Communist Workers’ Party of Turkey Statute

 

I

Party

1) Characteristics, aims and basic principles of the Party: Communist Workers’ Party of Turkey (TKIP) is a vanguard revolutionary political party of the Turkish working class consisting of various nations. It regards Marxism Leninism and proletarian internationalism as its basic ground. It struggles for a classless world without exploitation. It is the voluntary and organized unity of militant communists dedicated to these aims and principles.

TKIP is the representative of basic historical aims and interests of the working class. It leads the working class at the various states of the struggle against bourgeoisie, guides its actions. TKIP makes maximum effort in order to be a proletarian class party not only with its ideology, programme and tactics, but also with its class foundation and class composition of its organization. It takes to be organized on the basis of cells within the factories and business enterprises as a basic way of organization.

TKIP sees relying on the working class which is the vanguard of the revolution as a guarantee of winning other toiling classes and strata to revolutionary struggle and revolution. It views winning of other oppressed and exploited toiling masses to the revolutionary struggle in the leadership of the working class as a basic prerequisite of the revolution.

TKIP regards the overthrow of the bourgeois domination and replacing it with proletarian dictatorship and socialism as a fundamental strategical revolutionary mission. It takes this struggle as a part of the world revolutionary struggle and wages it with a proletarian internationalist view. It considers itself a detachment of the international revolutionary proletarian army in Turkey.

TKIP believes that bourgeois power, relying on the protection of international imperialism, can only be destroyed by a violent revolution. It sees the revolution as a work of art of the masses, it considers the revolutionary violence of the masses fundamental.

TKIP is the legatee of the past revolutionary build up in Turkey and its present day representative. It claims the two hundred years’ revolutionary history of socialism and class struggle of the international proletariat as its own, it utilizes it critically. It claims determinately the principles and ideals of Great Socialist October Revolution which inaugurated the age of proletarian revolutions, it sees them as a guide.

TKIP regards the organization on the basis of illegality as the only real safeguard to make its organizational existence and political activity under all circumstances continue. It benefits from bourgeois legality only on such a principled basis and as a contingent of it.

TKIP supports all revolutionary political movements fighting against the established societal and political order.

 

II

Membership

2) Membership of the party

Everybody accepting the programme and statute of the party, taking part in one of the party organizations and paying his/her membership fee can be a member of Communist Workers’ Party of Turkey.

3) Duties of the member of the party

a) To develop his/her level of ideological consciousness and comprehension continuously, studying Marxism Leninism and the line of the Party systematically.

b) To make maximum efforts to execute the line and resolutions of the party.

c) To strengthen the ties with proletarians and toiling masses, to convince them on the truth of the party line and to make great efforts to win them over.

d) To fall in line with the Party statute and discipline.

e) To defend the fundamental principles, ideological political line and organizational unity of the party against all deviations and factional separatist attacks.

f) To be honest and open as far as the party is concerned. To use the weapon of criticism self criticism in the party life on the basis of rules and values of the party.

g) To be alert against the enemy for the safety of the party organization. To conform with the necessities of the illegality and secrecy completely.

h) To behave with the honour and responsibility of being a member of a communist party under detention, in court and in dungeon. To endure cruelty of the enemy bravely and to keep the organizational secrets whatsoever, even at the cost of life.

i) To keep a protective eye on the material facilities of the party meticulously and to add to them. To make his/her all properties open to the party.

4) Rights of the member of the party

a) To take part freely in the discussions on the subjects of the party policy within the party organization he/she involves and party publications.

b) To be elected to party organs and to elect them.

c) To criticize all party bodies and members of duty, being independent from his/her organizational position.

d) To be present in person in discussions and decision making processes related with his/her activity and personal situation within his/her body.

e) To make questions, criticisms, to submit his/her demands and suggestions to and demand explanations from all administrative bodies including the Central Committee on all personal problems or problems related with the party.

f) A member of the party has the right to leave the party, on the condition of explaining his ground for leaving. Due to security reasons the member who has left the party should comply to the restrictions of the party. Such restrictions should not exceed 6 months.

g) A party member can be a sympathizer of the party on his/her own will when he/she is under strain to carry out the obligations of being a party member because his/her development is not in line with that of the Party.

5) Admittance to the Party and candidate membership

a) Members are admitted to the party individually. Application for membership should be made in written and include the detailed cv of the applicant.

b) The lowest ruling body which has the authority to admit the application is the provincial committee of the party. With the admittance of the membership application, candidate membership as a trial and test statue begins. The period for candidate membership is a minimum of six months maximum a year. This period is minimum a year and maximum two years abroad.

c) Application of the candidate members is decided upon by provincial committees of the Party when the required period is over. The final verdict of the membership requires the confirmation of the Central Committee. When refused, the reasons of this refusal are communicated to the candidate in a written statement. Such candidates can file a written objection to the Central Committee of the Party or the Party Congress.

d) Candidate members have the same rights and duties as the members except to elect, to be elected and to be a member of ruling committees.

e) Representation of candidate members is decided upon according to the principles determined by the Central Committee.

 

III

Basic Bodies of the Party

6) Party Congress

a) The highest body within the Party is the Party Congress. Ordinary congresses are held every two years. Under obligatory conditions congress may be delayed a year by the Central Committee (CC).

b) The call and agenda of the Party Congress are delivered to party organs and members at least three months in advance. The rules of representation in the Congress and methods of election of delegates are determined by the CC. Upon the demand of more than half of the existing members, the congress can convene.

c) Extraordinary congresses are held within 6 months the latest by a decision of the CC or by a demand of existing provincial committees (PC) or at least half of the members.

d) In case that the CC does not convene the ordinary or extraordinary congresses in time, a temporary organ, which is elected by absolute majority of PCs and will take over the authority of the CC, convenes the party congress.

e) The party congress:

• Appraises the activity report of the CC and gives its final form.
• Examines the programme and statute of the Party and makes the necessary amendments.
• Determines the tactical line on the important problems of the policy of the Party.
• Elects the CC.

f) In the congress resolutions on the amendment of the programme and statute of the Party are decided by two thirds of the majority. Absolute majority is sufficient for all other resolutions

7) Central Committee (CC)

a) The Central Committee is the highest body of the Party in between two congresses. It leads all activities of the Party within the framework of the programme, statute and the general lines determined by the congress. It administrates the central publications and organizational practical works of the Party. It allocates the power and assets of the Party. It establishes various Party organs and if necessary removes them from office.

b) The CC has the authority to decide on its own inner organization and work order. General meeting of the CC is held every six months the latest. Reserve members of the CC participate in the meeting without a right to vote. After the meeting, the CC submits a written report to the Party on its activities, the general condition of the Party and new objectives and orientations.

c) The CC can fill the gap with new members when there is a decrease in the number of members. New members should obtain the approval of two thirds of the majority.

d) Removing a member of the CC from office is possible only in a meeting participated by all full members as well as reserve members and with the approval of two thirds of the majority.

e) The CC is represented in the congress by three delegates. Reserve members of the CC take part in the elections within their local areas of work. The CC can invite guest delegates who do not have the right to vote.

f) In between two congresses the CC has the authority to convene local or national party conferences of all sorts. The CC determines the method of electing delegates to conferences. The resolutions of national conferences are put into effect only if approved by the CC and binds the Party as a whole.

8) Provincial Committee (PC)

a) Provincial Committee is a local administrative body, which rules all activities of the party bodies within areas it is in charge of, within the framework of decisions and orders of the CC. The PC allocates the power of the party in the provinces, forms new party units and administrates the treasure of the provincial body.

b) Provincial committees are formed by the CC. PCs, when formed, can make changes in their composition on condition of approval of the CC. Its secretary is elected by the PC itself. Meetings of the PC are held at least every fortnight.

c) The PC is obliged to submit periodical reports on its activities to the CC every month.

d) The PC is obliged to submit a written report including a general appraisal on its activities and new duties and objectives to the provincial organization every three months.

e) The PC can publish bulletins or magazines on areas it represents on condition of approval by the CC.

A special provision: Foreign Committee (FC) has the authority to rule the work of the Party in foreign countries. The structure, formation, duties and responsibilities of the FC are the same as those of PCs. Additional duties and problems arising from the peculiarities of the work area and necessary limitations are defined by the CC or solved.

9) Cell

a) Cell is the basic organizational unit of the Party. It is formed in all institutions, areas and organizations party works necessitate where factories and business enterprises have the utmost priority.

b) The cell is formed by the next superior body and consists of at least three at most seven members and a candidate member. Its secretary is elected by the cell itself. Candidate members can not be the secretary of the cell.

c) The cell is the basic organizational unit which establishes relations with the working class and toilers. It is in charge of leading the work of the party relating with the workers and toilers. The basic duties of a party cell are to execute the line of the party, its decisions and orders; make systematic activities for propaganda, agitation and organization, and to create facilities and possibilities for this in order to win over the masses to the revolutionary struggle and to the line of the Party.

d) The cells are obliged to submit a written report relating with their activities to the administrator body they are affiliated every month. A copy of these reports are sent to CC without delay as well.

 

IV

Party life, functioning and inner democracy

10) The basic principle of the party for organization is democratic centralism. Interpretation and implementation of this principle depends on the conditions of illegality, the level of political and organizational development of the party, and finally on the general manner of revolutionary class struggle.

11) Democratic centralism principle means as follows:

a) An individual depends on the organization, minority on majority, sub bodies on upper bodies, all organization on the CC and the CC on the party congress.

b) Principle of election in the formation of administrative bodies of the Party applies where the obligatory limitations of conditions of illegality permit. In elections there can not be a list of candidates, members can only become a candidate, or be proposed as a candidate individually.

c) Decisions of superior bodies are absolutely binding for sub bodies affiliated with them and for members.

d) At every level decisions in the Party bodies are made upon free and collective discussions and with majority. The decisions made are binding for all members of the body, and should be carried out unconditionally.

e) A mutual and continuous control from higher to lower and from lower to higher levels is a common duty of all Party bodies.

12) Communist Workers’ Party of Turkey is organized on the basis of production and region.

Basic organizations of the Party are the cells which are formed on the basis of factories, business enterprises and service sectors.

All the Party cells in a certain region are dependent on a single Party organization (sub committees) and at provincial level they are dependent on the provincial committee as the only administrative body.

13) In the Party, responsibility and manner of work are dependent on the principle of collectivism. Collective responsibility and manner of work are fed by individual responsibility and initiative and in turn they feed them.

14) In the Party life, principle of being open is a fundamental practice. Implementation of this principle can only be limited by necessities of the inner illegality. Problems and disagreements regarding ideological and political inner life of the Party cannot be hidden from the bodies of the Party and the members.

And another basic meaning and function of the principle of openness is that all information on the Party activities is relayed to the CC continuously and periodically. This practice is an obligatory prerequisite of a successful central leadership.

15) The basic method of eliminating all mistakes and debilities, correcting the faults and solving the problems is criticism and self criticism. Criticism and self criticism are basic means of strengthening the Party theoretically, politically and organizationally, of consolidating the inner unity, and of raising the ability and capacity to struggle.

16) The Party members have the untouchable right to discuss all problems of the policy of the Party in all the Party bodies and as a whole, and it is a basic requirement of the inner democracy within the Party. This right cannot be used as to break the unity of will and action of the Party, to weaken it.

A general discussion on a problem of the Party policy is started by a decision of the CC or by a demand of one thirds of the existing PCs or the members. The method of the discussion is determined by the CC.

17) Local party bodies work in their own areas with a broad initiative within the framework of the Party line. They are autonomous to solve the problems arising from their works within their own local activities.

18) Within the Party horizontal organizational relations are banned. No bodies or members of the Party can enter into relations with bodies and members, except for with sub bodies they are in charge of and super bodies they are affiliated with, without relating information to and getting confirmation from the authoritative bodies.

19) The concept of fractions in the Party is against the principle of democratic centralism. Every group within the Party which attempts to weaken the unity, discipline and practice of the Party, and to prevent the line and decisions of the Party from being executed is a fractional movement.

 

V

Discipline Within the Party

20) There is only one sort of discipline which applies uniformly for all members in the Party. A full and tight discipline is the highest duty of all members and the bodies of the Party. Freedom in debate and criticism and unity in action is the basis of conscious and voluntary discipline within the Party.

21) Every member or body of the Party who behaves contrary to the programme and line of the Party, violates the statute of the Party, does not execute the resolutions of the Party, violates the democracy within the Party, misuse his/her authorities, weakens the esteem of the Party by his/her conduct, reveals the secrets of the Party, deceives the Party by not being honest, hides information relevant to the Party from it etc. is considered to have committed a disciplinary offense.

22) Those who are charged with committing a disciplinary offense submit a written defence statement to the Party on the matter and defend themselves verbally before the body in question.

23) The punishments are such as warning, reprimand, removal from his/her office, banning from being an administrator for a certain period, reduction to the status of candidate member, suspending his/her membership temporarily and expulsion from the Party, all are given according to the scope and severity of the offense. If the offense in question is committed by a body of the Party, this body may be annulled and members may renew their membership registration. During the investigation membership may be suspended.

Sentences of warning and reprimand are given by the Party body he/she affiliates or a superior body.

24) Expulsion from the Party is the biggest punishment of the Party and is decided by the Central Committee.

25) Those members who are sentenced have the right to file an objection petition to various bodies of the Party beginning from the next upper body to the Central Committee. Members expelled from the Party can file an objection petition to the congress.

26) Membership of those who have betrayed the secrets of the Party under detention is annulled automatically.

27) Disciplinary measures regarding the members also apply for the candidate members. For the candidate members, expulsion decision is made by provincial committees.

 

VI

Material Sources of the Party

28) Material sources of the Party are membership fees, donations, revenues from donation campaigns and other incomes.

29) Amount of the membership fee is established by the Central Committee.