Taksim is an “exam for everybody”
Turkish riot police have stormed Istanbul’s Taksim Square, where protest actions began 12 days ago. The BBC reports that policemen used tear gas and rubber bullets to press the protesters back to Gezi Park. Speaking at the annual session of the Justice and Development Party, Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called these disturbances an “exam for everybody.” He also approved of police actions, adding: “I am sorry, but Gezi Park is for taking promenades, not for occupation.”
The Day asked Emre KIZILKAYA, chief editor of the foreign news service at the Turkish daily H rriyet, who was at the place of the events the morning before last, to comment on the situation.
“In the morning, the police tried to tear down the barricades on all the roads near Gezi Park. The police said they would not touch the park itself. After several hours of fighting against the protesters who threw Molotov cocktails, the law enforcers arrested them.
“The police also asked the people to remove flags with political symbols from the park. There are still very many people in the tents, and policemen have surrounded the park. But the latter say they are only going to remove the barricades, not to intervene.
“And what will happen then? I don’t think the police will touch the park. But very many Turks think that the police will soon enter the park and begin to tear down the tents. The protesters’ main demand is not to fell tress at the place where it is planned to build a shopping mall. However, Prime Minister Erdogan rejected this idea and said there should be a museum there. People believe it is the only green space on this territory, so it should be protected. I think the police will find it very difficult to drive them away from there. The government has also said it will hold negotiations with protesters’ representatives. But it is futile to hope for some agreements. No one knows what there will be next.”
Do you think the Turkish government will change its attitude, taking into account the current public reaction?
“There has been scathing criticism from various Western countries, including the US, of the Turkish authorities’ actions. A few days ago the Socialist leader in the European Parliament told me that the EU might even suspend negotiations with Turkey. But, in spite of such tough messages, the government does not seem to be reacting to them.”
And how is this situation and protests going to affect the image of Erdogan himself?
“This will surely tarnish his image, but Erdogan is now totally busy building a new and strong domestic, rather than international, image. There will be elections in Turkey next year, and he wants to reinforce the office of president and take on a stronger position. Erdogan may try to split society. This may even be better for him because he needs no international support now. He will need it when he becomes president. But now he is sticking to his course. His support in Turkey ranges from 40 to 50 percent. Maybe, he thinks this will be enough for him to win the presidential elections.”
Meanwhile, the Turkey-based US journalist Andrew FINKEL is rather skeptical about the developments in that country. “The developments will depend on whether or not the government will admit its mistakes. If it continues to be unyielding, this will complicate the situation. If the government announces that it will impose a moratorium on revamping Taksim Square after the elections, this may settle the situation,” he told The Day.
