"Centuries-Old Gardens Are the Latest Battleground in Istanbul"

[Simon Fairlie]

> From: Cihan BAYSAL <cihanbaysal at yahoo.com>
> Date: 20 July 2013 23:04:23 BDT
> To: "v.tomse at gmail.com" <v.tomse at gmail.com>
> Cc: "reclaiming-spaces at listi.jpberlin.de" <reclaiming- 
> spaces at listi.jpberlin.de>
> Subject: Re: [reclaiming-spaces] "Centuries-Old Gardens Are the  
> Latest Battleground in Istanbul"
> Reply-To: Cihan BAYSAL <cihanbaysal at yahoo.com>
>
> Dear Vesna;
>
> First, I would like to spell out that as Chapulcus we will never  
> forget the support and solidarity of our international friends.
>
> Istanbul is still restless even though we reclaimed Gezi and also  
> won the court case against Taksim Square Project.
>
> We reclaimed Gezi but lost both the Square and Istiklal Street from  
> where rallies and marches used to be made to the Square. The  
> government no longer  tolerates any protest event around Taksim,  
> does not let the crowds march to the Square to make press  
> statements or to announce their grievances . The riot police is  
> present at every event with pepper  gas and water canons and rubber  
> bullets to crash it.This I believe is the revenge!
>
> Violations of the right to peaceful demonstrations and to freedom  
> of expression have been mounting so have the threats to human  
> rights defenders. 12 important figures( Mucella Yapici is the  
> eminent one)  from Taksim Solidarity were taken into custody,  
> harassed by the police during the custody  and after 3 days they  
> were released. However the prosecutor filed a complaint against  
> their release and they will be sued again. So this is also a  
> reminder to those who have escaped the first cycle of custodies , a  
> threat  not to trespass the boundaries set by the government! But  
> it is no use, nobody cares, the threshold of fear has been  
> surpassed long ago so the marches and rallies of  protest continue  
> no matter what while everyone gets her /his share of the gas .
>
> As a reaction, creative ways of evading police intervention and  
> civil disobedience tactics are on the rise ,very much in accordance  
> with the Gezi spirit.You must have heard about the ''Standing  
> Man''.Since it is the Ramadan now and a time of  fasting,  
> anticapitalist Muslims ( a prestigious group at Gezi) invented open- 
> air iftars ( breaking the fasting ) as a tactic of appropriation of  
> space and occupation against the hindrances of police forces. So,  
> open air iftars or ''terra firma'' tables as they are called are on  
> each and every street of the city now. The tables are open to  
> everyone whether one is fasting  or not and Muslim, atheist, non- 
> Muslim.. sit side by side for dinner:
> http://www.economist.com/blogs/charlemagne/2013/07/turkish-politics
>
> Recently, the governor of Istanbul has announced that noone can  
> stay at Gezi more than 7 hours!  Why? No reason. Why 7 hours and  
> not 5 or 8 hours, no reason again! So the authorities, have  
> succeded in turning themselves into more than funny figures while  
> trying to stop public attraction to Gezi which is  having its most  
> crowded times ever since its construction. There is an interesting  
> event there almost every day.
>
> Today, a wedding celebration was planned at Gezi in the evening.Two  
> Chapulcus who had met each other during the demonstrations got  
> married and wanted to celebrate it at Gezi. Unfortunately, the riot  
> police though not invited! were there to welcome the bride and  
> groom with pepper gas  and water canons as usual! So even a very  
> innocent happening such as this one is not tolerated. (at the  
> moment police is using rubber bullets against crowds).Turkey  
> breaches all international human rights mechanisms, conventions and  
> caselaws (of EcHR) it is a party to.
>
> Publis forums at public parks are another result of Gezi spirit.  
> ''Everywhere is Taksim'' now, as was the motto during Gezi  
> days.Many issues are discussed in the parks, participatory  
> democracy is on the rise.Nothing is the same anymore.There is state  
> violence, repression and threat but confidence,hope and solidarity  
> have been on the rise as well and nothing will be the same anymore:
>  http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jul/20/turkish- 
> protests-enlightened-emboldened
>
> Best wishes from Istanbul / Cihan
>
>
>
> ----- Forwarded Message -----
> From: Vesna Tomse <v.tomse at gmail.com>
> To: Cihan BAYSAL <cihanbaysal at yahoo.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 16, 2013 11:43 PM
> Subject: Re: [reclaiming-spaces] "Centuries-Old Gardens Are the  
> Latest Battleground in Istanbul"
>
> Thanks for the update, Cihan. Please let us know more about what's  
> happening in Istanbul - kind of lost track... :-(
>
> Very best,
>
> Vesna
>
>
> 2013/7/16 Cihan BAYSAL <cihanbaysal at yahoo.com>
>
> http://www.theatlanticcities.com/politics/2013/07/centuries-old- 
> gardens-are-latest-battleground-rapidly-developing-istanbul/6192/
>
> Best / Cihan
>
>
>
>
>
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