Resolution of the Anti-imperialist Camp Assisi 2003
Against isolation torture and political imprisonment
On top of the war of conquest and domination US imperialism assisted by its European allies has increased its terror and repression against the organised popular forces opposing its rule both at the front line as well as behind these lines.
Imprisonment has become a matter for billions of human being as the lands conquered by the American empire are being transformed into open air prisons. Furthermore the states subjugated by the US import more and more the US model of prisons in order to destroy their political opponents. In the concentration camp of Guantánamo, in the Zionist gaols, in the "QHS" in France, the "FIES" in Spain, in German "Stammheim" or in the "US Control Units" isolation is being used as an arm for psycho-physical destruction and depersonalisation.
One of the most appalling cases is that of Turkey, where the dormitory cells have been replaced by prison cells called "F type". The new prisons were inaugurated on December 19, 2000, by a military operation trying to deport inmates from about 20 prisons to the new F type ones. In the course of this operation 28 revolutionaries were murdered and about 750 prisoners injured.
Today thousands of prisoners are subject to a regime of isolation causing sensory deprivation commonly termed "white torture". They are not only subjected to solitude but they also depend on the mercy of their torturers who reign by terror and arbitrariness. However, the only crime committed by the prisoners is to have fought for the independence of their country, for democracy and social justice.
The Turkish prisoners have so far been able to preserve their dignity thanks to a life in collectivity. This was only possible by means of the hunger strike which have been requiring great sacrifices. Two months before their deportation to the F type prisons, on October 20, 2000, the prisoners started the "death fast" in order to draw the attention of the public opinion on their case.
After 1,050 days of fast a total of 107 prisoners and their relatives have lost their lives. Not less than 500 hunger strikes have been mutilated by force feeding, a criminal method prohibited by international law which provokes the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (amnesia and ataxia).
The Turkish political prisoners, namely those belonging to the Revolutionary People´s Liberation Party – Front (DHKP-C) are more that ever determined to carry on their struggle for dignity and for the survival of the 10,000 political prisoners who continue to fill the jails until the regime of isolation is lifted. They can count on the lasting support of their families, their friends and their comrades.
Unfortunately this cannot be said about a certain European "left" who consciously participated in the erection of wall of silence around the F type prisons ignoring the resistance of the political prisoners.
Since the beginning of the hunger strike three Anti-imperialist Camp have taken place. Like in precedent years we continue to express our support for the political prisoners, to denounce the hypocrisy of the European Union which, in the name of democratic principles, has facilitated the implementation of the F type prisons which are nothing less than modern centres of torture.
The Anti-imperialist Camp calls to participate at the days of struggle against the isolation and the international symposium scheduled for December 19-21, 2003, in Florence, Italy. We declare ourselves active members of the international platform against isolation organising the forthcoming symposium.
DHKP-C, Revolutionary People´s Liberation Party – Front, Turkey
BAYAN International, Philippines
National Movement – Union of Independent Forces, Venezuela
Sedunia, Austria
Initiativ, Duisburg, Germany
Left Front, Hungary
Iraqi Patriotic Coalition
APC, Arab Palestine Club, Vienna, Austria
KKE/ML, Communist Party of Greece / Marxist-Leninist
ILC, International Leninist Current
RKL-T, Revolutionary Communist League – Thuringia, Germany
Loyalty to Men and Earth, Lebanon
ACTUS, Action for Unity and Socialism, Chad
RCG, Revolutionary Communist group, Britain
Harsh Thakor, Indian democratic rights activist