DAY-MER, the Turkish and Kurdish community centre, held its 17th congress on Sunday with a vicar who refused to pay council tax in protest against benefit cuts among those in attendance.
The Reverend Paul Nicholson made headlines this summer when he spoke from the dock to appeal for leniency for those who cannot pay.
He was present as the congress held a moment of silence for Erdal Eren, who was executed after the 12 September 1980 coup in Turkey.
The opening remarks were made by Ahmet Sezgin, who leads Day-Me said that the organisation had been an important part of the struggle against migration policies and public spending cuts. He was joined on stage by Oktay Şahbaz, who said the Conservatives in government had billed the working classes for the costs of the economic crisis.
There was considerable further criticism of government policy from other individuals, including the 82-year-old Rev Nicholson, who criticised Haringey Council for not providing benefits lo those who need them most.
NEW LEADERSHIP CHOSEN
Kartal Tekin, Selvi Özdemir and Çağdaş Canpolat chaired proceedings at Sunday’s meeting, which elected a new board of governors made up of Ahmet Sezgin, Oktay Şahbaz, Aslı Gül, Rahime Smipson, Musa Yadırgı, Semra Demirci, Oktay Cinpolat, SevgiTaş and Metin Sağır.
Day-Mer was set up on 11 November 1989 to work with and on behalf of Turkish and Kurdish people living and working in London to help them solve their problems and promote their cultural, economic, social and democratic rights; to strengthen solidarity among themselves as well as local people; and to help their integration into the society.
It is a non-profit making organisation and registered charity, of which its activities are funded by various government operated authorities and schemes. As well as participating in local projects in London it also took part in trans-national projects funded by European Social Fund.
It describes itself as having an important role within the Turkish and Kurdish community in terms of providing information on and advocacy for refugees and humanitarian entrants in England.
Day-Mer provides various services, mainly targeted at Turkish and Kurdish people who have either arrived to the UK recently and in immediate need for their essential requirements such as help with their accommodation and welfare matters, filling in application forms and other interpretation services; or those who have been in the UK for a while, have settled lives but in need for social and cultural activities, such as organizing festivals, events, setting up folk dancing, theatre and music groups, to participate more effectively within the community.
