What We Have Done between 2003-2006
1. March 2003, forced the Turkish parliament to vote against the government’s attempt to allow US forces to use Turkish soil for the attack on Iraq.
2. In June 2004, organised the ‘DO NOT COME, BUSH!’ campaign against the NATO summit in Istanbul and Bush’s participation at it. Meetings were held in 40 cities as part of this campaign.
3. In 2003, 2004 and 2005, BAK organized an anti-capitalist music festival called BARIŞAROCK (Rock for Peace). In 2005, 30,000 attended the festival.
4. In 2003, 2004 and 2005, on World Peace Day (1 September) BAK organised demonstrations in Istanbul.
5. In 2004, at the time of the elections in the US, BAK organised a ‘NO TO BUSH!’ campaign.
6. In January 2004 and 2005, BAK organised the international “A World Without War is Possible” conferences in Istanbul. Hundreds came to listen to speakers from ‘Military Families Speak Out’ in the US, the Stop the War Coalition in Britain and the peace movements in Israel and Greece.
7. In June 2005, BAK ran a campaign called “The War Criminal Bush Must be Tried” to coincide with and support the World Tribunal on Iraq.
8. In April 2005, as the Turkish government allowed the Incirlik military base to be used by “friendly and allied nations” for “logistical purposes”, including the “transport of military materials and personnel” by secret Cabinet Decree, BAK launched the ‘CLOSE DOWN INCIRLIK MILITARY BASE’ campaign. A petition was submitted to the Prime Minister’s office, demanding that the Decree be published in full. On 28 May, a demonstration was organised at the gates of the base.
9. BAK brings a suit against a secret Cabinet Decree of 18 April 2005 (Decree No. 2005/8712) allows the Incirlik base to be used by “friendly and allied nations” for “logistical purposes”, including the “transport of military materials and personnel”. BAK brings a suit against the violation of Article 92 by the Cabinet Decree not only because international law views the Iraq war as illegitimate, but also because no institution besides Parliament itself can exercise this authority, the US demands for Incirlik Airbase are unacceptable. No institution in Turkey, Parliament included, can exercise a state power in violation of the Constitution. Article 92 of the Constitution provides that permission is required from the Grand National Assembly for foreign forces to be allowed onto Turkish soil. Moreover, the ‘foreign forces’ in question are in a state of war with one of Turkey’s neighbours.”
10. BAK on 30 November 2005 organised a press conference about the death and torture flights of CIA and its using Turkish airspace, İncirlik base and Sabiha Gökçen airport. “The death flights of CIA should be stopped! The death and torture flights of CIA should be stopped! Bush and his gang should be judged!
11. BAK began a new campaign to disrupt an American pre-emptive strike on Iran.