Archive for August, 2013|Monthly archive page
Serhatcan Yurdam (@syurdam): İzmir’deki Büyük Park işgalinden fotoğraflar
In Uncategorized on August 31, 2013 at 21:54Büyük Park işgali fotoğrafları
İzmir Bornova‘da Gezi Parkı hareketinin yarattığı domino etkisiyle toplanan Büyük Park Forumu süreç ilerledikçe Büyük Park’ın işgaline evrildi. Tabii bu işgalin boyutu Gezi Parkı ile kıyaslanamaz: Parkın yaklaşık yüzde beşlik bir alanı işgal edilmiş durumda ve parktaki günlük işleyiş hiçbir değişim ya da kesintiye uğramadan devam ediyor.
Hem Büyük Park Forumu’na hem park işgaline katılım sayısının az olduğu söylenebilir. Hele İstanbul‘da Gezi eylemlerinin en hareketli olduğu dönemde Bornova’da yapılan yürüyüşlere kıyasla…
24 Ağustos’ta sabah saatlerine doğru polis parktaki eyleme müdahale edip çadırları kaldırdı. Ancak park işgali bitmedi.
Büyük Park’taki çadır eylemine polis müdahale etti. Parkımıza TOMA girdi! @parklarbizmizm #occupybornova
— Büyük Park Forumu (@BuyukParkForumu) August 24, 2013
Bugüne dönelim: İşgal hâlâ sürüyor ve eylemciler, Gezi eylemlerinde İzmir’de tutuklanan Burcu Koçlu ve Elif Kaya’nın serbest bırakılmasını talep ediyor…
Büyük Park forumu hakkında haberleri http://buyukparkforumu.org sitesinden ya da Twitter‘da @BuyukParkForumu hesabından takip etmek mümkün.
Parktaki işgalden fotoğraflar burada:
Contious warnings about the peace process: “PKK retreat to ‘end Sept 1’ unless ruling AKP takes steps- Politics roundup
In Uncategorized on August 29, 2013 at 21:25
PKK retreat to ‘end Sept 1’ unless ruling AKP takes steps
A senior PKK leader has said that they will continue to withdraw until Sept. 1
Turkish gov’t urges PKK to keep commitments in peace process
A senior government member has urged the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to fulfill its responsibility and complete the withdrawal process
‘State language’ article agreed by all except BDP
Turkish as a ‘state language’ gets tripartite agreement following a Constitution Conciliation Commission debate on the article defining the language of the state, despite alternative BDP proposal
Erdogan’s presidential ambitions
Turkey’s PM faces constitutional and electoral challenges if he wants to become president.
AKP spokesperson Çelik says democracy package needs time
The democracy package is progressing in line with the “spirit of time” and cannot be rushed, according to the AKP spokesperson Hüseyin Çelik.
Alevis, Bektashis voice concerns in report to President Gül
The Alevi Bektashi Cultural Institute takes recent report up to Turkish President Abdullah Gül
Banking watchdog keeps tight control
Turkey’s banking watchdog prepares to observe the banks in Turkey from the “inside,” following Erdoğan’s harsh criticisms against very high revenues of the banks from non-banking activities.
Lira plunges despite Central Bank pledge
The Turkish Lira hit a record low on Aug. 27 even as the Central Bank’s governor said his organization had a war chest of up to $40 billion to defend the currency amid turmoil for emerging economies.
Syria roundup: Strike delayed, Turkish Foreign Ministry must be so upset…
In Uncategorized on August 29, 2013 at 21:17Obama not ready to order Syria strike but gives up on UN
U.S. President Barack Obama said he had not yet signed off on a plan to strike Syria
Turkey: Willing for the coalition
The chemical weapon attack in Syria caught the world’s attention
‘No 100% certainty’ on responsibility for Syria chemical attack: British PM
Cameron told parliamen that he was convinced the Syrian regime was behind a chemical weapons attack but admitted there was no ‘100-percent certainty’
Inside the battle for Assad’s heartland
Anti-government fighters battle Alawites in Syria’s northwestern Latakia province in an increasingly sectarian war.
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500+ AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (IN DEPTH) 1d // keep unread // preview // trash What can UN investigators find in Syria? The delay in accessing the alleged chemical weapons attack site could make the UN inspectors’ investigation difficult. |
The Case for Doing Nothing in Syria
I was in a meeting recently in Washington with a whole bunch of important people, when I heard a chilling phrase: Obama had “no good options” in Syria. It’s become a cliché. Aaron David Miller in a CNN commentary said there were “no good options” for dealing with the situation. Michael Tomasky of the Daily Beast wonders if bombing Syria is America’s “best bad option.”
In Syria, U.S. credibility is at stake
What does the world look like when people begin to doubt the credibility of U.S. power? Unfortunately, we’re finding that out in Syria and other nations where leaders have concluded they can defy a war-weary United States without paying a price.
The U.S. Has No Legal Basis to Intervene in Syria
Inter arma enim silent leges, said the Romans—in times of war, the law falls silent. But ours is a chattier society. Rather than keep silent, our laws speak loudly about war. We just don’t follow them—as the U.S. military intervention in Syria is about to show.
Syria upends Obama’s plans abroad
President Obama surely didn’t want to offer his commemoration of the 1963 March on Washington and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech on a day dominated by rumors of war. An armed conflict with the Syrian government, even of limited duration, was never part of Obama’s dream.
Mass slaughter of civilian Kurds in Syria ignites heavy clashes and mass exodus
The al-Qaeda linked “Jabhat al-Nusra” (al-Nusra Front) in Syria, stands accused of instigating a sectarian racist war against civilian Kurds in Syria’s northern Kurdish region, one that is escalating rapidly.
Turkey wants ‘to contribute to the establishment of a new Syria’
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has said Turkey’s aid to the Syrian people was based on the “responsibility to contribute to the foundation of a new Syria”
Assad says Syria will defend itself against aggression
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Thursday that Syria would defend itself against any aggression
MAIN FOCUS: US gets ready for Syria intervention | 28/08/2013
A week after the alleged toxic gas attack in Syria, the US and its allies are pushing ahead with preparations for a military intervention against the Assad regime. According to reports in the media, the air strikes may begin as soon as Thursday. Commentators criticise that the West, wary of serious intervention via a UN protective force, is just trying to soothe its conscience with the move.
UK puts forward Syria UN proposal
The UK puts a proposal for a resolution to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council “authorising all necessary measures to protect civilians” in Syria.
Syria: the pace quickens — but towards what?
Soon, military action against the Assad regime by western powers may be all but inevitable. But what kind of action, for what purpose, in the service of what larger strategy?
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3 Open Europe blog by Open Europe blog team / 1d // keep unread // preview // trash Syria: Who’s in and who’s out?
Following the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Assad’s regime in Syria, the stakes have been raised. But as the calls for international military intervention grows louder, how have Europe’s various players been lining up? Well, the EU is certainly not “speaking with one voice.” Somehow neither the Lisbon Treaty, nor the EEAS nor the arrival of Cathy Ashton has managed to magically replace 28 individual foreign policies with a single EU one. (We remain shocked!) |
*Syria: The Ins, the Outs – and the Maybes
As we noted in our previous blog post, Syria has again shown that the EU holds almost as many foreign policy positions as there are states – though we should also remember that this is an extremely complex and senstitive situation.
The momentum in the United States is shifting towards a larger-scale attack on the Assad regime. But even a limited one will transform the nature of the war, with region-wide consequences.
Cameron, allies forced to delay strike against Syria
Prime Minister David Cameron was forced yesterday (28 August) to push back his plans for an imminent military strike against Syria in a humiliating climb-down for Britain’s leader after coming under fierce domestic and international pressure.
Just a day after recalling Britain’s parliament to vote on how to respond to Syria’s suspected use of chemical weapons, Cameron was ambushed when the opposition Labour party said it wanted greater parliamentary scrutiny and rebel lawmakers in his own ruling Conservative party said they would oppose him.
Why is the United States rushing to take military action in Syria BEFORE it has ascertained the facts from the United Nations chemical warfare specialists? The US alleges that the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad has exploded chemical weapons with poison gas just a few kms east of Damascus at Ghouta in rebel-held suburbs of Jobar, Zamalka and Ein Tarma and possibly several others. What will more deaths achieve among those who say they ‘love death more than life‘?
Syrian NYT Hack Shows New Asymmetries of Modern War
While U.S. troops readied for a possible military assault Tuesday, pro-Syrian hackers brought down the NYT and crippled Twitter
This is how the Syrian Electronic Army ‘hacked’ the New York Times and Twitter
Hacking group the Syrian Electronic Army has added another major media company to its list of scalps after it took the New York Times’ website offline, and affected Twitter’s image service.
Why Strike Syria? Planned Attack Has Murky Goals
While the U.S. appears poised for missile strikes against Syria as early as Thursday?in response to the Assad regime’s August 21 chemical weapons attacks near Damascus, clarity of mission remains an issue for Obama.
Intelligence no ‘slam dunk’: US officials
The intelligence linking Syrian President Bashar al-Assad or his inner circle to an alleged chemical weapons attack that killed at least 100 people is no “slam dunk”
Putin, Rouhani agree chemical weapon use ‘impermissible’: Kremlin
Russian President Putin and Iranian counterpart Rouhani agree that chemical weapon use is “impermissible”
Where does Turkey stand on Syria crisis now?
The chemical attack allegations on August 21 in rebel-hold districts of the Syrian capital Damascus
US dismisses hope of UN action on Syria
The United States on Wednesday ruled out a last-minute bid for UN Security Council action over chemical weapons attacks in Syria, heightening expectations of a Western military strike.
Britain says no Syria action before UN inspection results
Britain will not take military action against the Syrian regime before United Nations inspectors report back on evidence of chemical weapons attacks
UN team takes samples from Syria ‘chemical victims’
UN experts visited the site Wednesday of a second alleged chemical attack near Syria’s capital, and took blood, urine and hair samples from reported victims, an AFP photographer said.
No strike on Syria before G20 summit: Russian experts
Leaders of the group of the G20 major economies are set to debate sanctions against Syria in a 5-6 September meeting in St Petersburg, with Western nations led by the United States preparing for air strikes in retaliation to a recent chemical attack on civilians.
Russian experts quoted by the Russian press agency, RIA Novosti, said that it was unlikely that US President Barack Obama would decide to carry attacks against targets in Syria ahead of the St Petersburg summit.
#BarışİçinElele Massive Human Chain for Peace organized for September 1 all over Turkey
In Uncategorized on August 29, 2013 at 20:04I will let you know of details as I get them. I might attend the event in Adana… Let’s see…
Turkish justice: “Court releases ‘man with machete’ who attacked Gezi protesters
In Uncategorized on August 29, 2013 at 19:32
Court releases ‘man with machete’ who attacked Gezi protesters
An Istanbul court today released S.Ç., dubbed the “machete man” after video surfaced showing him allegedly attacking protester
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Newspaper men detained for ‘noise pollution’ while selling papers in Istanbul
Two men selling newspapers Aydınlık and Birgün have been detained by security officials for creating noise pollution
New Archive of 800,000 Pages Documenting the Media History; Future of Libraries; Piracy and Book Industry…
In Uncategorized on August 29, 2013 at 08:30New Archive Makes Available 800,000 Pages Documenting the History of Film, Television & Radio
Click images for larger versions
Film buffs and scholars have a new cache at their fingertips. The Media History Digital Library has made hundreds of thousands of pages of film and broadcasting history available in a searchable digital archive they’ve called Lantern, an open access, interactive library.
“You have no idea how eager I am to ensure that the notion of ‘library’ does not disappear – it’s too important.”
Vint Cerf is considered a founding father of the Internet. After his involvement in a project that saw the first ever message sent from one computer to another on the ARPANET, a predecessor to the Internet, back in 1969, before he received his doctorate from UCLA. Today, Cerf is VP and Chief Internet Evangelist for a rather large online company you may have heard of – Google.
Piracy Doesn’t Harm eBook Sales, Publisher SaysWith a growing demand for digital books, the publishing industry is increasingly confronted with the issue of online piracy.
Boasting a collection of tens of thousands of eBooks,Springer is one of the larger publishers dealing with this emerging threat.
Turkey manages keep relations broken both with Syria and Israel;) A FP roundup….
In Uncategorized on August 28, 2013 at 20:55John Kerry statement on Syria polarises world leaders
Iran and Russia stand alongside Assad regime while UK, France and Australia follow US lead
As the US moves towards military intervention in the Syrian conflict, world leaders have issued a string of belicose statements, with Iran and Russia standing alongside the Assad regime against a western alliance led by the US, UK, France and Australia.
US options on Syria include multi-day strikes: Official
The Obama administration is considering military options that include multi-day strikes on Syrian government targets
As tensions heat up with Syria, relations between Israel and Turkey remain cool
After a brief courtship last spring, relations between Israel and Turkey have fallen to a new low, officials in both countries say, just as the two former allies are bracing for possible U.S. military action in neighboring Syria.
Turkish Lira hits another historic low on Syria concerns
The Turkish Lira’s historic fall against the dollar continued this morning, as it weakened to another record low
Russia rejects claims regime was behind chemical attack, warns against military solution in Syria
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told US Secretary of State John Kerry that Moscow rejects Washington’s claim the Syrian regime was behind a chemical weapons attack
Israel-Turkey relations sink to low
File – In this Jan. 3, 2012 file photo, Gaza Strip’s Hamas Premier Ismail Haniyeh, left, and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan salute together the lawmakers and supporters of Erdogan’s Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party at the Parliament in Ankara, Turkey. After a brief courtship last spring, relations between Israel and Turkey have fallen to a new low, officials in both countries say, just as the two former allies are bracing for possible U.S. military action in neighboring Syria. (AP Photo/File )
Security Council approval needed before Syria military strike: UN envoy
The UN-Arab League special envoy for Syria said today that international military action in the country cannot go ahead without approval by the UN Security Council
US military ready to act on Syria immediately if asked, Defense Secretary says
The U.S. military is ready to act immediately should President Barack Obama order action against Syria over a chemical weapons attack, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says
There is jubilation in the Turkish government and its devoted army of academics and strategists
The Egyptian’s words fell into the public domain a couple of days after Foreign Minister
Erdoğan’s Syria motion strain, 10 years after Iraq
Slightly more than 10 years ago, on March 1, 2003, the Turkish Parliament failed to approve a motion
Rulling AKP MP warns Ankara over Egypt’s dynamics
Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy İdris Bal warns that Ankara may have to pay political
Syria: cases for and against intervention
The FT’s Janan Ganesh and Peggy Hollinger weigh the options western countries face in taking action against the Assad regime over chemical weapons use
Foreign policy bill started to be paid
The negative effects of the government’s foreign policy have started to become more apparent on the economy
Turkish government may have to stand alone with Syria motion
Turkey’s opposition parties vow to battle any decision by the government to pass a bill permitting Turkish participation in any attack on Syria, saying only Parliament can decide the matter
US assures Turkey over appropriate Syria action
The drums of war grow ever louder on Syria, with Ankara receiving guarantees from Washington
Ankara sees no NATO role in Syria
Although many European countries have voiced the need to send a strong message to the Bashar al-Assad
Netanyahu vows fierce retaliation if Syria attacks
Israel will strike back “fiercely” if Syria attacks the Jewish state, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said
Anonymous Sources on Syrian Weapons and Mayoral Politics Bring Criticism
New York Times (blog)
Just about everybody is in agreement about the use of anonymoussources in news stories. Readers deplore it, public editors shake a finger at it, Times editors and reporters say they try to minimize it. The Times’s “Manual of Style and Usage” calls it
EU media on Syria intervention
The US is considering a military strike against Syria. On 26 August secretary of state John Kerry said that poison gas attacks on civilians were ‘undeniable’. The Washington Post has reported plans for a limited intervention. Sceptical commentators point to the failed missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, and warn that an intervention would block ongoing peace talks
America’s Middle East alliances are cracking
Financial Times
The Turkish government, however, is outraged by events in Egypt. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister, is a leader that Mr Obama has carefully cultivated. According to a recent book by Vali Nasr, a former Obama administration official, the
Erkan in Antakya
In Uncategorized on August 28, 2013 at 19:08As a sort of workaholic, this is the first time in this summer to be out of town for pleasure. I initially intended to spend some time in Black Sea region mountains but summer school classes lasted longer than I expected and could not leave town on time.
Antakya/Hatay is one of the cities I have always wondered about. This city is in the border of Turkey and Syria – yes, i could not totally escape from my news junkiness- known to be great for foodporn! Such delicious food. However, unlike many other friends, I don’t like to take photos of food I eat. So there won’t be any food photos here. However I will list. So far, I had Parmak kebap, Hünkarbegendi, Ekşi Aşı çorba, Kireçte Kabak Tatlısı ve Haytalı.
Here is an old building in the city center:
Here is a spot in otherwise a bustling open bazaar. (Uzun Çarşı)
And yes, I could not resist the temptation and I and my friend Ceren walked to a neighbourhood called Armutlu, known to be hotbed for leftist activism and witnesses some of the major protests during Occupy Gezi. Here is a slogan: “Long live Chaves, the commander.
One of the 5 martyrs of Antakya, Abdullah Cömert was allegedly killed by police right in this spot in Armutlu. Here is a commeration spot for Mr. Cömert. We later went to pay a visit to Abdullah parents… They live in Armutlu, too…
Well, now I stay in this cool cafe in the city center again. I might delve into another round of foodporn but I am a bit sad after the Armutlu visit…
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Serhatcan Yurdam (@syurdam): İHD: “Hükümet Somalili mültecileri sınırdışı etmekten vazgeçmeli”
In Uncategorized on August 28, 2013 at 18:48“Hükümet Somalili mültecileri sınırdışı etmekten vazgeçmeli”
İnsan Hakları Derneği (İHD) adına yapılan yazılı açıklamada, Suriye üzerinden Türkiye‘ye sığınan Somalili mültecilerin Somali’ye gönderildiği iddia edildi.
İHD’nin Suriye’deki içsavaştan kaçıp Türkiye’ye sığınan Somalililerle ilgili açıklamasından satırbaşları şöyle:
– “Suriye’deki içsavaş başlamadan önce, kendi ülkelerindeki içsavaştan Suriye’ye kaçan Somalili mülteciler, şimdi de Suriye’den kaçarak Türkiye’ye sığınmaktadır; ve İHD’ye yapılan başvurularda da belirtildiği gibi, Suriyeli olmadıkları için aynı ilgiyi görememekte ve şimdi de sınırdışı edilmek üzeredirler.
– “Bu sınırdışı işleminin arkasındaki nedenin Suriye’deki yaklaşık 5000 Somalilinin Türkiye’ye gelmesini engellemek olduğundan endişe ediyoruz.”
– “Birleşmiş Milletler’den alınmış belgeleri olsun olmasın Suriye’den gelen Somalililerin, Türkiye ile Somali arasında doğrudan uçuşların başladığı günden bu yana Somali’ye gönderildiği ileri sürülmektedir.
– “Bu kişiler Türkiye’ye ulaşıncaya kadar defalarca ölüm tehlikesi atlatmakta, işkence görmekte ve soyulmaktadırlar. Tam da çatışma bölgesinden uzaklaştıklarını düşündükleri sırada yeniden bir içsavaşın yaşandığı Somali’ye gönderilmek üzere bekletilmektedir.”
Yapılan açıklamada, Somali ve Türkiye arasında direkt uçuşların başlamasından sonra, Somalili mültecilerin ülkelerine gönderildiği iddiasına yer verildi. Hükümetin, “soruna daha derinlikli yaklaşarak Somalili mültecileri sınırdışı etmekten vazgeçmesi gerektiği” belirtildi.
Erkan's Field Diary 