Turkey: Violent Clashes and Mass Protests Continue. Death Toll and Number of Injured Raises as Country could Descend into Civil War
nsnbc international
June 4, 2013
Christof Lehmann (nsnbc),- As more fatalities and thousands of injured are reported, the violent police crack-down on protesters throughout Turkey continues. After the arrest of 600 military officers and dozens of civilians in the Ergenkonen espionage case, described by critics of the AKP and Erdogan administration as coup d’état, the militarization of Turkey´s police forces, and the entrance of thousands of terrorists and shiploads of weapons into Turkey since the beginning of the proxy-war against Syria in 2011, Turkey risks descending into a civil war.
Fatalities have been reported, since the onset of the violent police crack-down on protesters in Istanbul on Friday morning caused 200.000 in more than 35 cities to mobilize on Friday evening, and mass protests and violent clashes erupted. Yesterday eyewitnesses from Istanbul reported of several fatalities and at least 1.700 injured.
Abdullah Cömert, photo from facebook
Today, as the protests are in their fifth day, a second fatality could be positively confirmed and identified while latest casualty reports mention several thousand of injured. The figures are vague, because many of the injured are treated in makeshift emergency facilities as protesters fear arrest if they are seeking medical attention at hospitals, and as police and clashes often prevent emergency evacuations. Since Sunday the police has begun literal man-hunts for protesters in bars, restaurants and shops. Arrests are reported to be extraordinarily brutal and some 1.700, most likely more are under arrest.
The Bar Association of Istanbul´s lawyers has held a meeting and prepares to defend the many detainees.
On Monday the Turkish Medical Doctors Union confirmed the death of 20-year-old Mehmed Ayvalitas, who was hit by a car on Sunday, when a civilian car drove into a crowd of protesters.
According to the Foreign Secretary of the Workers´Party – Turkey two persons were seriously injured in the incident and transported to the hospital immediately afterwards. So far, there are no reports available about the identity or the condition of the other victim.
The Turkish Union of Medical Doctors has confirmed the death of the 22-year-old Abdullah Cömert who died in the city of Antakya in Hatay province near the Syrian border. Turkish media report that Cömert died after being shot by unidentified gunmen. According to reports on social media however, Cömert was shot by police forces. Cömert was, according to BBC reports a member of the Republican Peoples´Party, which is in opposition to the AKP (Muslim Brotherhood) led government of Prime Minister Erdogan.
According to casualty figures published by the Turkish Medical Association 3.195 people have sustained injuries during the protests so far. 26 of the injured are in critical condition. Because many are treated in makeshift medical facilities and the “fog of war” however, the actual number of casualties could be significantly higher, and it is probable that there have been more death than have been reported so far.
The majority of injured are reported from Istanbul, although the protests have spread to Ankara, Izmir, Adana, Antakya and many other cities. On Monday protests were reported from 48 cities.
Militarization of Turkey´s Police after AKP / Erdogan Came to Power and after Ergenkonen Arrests.
After the AKP (Muslim Brotherhood) -led government of R. Tayyip Erdogan came to power, the Turkish police forces have undergone a militarization process. The militarization process is according to some analysts a security measure implemented by the Erdogan administration, to prepare the country against the eventual repercussions of the Ergenkonen Case arrests.
The Ergenkonen case is one of the most contentious issues in Turkish domestic politics. 300 military officers were arrested under espionage charges. 300 more officers were arrested under minor espionage charges, along with dozens of opposition members. Among the many arrested and imprisoned opposition members is the Chairman of the Workers´Party – Turkey, Dr. Dogun Perencek.
Many opposition members describe the Ergenkonen arrests as a de facto coup d’état by the AKP / Muslim Brotherhood. The Turkish military has traditionally been one of the primary guarantors for protecting the secular constitution and Turkey´s integrity as a secular, democratic republic based on Kemalist principles.
According to Turkish media reports, Turkey has over the past 12 years imported USD 21 million worth of pepper spray, predominantly from the USA and Brazil. In total, the Turkish newspaper Sozcu reports, Turkey has imported 62 tons of tear gas and pepper spray between 2000 and 2012.
Police forces, who are cracking down on Turkish protesters are dressed in military style riot gear. The protests and the police crack-down are the largest and most violent the Turkish people have witnessed for decades.
The leader of the Nationalist Movement Party Devlet Bahceli, along with all other opposition leaders strongly condemns the excessive use of police force. Bahceli, a member of parliament, stated: “It is true that the ruling party AKP has established gas chambers similar to the Nazis, it is true that the AKP pokes its nose into everybody´s private lives”.
The United Nations Human Rights Office has urged Turkey to conduct an independent investigation into the security forces treatment of anti-government protesters. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Cecile Pouilly said: We are concerned about reports of excessive use of force by law-enforcement officers against protesters in Turkey”.
Condemnations of the brutal crack-down have also been issued by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and other Human Rights Organizations.
Mixed Signals from Erdogan and His Administration and Demands that the Government has to Step Down.
On Tuesday the Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc apologized for the harsh treatment of the initial protesters, who were protesting the planned demolition of Gezi Park near Taksim Square to build a mall and to reestablish military barracks from the Ottoman era. Bulen Arinc admitted that the police actions were wrong and said that security forces have been ordered not to use teargas except in cases of self-defense. “The excessive violence that was used in the first instance against those who were behaving with respect for the environment is wrong and unfair. I apologize to those citizens,” Arinc said at a news conference.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan however, blasted the protests as the work of secular enemies who have failed to come to terms with the election victory of the AKP. Erdogan stated, that the police would be working yesterday, and they will be working today, and continued by stating that he would not allow extremists to prevent the building of the mall or the military barracks.
Neither Erdogan nor officials from his administration have so far commented on the protesters demand that the AKP government has to step down, while the protesters and opposition become ever more
Turkey may Descend into Chaos – Civil War Risk is High.
Protests in Turkey are likely to continue throughout the week and are likely to culminate in renewed mass protests throughout Turkey on Friday and throughout the weekend. The participation of prominent members of opposition parties will, if protests continue, likely draw trade unions and other mass organizations into the protests. Turkey could face a general strike.
If the strike develops into a protracted stand-off between protesters and the government, to such a degree that the national security of Turkey is threatened, it is not unlikely that the military could intervene.
Under given circumstances the possibility of a counter-coup within the military could arise. The 600 detained military officers who are charged with trumped-up espionage charges is a fertile ground for a possible internal stand-off within the military that could result with the military siding with either the government or with the protesters.
Turkey is currently hosting thousands of al-Qaeda associated terrorists. The borders to Syria are porous, weapons are entering Turkey by the ship-load. Peace negotiations between the Turkish government and the PKK have not progressed as much as was expected from both sides and over the past two weeks there have been renewed clashes between the Turkish military and PKK fighters.
The situation in Turkey is as volatile as it is complicated and the country could erupt into a civil war faster than anyone would have anticipated it to be possible just one week ago.
Related articles:
1000 Wounded Several Dead in Turkey Police Crack-Down. Protesters Demand “Erdogan Step Down”
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