Massive Protests in Turkey against Islamist Government

[pmaitra]

You have silly ideas. Are you a pot smoker?

I think what @The Messiah meant was Assad should return the favour, and he meant it in jest.

 

[The Messiah]

Turkish army clashes with PKK militants near Iraq border

Turkish Army helicopters have returned fire at Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) militants who targeted a Turkish military base near border with Iraq.


According to the Turkish army, PKK militants fired at the military base in the southeastern city of Sirnak, prompting an army helicopter to return fire. One soldier was reportedly injured in the clash.

This is the first clash reported by the Turkish army since it entered into a truce with PKK leader, Abdullah Ocalan, back in March, halting a 28-year armed struggle between the two sides.

Following the peace deal, the militants started withdrawing from Turkey to settle in bases in northern Iraq on May 8.

However, the group warned Ankara against "provocations and clashes" which it stated could hamper the retreat.

It also asked independent rights groups to take part in the process by observing the withdrawal, saying this could contribute to a safe operation.

The PKK has been fighting for an autonomous Kurdish region in southeastern Turkey since the 1980s. The conflict has left tens of thousands of people dead.

Ocalan, who was captured by Turkish security forces in the Kenyan capital Nairobi in 1999, is serving a life sentence at Imrali Island prison on charges of leading the PKK in its armed campaign against Ankara.

PressTV - Turkish army clashes with PKK militants near Iraq border

 

[The Messiah]

@20 sec

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=afe_1370167341

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=dc5_1370093547

 

[The Messiah]

 

[Commando]

Turkey will turn into pakistan shortly since they like pakis aligned with the saudis & west and harboured terrorists so as to unleash them onto there neighbouring country.

Let's not get carried away here. Turkey is nowhere close to being turned into Pakistan. Aside from the Kurdish issue, Turkey is not in danger of being balkanized along ethnic lines. Furthermore, as other posters pointed out, Turkey was founded on the principles of democracy and secularism unlike Pakistan which was birthed by the notion of a pure Islamic state.

What is happening in Taksim is nothing more than a massive revolt against the creeping Islamism Ergogan's government had been surreptitiously setting into motion since it came into power. Considering Erdogan's staunch and unyielding response to the protests, I fully expect these protests to grow in numbers as more and more people complain about his crackdowns. If anything, the protests should rectify and set the country back onto the course Ataturk envisioned.

Fact of the matter is that turkey is pro-pakistan and aligned with the west and saudis. They are against syria, iraq and iran so it is only natural that we cultivate ties with iran. If we do that then pakis will get surrounded themselves since afghanistan isn't pro-pakis either. Earlier on iraq was our biggest ally in the region and we betrayed saddam to the yanks. Syria, iraq, iran and afghanistan together is a big land mass and we must not sit on our asses and do nothing!

I would say that Iran is already not particularly keen about Pakistan's current state. Pakistan's close ties with Saudi Arabia and the creeping Wahabism that has been slowly gripping the country has made the Iranians repulsed by Pakistan's current standing. If I'm not mistaken, India and Iran have already shown their mutual Anti-Pakistani stance back in the 80s when they backed the Northern Alliance against Pakistan/USA/Saudi's Taliban and Al-Qaeda networks.

 

[SajeevJino]

According to Russia Today

More than 1000 Arrested and 3 of them Killed

and Twitter banned in turkey

 

[pmaitra]

According to Russia Today, Turkey has the largest number of journalists in prison.

 

[nrupatunga]

According to Russia Today, Turkey has the largest number of journalists in prison.

I suppose even EU has similar opinion.

Even in 2009 iran, post elections many middle class, urban citizens took to streets but to no avail. Even in turkey, its same as long as AKP controls huge rural masses and even urban anatolia, it should be fine (unless army meddles) for akp. In turkey. Also since west is least interested in any sort of regime change in turkey, protests will subside gradually. This is what happened in iran.

 

[SajeevJino]

[tweet]341896651729940480[/tweet]

 

[Singh]

According to Russia Today, Turkey has the largest number of journalists in prison.

Authoritarianism and Secularism are not related.

 

[Ray]

Ataturk must be whirling in his grave.

Like a Dervish?

 

[sob]

Guys I am in Turkey for the last 4 days and will be moving to Istanbul on Friday. Hopefully the area should become peaceful. Here in the Cappadocia region and in Antalya there is no sign of the protest.

Twitter and FB working fine for me.

 

[The Messiah]

Guys I am in Turkey for the last 4 days and will be moving to Istanbul on Friday. Hopefully the area should become peaceful. Here in the Cappadocia region and in Antalya there is no sign of the protest.

Twitter and FB working fine for me.

You should join the protest. Have a nice banner saying India supports the protests, also dont forget to mention DFI

 

[civfanatic]

Many Turks are saying that there is a media blackout on the protests, as much of Turkish media is state-controlled or influenced. Some of the protesters were depicted as terrorists early on, and the government allegedly hired goons to pose as protesters and go on a rampage. Some reports of black automobiles with shaded windows running over protesters. And besides the widespread use of tear gas, people are also getting killed without much mention in the media.

Here are a few pics. This man was killed with real bullets:

Good luck and stay safe to all Turks.

 

[Singh]

Guys I am in Turkey for the last 4 days and will be moving to Istanbul on Friday. Hopefully the area should become peaceful. Here in the Cappadocia region and in Antalya there is no sign of the protest.

Twitter and FB working fine for me.

Selam,

Enjoying Kabobs ?

No youtube ?

Goto Taksim Square if you enjoy nightlife and a bit of vice, or Reina nightclub if you really enjoy nightlife. And definitely hit the Galatta Bridge in the evening.

Blue Mosque, Harem, etc are underwhelming, Indian monuments knock the socks out of them.

 

[Singh]

From what I heard the Govt has backed off from the heavy-handedness. Although, these protests have assumed a far greater meaning. Reminds of the Arabic Spring, although in this case Turkish Summer will be a hell of a lot better for the region.

 

[amoy]

Spilling over from urban mid class and youth venting to other strata?? :shocked:

Major trade union launches two-day strike backing Turkey protests | The Raw Story

One of Turkey's main trade union confederations joined protests against the government, after another night of clashes between police and demonstrators in Istanbul and Ankara.

Turkey's Confederation of Public Workers' Unions (KESK) has called a two-day strike from Tuesday to protest against the police crackdown.

"The state terror implemented against entirely peaceful protests is continuing in a way that threatens civilians' life safety," the KESK said Monday in a statement on its website.


The police crackdown showed the Islamist-rooted government's "enmity to democracy", it said.

The left-leaning confederation has some 240,000 members in 11 unions and the action will likely affect schools, universities and public offices across the country.

 

[nrupatunga]

The last photo 'Women in red' is doing rounds across globe.

 

[sob]

You should join the protest. Have a nice banner saying India supports the protests, also dont forget to mention DFI

Had a very interesting discussion with some college students 3-4 days back in Antalya who were on their way to participate in the protest.
They were afraid that under the current leadership, turkey would become another Afghanistan or Pakistan.

 

[SajeevJino]

lets Start it....Beep beeep

[tweet]344635305577553920[/tweet]


Russia Should Arm the Protesters and NATO should send Supplies to Erdogon