[Urbanstudy] What is Happenning in Istanbul?

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    What is Happenning in Istanbul?
    <http://defnesumanblogs.com/2013/06/01/what-is-happenning-in-istanbul/>

01/06/2013 
<http://defnesumanblogs.com/2013/06/01/what-is-happenning-in-istanbul/>tarihinde 
yay?mland?bysumandef <http://defnesumanblogs.com/author/sumandef/>
1954 Votes

Görsel 
<http://defnesumanblogs.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/kc3b6prc3bc1.jpg>

Taken from Occupy Gezi's Facebook page.

To my friends who live outside of Turkey:

I am writing to let you know what is going on in Istanbul for the last 
five days. I personally have to write this because most of the media 
sources are shut down by the government and the word of mouth and the 
internet are the only ways left for us to explain ourselves and call for 
help and support.

Four days ago a group of people who did not belong to any specific 
organization or ideology got together in Istanbul's Gezi Park. Among 
them there were many of my friends and students.  Their reason was 
simple: To prevent and protest the upcoming demolishing of the park for 
the sake of building yet another shopping mall at very center of the 
city. There are numerous shopping malls in Istanbul, at least one in 
every neighborhood! The tearing down of the trees was supposed to begin 
early Thursday morning. People went to the park with their blankets, 
books and children. They put their tents down and spent the night under 
the trees.  Early in the morning when the bulldozers started to pull the 
hundred-year-old trees out of the ground, they stood up against them to 
stop the operation.

They did nothing other than standing in front of the machines.

No newspaper, no television channel was there to report the protest. It 
was a complete media black out.

But the police arrived with water cannon vehicles and pepper spray. 
  They chased the crowds out of the park.

In the evening the number of protesters multiplied. So did the number of 
police forces around the park. Meanwhile local government of Istanbul 
shut down all the ways leading up to Taksim square where the Gezi Park 
is located. The metro was shut down, ferries were cancelled, roads were 
blocked.

Yet more and more people made their way up to the center of the city by 
walking.

They came from all around Istanbul. They came from all different 
backgrounds, different ideologies, different religions. They all 
gathered to prevent the demolition of something bigger than the park:

The right to live as honorable citizens of this country.

They gathered and marched. Police chased them with pepper spray and tear 
gas and drove their tanks over people who offered the police food in 
return. Two young people were run over by the tanks and were killed. 
Another young woman, a friend of mine, was hit in the head by one of the 
incoming tear gas canisters. The police were shooting them straight into 
the crowd.  After a three hour operation she is still in Intensive Care 
Unit and in  very critical condition. As I write this we don't know if 
she is going to make it. This blog is dedicated to her.

These people are my friends. They are my students, my relatives. They 
have no «hidden agenda» as the state likes to say. Their agenda is out 
there. It is very clear. The whole country is being sold to corporations 
by the government, for the construction of malls, luxury condominiums, 
freeways, dams and nuclear plants. The government is looking for (and 
creating when necessary) any excuse to attack Syria against its people's 
will.

On top of all that, the government control over its people's personal 
lives has become unbearable as of late. The state, under its 
conservative agenda passed many laws and regulations concerning 
abortion, cesarean birth, sale and use of alcohol and even the color of 
lipstick worn by the airline stewardesses.

People who are marching to the center of Istanbul are demanding their 
right to live freely and receive justice, protection and respect from 
the State. They demand to be involved in the decision-making processes 
about the city they live in.

What they have received instead is excessive force and enormous amounts 
of tear gas shot straight into their faces. Three people lost their eyes.

Yet they still march. Hundred of thousands join them. Couple of more 
thousand passed the Bosporus Bridge on foot to support the people of Taksim.

No newspaper or TV channel was there to report the events. They were 
busy with broadcasting news about Miss Turkey and "the strangest cat of 
the world".

Police kept chasing people and spraying them with pepper spray to an 
extent that stray dogs and cats were poisoned and died by it.

Schools, hospitals and even 5 star hotels around Taksim Square opened 
their doors to the injured. Doctors filled the classrooms and hotel 
rooms to provide first aid. Some police officers refused to spray 
innocent people with tear gas and quit their jobs. Around the square 
they placed jammers to prevent internet connection and 3g networks were 
blocked. Residents and businesses in the area provided free wireless 
network for the people on the streets. Restaurants offered food and 
water for free.

People in Ankara and I.zmir gathered on the streets to support the 
resistance in Istanbul.

Mainstream media kept showing Miss Turkey and "the strangest cat of the 
world".

***

I am writing this letter so that you know what is going on in Istanbul. 
Mass media will not tell you any of this. Not in my country at least. 
Please post as many as articles as you see on the Internet and spread 
the word.

As I was posting articles that explained what is happening in Istanbul 
on my Facebook page last night someone asked me the following question:

«What are you hoping to gain by complaining about our country to 
foreigners?»

This blog is my answer to her.

By so called «complaining» about my country I am hoping to gain:

Freedom of expression and speech,

Respect for human rights,

Control over the decisions I make concerning my on my body,

The right to legally congregate in any part of the city without being 
considered a terrorist.

But most of all by spreading the word to you, my friends who live in 
other parts of the world, I am hoping to get your awareness, support and 
help!

Please spread the word and share this blog.

Thank you!

For futher info and things you


-- 
Leo Saldanha *[Environmental, Social Justice and Governance 
Initiatives]* Environment Support Group - Trust 1572, 36th Cross, Ring 
Road Banashankari II Stage Bangalore 560070. INDIA Tel: 
91-80-26713559-61 Fax/Voice: 91-80-26713316 Email: leo at esgindia.org 
Blog: http://leoonpublicmatters.blogspot.com/ Web: www.esgindia.org


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