An article by Doğu Perinçek, Chairman of the Workers' Party (Turkey). This article was published in his column in the daily newspaper.
You’re watching the developments in Iraq.
Since The Gulf War in 1991, the same notion is implemented in our heads by the mainstream media. The repeated statement is that Sunni-Shia conflicts are expanding in the Middle East.
Above all after the latest assault to Mosul by the terrorist organization of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), deep analyses on “Shi’ite Crescent – Sunni Axis” are distributed within the progressive community. Nearly, everybody thinks and speaks in this scheme, which has been constructed by the globally dominating powers.
ANTI – IMPERIALIST REGIONAL ALLIANCE AND IT’S REAR GUARD
We stated in this column that with the victory of Syria in sight, the US plan of founding a “Kurdish Corridor” from northern Iraq to the Mediterranean is defeated. In our region a front is being formed,. This front will determine the future. Syria, Iraq and Iran have joined hands. It is a great mistake to describe that front as the “Shi’ite Crescent”. If we deny the true nature of this front, we serve the purpose of the enemy.
As the Workers’ Party (Turkey) and with all the anti-imperialist and secular forces in Turkey, we are part of this front. İt is not a Shia-Sunni polarization that we take a stand in. ...
An article by Doğu Perinçek, Chairman of the Workers' Party (Turkey). This article was published in his column in the daily newspaper.
You’re watching the developments in Iraq.
Since The Gulf War in 1991, the same notion is implemented in our heads by the mainstream media. The repeated statement is that Sunni-Shia conflicts are expanding in the Middle East.
Above all after the latest assault to Mosul by the terrorist organization of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), deep analyses on “Shi’ite Crescent – Sunni Axis” are distributed within the progressive community. Nearly, everybody thinks and speaks in this scheme, which has been constructed by the globally dominating powers.
ANTI – IMPERIALIST REGIONAL ALLIANCE AND IT’S REAR GUARD
We stated in this column that with the victory of Syria in sight, the US plan of founding a “Kurdish Corridor” from northern Iraq to the Mediterranean is defeated. In our region a front is being formed,. This front will determine the future. Syria, Iraq and Iran have joined hands. It is a great mistake to describe that front as the “Shi’ite Crescent”. If we deny the true nature of this front, we serve the purpose of the enemy.
As the Workers’ Party (Turkey) and with all the anti-imperialist and secular forces in Turkey, we are part of this front. İt is not a Shia-Sunni polarization that we take a stand in.
Lebanon, Egypt and even Algeria are in mentioned front.
Russia, China, and Venezuela; all the of the anti-imperialist powers around the world constitute the rear guard of this front. You cannot explain their stand by the notion of sectarian polarization.
IS SOLUTION IN SUNNI-SHI’ITE POLARIZATION?
More importantly, what is the consequence of our analysis for the political struggle?
Which problem in our region can be solved by the Shi’ite Crescent-Sunni Axis polarization? In such a polarization, where would you place the Turkey? With its Sunni majority, should our country take the side of ISIS?
Then, why are you against the Tayyip Erdoğan, can you really resist?
What solutions can you offer being imprisoned into Erdoğan’s ideological concepts?
THE LESSONS OF SYRIA, LEBANON, EGYPT AND ALGERIA
As a result of U.S occupations, our region has been pushed into a deep sectarian polarization, but now the process is being reversed.
The front that consists of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and Algeria isn’t a Shi’ite front. And there is no solution to be found constructing a Shia front.
The allies of that front in Turkey are the secular forces. Especially the Turkish Army with its Kemalist roots, is an important factor against the sectarian polarization in the region. This is most clearly seen above all by the wise leaders of the so called “Shia Front”.
The Syrian success must be analysed deeply and carefully. The Syrian government has reunited the Syrian people with secularism, not shi’ism nor sunnism. Only secularism could have united the Syrian’s Sunni, Shi’ite and Christian people.
Watch the Lebanon carefully. If you look at the Hezbollah’s political programme, you will see a Shia organization. But at the same time it is the most reliable organizations for the Christians and Sunni laics. That is an important lesson too. Lebanon, like the most of countries in our region is obliged to laicism.
Today, the Abdel Fattah el-Sisi government in Egypt has leaded the revolution and reinforced it’s own power when it succeeded to reunite the Egypt people from different communions, against the Factious Brotherhood (author refers to Muslim Brotherhood).
The lessons from Algeria are the same.
Iraq’s Ba’ath Party government was uniting the country’s people under a single flag under the notion of secularism too. After the US invasion, Ba’ath was destroyed and sectarianism was provoked. Outcome: What’s happening today. However, Iraq’s government certainly will learn from these experiences.
FIVE COUNTRIES – FIVE SEAS WILL UNITE
Even since the 1980s, the Workers Party’ (Turkey) has been struggling for a regional alliance of our states to solve regional problems. Today, Ataturk’s politic of regional concentration constitute a still vital heritage.
The alliance of the countries of our region cannot be built on a sectarian axis. Lands and seas have no sectarian belonging.
Syria, Iraq and Iran have constructed solidarity in the context of war and built a frontline. Now primarily Israel and additionally the US have thrown the terrorist organization ISIS against this front.
But this attack organized by the US and Israel on their retreat will further fuel the thrive towards regional alliance.
SECULARISM IS RISING IN TURKEY
After the ISIS attack, the rising force in Turkey is secularism.
Once again we are learning the importance of laicism after that terror.
Without secularism, Turkey will be divided on both, sectarian and ethnical lines.
The terror exporting government of the Justice and Development’s Party (AKP) is forcing Turkey to pay the price of bigotry. Everyday more and more people see this reality.
Secular Turkey trend is the one of the major factors that sound the death bell of AKP.
Today the mistake of those who believe to come to power by giving away secularism has become obvious like never before.
Sticking to secularism, Turkey will take part in that front, including Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.
The permanent solution for Kurdish Question will also be provided by the alliance of regional countries.
In the near future, we will witness both the collapsing AKP and the rebuilding laicism in Turkey. The regional states have started to notice this too. Those who do not recognize the trend yet will do so soon.
Sunni-Shi’ite conflict is a US produced conflict. Now, this US forced conflict leads us to insist on unity and tolerance within the regional states.
Not sectarianism, but tolerance will unite the Five Countries and the Five Seas.
International Relations Bureau
Workers’ Party (Turkey)
