Brutal Crack Down on Peaceful Environmental Protest
Jun 1st, 2013, 06:40 PM
#44
In addition to continuing protests and gassing at 3 AM here, there are apparently some groups of protesters causing damage to property on and near Taksim Square.
I slept early to recover but Eser, who came to bed about 3 AM said that she got bad hit of the gas in our balcony when she accidentally went out to supposedly get a some fresh air, which is possibly 300 meters at the closest to the square.
I received Ceylan's video but do not know how to post it here.
Eser will put it on her facebook when she wakes up (5:40 AM here)
I slept early to recover but Eser, who came to bed about 3 AM said that she got bad hit of the gas in our balcony when she accidentally went out to supposedly get a some fresh air, which is possibly 300 meters at the closest to the square.
I received Ceylan's video but do not know how to post it here.
Eser will put it on her facebook when she wakes up (5:40 AM here)
Jun 1st, 2013, 07:24 PM
#46
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OMg, a friend of mine just posted about this on FB,, she had a Turkish young girl as a hs exchange student a few years ago and the girl contacted my friend saying they were being sprayed with agent orange, almost too hard to believe but my friend had this girl live with her and trusts her completely, horrifying to thing they are doing this..
I hope Turkey takes a bit hit in the wallet for this, its the only way to learn, tourists are not interested in visiting places where the police war with the citizens and the government bullies its people.
I hope Turkey takes a bit hit in the wallet for this, its the only way to learn, tourists are not interested in visiting places where the police war with the citizens and the government bullies its people.
Jun 1st, 2013, 08:11 PM
#48
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otherchelebi, I lived in Turkey during the early 1970s when my father was an engineer on a dam near Eskishehir. I have such fond memories of the country. I hope that things settle down and that you and yours are safe.
Jun 1st, 2013, 08:31 PM
#50
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Agent orange -- how terrifying!
otherchelebi, please stay safe. I loved our visit to Turkey two years ago and am so sorry to hear of these terrible events. Please keep us posted about what is happening when you can.
otherchelebi, please stay safe. I loved our visit to Turkey two years ago and am so sorry to hear of these terrible events. Please keep us posted about what is happening when you can.
Jun 1st, 2013, 09:30 PM
#53
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"OC - please keep telling us and the rest of the world the truth about what is going on in your country."
The BBC reports seem to show that's precisely what the Turkish press is doing already.
" the girl contacted my friend saying they were being sprayed with agent orange"
What possible way could the girl concerned identify agent orange? And what possible point would there be in using it?
Agent Orange is a carcinogenic defoliant. It strips out ground cover - and the whole point about the Istanbul demonstrations is that greenery is EXACTLY what Istanbul hasn't got. It kills people weeks or months later.
Spreading it does nothing to disperse crowds. But spreading rumours about its use does a great deal to undermine the rumour-spreaders' credibility.
And more still to undermine the reliability of the gullible fools passing such ridiculous rumours on. Never mind those believing them.
The BBC reports seem to show that's precisely what the Turkish press is doing already.
" the girl contacted my friend saying they were being sprayed with agent orange"
What possible way could the girl concerned identify agent orange? And what possible point would there be in using it?
Agent Orange is a carcinogenic defoliant. It strips out ground cover - and the whole point about the Istanbul demonstrations is that greenery is EXACTLY what Istanbul hasn't got. It kills people weeks or months later.
Spreading it does nothing to disperse crowds. But spreading rumours about its use does a great deal to undermine the rumour-spreaders' credibility.
And more still to undermine the reliability of the gullible fools passing such ridiculous rumours on. Never mind those believing them.
Jun 2nd, 2013, 12:55 AM
#54
flanneruk, go away back to the lounge where you can conduct unnecessary and inconsequential arguments.
This is a serious and eventually a travel related thread. No one will be falling into your trap no matter what kind of names you call people.
For the concerned followers of the thread :
I have been at home from the beginning but witnessing the streets on two sides of our building and getting reports from various family members and friends on the street and also following Channel 53 which is the only one reporting from the scene.
Apparently, there is a major clamp down on all except three TV channels by the Government. They just give short news reports during their news hours and then lots of coverage to the PM who shouts, "There was police at Taksim, There is police at Taksim, There will always be police at Taksim We have decided to build the military barracks in Taksim and that is what will happen no matter what anyone says. Do not fall into the traps of my political opponents, We love the green more than anyone and have planted two billion trees so far."
Interestingly, I found that BBC was the most unfriendly of all international news media to our plight here to the extent of not reporting admonishment to the Turkish government by the US State Department and the EU.
Similarly, the caring people here are now boycotting most Turkish TV channels, to the extent of not allowing their vehicles to the protest sites since they either do not report or report slanted views.
Unfortunately, there is now some vandalism going on in some areas with possibly scavengers making use of the noman's land between the protesters and the police.
Only the Istanbul mayor gave a press conference, saying, I have now learned that you should not do anything without consulting the public"
Good morning after supper, we say. He said this near the end of his second term.
In any case, Eser and I will have to leave our house in an hour or so, to try to drive to a ferry boat to cross to the Asian side because other routes from our home are very dangerous.
It just occurred to me to call Dominos Pizza which delivers to find out which routes are clear.
A last minute report on TV is that, a major TV journalist of possibly the most popular TV Channel, channel D, has been arrested in Ankara.
This is a serious and eventually a travel related thread. No one will be falling into your trap no matter what kind of names you call people.
For the concerned followers of the thread :
I have been at home from the beginning but witnessing the streets on two sides of our building and getting reports from various family members and friends on the street and also following Channel 53 which is the only one reporting from the scene.
Apparently, there is a major clamp down on all except three TV channels by the Government. They just give short news reports during their news hours and then lots of coverage to the PM who shouts, "There was police at Taksim, There is police at Taksim, There will always be police at Taksim We have decided to build the military barracks in Taksim and that is what will happen no matter what anyone says. Do not fall into the traps of my political opponents, We love the green more than anyone and have planted two billion trees so far."
Interestingly, I found that BBC was the most unfriendly of all international news media to our plight here to the extent of not reporting admonishment to the Turkish government by the US State Department and the EU.
Similarly, the caring people here are now boycotting most Turkish TV channels, to the extent of not allowing their vehicles to the protest sites since they either do not report or report slanted views.
Unfortunately, there is now some vandalism going on in some areas with possibly scavengers making use of the noman's land between the protesters and the police.
Only the Istanbul mayor gave a press conference, saying, I have now learned that you should not do anything without consulting the public"
Good morning after supper, we say. He said this near the end of his second term.
In any case, Eser and I will have to leave our house in an hour or so, to try to drive to a ferry boat to cross to the Asian side because other routes from our home are very dangerous.
It just occurred to me to call Dominos Pizza which delivers to find out which routes are clear.
A last minute report on TV is that, a major TV journalist of possibly the most popular TV Channel, channel D, has been arrested in Ankara.
Jun 2nd, 2013, 01:28 AM
#56
The president of the Turkish Bar Association is on TV now. He says, "It is horrible to witness a government to use such vicious and brutal force to stop the peaceful protest of a few environmentalists, and allow protests grow to millions countrywide in over 15 cities and turn into anti-government feelings."
He is now talking of his visit to the police children's detention center to help the detained kids yesterday. He found out that they were all high school students who met each other during the protest but were detained as if they were part of a terrorist organization. All of them were also beaten, although non of them had resisted arrest since they did not think they were doing anything wrong. There were two he met at a hospital one shot at close trange, losing 40% of his testes, one losing an ye, one hopelessly losing most of his frontal lobe, and many with burns on their faces and bodies. The photgraphs show that all pepper gas was shot directly at the protestors, or shot to the ground thus causing the canister to fracture and injure those close by and burning them. All the police ha these guns, while use of these guns should be allowed to only those well trained in their application.
Another news is that many protestors at Taksim Square are cleaning the debris from last night, including large numbers of pepper gas canisters, and carrying them to municipality dump trucks.
He is now talking of his visit to the police children's detention center to help the detained kids yesterday. He found out that they were all high school students who met each other during the protest but were detained as if they were part of a terrorist organization. All of them were also beaten, although non of them had resisted arrest since they did not think they were doing anything wrong. There were two he met at a hospital one shot at close trange, losing 40% of his testes, one losing an ye, one hopelessly losing most of his frontal lobe, and many with burns on their faces and bodies. The photgraphs show that all pepper gas was shot directly at the protestors, or shot to the ground thus causing the canister to fracture and injure those close by and burning them. All the police ha these guns, while use of these guns should be allowed to only those well trained in their application.
Another news is that many protestors at Taksim Square are cleaning the debris from last night, including large numbers of pepper gas canisters, and carrying them to municipality dump trucks.
Jun 2nd, 2013, 02:30 AM
#57
Some latest figures :
90 protests in 47 cities in Turkey, plus many in Europe and the United States.
This is definitely very serious. But the PM or his ministers will not back down from their defiant stance.
Very common in authoritarian environments where leaders feel that they have the divine right to do what they wish.
90 protests in 47 cities in Turkey, plus many in Europe and the United States.
This is definitely very serious. But the PM or his ministers will not back down from their defiant stance.
Very common in authoritarian environments where leaders feel that they have the divine right to do what they wish.
Jun 2nd, 2013, 03:12 AM
#58
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I don't know where the BBC gets their news from, but all the TV and press/internet coverage you see in Germany reflects how OC describes what's going on.
When I read that even CNN Turk decided to air a documentary on issues of women at their workplace while the tear gas granades were exploding on Taksim, you suspect that there is no free and unbiased coverage on official media.
While riot control is part of every police force's job worldwide, the extent of police brutality is shocking in Istanbul. When I read that even fleeing demostrators who seek shelter in hospitals or just try to run away are being followed and shot at with water cannons and tear gas at closest distance --- this has nothing to do with even questionable hard police response but is nothing but random brutality and sadism.
I assume the cops are having a field day (or to be fair: at least some cops) as they know that they have to fear no sanctions as the big leader loves them for what they do.
When I read that even CNN Turk decided to air a documentary on issues of women at their workplace while the tear gas granades were exploding on Taksim, you suspect that there is no free and unbiased coverage on official media.
While riot control is part of every police force's job worldwide, the extent of police brutality is shocking in Istanbul. When I read that even fleeing demostrators who seek shelter in hospitals or just try to run away are being followed and shot at with water cannons and tear gas at closest distance --- this has nothing to do with even questionable hard police response but is nothing but random brutality and sadism.
I assume the cops are having a field day (or to be fair: at least some cops) as they know that they have to fear no sanctions as the big leader loves them for what they do.
Jun 2nd, 2013, 08:05 AM
#60
I am reading and watching all possible media with a lump in my throat. Wishing all of you who are now-or soon to be-in Turkey, safe movement and a peaceful end to these increasingly large and dangerous demonstrations. And thank you for your posts with the perspective of close proximity.
Colduphere: You manage to keep your sense of humor, even during such stressful times - I hope your DD has inherited this wonderful quality...and I wish her a safe return.
Colduphere: You manage to keep your sense of humor, even during such stressful times - I hope your DD has inherited this wonderful quality...and I wish her a safe return.
