their ideological stance was significantly shaped and molded by the fascinating and unprecedented influence of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution. They are the ideal symbol of the saying ‘‘There is no limit to the one who once crosses the border’’. The organisation of revolutionary theory and practice according to communist principles enabled them to overcome boundaries, cliches, dogmas, fearfulness and deficits.
In the 1960s, the world was profoundly affected by the turbulence of the 1968 movement and the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution. The 1968 movement showed that the masses directed their anger against the system through militant resistance and struggle. The ideological, political and organisational struggle between revolution and revisionism continued unabated throughout the GPCR. The 1968 movement transformed the rage of workers and students against the system in France into an important turning point in history. It rapidly spread throughout the world, leaving a significant legacy for revolutionary movements. In the same period, the Teachings of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution manifested themselves, which began in China under the leadership of Mao Zedong and represented a direct struggle with all forms of reaction and revisionist influence on the world communist movement. The radical break with outdated revisionism, whose falsehoods were exposed, led to the emergence of new leaders and the founding of new communist parties based on Marxism-Leninism-Maoism. Gonzalo in Peru, Sison in the Philippines, Charu Mazumdar in India and KAYPAKKAYA in Turkey, all became communist leaders through this process. With this strengthened fighting courage, they waged a decisive struggle against revisionism.
In any context where struggle and resistance against imperialism, comprador capitalism, feudalism and all forms of reaction are evident, İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA is present and will continue to be so, as he represents the synthesis of the belief in the revolution and the insistence on the achievement of the revolution.
If the revolution is to be victorious,
our leader İbrahim, İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA
Let the proletariat follow him
on the Marxist-Leninist-Maoist red path
with the people’s war
To power, to power, to power!
The communist parties are not merely to comprehend historical developments from the past to the present and to define the events that have occurred. Their mission also encompasses influencing the inevitable course of history and constructing the future on a communist foundation by spearheading social liberation. The communist line is that of universal liberation.
All communist parties consider themselves to be part of the world proletarian revolution. In accordance with the words of Chairman Mao, the great master of the proletariat, the international consciousness and international character of the communist parties is manifested in the maxim ‘Let the world be on your horizon while keeping your country alive in your heart’.
Comrade İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA founded the proletarian party in our country as a part of the world proletarian revolution and is a loyal student of the teachings of Chairman Mao Zedong who elevated Marxism-Leninism to the third and highest stage, MLM. The red line drawn by our communist leader in Turkey is a direct part of the world proletarian revolution, the international proletariat and the liberation struggle of the oppressed peoples of the world. The first step in understanding the role of the communist parties in the world proletarian revolution that will liberate humanity is to define the path of the revolution in the context of the country where it will take place. On 24 April 1972, comrade İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA founded TKP/ML, a party that is dedicated to the world proletarian revolution and the highest consciousness of leading the proletariat to class struggle. With this foundation, 50 years of pacifism and revisionism ended in this country. With this essence and the line, he has created, his party has been carrying out the task of building the communist society for 52 years at the forefront of the struggle, in the most progressive position. ‘Commemorating him: it is the understanding of the Party that shows the determination to continue on the path he has drawn by immortalising three General Secretaries, tens of Central Committee members and hundreds of activists. Remembering him means not being afraid of problems, not shying away from the struggle. To commemorate him: it is the understanding to aim the ‘barrel of the gun’ at the oppressors, tyrants, parasites and exploiters who surround the world with pain, suffering, oppression, blood, tears and exploitation.” With this quote, we continue our fight by paying the price and making them pay the price.
The name of İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA is held in high regard not only by the Turkish proletariat, but also by the international proletariat and the liberation struggles of the oppressed peoples of the world. The communist leader İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA is regarded as one of the most significant exemplars of the communist leader identity, not only in terms of the class struggle within Turkey, but also in the struggle of the international proletariat for the world proletarian revolution.
The MLM organisations and parties, which can be described as the main pillars of the class struggle currently taking place in various regions of the world, undoubtedly attach great importance to Comrade İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA and regard him as one of the few representatives of Chairman Mao’s communist line at the international level. Charu MAZUMDAR, the founder of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), Chairman GONZALO, the founder of the Communist Party of Peru, Jose Maria SISON the founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines and İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA the founder of the TKP/ML, will continue to exist as the leading stars of the communist line in the struggle for the New Democratic Revolution. Indeed, they were the personal proof of Comrade Lenin’s assertion that ‘there is no class in history which has seized power without producing political leaders, leading representatives capable of organising and leading the movement’. By making theoretical and practical contributions, they imbued this statement with meaning and significance. The life of Comrade İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA and the communist leaders of the international proletariat, along with the concrete practices they put forward in the theoretical, political and organisational aspects of the class struggle, constitute the dialectical chain of building the communist movement in the past, present and future. The activities organised in their name are not mere commemorations of individuals; rather, they represent the establishment of a relationship with one’s own roots. It is of paramount importance to maintain a constant awareness of the place and circumstances in which we exist. The bourgeoisie and its supporters are fearful of the communist leaders and their influence on the oppressed masses. For this reason, they are attempting to distance us from our illustrious history, which we have constructed at a significant cost in blood and lives, and are attempting to transform us into rootless trees. It is our responsibility as their successors to utilise our history as a means of achieving victory in the present and to organise the future. This will fuel the fears of the ruling classes and their lackeys. In an interview, Comrade Gonzalo stated, “Fear? I am convinced that fear and fearlessness are contradictory. The essential thing is that we embrace our ideology and unleash the courage within us. It is our ideology that makes us courageous, that gives us courage. In my opinion, no one is born courageous. It is society, the class struggle, that makes people and communists courageous. What can be the greatest fear? Death? As a materialist, I am aware that life will inevitably come to an end. The most crucial aspect for me is maintaining an optimistic outlook, with the conviction that others will continue and carry forward the work I have dedicated myself to until we achieve our ultimate goal, communism. The fear that I am addressing is the fear of thinking that no one can carry on. Nevertheless, this fear can be overcome by recognizing the power of the masses. In my opinion, the greatest fear is not trusting the masses and believing that one is indispensable or even the centre of the world. I would suggest that this is the most significant fear. This is the greatest fear, and when one is influenced by the party, by proletarian ideology and above all by Maoism, one realises that the masses are the creators of history, that the party makes the revolution, that the progress of history is certain, that the revolution is the main tendency, and then the fear disappears. The remaining satisfaction is that of collectively laying the foundation for communism to one day shine and illuminate the whole world’’.
Comrade İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA said: ‘The future of Turkey will be molded from steel, we may not be there present to see it, but this steel will not forget the water it has taken’. We can say with great pride that not only in our country but also in distant parts of the world ‘this steel has not forgotten the water it has taken’, comrade İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA is kept alive as a torch of struggle and resistance.
During the symposium process, participants demonstrated a clear understanding of İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA’s views, particularly comrades from Latin America and Europe. They chanted slogans in his honour, including “Our leader İbrahim, İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA!” and “Long Live Our Party TKP/ML, The People’s Army TIKKO, TMLGB!” in Turkish. The appreciation of Comrade İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA and the TKP/ML by communists from many countries of the world and the embrace of the TKP/ML as leader were concrete evidences of this situation.
The communists have an honourable history of struggle and resistance. This history provides a foundation for understanding the present and organise the future.
Our symposium ended with the International Anthem, which was sung together by all participants in their own languages as at the beginning. The symposium, entitled ” ON THE 50th YEAR OF HIS IMMORTALITY COMMUNIST LEADER İBRAHİM KAYPAKKAYA”, which we organised for Comrade İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA, was successfully held as part of the continuation of the honorable history of communists in the present.
Our symposium, which attracted intense participation from different countries, succeeded in uniting communists from different parts of the world with the same enthusiasm and the same commitment to struggle, and once again made it clear that we have a very strong foundation in the struggle for the proletarian world revolution.
It is our responsibility to persevere along the communist path he has delineated with unwavering dedication, despite the challenges that may arise. We must remain vigilant against any deviation from Marxism, whether reformist or revisionist, and continue to fight against the enemy. The thoughts of Comrade İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA, which were formulated with great care, have enabled us to adopt such an attitude and such a path of struggle. We will continue to advance along this red road with even more commitmment, by building on our successes and learning from our defeats. We will do so with our communist courage and determination, which is characterised by this consciousness that we have inherited from our communist leader. In addition to the relentless attacks of the ruling classes who intend to destroy our party, we have a tradition of internal struggle within the party that serves as a barrier against deviations from the red road marked out by İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA. This is evidenced by our 52-year history of struggle.
“The future holds challenging but honourable days of struggle. It is essential that we immerse
ourselves with all our being in the deep sea of class struggle.”
(İbrahim KAYPAKKAYA)
PARTİZAN
