Erdogan menyeru utk akhirkan Turki protes

Photo: AP Perdana Menteri Turki Recep Tayyip Erdogan dan Emine isteri beliau dgn melambai kepada orang ramai sebaik tiba di Lapangan Terbang Ataturk di Istanbul awal Jumaat Jun 7, 2013. Erdogan mengambil pendirian agresif pulangan teliti untuk negara awal Jumaat, memberitahu penyokong yang membanjiri untuk menyambut beliau bahawa protes yang telah melanda negara ini mesti datang ke penghujungnya.

Photo: AP Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife Emine wave to the crowd upon their arrival at the Ataturk Airport of Istanbul early Friday, June 7, 2013. Erdogan took a combative stance on his closely watched return to the country early Friday, telling supporters who thronged to greet him that the protests that have swept the country must come to an end.

Erdogan menyeru utk akhirkan Turki protes

by MadaMadyan | Suara Rakyat@1WORLDCommunity

TINJAUAN 1WC’sChannel 2013: ISTANBUL (June 07, 2013. AP) - Perdana Menteri Turki mengambil pendirian agresif pulangan teliti untuk negara awal Jumaat, memberitahu penyokong yang membanjiri untuk menyambut beliau bahawa protes yang telah melanda negara ini mesti datang ke penghujungnya.

Dalam acara itu pertama meluas sokongan awam sejak tunjuk perasaan anti kerajaan meletus minggu lalu, lebih daripada 10,000 penyokong bersorak Recep Tayyip Erdogan dengan tepukan membayangkan kegembiraan di luar lapangan terbang antarabangsa Istanbul.

Walaupun komen awal yang menunjukkan bahawa dia boleh melembutkan pendirian beliau, Erdogan menyampaikan ucapan berapi-api sekembalinya dari lawatan 4 hari ke Afrika Utara. "Bantahan ini yang bersempadan dengan menyalahi undang-undang mesti berakhir," katanya.

Berpuluh-puluh ribu penunjuk perasaan telah mengadakan tunjuk perasaan yang telah merebak kepada berpuluh-puluh bandar-bandar di seluruh Turki, tercetus reaksi polis Jumaat lepas ganas untuk apa yang bermula sebagai satu bantahan kecil terhadap rancangan untuk membangunkan pusat Taksim Square, Istanbul.

Sejak itu, 3 orang telah mati - 2 penunjuk perasaan dan seorang anggota polis - dan beribu-ribu telah cedera. Satu penunjuk perasaan pada sokongan hayat di sebuah hospital di Ankara. Penunjuk perasaan dari semua lapisan masyarakat telah menduduki persegi dan taman itu, membantah apa yang mereka katakan adalah cara yang semakin autokratik dan sombong Erdogan - caj beliau sekeras-kerasnya ‘menafikan.

Turki telah menunggu kata-kata Erdogan apabila beliau kembali, melihat mereka sebagai isyarat sama ada demonstrasi akan berakhir dgn kegagalan atau diarahkannya. Erdogan pada masa yang hampir lemas oleh penyokongnya, sebahagian daripada asas yang telah membantu beliau memenangi 3 pilihan raya tanah runtuh. "Allah Maha Besar," mereka melaungkan, dan tidak lama lagi berpindah ke slogan merujuk secara khusus kepada penunjuk perasaan di Dataran Taksim.

"Marilah kita pergi, marilah kita menghancurkan mereka," mereka berteriak. "Istanbul di sini, di mana adalah penjarah?" Erdogan pada mulanya dirujuk kepada penunjuk perasaan sebagai perompak dan pengacau, di samping mengakui bahawa pasukan polis yang berlebihan mungkin telah digunakan, dan berjanji ia akan disiasat.

Ucapan Erdogan, yang dihantar dari atas bas terbuka di luar terminal lapangan terbang, muncul pada mulanya adalah satu cubaan untuk menyerang nota menyatukan. "Mereka kata saya perdana menteri hanya 50% peratus. Ia tidak benar. Kami telah berkhidmat keseluruhan 76 juta dari timur ke barat," katanya, merujuk kepada kemenangan pilihan raya pada tahun 2011, apabila dia telah mengambil 50% peratus undi.

"Bersama-sama kita Turki. Bersama-sama kita adalah bersaudara," katanya, sambil menambah "Kami tidak pernah berusaha untuk memecahkan hati. Kita berada di dalam memihak kepada membaiki hati." Namun, dia menjadi lebih agresif. "Kami tidak pernah untuk membina ketegangan dan polarisasi. Tetapi kita tidak boleh memuji kekejaman," katanya.

Dalam ucapan terakhir beliau di Tunisia sebelum terbang ke Istanbul, Erdogan berkata bahawa kumpulan pengganas yang terlibat dalam protes, mengatakan mereka telah dikenal pasti. Dalam sentuhan, Erdogan tersirat bahawa bank-bank juga sebahagian daripada konspirasi yang mengisi protes. Beliau menambah bahawa api perbezaan pendapat dan pendapat yang sentiasa membakar oleh kumpulan-kumpulan lain juga.

"Mereka yang menggelar diri mereka wartawan, artis, ahli politik, dengan cara yang sangat tidak bertanggungjawab, membuka jalan bagi kebencian, diskriminasi dan provokasi," katanya. Bercakap sebelum kembali Erdogan, Koray Caliskan, profesor sains politik dan hubungan antarabangsa di Universiti Bosporus, menunjukkan bahawa Perdana Menteri telah mengekalkan garis keras kerana "sehingga kini Erdogan sentiasa mendapat sokongan dengan meningkatkan ketegangan di negara ini."

"Turki adalah benar-benar di persimpangan. Erdogan tidak akan dapat untuk menunjukkan di Turki sebagai model demokrasi lagi," katanya. Dalam komen yang lebih awal di Tunisia, Erdogan mengakui bahawa beberapa orang Turki terlibat dalam protes daripada kebimbangan alam sekitar, dan berkata beliau mempunyai "kasih sayang dan hormat" untuk mereka.

Mereka komen tidak muncul terpengaruh telah banyak daripada beribu-ribu penunjuk perasaan yang membanjiri dataran untuk hari keenam hari ini. Lebih daripada 10,000 orang lain dipenuhi jalan yang sibuk di kawasan kelas pertengahan Ankara.

"Saya tidak percaya keikhlasan," kata penunjuk perasaan Hazer Berk Buyukturca. Pasaran saham utama Turki mendedahkan kebimbangan bahawa komen Erdogan akan melakukan sedikit untuk meredakan penunjuk perasaan, dengan indeks harga umum menjunam sebanyak 8% peratus selepas komen beliau mengenai kebimbangan bahawa pergolakan berterusan akan melanda ekonomi negara.

Lebih seminggu yang lalu demonstrasi telah merebak ke 78 bandar-bandar, berkembang menjadi pembolongan awam apa penunjuk perasaan anggap sebagai meningkatkan keangkuhan Erdogan. Ini termasuk percubaan untuk mengenakan apa yang banyak berkata adalah adat istiadat terhad kepada kehidupan peribadi mereka, seperti berapa ramai kanak-kanak untuk mempunyainya atau sama ada untuk minum arak.

Setakat ini, 4,300 orang telah cedera atau mendapatkan rawatan perubatan untuk kesan-kesan gas pemedih mata semasa protes, Yayasan Hak Asasi Manusia Turki berkata. Satu orang kepada sokongan kehidupan di Ankara. Menteri Dalam Negeri Muammer Güler berkata lebih daripada 500 pegawai polis telah cedera. Sebanyak 746 bantahan telah meletus, menyebabkan beberapa 70 juta Lira Turki ($ 37 juta) sebagai ganti rugi, katanya. Hampir 80 penunjuk perasaan masih dimasukkan ke hospital, dan hampir semua penunjuk perasaan yang ditahan telah dibebaskan.

Ezgi Akin di Ankara menyumbang. Fraser melaporkan dari Ankara.

Photo: AP Perdana Menteri Turki Recep Tayyip Erdogan, kanan, melambai kepada orang ramai semasa ketibaan beliau di Lapangan Terbang Ataturk di Istanbul awal Jumaat 7 Jun, 2013. Erdogan mengambil pendirian agresif pulangan teliti untuk negara awal Jumaat, memberitahu penyokong yang membanjiri untuk menyambut beliau bahawa protes yang telah melanda negara ini mesti datang ke penghujungnya.

Photo: AP Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, waves to the crowd upon his arrival at the Ataturk Airport of Istanbul early Friday, June 7, 2013. Erdogan took a combative stance on his closely watched return to the country early Friday, telling supporters who thronged to greet him that the protests that have swept the country must come to an end.

Photo: AP Perdana Menteri Turki Recep Tayyip Erdogan, ditengah, dan Emine isteri beliau melambai kepada orang ramai sebaik tiba di Lapangan Terbang Ataturk di Istanbul awal jumaat 7 Jun, 2013. Erdogan mengambil pendirian agresif pulangan teliti untuk negara awal Jumaat, memberitahu penyokong yang membanjiri untuk menyambut beliau bahawa protes yang telah melanda negara ini mesti datang ke penghujungnya.

Photo: AP Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, center, and his wife Emine wave to the crowd upon their arrival at the Ataturk Airport of Istanbul early Friday, June 7, 2013. Erdogan took a combative stance on his closely watched return to the country early Friday, telling supporters who thronged to greet him that the protests that have swept the country must come to an end.

Photo: AP  sorakan orang ramai untuk ketibaan Perdana Menteri Turki Recep Tayyip Erdogan di Lapangan Terbang Ataturk di Istanbul awal jumaat, 7 Jun, 2013. Erdogan mengambil pendirian agresif pulangan teliti untuk negara awal Jumaat, memberitahu penyokong yang membanjiri untuk menyambut beliau bahawa protes yang telah melanda negara ini mesti datang ke penghujungnya.

Photo: AP The crowd cheers for Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's arrival at the Ataturk Airport of Istanbul early Friday, June 7, 2013. Erdogan took a combative stance on his closely watched return to the country early Friday, telling supporters who thronged to greet him that the protests that have swept the country must come to an end.

Photo: AP sorakan orang ramai untuk ketibaan Perdana Menteri Turki Recep Tayyip Erdogan di Lapangan Terbang Ataturk di Istanbul awal jumaat, 7 Jun, 2013. Erdogan mengambil pendirian agresif pulangan teliti untuk negara awal Jumaat, memberitahu penyokong yang membanjiri untuk menyambut beliau bahawa protes yang telah melanda negara ini mesti datang ke penghujungnya.

Photo: AP The crowd cheers for Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's arrival at the Ataturk Airport of Istanbul early Friday, June 7, 2013. Erdogan took a combative stance on his closely watched return to the country early Friday, telling supporters who thronged to greet him that the protests that have swept the country must come to an end.

Photo: AP Beribu-ribu penunjuk perasaan Turki, memegang bendera kebangsaan dan potret pengasas Turki Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, menunjukkan kegembiraan kerana mereka berarak di ibu kota Turki, Ankara, KHAMIS, 6 Jun, 2013. Perdana Menteri Turki Recep Tayyip Erdogan pada hari Khamis nampaknya telah sedikit sederhana retorik beliau mengenai protes anti-kerajaan di negara itu tetapi tidak kembali dari rancangan pembangunan semula untuk Istanbul yang mencetuskan rusuhan hampir seminggu dan mendakwa "kumpulan pengganas" adalah yang terlibat dalam konflik itu.

Photo: AP Thousands of Turkish protesters, holding national flags and portraits of Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, jubilate as they march in Turkish capital, Ankara, Thursday, June 6, 2013. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday appeared to have slightly moderated his rhetoric regarding the anti-government protests in his country but didn’t back away from redevelopment plans for Istanbul that sparked the nearly week-long unrest and claimed “terrorist groups” were involved in the unrest.

Photo: AP Penunjuk perasaan lulus batu antara satu sama lain kerana mereka cuba untuk membentuk benteng berhampiran Taksim persegi Istanbul semasa protes, lewat khamis Jun 6, 2013. Perdana Menteri Turki Recep Tayyip Erdogan pada hari Khamis nampaknya telah sedikit sederhana retorik beliau mengenai protes anti-kerajaan di negara itu tetapi tidak kembali dari rancangan pembangunan semula untuk Istanbul yang mencetuskan rusuhan hampir seminggu dan mendakwa "kumpulan pengganas" adalah yang terlibat dalam konflik itu.

Photo: AP Protesters pass bricks to each other as they try to form a barricade near Taksim square of Istanbul during a protest, late Thursday, June 6, 2013. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday appeared to have slightly moderated his rhetoric regarding the anti-government protests in his country but didn’t back away from redevelopment plans for Istanbul that sparked the nearly week-long unrest and claimed “terrorist groups” were involved in the unrest.

Erdogan calls for end to Turkey protest

REVIEW 1WC’sChannel 2013: ISTANBUL (June 07, 2013. AP) - Turkey's prime minister took a combative stance on his closely watched return to the country early Friday, telling supporters who thronged to greet him that the protests that have swept the country must come to an end.

In the first extensive public show of support since anti-government protests erupted last week, more than 10,000 supporters cheered Recep Tayyip Erdogan with rapturous applause outside Istanbul's international airport.

Despite earlier comments that suggested he could be softening his stand, Erdogan delivered a fiery speech on his return from a four-day trip to North Africa. "These protests that are bordering on illegality must come to an end as of now," he said.

Tens of thousands of protesters have held demonstrations that have spread to dozens of cities across Turkey, sparked by the violent police reaction last Friday to what started out as a small protest against a plan to develop Istanbul's central Taksim Square.

Since then, three people have died - two protesters and a policeman - and thousands have been wounded. One protester is on life support in a hospital in Ankara. Protesters from all walks of life have occupied the square and its park, objecting to what they say is Erdogan's increasingly autocratic and arrogant manner - charges he vehemently denies.

Turks have been awaiting Erdogan's words upon his return, seeing them as a signal of whether the demonstrations would fizzle or rage on. Erdogan at times was almost drowned out by his supporters, part of the base that has helped him win three landslide elections. "God is Great," they chanted, and soon moved on to slogans referring specifically to the protesters in Taksim Square.

"Let us go, let us smash them," they shouted. "Istanbul is here, where are the looters?" Erdogan had initially referred to the protesters as looters and troublemakers, while also acknowledging that excessive police force might have been used, and promising it would be investigated.

Erdogan's speech, delivered from atop an open-air bus outside the airport terminal, appeared at first to be an attempt to strike a unifying note. "They say I am the prime minister of only 50 percent. It's not true. We have served the whole of the 76 million from the east to the west," he said, referring to his election win in 2011, when he took 50 percent of the vote.

"Together we are Turkey. Together we are brothers," he said, adding "We have never endeavored to break hearts. We are in favor of mending hearts." But he soon became more combative. "We have never been for building tension and polarization. But we cannot applaud brutality," he said.

In his last speech in Tunisia before flying to Istanbul, Erdogan had said that terrorist groups were involved in the protests, saying they had been identified. In a twist, Erdogan implied that bankers were also part of a conspiracy that was fuelling the protests. He added that the flames of dissent had been fanned by other groups too.

"Those who call themselves journalists, artists, politicians, have, in a very irresponsible way, opened the way for hatred, discrimination and provocation," he said. Speaking before Erdogan's return, Koray Caliskan, professor of political science and international relations at Bosporus University, pointed out that the prime minister was maintaining a hard line because "until now Erdogan had always gained support by increasing the tension in the country."

"Turkey is absolutely at a crossroads. Erdogan won't be able to point at Turkey as a model of democracy anymore," he said. In his earlier comments in Tunisia, Erdogan acknowledged that some Turks were involved in the protests out of environmental concerns, and said he had "love and respect" for them.

Those comments don't appear to have swayed many of the thousands of protesters who thronged the square for a sixth day Thursday. More than 10,000 others filled a busy street in a middle class area of Ankara.

"I do not believe his sincerity," said protester Hazer Berk Buyukturca. Turkey's main stock market revealed the fears that Erdogan's comments would do little to defuse the protesters, with the general price index plunging by 8 percent after his comments on concerns that continuing unrest would hit the country's economy.

Over the past week the demonstrations have spread to 78 cities, growing into public venting of what protesters perceive to be Erdogan's increasing arrogance. That includes attempts to impose what many say are restrictive mores on their personal lives, such as how many children to have or whether to drink alcohol.

So far, 4,300 people have been hurt or sought medical attention for the effects of tear gas during the protests, the Turkish Human Rights Foundation said. One person is on life support in Ankara. Interior Minister Muammer Guler said more than 500 police officers had been injured. A total of 746 protests had erupted, causing some 70 million Turkish Lira ($37 million) in damages, he said. Nearly 80 protesters were still hospitalized, and almost all detained protesters had been released.

Fraser reported from Ankara. Ezgi Akin in Ankara contributed.