The 2013 Turkish Uprising Thread

[Nordic]

I never miss Hugh.

If you miss him, you can parody him in your head, and hum along. He was that predictable.

[norton ash]

Like Hugh would be able to let something beautiful with a DISNEY association just be. Heehee.

[JackRiddler]

I just slept for about 17 hours. Guess my body needed the rest. It's about 1:40am here, and it's pouring outside here in Istanbul. I'll take this time to finish going through my photos from the last few days.

She may be leaving Istanbul soon. To which I replied, "Your trip to Turkey is one of the greatest I have ever had the pleasure to take."

[cptmarginal]

I wonder how the current situation in Turkey will affect the war in Syria...

CIA preparing to deliver rebels arms through Turkey and Jordan

That's only the latest development - the Turkish-Syrian border has been one of the main staging grounds for various intelligence agencies that are influencing Syria lately

[DrEvil]

I never miss Hugh.

If you miss him, you can parody him in your head, and hum along. He was that predictable.

Hmm.. Something like a "Dr. Evil's Sing-Along Blog"?

And don't worry, I meant to say that I almost miss him.

Anyway - Erdogan is obviously another borderline fascist strongman in the making. He should be removed before he destroys his own country.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/ju ... protesters

[OP ED]

OP ED loves Hugh.

every fifteen or so threads, Hugh would let you see a glimpse of Hugh's soul, which was bright and wonderful and true, and it made you realize how he could last so long here, in all the fire. it made OP ED happy in a that-sort-of-stubborness-and-resolve-is-how-we-evolved-from-the-muck-in-the-first-place-and-its-the-type-of-shit-that-will-carry-us-through-the-nuclear-winters-to-come-kind-of-way. OP ED misses his predictable interjections often.

[OP ED]

sorry, Hugh is still off-topic.

OP ED got distracted while OP ED was learning more about Turkey.

[Luther Blissett]

Mods should this thread be merged with the Erdogan one I bumped when the occupation began? Or just those last couple pages from that thread moved over here?

Rumors of big stuff going on tonight. Children, patients and doctors teargassed. It seems pretty brutal. The #occupygezi tag on tumblr has some longform commentary and photosets.

[KUAN]

'Beautiful. Perhaps the finest piece of "protest music" in years'.

[Allegro]

KUAN, I’m so glad you posted ^^ that video .

The singing with gentle rhythmic taps and palm beats and smiles reminded me of Alice’s thoughts during Egypt’s uprising.

...the clue to my thought is the word kitchen. Not even I know where writing will take me when thinking about kitchens and art and music and uprisings in streets.

"A woman's place is in the kitchen". Yes, in my case that's true, although it would be more accurate to say that the kitchen is the place where I am most myself. I designed my kitchen to be an oasis of high efficiency and functionality and also beauty, a physical manifestation of what I love. But I've always been fascinated by the concept of kitchens. A proper kitchen is where everything makes sense and has a purpose and a place, where there is order and light and good ventilation and space to move around. It's where creativity is important, where you can make your own rules, but only as long as you respect the rules of physics and chemistry and good taste, which you often learn the hard way. It teaches you to seek the knowledge of those who have succeeded before you, and then to adapt this knowledge to your own and your family's needs. It's where high technology and age-old traditions can come together to nourish and delight.

It's where you can take time out, while something simmers or bakes, listen to music and enjoy a cup of something and a cigarette while gazing at the changing world outside, and think about things, while another part of you is alert to what's going on in the oven or on the stove. The kitchen teaches patience, and teaches you to trust your senses - all six of them. It teaches you to respect limitations: of time, of resources, even weather (for example, sometimes it's just too hot to leave the oven on all day), and skill. But it also teaches you that with experience and advance planning, these limitations can be overcome, or worked around.

Now see what you've started? What does this have to do with uprisings in streets? More than most people are capable of understanding, unfortunately.

[parel]

A mother prepares an anti-teargas solution for her daughters who go and resist in Gezi Park.

[JackRiddler]

Spent the day at Zuccotti Park where there were parallel demonstrations of the Turks, the Greeks (#OccupyERT) and the Brazilians (riots and crackdown in Sao Paulo over the subway fare hike). Plus Occupy! So much to tell, can't be done now, must sleep. In the afternoon word came of the massive crackdown on Taksim and the battles all over Istanbul. All I can say people is follow Jenna Pope: she's everywhere, she's telling this story in epic fashion. So anyway, next thing you know we followed the Turks uptown, 150+ people protesting outside CNN to demand they cover the events.

[beeline]

Spent the day at Zuccotti Park where there were parallel demonstrations of the Turks, the Greeks (#OccupyERT) and the Brazilians (riots and crackdown in Sao Paulo over the subway fare hike). Plus Occupy! So much to tell, can't be done now, must sleep. In the afternoon word came of the massive crackdown on Taksim and the battles all over Istanbul. All I can say people is follow Jenna Pope: she's everywhere, she's telling this story in epic fashion. So anyway, next thing you know we followed the Turks uptown, 150+ people protesting outside CNN to demand they cover the events.

Legitimate question: Does anyone know if there is anything financially someone could do to help? I am thinking along the lines of Occupy, when people had pizzas, water etc. delivered. I did search-engine this, but I only came up with:

http://www.policymic.com/articles/46095/turkey-protests-2013-can-indiegogo-help-crowdsource-a-revolution

http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/countries/europe/turkey

[beeline]

http://descrier.co.uk/world/2013/06/turkey-arrest-of-lawyers-journalists-and-doctors-shows-erdogans-true-colours/


Turkey: Arrest of Lawyers, Journalists and Doctors Shows Erdogan’s True Colours

The world has been watching the Turkish protests with interest over the last two weeks, as a country which many saw as a possible model for post-Arab Spring democracies crush peaceful protests with violence. However, it is the arrests of lawyers, journalists, and doctors who were helping protesters or uncovering police brutality that best demonstrate Prime Minister Erdogan's authoritarian roots.

The international press have been showing images of peaceful protesters being knocked off their feet by high pressure water cannons and the clouds of tear gas over Taksim Square for the last two weeks. However, it is the ease with which Erdogan's government managed to censor the national Turkish press, announce the possibility of using the army to quell further protest, and arrest journalists, lawyers, and doctors for helping the protesters, that really demonstrates its darker authoritarian tendencies.

Even before the recent outbreak of protests, Reporters Without Borders called Turkey the "world's biggest prison for journalists" with 72 media personnel imprisoned. The current protests are only pushing that number higher, as the AKP government attempts to stem to flow of information about widespread discontent with their rule across the country. They have even forced Hayat TV offline, for what the editor believes to be their coverage of the protests in Taksim Square and Gezi Park, a news story that was oddly left out of most Turkish national news coverage.

Last week the government rounded up and arrested 73 lawyers who were protesting at the Istanbul courthouse over the treatment of protesters and the lack of legal due process in their arrests. This is in addition to the 32 lawyers previously jailed for alleged representing groups that Erdogan's government deemed "extremist", who are still awaiting trial. The arrest of lawyers for the actions of their clients, however distasteful, is an assault on the rule of law where everyone should be awarded a fair trial. With lawyers fearing jail for working with protesters, many of those arrested for taking part in the peaceful protests over the last two weeks, now may not be able to put together a proper legal defence.

Now it appears that the Turkish government are going after doctors that helped injured protesters both in hospitals and the make-shift field-hospitals set up in hotel lobbies around Taksim Square to treat the 7,500 injured in the protests. Turkish Medical Association (TBB) reported that the Turkish Health Ministry demanded a list of all doctors who had treated injured demonstrators, although the TBB has failed to co-operate with the demand. Nevertheless, during the protests a number of volunteer doctors wearing white coats were arrested on the spot in the makeshift field hospitals as they treated protesters with problems breathing after inhaling tear gas, or injuries from rubber bullets. Doctors from around Istanbul went on strike to protest against the arrest of their colleagues

With journalists, lawyers, and doctors facing prison for helping peaceful protesters, any semblance of a liberal democracy is rapidly evaporating and being replaced by worrying authoritarianism in the country in which the east meets the west.

[JackRiddler]

I think OWS is about to come back as The Zuccotti Internationale.

SOLIDARITY WITH BRAZIL, TURKEY, AND GREECE!
https://www.facebook.com/events/405718132879430/?ref=2