(en) F?d?ration Anarchiste / IFA : [TURKEY] STATE VIOLENCE AND POLICE VIOLENCE MUST STOP!

Following a sit-in for the preservation of Gezi Park in the central district of Taksim in 
Istanbul, which is to be demolished for the construction of a shopping center, the Turkish 
police launched a violent attack against the peaceful protesters: teargas referred 
directly to the body, high pressure water, fire tents ... Therefore spontaneous 
mobilization was set up in the district and conflicts have spread to other parts of the 
city. ---- Thus more than 50,000 people were in the streets and the Turkish police 
intensified violence and severely repressed these challenges. Currently hundreds of people 
are hospitalized and access to the park is blocked without legal basis. Nevertheless, the 
demonstrations have spread in all cities in Turkey involving all social classes, political 
organizations and trade unions.

Why this surge of anger?

In power since 2002, the AKP government, emanating from the Islamist
movement Milli Gorus (National Vision) could integrate both neoliberal
policies and conservatism based on religion and nationalism. Despite some
positive reforms in relation to the Copenhagen criteria to join the
European Union, it is quickly revealed to be an authoritarian and
dictatorial government.

There are currently 10,000 Kurdish prisoners, including many elected
representatives, thirty mayors, deputies, journalists, lawyers ... Added
to trade unionists, students and adversary?s of the power ... Recently the
government has banned the consumption of alcohol in the streets and after
hour creating a huge debate in Turkish society.

In addition, the Turkish media, which are controlled directly or have
political and economic ties with the government, refuse to handle the
incidents and Turkish news agencies block the diffusion of information
concerning the events of Gezi Park. Beyond the problem of Gezi Park, it?s
an accumulation of anger against the deprivation of freedom of the press,
union and political expression, sexual and the rights of ethnic and
religious minorities.

The Anarchist Federation (FA), a member of the International Anarchist
Federations (IFA), denounce the authoritarianism introduced by the Turkish
AKP government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is often considered as a model
for the countries in the Middle East. We want to provide our full support
to the protest movements in Turkey, especially the anarchist movement in
face of state and religious repression.

Anarchist Federation, Sunday, June 2, 2013.

[SOURCE : http://www.federation-anarchiste.org/spip.php?article1163]