[Turkey news] Five things you should know about Turkey and the Istanbul protests

Turkey has been rocked by four days of protests and violence, in the biggest outburst of anger since the Islamist-rooted government took power. Ruth Sherlock has five things you should know.

1. Turkey's political ideology
Since the 1920s Turkey has been vigorously secular in its public sphere. Now protestors accuse Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of blurring the line between religion and state by trying to impose the Islamist values of his Justice and Development party (AKP) on society as a whole.
Last month the government introduced a new law cracking down on alcohol, banning the sale of drink between 10pm and 6am and forcing restaurants near schools or mosques to be dry.
The government has also tried to clamp down on kissing in public. Some have also perceived a state recommendation that everyone should have three children as too invasive.
The spark for the demonstrations was opposition to a government plan to turn Gezi Park, the last green area in Istanbul’s Taksim Square into a replication of an Ottoman style military barracks and possibly a shopping mall.

They have since morphed into nationwide outpouring of anger by critics who say Erdogan is increasingly “authoritarian”.

2. Erdogan's popularity and Turkey's increasing authoritarianism
Unlike in the dictatorships of Egypt, Libya et al, Turkey enjoys free and fair elections. Mr Erdogan has won three consecutive general elections, each time with a greater share of the popular vote. He also has the support of the United States and other western leaders. So popular is he among his people that he won the People’s choice for Time 2011 person of the year.
But recently a push for a new constitution that would enhance presidential powers, a role that he would then likely try to take for himself, have also caused widespread public anger. As has the prosecutions of journalists and intellectuals - more journalists are currently behind bars in Turkey than anywhere else in the world, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

3. Turkey's economy
When Erdogan swept to power in 2002, Turkey was lauded by the West as an example of a successful, Muslim-majority, secular democracy.
The country's brand of "Islamic Calvinism" – spearheaded by Erdogan's pro-business and pro-free market reforms – lifted Turkey out of deep recession.
If the economy is a crucial factor to the stability of a country, Turkey’s is badly placed to spark a revolution: It is soaring. The economy grew by 5 per cent a year on average from 2002 to 2012. Turkey has avoided both the financial collapse of its neighbouring European countries. Inequality has been falling.

4. A guide to Turkey's protesters
The protests have spread to 67 cities, including the capital Ankara. Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets. Many of the demonstrators are young, secular, educated men and women. They were largely peaceful.
It is clear that the protests have touched a nerve for Turks across a broad social spectrum. Demonstrators have also received a lot of support from other sections of society. Many taxi drivers in Istanbul beep their horns in solidarity and older residents, even in some of the poorer parts of the city have come to their front doors, beating posts and pans in support of the demonstrators.

5. Government response to the protests
Police initially cracked down heavily, seemingly hoping to smother the protests. They used teargas and water cannons aggressively, and hundreds of people were wounded. Amnesty International has condemned the crackdowns and claimed that two people have been killed.
Realising that this was only serving to fuel greater dissent, Mr Erdogan admitted the mistake. Clashes have continued in other parts of Istanbul, but security forces have pulled out of the central protest area Taksim Square.


Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/turkey/10095659/Five-things-you-should-know-about-Turkey-and-the-Istanbul-protests.html


I'm so sorry to hear that. Turkey and Korea are just like brothers country. I think we need to  be interested in and concerned about them. There are some people that they don't know this news yet.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan still wouldn't change his opinion for anything. Many people are in the hospital and in prisson at the moment.
I wish Turkey's protesets will stay bit by bit.... MANNAM Volunteer member also know this news correctly, let us to be interested in and concerned about them.