Disgruntled Young Penguin: 2013

Thursday 5 December 2013

Corruption? No, I’m a Smoker

Transparency International’s recent study¹ puts #Turkey to the right in the middle of the scale with 50 points in 2013 where scores less than 50 points indicate serious corruption problems. The study also states that 69% of the world faces serious corruption problems (Turkey’s 2012 score was 49).

The study divides ten score families in the world where Turkey ranks in the 5^th family with an overall average rank 53^rd place among 177 counties. The 5^th ranking, 50/59-points-range family’s members from bottom to top are; Turkey, Malaysia, Mauritius, Rwanda, Latvia, Costa Rica, Seychelles, Hungary, South Korea, Malta, Slovenia, Lithuania, Dominica, Cape Verde, and Spain.

Even though the score is highly ambiguous in order to make any solid comment, the stability gained by a single party administration has helped Turkey against the war on petty corruption at least. Currently, Turkey’s problem is larger scale corruptions those even public prosecutors cannot dare to pursue.

PM Erdogan’s relatives including his son, his daughter, the brother of his son-in-law, his son’s mother-in-law, etc. are founding a private university². Tis son Bilal Erdogan, who needed (?) a scholarship throughout his university education, has just purchased the 6^th ship to his fleet³. It is highly questionable to many how this wealth can be accumulated in a relatively short period of time. There is another story of this family; PM Erdogan’s niece was caught with 50 kilograms of weed, charged with domestic drug smuggling and released after the not-guilty plea saying “I’m a smoker” after the first hearing⁴.

Wednesday 4 December 2013

Gezi Park & Independence Square: Similarity in Demands

The article of The Telegraph is given directly below. As a penguin, I do not see any difference: We all just want a civilized way of doing things¹. Honestly, change the Ukrainian names with Turkish names, the demands are the same.

They came from around the corner and from half way across the Ukraine. They are well-to-do white collar managers and manual labourers. Young and old, male and female, the protestors the Telegraph met on the streets of Kiev on Monday had one thing in common: anger at their president’s rejection of what they see as their country’s European destiny, and a determination to see this “revolution” through to the end.

Natalia, 19, sociology student

"I came here because I am for association with the EU. I think Ukrainians have to sign up to the association agreement. I’m here to show that I have human rights in my own Ukraine, in my own native country, I mean. We Ukrainians have to show that we have our human rights. Our politicians have their own internal contradictions in their Ukrainian minds, so we have to show where we are going.

_{Natalia, 19, sociology student}

"I’ve been here since last Thursday. I will stay as long as it lasts. To the end. I will fight to the end".

Ivan Perchakov, 34, Builder

“Why am I here? Because I don’t want to live in a country where they beat up children. So there isn’t a government that sets police on kids – on my kids. I’ve been here since the beginning – about a week. I’ll stay until victory. What does that mean? The departure of Yanukovich, at the very least.

_{Ivan Perchakov, 34, builder}

“There’s a group of us that came down from Novovolinsk – that’s out in the Western part of the country near Lviv. We didn’t organise anywhere to stay – some people come and others go. The point is there are always some people from our town here.”

Sofia Vlasova, 48, factory worker

“The Ukrainians have never had their own country. We’re here because we still don’t have our own Ukraine. And it’s already been, how long? How long can you wait for independence?

_{Sofia Vlasova, 48, factory worker}

“Yanukovich? He is not our president. There were falsifications, even in 2010 [when Yanukovich was thought to have won a relatively clean election]. He just fixes everything. We will stay here until it is over.”

Oleg, 36, potter

“These red and black colours I’m holding are those of [mid-20th century nationalist guerrilla movement] the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, and right now they symbolise the struggle of the entire country. Look at the place. Everyone is in the fight.

_{Oleg, 36, potter (right) and Ivan, 35, art teacher (centre)}

“Everyone’s come here for their own reason. Some want to join Europe, some want to kick out the government, some want to grab their own bit of power. I drove down from the Poltava region, 200 kilometres from Kiev. Me, my brother, and two mates, we brought our car down.

“We’re here to help. We’re against the way the government is running the country, and this nonsense about not joining the deal with Europe. We’ve been here since last week, got a place to stay till the fourth, then we’ll see.

“Victory means changing the political regime: the departure of both Yanukovich and of his ministers. And by the way, once we’ve got a new president I’m pretty sure the European agreement will be signed fairly quickly.”

Ivan, 35, art teacher

“I’m here because it’s a revolution today, as it was last week. Why? I’ll say it very simply. I hate my government – it’s not my government. I hate my president - he’s not my president. I hate our situation where the police are beating people up and there are students in prison for expressing their democratic rights. The whole government must go.

“We are Europe. We’re in the centre of Europe here. But our government is just something else.

“Our revolution, like the Orange revolution, has been accused of using blood - it’s not true. I remember the Orange revolution. Back then people stayed on the streets for weeks. We’ll be here as long as it takes.”

Sergey Fedorchuk, 22, student

“I think to start with people didn’t want such a revolution as such, but the authorities have changed that with the force they used against us. Everyone in our country wants change. That’s what we’re standing here for.

_{Sergey Fedorchuk, 22, student}

“First of all, we don’t want an ex-convict running our country. That’s what the president is and everybody knows it. Personally, I only want trade links with Europe. I don’t want to open the borders. People often talk about how Ukraine is stuck between Europe on one side and Russia on the other. But now we must decide ourselves. Every move at the moment is toward something better, and that’s what the whole country wants. But our president doesn’t want change. He wants to keep things as they are so he can rob the country. And where is he now? There is a revolution and no reaction. I haven’t heard him say anything.

“You know, when I first heard people were gathering on the square I frankly wasn’t that interested. I didn’t really care. But then I saw what they did yesterday, where you had riot police running in and beating up unarmed kids – just kicking people on the ground, can you imagine? These people are animals."

Anatoly Rudechenko, 60, retired police officer

“We just want a civilised way of doing things. We’ve earned it. We’ve got a rich country, we’ve got land and resources and industry. So all we want is that our children and grandchildren can have a decent home, a decent job, a decent wage – instead of our “golden class” dividing up the country between their children and their grandchildren. It’s simple – we just want a decent quality of life. That’s all.

_{Retired police officer Anatoly Ruduchenko, 60, and his wife catch some rest in the protester-occupied City Hall in Kiev}

“We came up from Transcarpathia. We’re right up against Europe there, so you can imagine, we don’t see why we can’t live like that too. Why not? Ukraine has always been a European country and the Ukrainians are a European people.

“Yeah, this is a revolution – a bloodless revolution - and we’re in it till the end. Victory means the impeachment of Yanukovich.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/10489676/We-will-stay-here-until-it-is-over-What-do-the-Ukraine-protesters-want.html

Saturday 30 November 2013

AKP Government’s New Stick: TAX Inspections

AKP has been using this stick in order to create a ‘calm and obedient’ Turkish society. This effort has proved itself useful in the last decade, and we will be observers to the process whether it succeeds now or not.

As much as it may sound fairly ridiculous, Turkish media has not been always about penguins. The attacks on free speech have always been there. In 90s it was in the form of ‘murder’ by religious terrorist organizations, in 80s it was simply under an authoritarian military coup. In the new millennium, Turkish politics has also improved by adapting to it. This time a more capitalistic, less questionable method has been put in motion; TAX inspection. Some may say that if they have nothing to hide, that should not be problem. But let me clear a point for you. This is Turkey, and nothing is by the book. Yes, Turkey’s biggest goal has been about writing the constitutional law since her birth. But it does not necessarily mean that it has been in use. There had been three military coup d’états, and the most recent one, civil coup d’état of AKP in Turkey. Even the foundation of the country was somehow related to writing a ‘constitutional law’ But there is something about Turkey which may be categorized as a ‘must know’. What is written never applies on daily life, there are always backdoors, or a point open to interpretation. Below, there are some before and after interpretation differences, after being the dissident child. AKP is determinant that it shall be the only voice in Turkey.

Tax Inspections and Fines to National Media

Aydın Doğan who owned a conglomerate of newspapers, news channels, and magazines received a tax fine approximately 2.53 Billion USD based on ‘subjective’ evaluations¹.

Tax Inspection to Gezi Supporters

The owner of the luxurious five star hotel siding one of the entrances of Gezi Park in Taksim, Koç Group, received its fair share from the AKP’s policies. It is obvious that they were neither backing nor opposing the protests, they simply provided safety for the people who were heavily affected by the extreme use of tear gas. One of the refugees of the aforementioned hotel, Divan Hotel, was a German politician, Claudia Roth, defining the scene as ‘battle field like’. The holding's most profitable companied are under investigation for fraud and tax evasion now. ²

Tax Inspection to Gülen and Hizmet Movement

This movement has been quite influential in the Turkish politics in the last decade since it was one of the major fractions that founded AKP. Until AKP came to power in 2002, the Turkish state tried to oppress this initiative due to their religious tendencies. This group, usually referred as ‘Cemaat’, holds a position like Tea Party in the United States, only more conservative and less nationalist. Fetullah Gülen, the head of this organization is a successful manager of this umbrella organization combined of different religious fragments in Turkey, yet not a politician. To make it short, cemaat gained larger autonomy under AKP Government, and therefore the conflict of interests has started. It is only surfacing now, but intolerant ruling of AKP had decided to clear cemaat from Turkish State in 2004³. The owners of the companies that are close to this organization are being investigated for several charges including tax evasion of course⁴.

Thursday 28 November 2013

#Gezi Will Keep Producing

TORNİSTAN - AYCE KARTAL from ALTIN PORTAKAL FİLM FESTİVALİ on Vimeo.

A free press can, of course, be good or bad, but, most certainly without freedom the will never be anything but bad.

Ayçe Kartal, apparently another fellow penguin, has been winning international awards with her hand drawn animation film¹.

I personally wish the best of luck to her, and other fellow penguins.

http://vimeo.com/74298146

Wednesday 13 November 2013

Gezi in One Song

There are several references which were the reasons that drove / was driving Turkish people to the streets in the clip¹ and what we have here my friends is the true form of art;

Sound of pots and pans;

A protests method used by people for decades, but the voice at the start of the video belongs to PM Erdogan with his usual ignorance and arrogance

Inconsistent remarks;

PM Erdogan has some speeches which even contradict with each other and which were on crucial matters regarding the attitude of the state. There is even a video clip named ‘1 PM, 2 Erdogan’²compiled with only his contradicting speeches.

Sold Forests;

The trees both in Gezi Park and in the route of the planned 3^rd bridge of İstanbul that passes through a dense forest zone

Knocked down cinema;

Emek Movie Theatre like Gezi Park, it reminded the Secular Republic to AKP, and was demolished in 2013 in order to build a shopping mall. The demolishment had started at March 2013, and had been completed May 2013, just before Gezi Park demolishment was about to start. The insults were enough for Turkish people, the public unrest has started.

Of course AKP’s police force again used extreme measures on the people who just wished their cinema to remain³. The footage is from May 22, 2013, before Gezi Protests.

Crossing the bridge;

The 3^rd bridge of İstanbul is named⁴ after one of the Ottoman Sultans, Yavuz Sultan Selim who is known for the mass killing of alevites who are a major part of current Turkish population, and strong supporters of secularism in Turkey.

The video clip itself is also worth mentioning with the police crackdown scenes and my favourite scene with the penguins⁵. During the protests, CNN-TURK, one of the major news channels in Turkey broadcasted a penguin documentary, which became the symbol of the resistance, or Çapulcu’s⁶.

Tuesday 12 November 2013

Numbers Matter, Especially When They Are Manipulated

With the recent assults of AKP, Turks have started to give more importance to the National Days of the republic. Since the discussions of first/second republic had already started after AKP's decade of ruling, numbers have also started to matter for many more than ever.

In Nov. 10, 2013; 1.089.615 people had visited Anıtkabir, Atatürk's Mausoleum, in order to pay their respects to the founding father of the republic on the memorial day of his passing¹. The number had doubled the last record which was in Oct 29, 2013 (Republic Day) with 438.452 visitors ².

Some number related questions on Turkey's recent agenda;

How many people had gathered for Gezi?
How many people had attended to the public speech of PM Erdogan in Kazlıçeşme?
How many people had voted for AKP?
How many foreigners had received Turkish passport, so that they can vote for AKP in the upcoming elections?

The last question is frequently asked by some 'harsh kemalists' or dissisents of AKP since the number of voters had risen up from 41.4 million in 2002 to 42.8 million in 2007 and to 52.7 million people in 2011³.

The data of the Supreme Election Committee presented above, does not coincide neither with Turkish Statistical Institute's numbers, nor with the Central Population Management System of the Interior Manipulation, sorry the Interior Ministry.

Thursday 7 November 2013

Revealed! The sneaky plan behind the misleading mix-dorm/mix-housing discussions, all was to hide this fact!

Who/What is TMMOB?

It is the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects, which resisted the demolishment of Gezi Park in Taksim as a part of Taksim Solidarity¹.

What is going on?

TMOBB had faced the administration regarding their unlawful acts on several issues. The AKP government did not welcome an opposition, which revealed the illegal, improper acts of them, had enforced the legal and proper ways.

AKP government is finalizing their assault on TMMOB which has started with a minor attack in an omnibus bill which had been passed in the national assembly on July 10, 2013 (when Gezi Park protests were going on)². TMOBB was stripped off its authorities on auditing ‘maps, plans and investigations’.

The chamber of forest engineers is conjoined to administration under ministry of forestry and water affairs, and the study to conjoin 11 other chambers to ministry of environment and urban planning has been set in motion³.

All the constituents of a healthy democracy are under attack in Turkey, the global misconception that AKP is a democrat party should end now. What AKP is doing is undermining the DEMOCRACY in every front.

When Turkey Took Torture to the Streets

The video is prepared by Amnesty International, but here is something that happened after that video is prepared. They are not being related to each other, but it helps explaining the differences in between Turkish administration’s and civilized world’s views.

The people, who have lost their eyes due to the heavy police crackdowns, are being prosecuted now in Turkey. Çağdaş Küçükbattal, who has lost his eye on 31^st of May 2013 and was planning his 3^rd consecutive surgery, was taken under custody by the police¹. His basic right to receive his immediate medical treatment is being restrained now.

As it appears the reason for police asking the list of people who had lost their eyes from TTB (Turkish Medical Association) has never been about compensation, it was to track people down and hunt them down.

http://www.ttb.org.tr/index.php/Haberler/gezi-4103.html

Wednesday 6 November 2013

Freedom of Assembly in Turkey (if such a thing exits)

Writing: #Diren (#Resist)

Higher Education Committee & AKP & AKP Police Force vs. University Students

On the 6th of November 2013, on the date of its foundation anniversary, YÖK (Higher Education Committee) was protested as a tradition in several cities in Turkey. Ali İsmail Korkmaz's name was heavily mentioned who died during the Gezi Park protests. He was 19 years old university student and beaten by a group of people including undercover police officers on June 2, 2013 and had lost his life on July 10, 2013 after being comatose due to the recieved injuries for 38 days ¹. And please note that theyoungest impriosened journalist in the world, amongs many other, attending one of these protest was included to his charges. For further information: http://disgruntledyoungpenguin.blogspot.com/2013/11/it-is-not-easy-to-be-journalist-in_4.html

As always, Ankara had faced the harshest police crack-down. Ankara University, faculty of language, history and geography had been occupied by the university students in order to hang a banner. Smokes arose from the building, the cause remains unknown.

It is well-known that during Gezi Park protests, Hatay and Ankara had their unfair share from the wrath of the Turkish administration. Gathering in the central square of Turkey is forbidden, and even standing in Taksim Square might be a reason to be detained by the police (#Durandam, #StandingMan protests²).

P.S. These students, no matter how many of them are out in the street, are invisible to Turkish media. With few exceptions, Turkish media has completely ignored the protests below. This is what angers Turks, this is why people on the streets are mad, angry, disgruntled.

Ankara

Antalya after the intervention with TOMA (Water Cannon)

Bursa

Çanakkale

Eskişehir

İstanbul

İzmir

İzmit

Mersin

Sivas

Tekirdağ

Tuesday 5 November 2013

15 AKP Quotes on Women’s Role in Society

These are the direct quotations from AKP officials which took place in Turkish media. Even though there might be some losses due to translation, the sentences are so strong and heavy that they are still dreary. Sometimes they may be too ridiculous to believe, but as said before they are direct quotations.

May 2013

‘Violence against women is just selective perception’ said minister of family and social policies, Fatma Şahin claiming that Turkey is doing better than before even though all the surveys disagree. ¹

Jun 2012

‘Why should the baby die if its mother gets raped, the mother should kill herself instead’ said AKP’s Ankara mayor, Melih Gökçek.²

Jun 2012

‘Women who say ‘My body, my decision’ are feminists’ said PM Erdogan on the abortion discussions.³

May 2012

‘I consider abortion as murder’ said PM Erdogan and added ‘I’m also against C-section’.⁴

May 2012

‘Raped women should give birth to the child, the state takes care of the baby’ said minister of health, Recep Akdağ after the discussions started by PM Erdogan on the issue of ‘abortion’. ⁵

May 2012

‘The rapist is more innocent than the victim who has an abortion’ said AKP MP, and also the head of TBMM (National Assembly) commission of human rights, Ayhan Sefer Üstün.⁶

Feb 2012

‘When girls get educated, boys aren’t able to find someone to marry’ said AKP member of Çorum provincial council, Erhan Ekmekçi.⁷

Jun 2011

“Whether she is a girl or woman, I do not know” said PM Erdogan about Dilşat Aktaş, discussing whether she was a virgin or not. She was an unarmed young woman whose hip was broken during a protest regarding another protestor, Metin Lokumcu’s death due to heavy tear gas use in Hopa. She was thought to be dead after a police intervention, and then was prosecuted since she protested.⁸

Mar 2011

‘Violence against women is overrated’ said PM Erdogan. Please note that official number of murdered women in Turkey is 163 in 2011.⁹

Jul 2010

‘I do not believe in the equality of men and women anyways’ said PM Erdogan, shocking the NGO members (most of them were the members of women’s rights NGOs) in the meeting.¹⁰

Jul 2009

‘If you let your daughter alone...’ said PM Erdogan, using a Turkish idiom that basically says that unless parents carefully control their daughter’s actions, she’ll end up with someone unwanted. In this case, the daughter (Münevver Karabulut) mentioned is a murder victim who was killed by her boyfriend who had managed to escape from the police for a long time period. The insufficient effort made the case nationwide.¹¹

Apr 2009

‘They [parents] should have looked after their children’ said İstanbul chief of police again about the murder case of Münevver Karabulut.¹²

Mar 2009

‘Isn’t the chores enough?’ asked minister of environment and forestry, Veysel Eroğlu to a group of women who asked for jobs.¹³

Mar 2009

‘The rate of unemployment is increasing due to women searching for jobs’ said minister of state, Mehmet Şimşek.¹⁴

Mar 2005

‘Turkish women are ornaments to their homes’ said minister of defence, Vecdi Gönül.¹⁵

The list is only translated and sourced by DisgruntledYoungPenguin. The quotes are listed following Gezi Park protests anonymously.