Lets Keep Turkey Secular
Is Recep Tayyip Erdogan bringing Turkey back to the 17th century?
Central News Agency‘s survey of 62 cities in 81 provinces ban on the prohibition of alcoholic beverages in Turkey.
White: not prohibited Yellow: partly prohibited Red: prohibited
Almost 10 years of Turkey being curtailed from secularity by the AK Party (AKP). Looking at history in 1998, Erdoǧan was convicted for instigating hatred for secularism through Islamic fundamentalism. In that same year, The State Security Court had charged Erdoǧan with ten months prince sentence however he only completed four months. During his power shrewdly stated in a speech; "The mosques are our barracks, the domes our helmets, the minarets our bayonets and the faithful our soldiers...”
We are delivering large-scale of information to Turkey about the prohibition of alcohol and underlining the bigger picture.Our work is driven by our passion to keep Turkey secular and by any means we will keep the rights for Turkish people. Together with our supporters in Turkey and across the world, we are dedicated and developing, implementing concrete real solutions to inform people of the actual reasons for banning alcohol in Turkey. We are seeking a future in which people live in a democratic and secular society.
According to statistics by the Central News Agency, 62 provinces in 81 provinces have prohibited the use of alcohol. Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, the sale of alcohol is being prohibited in all the social facilities since Recep Tayyip Erdogan‘s power in 2003. The Islamist credentials of Turkey's far right wing government have come under renewed inspection over a new law on alcohol which critics claim that it should not stop bars and restaurants from selling drinks by the glass. However, under the Galata Bridge where it’s very popular with fish and wine, (including traditional Turkish alcohol drink Raki), restaurants have stopped operating by the tenants because of the prohibition of alcoholic beverages.
According to new regulations, catering firms, party, events, concerts, exhibitions and sale of liquor will not be able for the openings. Also these new regulations are taking part in weddings, and open-air invitations to affect these services too. This prohibition also extends to the entire coastal region .Even historical places such as Topkapi Palace and Hagiaİrini's wine service will not be accessible too. Ankara Metropolitan Municipality has also forbidden drinking alcohol many social facilities or evening in the parks.
The ‘democratic’consequences are!
Offenders could face maximum fines of more than £4,000 which threatens the public and shop owners. There have been many cases where police officers acted with violent force against the alcohol sellers as well as attacking an art gallery filled with people drinking alcohol and viewing the art on display. During this attack people were severely injured with many having to go to the hospital, the gallery’s windows were smashed. It is evident that AKP’s ruling party are creating conflict between people with different lifestyles. It is clear as daylight that AKP’s concerns are not with peoples’ health or placing law and order.
AKP are aware that people will fear opposing this rule as they do not want to pay a fine of £4,000 this act suits AKP’s agenda which is to restrict basic rights such as not being able to drink wine at the restaurant because this does not meet AKP’s religious beliefs. These movements are not complying with democratic standards which they constantly repeat as part of their ethos. For example when there was constant debates over hijab (headscarves), AKP were in heavy support to allowing hijabs as this was highly democratic, however when it came to the alcohol consumption they were not as democratic as they were with the hijab concerns. Although people should have the freedom to decide whether they wear hijab or consume alcohol.
Turkey’s ruling party AKP‘s spokesman has justified these kind of measures essential to avoid unlicensed premises from illegally serving alcoholic drinks. In the other hand the critics claims it really is in line with AKP’s ‘hidden agenda’ of progressively removing drinking in public places and having a sequence of increasing restrictions.
He said "there is no prohibition, everybody drinks until they sneeze and puke"
Alcohol producers in Turkey were already feeling the pressure ever since the AKP’s power. Wine producers had previously voiced concerns over heavy increases in tax. Efes Pilsen emphasized in their article that they need to alter the name of it. Efes Pilsen also stated that the government are not concerned about the health and safety of the people, but it could become a new battleground for political gains. The producers also felt that the AKP disregarded the wine industry because of their overt Islamic ideologies, although many Turkish people consume alcohol. AKP's procedures are seen as the vehicle to create an anti-secular environment.
Through the controversy, the dispute has come about as the AKP is challenging an attempt from the constitutional court - Turkey's highest court - to shut it down for attempting to undermine Turkey's secular system. The legal court is additionally aiming to prohibit 71 senior party members, including the prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and president, Abdullah Gul, from party politics for five years.
Although the AKP have denied the accusations (the real reason for banning alcohol and prohibtion of the cities from consuming alcohol for anti-secularism) but have so far not made any actions to ease the issues caused mostly from the protesters and implementations of local authorities.
Evaluating from prohibitions of alcohol in Turkey it is paving way for Turkey to become a totalitarian country like Saudi Arabia or Iran where Sharia Law is practised on a mass scale (in many cases offenders in these countries face severe consequences if they are seen drinking alcohol) . It is obvious now that Sharia law is being sneaked in throughout modern, moderate, secular Turkey.
Public protests against the prohibition
The protestor's consisted of; diverse backgrounds, ages and different religion sect. Hundreds of protesters gathered in many different cities in Turkey through the social networking site Facebook. The largest protests were held in the streets of Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara and many cities which are visible in the map.
The protesters in Istanbul marched from Taksim Square to the Galatasaray High School, where they yelled slogans after which they carried on their protest to the tunnel, shouting slogans-" Erdogan, şaşirma içkime karışma" (do not be astonished, and do not put nose in my drink) resistant to the ruling party whilst drinking. Hundreds of protesters also gathered in Istanbul’s Moda Seaport, where in addition they protested the prohibitions with slogans and alcoholic beverages.
Demonstrators in Ankara also presented a speech, where they stated, they had been protesting because of the point that the legal age for consuming alcohol has been raised, ironically the age to utilize weaponry was lately decreased. In addition they protested with placards and alcoholic include beverages.
World Media Headlines
The world media has presented the alcohol prohibition in Turkey with headlines as:
· Israel newspaper Haaretz stated, in an article "Smoking and drinking alcohol is now a taboo Turkey,"
· The New York Times Stated in their headline Turkey’s alcohol prohibition as "restricting the use of alcohol in Turkey,"
· France 24 network: “Battle of the booze: Turkey divided over new alcohol regulations”
· Many Turkish Newspapers as ; Vatan, Sozcu, Cumhuriyet and some media channels in Turkey commented on the prohibition of alcohol as the “4. Murat prohibition” a
Sign the petition!
As a Turkish citizen we call on you to take a part in the movement against Islamic fundamentalism which is taking place in Turkey. This is bringing us back to the authoritarian dictatorship which was commonly practised in the 17th century during the Ottoman Empire which consisted of all the power going to one man. We are in the 21st century where democracy is practised in many countries. Freedom of expression and lifestyle are practised in democratic countries where the law and orders are practised regardless of religion, political view and status quo. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s reformations changed Turkey’s with a sequence of ; political, legal, cultural, social and economical policy alterations that were created to bring the Republic of Turkey into a more secular nation-state. These reforms modernised the constitution (Constitution of 1924). European laws were adapted to the needs for the new republic Turkey. The main aims to these reforms were the belief that Turkish society would have to Westernise itself, politically, culturally and especially the education system in order to modernise Turkey.
Support this cause and keep Turkey secular by signing the petition. We will send the petition to the opposition party Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi -mid left wing (CHP-Republican People's Party) http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/keepsecularturkey
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Ali Kazancigil Political Analisyt gave his analysis on the Alchol prohibtion and general opinion on the France 24 programme Focus. http://www.france24.com/en/20110127-tuekey%27s-booze-battle
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