Help cry for freedom of Turkey

S

smbilgin

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Sep 8, 2010
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Dear RFFers,

This is not a photographic topic, yet I'll share a lot of photos.

It's been 5 days since the resistance began in Istanbul. The government stated that one of the last green parts in Istanbul (Gezi Parkı / Taksim Square) will be demolished and converted to a shopping mall. The resistance started to protect the trees but now turned into a freedom cry against the dictatorship of the prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Police attacks the people to kill, not to stop them. It is said at least 3 people have been killed and around 1000 injured. But none of them can be confirmed, because press in Turkey shows nothing, police blocked the 3G connection and the whole internet is about to be cut.

Workers, students, socialists, democrats, liberals, football clubs fans, artists, feminists, secularists, Turkish people, Kurdish people, everyone who believes that we can all live together fight back to this fascist dictator today in Turkey and ask your help. Just spread the word. Let the world know that we are not alone...

Some photos can be followed here. But let me warn you. They are not pleasant. Not at all...

http://occupygezipics.tumblr.com

#OccupyGezi
 
Anyone who cannot see himself or herself in the victims and protesters lacks all imagination and sympathy. It sounds crazy to criticize these pictures as if they were just happy-snaps or self-indulgent 'fine art' but many of them, are very, very moving indeed. This is a great illustration of how photography transcends national and linguistic borders.

As you say, many are not pleasant. But they are important. I was near tears much of the time. Thank you for the link.

R.
 
I get so sick and tired of seeing pictures like this. When oh when are governments going to figure out that it is much better to listen to the people and correct problems than to beat gas and shoot them.

Best of luck to all of you.
 
this is definitely not Huzun... i can totally sympathize with anger at the destruction of a city's heritage just to put up another soulless shopping mall. However, this is insane with the reactions from Erdogan. Bring back a more humane military that seeks stability rather than bloodshed.

my heart goes out to the Istanbullus'
 
As of 18.00 (local time), Taksim Square was taken back by over a million protestors and more people are coming. Waiting for the good news from other resistant cities all over the country...
 
95toag.jpg
 
Amazing! Good to see the people rise up to protest greedy politicians. I expect there's a lot more than just a shopping mall in place of a park on people's minds.
 
Congratulations on the police pulling back. It is also good to see that part of the business community is, at least in a minor way, supporting the protests by renouncing the extent of force being used by the police.
 
Thanks everyone...

New pics are added to the link.

http://occupygezipics.tumblr.com

Jon, believe me, there is much more than just trees and shopping malls.

* The government arranged an attack on Hatay / Reyhanlı recently, killed tens of people. They blamed Bashar Assad, in order to declare war on Syria.

* The PM called "drunk" to the founder of the republic, Atatürk

* They limited of alcohol sales

* They named the new bosphorous bridge "Yavuz Sultan Selim" last week. He was the most brutal Sultan in ottoman empire who even killed his own son along with more than 40.000 innocent citizens.

* They stated they are going to demolish Gezi Park in Taksim Square in order to build a shopping mall. They started cutting the trees.

So the trees are now symbol of our lifestyle. But the reaction is for much more than just a shopping mall. People say "enough" and will keep saying this from now on.
 
Hi to everyone
I just manage to come home. Protest still going on. I am fallowing protest in Turkey near a decade and I never saw such think. I am used to tear gas and generally I am not using a gas mask but this time I felt to need for it. Also it is reported that police are started to use a different gas. There is a violent clash around Beşiktaş now. Actually at evening time protesters started to celebrate their victories at Taksim. But now everything is changed. As I said clashes are going on Beşiktaş. Moreover clashes are spread around Turkey.
Just saw the topic and want to give some brief information from the field (Sorry I couldn't read whole thread). I am exhausted and I need to sleep for tomorrow.

BTW Everything changed so rapidly and I couldn't stop by my local film dealer. Guess what? I had no film during action. And guess again? I don't have a digital camera. I must be an idiot. Nevertheless I am in the action and at least recording it in my mind.
 
Hi Tom,

Yes that is Gezi Park. Protestors are cleaning the park at the moment. So there will be always free hug no matter what...

Thank you all and we hope to host you guys once more in İstanbul once we save it.
 
smbilgin said:
We don't want military's intervention. Military will never bring freedom. The people is fighting for their own freedom.


Taylan, I am glad you OK.

Link is updated...

http://occupygezipics.tumblr.com
Click to expand...

while that is true, i was wondering because whenever politicians try to change or slander ataturk, the military will defend his memory and whatnot and come in on behalf of his legacy...
 
Hi Tom,

It is my mistake, I opened this topic under off topic, so blaming the mods would be unfair. My bad. But if a moderator could move to a better place, it would be helpful.


Hi kaiwasoyokaze,
It used to be like that, but they put all "nationalist" military officers to prison in last several years and they control the army now. On the other hand the riot has not started because of some insult to Atatürk. This only helped to increase the number of protestors by the attendance of nationalists groups. This is now much more than that. People are now defending their way of life, their friends, their hopes, their streets. This much reaction has not been seen for a very long time. And everyone hopes that is just a beginning until we get rid of this dictator.


The situation that I can observe; Taksim is controlled by protestors now. But in Ankara clash is still going on. From yesterday evening to this morning most of the cities had a lot of small or large demonstrations and more than 900 people reported detained. Injured people are countless. There are rumours that several death but we cannot get confirmation.

We will see what is next.

Thank you all.
 
As of 00.30 local time, almost every city is under tear gas now and people are still crying: "Shoulder to shoulder against facism!"
 
Thanks very much for keeping us informed. I won't say I look forward to more news -- such news is never encouraging or to be looked forward to -- but I shall be grateful when you do it. As will many others.

Is there anything concrete that those outside Turkey can do to help? Or can we offer only moral support, to remind you that many outside Turkey admire the resistance?

Thanks again,

R.
 
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