Brutal Crack Down on Peaceful Environmental Protest
Jun 16th, 2013, 11:41 PM
#261
Jun 17th, 2013, 01:10 AM
#262
I had the first good sleep in three weeks. Woke up at 9:30 AM, bought but did not check the papers, had a simple breakfast with Eser and we are now with the jack of all trades maintenance man/friend of twenty years in our compound who is trying to fix a coded satellite system for us. No tear gas or plastic pellet pops, shouts or screams or our own Fuhrer screaming.
At the time I slept, about 1:30 AM, The police were fighting at least five groups from one to fifteen thousand trying to approach Taksim square from different directions plus protesting groups which had gathered in four other parts of Istanbul and some other cities in Turkey like Ankara, Izmir, Canakkale, Eskisehir, Adana, Kayseri, Trabzon, Zonguldak.
These are the people the Turkish Minister in charge of EU negotiations calls "terrorists".
There are now increasing calls to not fall into the PM's trap of actually appearing as disrupters of life in Turkey.
The opponents to that view say that, acquiescence will allow him to conduct his witch hunt much easier and with impunity.
Already, reporters, cameramen, actors, first aid and rescue workers have been arrested.
At the time I slept, about 1:30 AM, The police were fighting at least five groups from one to fifteen thousand trying to approach Taksim square from different directions plus protesting groups which had gathered in four other parts of Istanbul and some other cities in Turkey like Ankara, Izmir, Canakkale, Eskisehir, Adana, Kayseri, Trabzon, Zonguldak.
These are the people the Turkish Minister in charge of EU negotiations calls "terrorists".
There are now increasing calls to not fall into the PM's trap of actually appearing as disrupters of life in Turkey.
The opponents to that view say that, acquiescence will allow him to conduct his witch hunt much easier and with impunity.
Already, reporters, cameramen, actors, first aid and rescue workers have been arrested.
Jun 17th, 2013, 01:33 AM
#264
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We did fly out of Istanbul yesterday - two of the main roads were closed, but the third was open, albeit with a lot of traffic. The airport was packed - we left Sultanahmet at 2 and boarded our plane at 4:30. The longest and slowest line was passport control.
Jun 17th, 2013, 06:39 AM
#265
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sf7307, I am glad that you were able to leave the country without encounter any problems..
OC take care ...
Thousands of people demonstrated near the American Embassy in Ankara..
http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2013...-61191955/1/#2
OC take care ...
Thousands of people demonstrated near the American Embassy in Ankara..
http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2013...-61191955/1/#2
Jun 19th, 2013, 10:49 AM
#266
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Just to update: Taksim is to all intents and purposes up and running again. There is still a smell of teargas though. The Standing Protesters are there but only 5 of them this morning. Groups of police, both in uniform and not, are everywhere sitting around watching but doing nothing. All the usual transport links are working.
Istanbul is very quiet and there are few tourists. All the big tour groups seem to have left. There was one big cruise ship in today and I saw only one group of sightseers.
I have been in Eastern Turkey for the past week or so where I saw no protests at all. I go back to London tomorrow with all the usual regret at leaving Turkey.
Just a final quote from Ghandi: "first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."
Istanbul is very quiet and there are few tourists. All the big tour groups seem to have left. There was one big cruise ship in today and I saw only one group of sightseers.
I have been in Eastern Turkey for the past week or so where I saw no protests at all. I go back to London tomorrow with all the usual regret at leaving Turkey.
Just a final quote from Ghandi: "first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."
Jun 19th, 2013, 11:23 AM
#268
thanks for yor contribution Gertie.
This evening the standing people numbers grew to some hundreds, but I still think it is a good passive resistance, with people of all ages, coming out of their offices or other jobs and spending any amount of time they can, doing just that, with only very few able to stand at the early hours.
But we now have people standing and looking at forests cut at other parts of Turkey for other projects and other standing individuals in the countryside and the cities.
And the police and the government have no idea how to deal with them since they are not breaking any laws.
This evening the standing people numbers grew to some hundreds, but I still think it is a good passive resistance, with people of all ages, coming out of their offices or other jobs and spending any amount of time they can, doing just that, with only very few able to stand at the early hours.
But we now have people standing and looking at forests cut at other parts of Turkey for other projects and other standing individuals in the countryside and the cities.
And the police and the government have no idea how to deal with them since they are not breaking any laws.
Jun 19th, 2013, 11:33 AM
#269
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OC, I have found this video from La Repubblica about the passive resistance of many people.
http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2013...-61366293/1/#1
http://video.repubblica.it/dossier/t.../132528/131048
http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2013...-61366293/1/#1
http://video.repubblica.it/dossier/t.../132528/131048
Jun 19th, 2013, 07:47 PM
#272
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Jun 20th, 2013, 02:55 AM
#273
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My last visit to Taksim this morning. There were several Standing Protesters. I found it very touching: they were dignified elderly men standing there ramrod straight in the hot sun. They were not the riff-raff and trouble makers Erdogan wants us to believe. They were working people who took a few minutes to silently protest on their way to work. I stood for a while too. As a visitor it's a tricky one. We are not residents and therefore not directly involved, but we want to show support.
Jun 21st, 2013, 08:53 AM
#274
The human creature adapts rather too easily.
We have the PM screaming hate almost everyday, to his applauding supporters and blaming foreign powers, terrorists, big business, atheists, European Union, "The Interest Lobby?" vandals, artists, actors, professors intellectuals who think they know better than him and his supporters.
On the other hand we still have protesters in small groups in many cities in Turkey, gassed and arrested, writers, journalists, businessmen, professors, actors threatened by government and fundamentalist.
But we are now used to it. Last two days, we even watched some TV series like Continuum and Banshee in between the news and the talk shows.
The Bar associations are working overtime to help all those arrested or threatened. The Medical Association is applying to the European Court of Human Rights.
The Fed's last statement combined with the situation is lifting the cover of deceit on the Turkish economy but also providing another scapegoat.
What little saving I have is in USD but many others who believed in the Turkish government's manipulated statistics and declarations borrowed in USD and Euros against Turkish Lira receivables, without hedging. They are in deep sh.......tck.
This includes some people who robbed me of what could have been a sizable (for me) fortune only 5-6 years ago, so I am not complaining.
Turkey is definitely safe for visitors. Istanbul is also safe and was actually safe unless one got caught in the midst of protesting groups and was hit by gas or taking photographs of police violence and considered as an anti-government foreign agent.
The protesters were from all walks of life, all ideologies, races and religions only asking for freedom of expression, less authoritarian rule and environmental protection.
They were helped by almost all cafe, restaurant, fast food, hotel owners on Taksim square who kept their establishments open to help them, risking property damage.
The Divan Hotel and its owners, the largest Turkish conglomerate, Koc Group is now known as a lover of the people. One of the family members called the hotel manager, telling him to keep the hotel doors open to protesters, to provide emergency care and food and facilities to them and lock the doors against the police unless the police had a court order. Anyone who did not follow these orders would be fired.
On the other hand, The Starbucks, Mado ice cream, Kitchenette and OzSut franchises on the square are now totally shunned by the young people and those who have heard of their closing their doors to the protesters even to the injured ones.
This is the first time that any protest of such large proportions have not turned into a riot that destroys property, that could not be diverted against other targets and that has been trusted by the local merchants and common people and pedestrians and tourists fully in history of political unrest, as far as I know.
We have the PM screaming hate almost everyday, to his applauding supporters and blaming foreign powers, terrorists, big business, atheists, European Union, "The Interest Lobby?" vandals, artists, actors, professors intellectuals who think they know better than him and his supporters.
On the other hand we still have protesters in small groups in many cities in Turkey, gassed and arrested, writers, journalists, businessmen, professors, actors threatened by government and fundamentalist.
But we are now used to it. Last two days, we even watched some TV series like Continuum and Banshee in between the news and the talk shows.
The Bar associations are working overtime to help all those arrested or threatened. The Medical Association is applying to the European Court of Human Rights.
The Fed's last statement combined with the situation is lifting the cover of deceit on the Turkish economy but also providing another scapegoat.
What little saving I have is in USD but many others who believed in the Turkish government's manipulated statistics and declarations borrowed in USD and Euros against Turkish Lira receivables, without hedging. They are in deep sh.......tck.
This includes some people who robbed me of what could have been a sizable (for me) fortune only 5-6 years ago, so I am not complaining.
Turkey is definitely safe for visitors. Istanbul is also safe and was actually safe unless one got caught in the midst of protesting groups and was hit by gas or taking photographs of police violence and considered as an anti-government foreign agent.
The protesters were from all walks of life, all ideologies, races and religions only asking for freedom of expression, less authoritarian rule and environmental protection.
They were helped by almost all cafe, restaurant, fast food, hotel owners on Taksim square who kept their establishments open to help them, risking property damage.
The Divan Hotel and its owners, the largest Turkish conglomerate, Koc Group is now known as a lover of the people. One of the family members called the hotel manager, telling him to keep the hotel doors open to protesters, to provide emergency care and food and facilities to them and lock the doors against the police unless the police had a court order. Anyone who did not follow these orders would be fired.
On the other hand, The Starbucks, Mado ice cream, Kitchenette and OzSut franchises on the square are now totally shunned by the young people and those who have heard of their closing their doors to the protesters even to the injured ones.
This is the first time that any protest of such large proportions have not turned into a riot that destroys property, that could not be diverted against other targets and that has been trusted by the local merchants and common people and pedestrians and tourists fully in history of political unrest, as far as I know.
Jun 21st, 2013, 09:01 AM
#275
The PM was lambasting the Germans yesterday for looking a bit doubtful about having such a country in the EU.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23000319
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23000319
Jun 23rd, 2013, 06:08 AM
#276
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From the Repubbica.it..New incidents at Tarsim Square..
http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2013...?ref=HREC2-2#4
http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2013...?ref=HREC2-2#4
Jun 23rd, 2013, 07:23 AM
#277
The lovely group of people yesterday were all carrying carnations when they were hit by water cannon and then followed into side streets including those which had full side walk restaurants where every one was gassed.
We again saw many atrocities committed and many TV camera confiscated and reporters and cameramen arrested. Police were especially after CNN INT and the Turkish HALK (People's) TV .
The following is our new photographic blog of the day after m That is today :
http://ahmetcafercelebiler.blogspot....ervention.html
We again saw many atrocities committed and many TV camera confiscated and reporters and cameramen arrested. Police were especially after CNN INT and the Turkish HALK (People's) TV .
The following is our new photographic blog of the day after m That is today :
http://ahmetcafercelebiler.blogspot....ervention.html
Jun 29th, 2013, 12:21 PM
#280
Thanks to all who are interested and follow.
We went up to Taksim Square again this evening for another protest and got away before any police action which was not violent fortunately.
Here are our photographs of the sally with some crazy captions :
http://ahmetcafercelebiler.blogspot....quare-615.html
The Turkish government really made an ass of itself vi-a-vis EU except for UK who with Obama still think that the PM Erdogan is God's gift to America and England.
My analysis of how the Turkish PM and State handle foreign relations is that they think that when they lie they can get away afterwards by saying that they were joking. However, soon they start believing their own lies and then start getting aggressive and obnoxious about them.
We went up to Taksim Square again this evening for another protest and got away before any police action which was not violent fortunately.
Here are our photographs of the sally with some crazy captions :
http://ahmetcafercelebiler.blogspot....quare-615.html
The Turkish government really made an ass of itself vi-a-vis EU except for UK who with Obama still think that the PM Erdogan is God's gift to America and England.
My analysis of how the Turkish PM and State handle foreign relations is that they think that when they lie they can get away afterwards by saying that they were joking. However, soon they start believing their own lies and then start getting aggressive and obnoxious about them.
