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Deutsche Welle, Germany
March 17, 2012 Saturday 6:07 PM EST
Tens of thousands protest German award for Turkish premier
More than 20,000 people have taken part in a protest against the
Turkish prime minister in Germany. They were undeterred by the fact
that Recep Tayyip Erdogancanceled his appearance to collect an award
for tolerance.
Police said around 22,000 people participated in a protest march
against Turkish premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the western German
city of Bochum.
Alevi Muslims made up the majority of the demonstrators as they
protested against oppression of minorities in Turkey, according to
police. The Alevi, who believe in a distinct form of Shi'ite Islam,
primarily live in Turkey.
"We do not feel like we are represented by Erdogan," the secretary
general of the Alevi community in Germany, Ali Dogan told news agency
DPA. He is a full-fledged anti-democrat who should not receive any
prize for humanity and straightforwardness."
Hundreds of Kurds and Armenians also protested.
The demonstration was meant to coincide with Erdogan's visit to the
city to receive the Steiger Award for tolerance. However, the awards'
organizers announced earlier on Saturday that Erdogan had canceled his
evening appearance due to a Turkish helicopter crash in Afghanistan
that killed 17 people.
The Steiger Award stems from a private initiative and honors
personalities for tolerance, humanity and a record of social
advancement. Now in its seventh year, the current laureates include
Sweden's Queen Silvia, former German President Horst Köhler, fashion
designer Wolfgang Joop and rock musician Lou Reed.
Erdogan was due to collect the award as a representative of the
Turkish people in honor of 50 years of Turkish-German friendship.
'Opposite of tolerance'
Conservative and Green politicians had on Friday criticized presenting
the award to Erdogan.
The secretary general of the CSU, the Bavarian sister party to
Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats, Alexander Dobrindt,
described bestowing the award on Erdogan as "tasteless" and "bizarre."
"The gross opposite of tolerance prevails in Erdogan's country, namely
repression of religious and ethnic minorities, insufficient press
freedom and an absence of equal opportunities for women," Dobrindt
said.
Green party spokesman Memet Kilic said Erdogan neither promoted
improved ties with Europe "nor tolerance and religious freedoms."
The German journalists' association DJV was also critical. Erdogan
carried "the political responsibility for permanent violations of
press freedom in Turkey, for reprisals against journalists critical of
the government and for arbitrary arrests of reporters," said DJV head
Michael Konken on Freitag in Berlin. Honoring Erdogan amounted to
ignoring the fundamental right to freedom of expression, he added.
The organizers said the Steiger Awards ceremony would still be held on
Saturday despite Erdogan's absence.
March 17, 2012 Saturday 6:07 PM EST
Tens of thousands protest German award for Turkish premier
More than 20,000 people have taken part in a protest against the
Turkish prime minister in Germany. They were undeterred by the fact
that Recep Tayyip Erdogancanceled his appearance to collect an award
for tolerance.
Police said around 22,000 people participated in a protest march
against Turkish premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the western German
city of Bochum.
Alevi Muslims made up the majority of the demonstrators as they
protested against oppression of minorities in Turkey, according to
police. The Alevi, who believe in a distinct form of Shi'ite Islam,
primarily live in Turkey.
"We do not feel like we are represented by Erdogan," the secretary
general of the Alevi community in Germany, Ali Dogan told news agency
DPA. He is a full-fledged anti-democrat who should not receive any
prize for humanity and straightforwardness."
Hundreds of Kurds and Armenians also protested.
The demonstration was meant to coincide with Erdogan's visit to the
city to receive the Steiger Award for tolerance. However, the awards'
organizers announced earlier on Saturday that Erdogan had canceled his
evening appearance due to a Turkish helicopter crash in Afghanistan
that killed 17 people.
The Steiger Award stems from a private initiative and honors
personalities for tolerance, humanity and a record of social
advancement. Now in its seventh year, the current laureates include
Sweden's Queen Silvia, former German President Horst Köhler, fashion
designer Wolfgang Joop and rock musician Lou Reed.
Erdogan was due to collect the award as a representative of the
Turkish people in honor of 50 years of Turkish-German friendship.
'Opposite of tolerance'
Conservative and Green politicians had on Friday criticized presenting
the award to Erdogan.
The secretary general of the CSU, the Bavarian sister party to
Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats, Alexander Dobrindt,
described bestowing the award on Erdogan as "tasteless" and "bizarre."
"The gross opposite of tolerance prevails in Erdogan's country, namely
repression of religious and ethnic minorities, insufficient press
freedom and an absence of equal opportunities for women," Dobrindt
said.
Green party spokesman Memet Kilic said Erdogan neither promoted
improved ties with Europe "nor tolerance and religious freedoms."
The German journalists' association DJV was also critical. Erdogan
carried "the political responsibility for permanent violations of
press freedom in Turkey, for reprisals against journalists critical of
the government and for arbitrary arrests of reporters," said DJV head
Michael Konken on Freitag in Berlin. Honoring Erdogan amounted to
ignoring the fundamental right to freedom of expression, he added.
The organizers said the Steiger Awards ceremony would still be held on
Saturday despite Erdogan's absence.