Αυτό που ξεκίνησε ως διαμαρτυρία ενάντια στην ανέγερση εμπορικού κέντρου στη θέση του Gezi Park στην πλατεία Taksim, μεταμορφώθηκε σε κίνημα αντίστασης ενάντια στην καταπιεστική πολιτική της Τουρκικής Κυβέρνησης και συνεχίζεται μέχρι σήμερα από τις 27 Μαΐου του 2013.
Το LGBT Block ήταν παρόν σε αυτό το κίνημα από την πρώτη στιγμή, με στόχο τόσο την προστασία των γειτονιών του κέντρου που απειλούνται με ισοπέδωση όσο και την καταγγελία της παραβίασης των δημοκρατικών αξιών και δικαιωμάτων από τις τουρκικές Αρχές και την κυβέρνηση.
Η βία των αστυνομικών ενάντια στους διαμαρτυρόμενους πολίτες, που πλέον αποκαλούνται "τρομοκράτες", ήταν και συνεχίζει να είναι αδυσώπητη, καθώς τα δακρυγόνα, οι πλαστικές σφαίρες και το ξύλο χρησιμοποιούνται πλέον όχι μόνο στο αντιστεκόμενο πλήθος, αλλά και στους ανθρώπους που είτε σπεύδουν να καταγράψουν τα γεγονότα, πχ. δημοσιογράφους, ακτιβιστές/bloggers, ειδικούς απεσταλμένους ανταποκριτές άλλων χωρών, είτε να βοηθήσουν τους πολίτες που χρήζουν άμεση ιατρική περίθαλψη στους δρόμους και στα γύρω ξενοδοχεία ή νομική υποστήριξη στα κρατητήρια, ξυλοφορτώνοντας και συλλαμβάνοντας εθελοντές ιατρούς, δικηγόρους, χρήστες των κοινωνικών δικτύων και άλλους. Μάλιστα, είναι τέτοια η λύσσα των Αρχών ενάντια στους διαμαρτυρόμενους πολίτες, που κατέβασαν στο πλευρό της Αστυνομίας τόσο την Στρατιωτική Αστυνομία όσο και παρακρατικούς φασίστες, προκειμένου να καταστείλουν τις οποιεσδήποτε αντιδράσεις άμεσα, με περίσσεια βαρβαρότητα και ορμή.
Επιπλέον, το LGBT Block, ως ενεργοί συμμετέχοντες της Πλατφόρμας Αλληλεγγύης της Πλατείας Taksim, ανησυχεί για την σωματική ακεραιότητα όσων λάβουν μέρος στο 4ο Ετήσιο Trans Pride, στις 23 Ιουνίου, καθώς και στην 11η Ετήσια LGBT Pride Παρέλαση στις 30 Ιουνίου, υπογραμμίζοντας και τις ομοφοβικές δηλώσεις στελεχών του Ερντογάν περί "αρρώστιας, κοινωνικής υποβάθμισης και ανηθικότητας".
To moto αυτού του Pride στην Τουρκία είναι η "ΑΝΤΙΣΤΑΣΗ".
Δείτε παρακάτω την ανακοίνωση του LGBT Block στα αγγλικά:
"LGBT BLOCK - An account of our three weeks resistance
What began as a protest against the construction of a shopping mall in Gezi Park in Taksim Square, turned into a resistance movement against the oppressive politics of Turkish government that has been ongoing since May 27th 2013.
As an LGBT block, we have been an integral part of this movement which started as a peaceful civil disobedience and continues to protect its peaceful nature. As a group of people threatened to be removed from city centers due to urban reconstruction projects, we walked out into the streets to defend our neighborhoods against capital accumulating investment deals.
At the end of the 20th day of occupation at the park, on Saturday June 15th police with the help of the military police, entered Gezi Park by force, violently dispersing the crowd with tear gas. They then proceeded to intervene with pressurized water laced with chemicals and tear gas to the hotels, infirmaries and hospitals, including indoor areas in which many people sought medical help and security. These interventions continued onto the following day, Sunday June 16th. Again, during the day on Sunday police and military police attacked the public, who were trying to get to Taksim Square to practice their democratic right to peaceful assembly, with tear gas and chemically enhanced pressurized water. People were beaten and taken into custody by the police. Pro-government fascist groups were also seen attacking people with knives and bats on the streets. (Visit the this link to see what happened on the 15th June).
These attacks came the day after Prime Minister Erdogan met with members of the Taksim Solidarity group which represents Gezi Park resistance. At the time of the attack, along with its residents in tents set up all over, the park had visitors including children enjoying the weather and the festival like atmosphere created by the people organizing at the park for over two weeks. There were concerts, art workshops for children and other social activities in different locations in the park including deliberations about the anti-democratic actions of the government between people of different identities and ideologies. The Gezi Park occupation itself became a hub for cultural activities, a platform of communication and a sharing of a public eager to generate life, forming a unity around the principle of freedom.
Moreover, during this attack police forcibly kept all journalists outside of the park. At the end of 21 days many journalists were beaten and taken under police custody. Many mainstream media channels did not report openly out of fear of censorship and the government fined others who did.
Since the beginning of the spread of resistance over all of Anatolia, May 31st until June 18th, according to Turkish Doctors’ Union (TTB) report, there are a total of 4 deaths (one of whom is a police officer), 59 heavily injured, 6 of whom are at life risk. 91 people have suffered head traumas from tear gas canisters, 11 lost one eye and the total of people who have reported to the infirmaries set up around resistance sites and hospitals with injuries reached to 7,822. One of the head trauma victims is a 14 year old still fighting for his life.
We also observed signs of the use of plastic bullets on the bodies of the wounded and unknown people beat many who were taken into police custody. Since June 15th, there are several video and photographic evidence collected showing the police entering apartments without warrants, kicking apartment doors, and shooting tear gas into the hotels around Gezi Park. (link)
Over the weekend, during planned police operations and violent attacks several citizens including lawyers, doctors and journalists were taken into custody. According to the explanations by Contemporary Lawyers Association, currently in Istanbul, there are 169 in custody waiting to give their statements and 450 who have been reported to the crisis centers, however have not yet been taken to police stations (link). We are terribly concerned about the risk of being lost while under police custody.
Among those in police custody there are several doctors who had been providing first aid to the wounded and injured on their own initiative. The temporary infirmaries were destroyed; the police collected the medical resources which were donated by the public. Moreover, the explanations and reports given by the governor on the events conflict with those coming from the Bar and non-governmental organizations follow the events. Speeches from the government officials target the protestors, as “terrorists” and the silence and selective reporting of the mainstream media are evidences of the use of disinformation. The current government is actively trying to hide the police violence and violation of the democratic rights of the people in Turkey. We contend that these actions of the government are what caused the increase of police brutality in Turkey.
In Ankara, the funeral convoy for Ethem Sarısülük who was shot in the head by a police officer was stopped and the funeral service had to change locations after the police intervention.
As one of the active constituents of Taksim Solidarity Platform, LGBT Block, we are concerned for our well being during the 4th Annual Trans Pride March on June 23rd and 11th Annual LGBT Pride March. We are afraid that we may experience severe police brutality during our marches, taking away our primary democratic right to peaceful assembly.
Additionally, during its 11 year service, the AKP government has not taken into consideration the demands of equality by LGBT groups. In both the parliament and in front of the public, they have declared LGBT existence as a sickness, a social deterioration, an imitation and an immorality. AKP deputies have stated that they will never support adding sexual orientation protections against discriminations to the constitution.
LGBT Block
21st. Istanbul LGBT Pride Week and March Committee"
Ζητώντας αλληλεγγύη στον αγώνα κατά της καταπίεσης των δημοκρατικών δικαιωμάτων στην Τουρκία, η Επιτροπή διοργάνωσης του Pride στην Κωνσταντινούπολη εξέδωσε το εξής παρακάτω κείμενο.
"Dear All
We, as the Istanbul LGBT Pride Committee are writing this letter in order to inform you about the latest difficulties we are facing by organizing the Istanbul LGBT Pride March,the biggest LGBT pride march in the Middle East and Balkan regions and to invite you to support us and walk with us.
Istanbul LGBT Pride activities in Istanbul are organized since 2003 and celebrated on the streets since 10 years with growing numbers. However the latest political developments have raised crucial concerns for both the organizers and the LGBT community in Turkey.
Taksim Square and Istiklal Street, both are under construction for renovation and pedestrianisation, have been closed down to any politic and dissident protests as well as human rights demonstrations after May 1, 2013. Activists and demonstrators are subjected to extreme use of force by the police. The use of tear gas, water cannon and physical violence by the police to disperse demonstrators also affected citizens on Istiklal Street and Taksim Square. Without any consideration of daily activities of these citizens, the police use tear gas, water cannon, and physical violence to any group after May 1, 2013.
Personal Rights and Obligations of the Turkish Constitution states that everyone has right to organize unarmed and nonviolent meetings and protest marches without obtaining prior permission (Article 34), and everyone has right to express and disseminate his or her thought and opinion by speech, in writing or in pictures or through other media, individually or collectively (Article 26). Governorship, representative authority of government in province, severely violates the freedom of speech and right to protest. To this day large number of people have affected by tear gas and violence by the police during the protest marches and demonstrations.
After the use of severe violence by the police, construction and renovation in the area used as an excuse to prevent protest marching and to justify the access prevented toTaksim Square on May 1, 2013. In addition to that all local public transportation services were cancelled by thegovernorship. People were prevented to access meeting points for protest marching and people who gathered together were subjected to violence by the police. However, the same governorship and government allowed celebrations after the soccer games at the same place even though it was still under construction. This is a violation of the right to oppose and offering an opposition is very essential to democracy.
Increased conservatism, police swoops to houses and movie theaters against LGBT individuals, reluctance of the policeto the violence against transgender women, and homophobic and transfobic expressions by members of governing party in the Turkish National Assembly present serious threats to the LGBT individuals and their personal and social rights. Under these circumstances LGBT Pride Week and Pride Parade that will be held in Turkey 21.times this year faces an issue of violence and provocation. Last year twenty thousand LGBT individuals attended the Parade and the information obtained from governorship indicates that this year LGBT Pride Parade will be obstructed. The right to organize unarmed and nonviolent meetings and protest marches without obtaining prior permission will be violated unlawfully.
Under the circumstances, we would like to walk with thousand people again on Taksim Square 21. times this year to defend the rights of LGBT individuals and to express and raise our voicebeing ignored by the Turkish National Law. We would like to say, “ We are here and we want to live” and we would like to walk again to say “ LGBT rights are human rights.” We value and care about international support in order to make this Pride Week and Parade come true in a peaceful, enthusiastic atmosphere, and not to face police violence.
We hope that you would walk with us throughout Istiklal Street on June 30, 2013 Sunday at 17:00 to show your support to LGBT individuals in Turkey and you would honor our Parade to contribute our campaign for human rights.
With Solidarity,
21. LGBT Pride Week Committee"
Σε αυτόν τον σύνδεσμο μπορείτε να ενημερώνεστε για το πρόγραμμα και τις εκδηλώσεις του Pride της Κωνσταντινούπολης.
Πηγή: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Istanbul-LGBT-Onur-Haftas%C4%B1-Istanbul-LGBT-Pride-Week/160223430771945
http://oblogdeeoblogda.me/2013/05/30/istanbul-pride-march-2013-under-threat-of-government-suppression/
https://www.facebook.com/ist.lgbtt
http://onurhaftasi.tumblr.com/post/53364099203/lgbt-block-an-account-of-our-three-weeks-resistance
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