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'HATEFUL' SPEECH IN ISTANBUL: ERDOGAN THROWS FUEL ON FLAMES
By Maximilian Popp and Mirjam Schmitt
He cleared out Gezi Park with brutal violence, disparaged the
protesters as terrorists and railed against the foreign media. After
a brief conciliatory respite, Prime Minster Erdogan is inflaming the
conflict in Turkey once more. But the protest movement shows no signs
of backing down.
For a short time it looked as if Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan would relent, as if he had learned something from the revolt
against his government that has taken place over the past weeks.
In the middle of the week, he met with demonstrators who are commited
to the preservation of Istanbul's Gezi Park. He said that judges would
deliberate on the future of the controversial park and held out the
prospect of a referendum. Would Erdogan, the despot of the past two
weeks, transform himself into a mediator? Since Sunday night at the
latest, the answer has been a resounding no.
At a rally in Ankara on Saturday, Erdogan reiterated that he was
reaching the limits of his patience. After night fell, his security
forces put these words into force. They used bulldozers to clear out
Gezi Park, which had become a symbol of the resistance in recent days.
They chased protesters and beat them down with clubs, and they shot
tear gas into cafes and hotels as the people fled. Doctors who treated
the wounded were arrested.
But on Sunday, demonstrators in Turkey returned to the streets to
protest the government. At the same time Erdogan gave a memorable
speech in Istanbul. Liberal commentators described it as "frightening"
and "hateful."
Hundreds of thousands of Erdogan supporters who had been bussed in
from throughout the region gathered in a field along the coast. They
carried Turkish flags and portraits of the prime minister. Officials
with Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP), including European
Union Affairs Minister Egemin Bagis, spurred on the crowd.
Erdogan Agitates Conflict
Then Erdogan took to the stage. His supporters chanted "Turkey!
Turkey!" as he raised his arms triumphantly. Of one thing there is no
doubt: The Turkish premier did not come to Istanbul as a mediator. And
it was conflict he was looking for -- not reconciliation.
Erdogan evoked a Turkish Empire, greeting his supporters in the
Balkans, in Angola and in Iraq. "Where is Sarajevo? Where is Gaza
tonight?" he called out. His voice cracked, and, at that moment, he
no longer seemed like the democratically elected prime minister of
one of the world's largest economies. Instead he struck the figure
of a crazed despot.
Erdogan then addressed the foreign media: "CNN, Reuters, leave us
alone with your lies!" he exclaimed. For days now, Erdogan has sought
to discredit the protests -- which began as a campaign against the
demolition of a park in Istanbul and expanded into a nationwide revolt
against the AKP-led government -- as a conspiracy conducted by foreign
powers. "These forces want to harm Turkey," he said.
Finally, he addressed the protesters directly, once again calling
them terrorists and plunderers. They aren't real Turks, Erdogan
said, adding that they should be handled with caution. "Those who
work against Turkey will tremble with fear," he warns, adding that
he will hold accountable any hotelier who hides these "terrorists."
Erdogan's speech may yet prove to be fateful for the leader. The
atmosphere is already charged, and now Erdogan is throwing more fuel
on the fire. Rather than reach out to the protesters, he disparages
them. But with each attack he is only driving more people out onto the
street. Early on, the protest proved effective at bringing together
citizens from various social backgrounds.
As Erdogan spoke on Sunday, young demonstrators in Istanbul watched
the speech on television -- students, artists, lawyers. They were
stunned and unable to believe their prime minister has denounced them
as enemies of the state.
"Istanbul, are we one? Istanbul, are we united? Istanbul, are we
brothers?" Erdogan shouted after nearly two hours. By this point,
a few kilometers away, tens of thousands of demonstrators had once
more gathered at Taksim Square. Despite the police and their clouds
of tear gas, the protesters continued to march and demand Erdogan's
resignation.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/turkey-protests-erdogan-agitates-conflict-in-istanbul-a-906118.html
By Maximilian Popp and Mirjam Schmitt
He cleared out Gezi Park with brutal violence, disparaged the
protesters as terrorists and railed against the foreign media. After
a brief conciliatory respite, Prime Minster Erdogan is inflaming the
conflict in Turkey once more. But the protest movement shows no signs
of backing down.
For a short time it looked as if Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan would relent, as if he had learned something from the revolt
against his government that has taken place over the past weeks.
In the middle of the week, he met with demonstrators who are commited
to the preservation of Istanbul's Gezi Park. He said that judges would
deliberate on the future of the controversial park and held out the
prospect of a referendum. Would Erdogan, the despot of the past two
weeks, transform himself into a mediator? Since Sunday night at the
latest, the answer has been a resounding no.
At a rally in Ankara on Saturday, Erdogan reiterated that he was
reaching the limits of his patience. After night fell, his security
forces put these words into force. They used bulldozers to clear out
Gezi Park, which had become a symbol of the resistance in recent days.
They chased protesters and beat them down with clubs, and they shot
tear gas into cafes and hotels as the people fled. Doctors who treated
the wounded were arrested.
But on Sunday, demonstrators in Turkey returned to the streets to
protest the government. At the same time Erdogan gave a memorable
speech in Istanbul. Liberal commentators described it as "frightening"
and "hateful."
Hundreds of thousands of Erdogan supporters who had been bussed in
from throughout the region gathered in a field along the coast. They
carried Turkish flags and portraits of the prime minister. Officials
with Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP), including European
Union Affairs Minister Egemin Bagis, spurred on the crowd.
Erdogan Agitates Conflict
Then Erdogan took to the stage. His supporters chanted "Turkey!
Turkey!" as he raised his arms triumphantly. Of one thing there is no
doubt: The Turkish premier did not come to Istanbul as a mediator. And
it was conflict he was looking for -- not reconciliation.
Erdogan evoked a Turkish Empire, greeting his supporters in the
Balkans, in Angola and in Iraq. "Where is Sarajevo? Where is Gaza
tonight?" he called out. His voice cracked, and, at that moment, he
no longer seemed like the democratically elected prime minister of
one of the world's largest economies. Instead he struck the figure
of a crazed despot.
Erdogan then addressed the foreign media: "CNN, Reuters, leave us
alone with your lies!" he exclaimed. For days now, Erdogan has sought
to discredit the protests -- which began as a campaign against the
demolition of a park in Istanbul and expanded into a nationwide revolt
against the AKP-led government -- as a conspiracy conducted by foreign
powers. "These forces want to harm Turkey," he said.
Finally, he addressed the protesters directly, once again calling
them terrorists and plunderers. They aren't real Turks, Erdogan
said, adding that they should be handled with caution. "Those who
work against Turkey will tremble with fear," he warns, adding that
he will hold accountable any hotelier who hides these "terrorists."
Erdogan's speech may yet prove to be fateful for the leader. The
atmosphere is already charged, and now Erdogan is throwing more fuel
on the fire. Rather than reach out to the protesters, he disparages
them. But with each attack he is only driving more people out onto the
street. Early on, the protest proved effective at bringing together
citizens from various social backgrounds.
As Erdogan spoke on Sunday, young demonstrators in Istanbul watched
the speech on television -- students, artists, lawyers. They were
stunned and unable to believe their prime minister has denounced them
as enemies of the state.
"Istanbul, are we one? Istanbul, are we united? Istanbul, are we
brothers?" Erdogan shouted after nearly two hours. By this point,
a few kilometers away, tens of thousands of demonstrators had once
more gathered at Taksim Square. Despite the police and their clouds
of tear gas, the protesters continued to march and demand Erdogan's
resignation.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/turkey-protests-erdogan-agitates-conflict-in-istanbul-a-906118.html