The streets, plazas and canals of Istanbul warped by Turkish photographer Aydın Büyüktaş., using stitched together images of the city, gathered by aerial drones.
Büyüktaş claims to have been influenced not by Christopher Nolan’s Inception (2010) but by the two dimensional geometric world of the 19th century satirical novella, Flatland, after which this series is named.
More of his work here.
Tommy Gavin, who has reported from Istanbul with his colleague Ronan Burtenshaw for Rabble.ie, writes how, following a relatively quiet summer, things have kicked off again over the last few weeks.
In Trinity News, deputy editor Tommy writes:
“Police brutality has been the most consistent motivating factor in fuelling the protests. Amnesty International has called for a suspension of tear gas shipments to Turkey as police used 130,000 tear gas canisters in the first 20 days of the protests, depleting the 150,000 budgeted for the year. The Turkish Medical Association has reported that over 8,000 people have been injured by police who have been aiming with tear gas grenades at the heads of protesters.”
Speaking to Trinity News, one activist in Istanbul described the demographics of the protests now as being “more marginal and militant than they were in June. It’s not like it was in Gezi, you don’t have mothers and fathers banging pots and pans in the street as much anymore.”
One recent development has been the use of fireworks against the police. Trinity News has learned that one of the main groups to employ this tactic is the Patriotic Revolutionist Youth Movement (YDG-H), a disciplined and well organised militant youth wing of the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK).”
“The PKK is an armed Kurdish paramilitary group that has engaged in political terrorism, and in March entered a ceasefire with the Turkish government, though talks are now stalling. They have announced that they will not be the first to attack but the YDG-H has been active in the protests since June. They have not been directly visible though, as Kurds generally don’t want the peace talks to break down.”
“The most visible groups during the protests in June were university students and militant soccer fans from Turkey’s notorious football supporters clubs. The government feared that with the resumption of football season and the beginning of the academic year, campuses and stadiums would become major protest venues. In an effort to curb the possibility, the Turkish government has announced that private security on campuses and stadiums is to be replaced with police forces, plainclothes police will mingle with fans during football games, and scholarships of students who participate in anti-government protests will be withdrawn.”
The Turkish Uprising Revisited (Trinity News)
Previously: Turkish Despair
They get TV3 too?
What is happening in Turkey?
Sumandef Hakkinda, in Istanbul, writes
I am writing to let you know what is going on in Istanbul for the last five days. I personally have to write this because most of the media sources are shut down by the government and the word of mouth and the internet are the only ways left for us to explain ourselves and call for help and support.
Four days ago a group of people most of whom did not belong to any specific organization or ideology got together in Istanbul’s Gezi Park.
Among them there were many of my friends and students. Their reason was simple: To prevent and protest the upcoming demolishing of the park for the sake of building yet another shopping mall at very center of the city.
The tearing down of the trees was supposed to begin early Thursday morning. People went to the park with their blankets, books and children. They put their tents down and spent the night under the trees.
Early in the morning when the bulldozers started to pull the hundred-year-old trees out of the ground, they stood up against them to stop the operation.
They did nothing other than standing in front of the machines.
No newspaper, no television channel was there to report the protest. It was a complete media black out.
But the police arrived with water cannon vehicles and pepper spray. They chased the crowds out of the park.
In the evening the number of protesters multiplied. So did the number of police forces around the park.
Meanwhile local government of Istanbul shut down all the ways leading up to Taksim square where the Gezi Park is located. The metro was shut down, ferries were cancelled, roads were blocked.
Yet more and more people made their way up to the center of the city by walking.
They came from all around Istanbul. They came from all different backgrounds, different ideologies, different religions. They all gathered to prevent the demolition of something bigger than the park:
The right to live as honorable citizens of this country.
They gathered and marched. Police chased them with pepper spray and tear gas and drove their tanks over people who offered the police food in return.
Two young people were run over by the Panzers [tanks] and were killed. Another young woman, a friend of mine, was hit in the head by one of the incoming tear gas canisters.
The police were shooting them straight into the crowd. After a three hour operation she is still in Intensive Care Unit and in very critical condition. As I write this we don’t know if she is going to make it. This blog is dedicated to her.
These people are my friends. They are my students, my relatives. They have no “hidden agenda” as the state likes to say. Their agenda is out there. It is very clear.
The whole country is being sold to corporations by the government, for the construction of malls, luxury condominiums, freeways, dams and nuclear plants. The government is looking for (and creating when necessary) any excuse to attack Syria against its people’s will.
On top of all that, the government control over its people’s personal lives has become unbearable as of late. The state, under its conservative agenda passed many laws and regulations concerning abortion, cesarean birth, sale and use of alcohol and even the color of lipstick worn by the airline stewardesses.
People who are marching to the center of Istanbul are demanding their right to live freely and receive justice, protection and respect from the State. They demand to be involved in the decision-making processes about the city they live in.
What they have received instead is excessive force and enormous amounts of tear gas shot straight into their faces. Three people lost their eyes.
Yet they still march. Hundred of thousands join them. Couple of more thousand passed the Bosporus Bridge on foot to support the people of Taksim.
No newspaper or TV channel was there to report the events. They were busy with broadcasting news about Miss Turkey and “the strangest cat of the world”.
Police kept chasing people and spraying them with pepper spray to an extent that stray dogs and cats were poisoned and died by it.
Schools, hospitals and even 5 star hotels around Taksim Square opened their doors to the injured. Doctors filled the classrooms and hotel rooms to provide first aid. Some police officers refused to spray innocent people with tear gas and quit their jobs.
Around the square they placed jammers to prevent internet connection and 3g networks were blocked. Residents and businesses in the area provided free wireless network for the people on the streets. Restaurants offered food and water for free.
People in Ankara and İzmir gathered on the streets to support the resistance in Istanbul.
Mainstream media kept showing Miss Turkey and “the strangest cat in the world”.
I am writing this letter so that you know what is going on in Istanbul. Mass media will not tell you any of this. Not in my country at least. Please post as many as articles as you see on the Internet and spread the word.
As I was posting articles that explained what is happening in Istanbul on my Facebook page last night someone asked me the following question:
“What are you hoping to gain by complaining about our country to foreigners?”
This is my answer to her.
By so called “complaining” about my country I am hoping to gain:
Freedom of expression and speech,
Respect for human rights,
Control over the decisions I make concerning my on my body,
The right to legally congregate in any part of the city without being considered a terrorist.
But most of all by spreading the word to you, my friends who live in other parts of the world, I am hoping to get your awareness, support and help!
Please spread the word and share this blog.
What is Happening in Istanbul? (Sumandef Hakkinda, İnsanlik Hali)
Previously: Meanwhile, In Istanbul
Pic: Reuters
Thanks D.E.W
Taksim Gezi Park, Istanbul, Turkey.
Niamh Molloy writes:
I would appreciate you sharing this. The authorities are attempting to remove the last green space in the centre of Istanbul and the response to the thousands of demonstrators has been tear gas, dawn raids and burning their tents.
People are protesting not only to save the park but also as a show of resistance to the government and the questionable decisions it has been known to make. It would be nice to show some support.
