Friday, September 3, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Τhe Αlevis ''open up'' of Erdogan failed
Date: 02.09.2010 | 11:38
Τhe Αlevis ''open up'' of Erdogan failed
Preparation for a appeal to the ECHR
Nikos Stelgia
www.kathimerini.com.cy
IMPORTANT STATEMENT: -THE TRANSLANTION IS BASED ON GOOGLE TRANSLATE. PLEASE BE PATIENT WITH POSSIBLE INACCURACIES. THANK YOU-
A year ago the leadership of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Turkey launched a series of "open up" (açılım) in various fields.The leading figures of the AKP spoke for radical review of policy initiatives on issues such as relations between Turkey and Armenia, Kurdistan, Cyprus and the relations of the Turkish state with one of the largest religious communities in the country that of Alevis. A year after the pompous statements of the leadership of the party, the AKP openings remain suspended and Alevides preparing to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
The Alevi community, which expresses opposition to the involvement of the secular state to the religious life of the country and the imposition of Sunni – hanefi doctrine of Islam, announced yesterday that it has decided to appeal to the ECHR in order to ensure equal treatment by the Turkish state of all religious beliefs.
The president of the "Cem Vakfı" and the Federation of Associations of Alevis Izetin Doğan said that "the Constitution provides that religious services are public services. In fact, public services should be provided equally to every citizen. Now in Turkey live 25 - 30 million Alevis and the state ignores their presence. The state provides religious services with personnel who profess conservative values. The Turkish state has never maintained an equal distance to its citizens. "
Blow to the AKP days before of the referendum
In yesterday's positions, Mr. Dogan made it clear that Alevis of Turkey are determined to make their case in ECHR. He stressed that this action will take place before the referendum on September 12. Mr. Dogan explained that this decision was taken based on the fact that the constitutional amendment promoted by the AKP makes difficult to appeal to the ECHR.
Sounding the alarm of a totalitarian regime in future
Yesterday, Mr Dogan, among others mentioned to the forthcoming referendum on constitutional changes. He noted that the amendment promotes the AKP opens the way for the abolition of judicial independence and the establishment of a totalitarian regime in Turkey.
www.kathimerini.com.cy
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Antimilitarist protest in Cyprus
"Aishe, holidays are over. Come back home "
Antimilitarist protest in Cyprus
Nikos Stelgia – Kathimerini 1/9/2010
IMPORTANT STATEMENT: -THE TRANSLANTION IS BASED ON GOOGLE TRANSLATE. PLEASE BE PATIENT WITH POSSIBLE INACCURACIES. THANK YOU-
The Turkish Cypriot antimilitarist movement went to the streets in Tuesday to protest against the effects of the presence of Turkish troops in Cyprus and also to clear his disagreement with the recent publications of "Africa".
The antimilitarist movement reacting to the latest publications of 'Africa', accuses the newspaper that it seeks to tarnish the antimilitarist protests.
On the other hand, in recent days, "Africa" refers to drugs and the relationship of brain smuggling with so called authorities. Because of these publications, the newspaper receives threatening messages. The movement expressed the antimilitarist sympathy to the "Africa" and stressed that the action of the people of the night is a direct consequence of the presence of Turkish troops in northern Cyprus.
On Tuesday, representatives of the movement antimilitarist made statements at the entrance of the building that houses the "Afrika" and then made mobilize protest at the entrance of the "embassy" of Turkey. During the protest banners hung bearing the slogan "Aishe, the holidays are over. Go home ", which it referred in a humorous way to 'The Aishe go on holiday", which was used as the password for opening the Turkish invasion in 1974. Communiqué issued by the protesters stressed that with accordance to the antimilitaristic protests took place on August 14 they want the withdrawal of all military forces from Cyprus.
Note that the last time the "Africa" in addition to the publications on drug trafficking, referred to the anti-militaristic demonstrations in August and accused the protesters of divisive action within the Left.
For their part, members of antimilitarist movement in a telephone communication with the www.kathimerini.com.cy, expressed great disappointment for the fact that some Greek Cypriot media referred to the movement with term of "so-called antimilitarist peace movement "and stressed that the liberation of Cyprus from all the military forces can only be achieved through the development of creative communication channels between the two sides of the Green Line.
www.kathimerini.com.cy
CRITICAL REFERANDUM FOR THE POLITICAL FUTURE OF ERDOGAN
CRITICAL REFERANDUM FOR THE POLITICAL FUTURE OF ERDOGAN
By Nikos Stelgia
Kathimerini 29-8-2010
IMPORTANT STATEMENT: -THE TRANSLANTION IS BASED ON GOOGLE TRANSLATE. PLEASE BE PATIENT WITH POSSIBLE INACCURACIES. THANK YOU-
It all started last December when the Constitutional Court of Turkey banned the operation of the Democratic Society Party (DTP), on the pretext that it had close ties with the PKK. Then, the top executives of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) concluded that the structures of justice could be the biggest obstacle to the future government work and to the party."The ban of AKP is possible", stated last January, a senior member of the ruling party which he added: "The opponents of the party is determined to proceed with the destruction of the AKP. The party must respond with counter-attack”.
A few weeks after this labeling, the ruling party of Turkey passed to the "counterattack." Brought to the fore the debate on constitutional revision. In fact, the proposal to revise the constitution created by the military junta in 1982, was first on the political scene in the early years of the AKP government. At that time, many party officials said that they agreed to create a new, democratic constitution. This debate has lost its importance over the time, the AKP has turned to new political priorities. But the whole debate on the revision of the Turkish constitution resurfaced a few months after the closure of the DTP, last February. Finally, the AKP has moved to a package of constitutional review, which focuses on the functioning of the structures and mechanisms of the Turkish justice. If in the referendum of September 12 the Turkish society gives consent for this review, in the future the banning of the political organizations will not be so easy for the judicial system.
The upset Turkish justice
For their part, a part of Turkish society opposes the package that promotes the AKP. According to many top lawyers in Turkey, the sole objective of AKP is the absolute control of the judiciary in order to facilitate the adoption of conservative political and social initiatives.
But the lawyers in Turkey, expressing their opposition to amending the constitution, are often contradictory. Talking about judicial independence there are a number of unanswered questions that they fail to respond. First, why in the past they have not made clear their opposition to the junta's constitution of 1982? Secondly, why they avoid to comment about the irregularities of the structure and function of the Turkish judicial system? Thirdly, why they do not put their own proposal for a democratic and European constitution?
The members of the AKP stressing the importance of these unanswered questions, they declare loyalty to a positive outcome in the referendum on September 12. "We will reach legendary proportions," stated a few weeks a member of the Turkish government.
Whatever the objection of the Turkish judiciary system members and the expectations of the AKP, it is clear that a significant portion of Turkish society appears skeptical about the intentions of the leadership of the ruling party. Furthermore, many intellectuals emphasize that if in the polls dominate the referendum will of AKP the secular and unitary nature of the Turkish Republic will be challenged.
Strict tonnes from the opposition
Since early summer, the Turkish political leaders are moving to the rhythm of the upcoming referendum. The main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), will vote against the constitutional revision. The new party leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has made clear that he favors a comprehensive review of the constitution and emphasizes the importance of a democratic constitution. The executives of the party shared the concern about the future of the secular and unitary nature of democracy.
The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in official positions have related the referendum on constitutional revision to the future of the national character of democracy. According to its leader Devlet Bahçeli the AKP is treacherous and obscure to the Turkishness of democracy.
Regarding the attitude of the smaller opposition parties should be emphasized that the only party which has made clear its support for the initiative of the AKP is the Happiness Party (Saadet), which maintains close relations with the cycles of political Islam in Turkey.
The Kurdish reconstructs the political field, the Cyprus issue defines new policies
At a time when the debate on constitutional revision is public concern in Turkey, the Kurdish issue appears on stage as a factor in the reconstruction of the Turkish political field.
Last week, the PKK has carried out ceasefire. Almost simultaneously, the Party of Peace and Democracy (BDP), which replaced the previous December the DTP, maintaining close links with the PKK groups, knocked on the door of the Turkish ruling party with a specific proposal. It asked the AKP to support the autonomy of the provinces where the Kurdish people are the majority in return for support of the party to revision of the constitution. If the AKP accept this proposal, there are many Turkish analysts who state that will pave the way for a major reconstruction in the Turkish political arena. But so far the AKP refuses to negotiate with the BDP. For its part, the BDP says that unless a positive response to the proposal it will abstain from the referendum.
Meanwhile, press sources from Ankara indicate that the leadership of the ruling party looks anxiously the outcome of the referendum on September 12. The same sources point out that if society supports the revision the constitution, the AKP will move decisively toward strategic change in Cyprus Issue.
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