B. whereas the Turkish Government has proceeded at a quick pace with neoliberal economic reforms and deregulation linked to the EU accession process, but by contrast political and democratic reforms such as improving respect for human rights are moving forward at a very slow pace; C. whereas systematic violence against protesters has become a frequent phenomenon in Turkey; D. whereas the mass demonstrations which began as a protest against a redevelopment project in Gezi Park (Istanbul) have rapidly turned into a protest movement against oppression, in reaction to police brutality and the violence inflicted on the protesters in Taksim Square; E. whereas according to human rights organisations and doctors’ unions, the violence of recent days has now spread across the country, with four people killed and at least 1 500 injured in Istanbul, and more than 700 injured in Ankara; F. whereas tear-gas canisters were widely used by the police against initially peaceful protests, and many more canisters were dropped from helicopters above residential areas devoid of protesters; whereas on several occasions tear-gas canisters were shot into homes, in violation of the principles of necessity and proportionality; G. whereas there are serious accusations that the Government of Turkey had attempted to block social networks and cut internet access, in an attempt to arrest the flow of information from the scenes of the anti-government rallies; whereas Prime Minster Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called the social media ‘a menace’; H. whereas the massive demonstrations have highlighted the political instability in the country; whereas, although the popular mobilisations represent a broad ideological spectrum, they nonetheless constitute a clear externalisation of anger on the part of the Turkish people directed at the government of Erdogan and his ruling AKP party; I. whereas the pursuing and implementation of a pro-Islamic agenda has created rifts and conflicts among different social, political and economic groups in Turkey;
Posted on: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:58:42 +0000
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