Press Release from Peace Association, Turkey
(zeynep bespinar May 14th 2013)
(zeynep bespinar May 14th 2013)
While
the official statements from the AKP government claim the death
toll
is 49, according to the information from the hospital officials
in
Reyhanlı, it is actually more than 100, after the
two
bombs
that exploded in the town center near the municipality building
and
main post office on May 11th.
Conflicting
statements from the AKP government after the incident
: Speaking
from Berlin, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said: "It
is
possible
that there would be provocations during such a critical
transition
period in Syria." Refering to the government of Syria with
a
threatening
attitude, Davutoğlu continued: "Nobody should test the
power
of Turkey. Whoever has committed this act will get a full
response
from us if needed. It is not a coincidence that all this
happened
just as critical decisions were being made for the 'transition
period' and diplomatic contacts were intensifying. Turkey will not give
up
its decisive policies."
In
Istanbul, Prime Minister Erdoğan accused parties that wanted
to
sabotage
the "peace process" with the Kurdish in Turkey. He said
"We
have
started a new era with the peace process in our country and those
who
can't stand this process may have done this."
Deputy
Prime Minister Beşir Atalay claimed that the
organization
behind
the bombings was a pro-Syrian government group
"Syrian
Resistance".
The group is led by Mihraç Ural, an Antakya Alawite, and
an
ex-leftist leader who has been fighting in Syria against FSA with
his
group in Syria.
The
statement issued by the Head of Parliament, Bülent Arınç said
that
" the Assad
regime" is the usual suspect behind the incident.
People
of Reyhanlı take to the streets to denounce the AKP
right
after the explosions, video footage from the journalists in the
area
captured the reactions of the town people , expressing
their
anger towards the Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan, blaming him and
the
AKP government for the massacre. The young people were
shouting
on the ruins of the explosion for Erdoğan to resign
immediately.
Very shortly after these reactions by the locals, the
government
declared that it was forbidden for the press to broadcast
from
the area.
Demonstration
in Antakya
a few hours after the explosions, a huge demonstration in the
city
centre of Antakya was attended by thousands of people. The demonstration
was
headed
by an organisation "The Union to Prevent an
Imperialist
Intervention
into Syria". The organisation demanded the resignation
of
the governor of Antakya. Speaking on behalf of the
organisation,
Eylem
Mansuroğlu said that the perpetrators of this massacre are
the
bloody
Al-Qaeda murderers, Al Nusra jihadist gangs and the AKP
-government
who protects and supports these groups.
Mansuroğlu
said:
"This
attack is a direct result of the war policies of the AKP-
government.
This attack is about the policies of animosity by the
government
in order to destroy the historical, economic, cultural and
family relations that exist between the peoples of Turkey and Syria.
We,
as the forces of democracy, had noted numerous times in
our
statements
in the past that the war policies led by the AKP government
will
bring about nothing but blood, suffering and death.
We
want peace. We demand an immediate end to the misuse of
Turkish territory . We demand that murderers who threaten another country must not be given shelter. We want to support the the
genuine refugees from Syria. The victims of war need to be cared for. But t
the armed militants are to be expelled from the Turkish territory immediately.
Only
the people of Syria should determine the future of Syria.
The
sectarian
conflict that is being fuelled in Syria will turn into a
conflict
that will soak the whole of Middle East with blood. The
bombings
in Reyhanlı are a clear proof of this danger."
The
Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) also participated in
the
demonstration,
carrying banners saying "Hands off Syria". The TKP
also
issued a statement demanding the resignation of the Minister
of
Foreign
Affairs Ahmet Davutoğlu. The declaration noted that: "The
AKP
Government
has been a straight supporter of the bloody provocations in
Syria.
Turkey was drawn into a dreadful swirl with the rhetoric
of
"diplomatic
profundity". The peoples of Turkey and the
people
of Hatay in the first place are paying the price for the infamy of the attempt to
gain
regional power by feeding the enemies of the people of Syria.
The
explosions
in Reyhanlı indicate that the "foreign policy"
of
subcontracting
for imperialism has hit the wall.
The
chief architect of these anti-human and warmongering policies,
the
minister
of foreign affairs Ahmet Davutoğlu must step down
immediately.
AKP government will surely pay for the crimes against
humanity
and against the people of Syria
First terrible results
" Locals clash with the Syrian refugees. The initial panic after the explosions soon turned into rage against the Syrians in the town. It was reported that there were clashes between the local population and the Syrian refugees after the explosions. In addition to the police, Turkish military had to intervene to suppress the clashes. The town with a local population of 70 thousand people has been hosting around 80 thousand refugees. Along with the refugees, there are also armed members of the Free Syrian Army (FSA). Reyhanlı has been the main hub for FSA in its fight in northern Syria. It is on one of the most significant supply routes for FSA, the Cilvegözü-Bab Al Hawa route. FSA militants take refuge in camps setup in Reyhanlı and freely cross the Syrian border to attack the Syrian government forces and cross the border back to Turkey to rest. There has been constant tension between the locals of Reyhanlı and FSA militants since FSA has been in the area.
Media ban by AKP government on coverage from Reyhanlı .
After the incident, the biggest censorship in the Turkish history came into force when AKP government introduced a media ban on coverage from Reyhanlı. Three journalists were detained for violating the ban. According to the state prosecutor, media coverage from Reyhanlı would expose certain "state secrets". Evidence at the scene of incident were cleared by bulldozers . Members of the main opposition party CHP, went to Reyhanlı just hours after the bombings. One of the CHP deputies, Mevlüt Dudu who went to the explosion site said that "Police officers are not gathering evidence; on the contrary they are burying the evidence. Bulldozers are clearing the scene". The government has issued a ban on the media to take pictures or videos of the crime scene. Two cameramen were detained for shooting the explosion site. Reyhanlı incident ignites protests all over Turkey . On Sunday May 12th, there were massive protests held in cities all over Turkey, including İstanbul, Ankara, Mersin, Eskişehir and İzmir. In all the protests, AKP was denounced as the responsible party for the massacre in Reyhanlı. Speaking at the protest in Ankara, Dengiz Sönmez, spokesperson for the main government employees union KESK, said: "As long as the forces of labor, democracy and revolution are standing against US' subcontractor AKP, imperialism and its lackey AKP will eventually pay the price." Sönmez also indicated that what happened in Reyhanlı was an excuse for imperialist intervention in Syria, adding: "We will never leave the people of Syria stranded. We are screaming from here that we will not let our country to be pushed to war."
Previous incidents similar to Reyhanlı
There have been four previous incidents in Turkey that resulted in the deaths of civilians. All of the incidents were a direct result of AKP's policies towards Syria. The first one was in October 2012 when a mortar fire from Syria resulted in the deaths of five Turkish citizens and injury to nine others in Akçakale, a Turkish town on the Syrian border. After the incident, the residents of Akçakale stormed the AKP mayor's office, holding AKP responsible for the deaths. AKP officials blamed the Syrian government and used the incident as an excuse for an artillery attack into Syria. A few days after the incident, evidence pointed to the armed opposition for the mortar attack, not the Syrian army the mortar attack. The second incident took place in January 2013 in the province of Gaziantep. After an explosion that claimed the lives of Syrian citizens in the industrial section of town, AKP officials quickly blamed the Syrian government. Later on, it was revealed that the explosion was caused by an overheated acid boiler in a factory where Syrian refugees were put to work illegally. On February 11th 2013, there was a huge explosion in Cilvegözü border crossing near Reyhanlı which claimed the lives of 14 people and injured more than ten. AKP government blamed Syria again but instead of providing evidence for their claim, the government censored those who sought the evidence. On May 2nd, a group of people belonging to the Syrian opposition wanted to cross the border at Akçakale. When the Turkish police asked to see their passports, the group attacked with assault rifles, killing one police officer and injuring five civilians.The AKP government was did not accuse the Syrian government for this serious boxer incident. The government and the mainstream media dropped the whole issue within a few days after the incident.
First terrible results
" Locals clash with the Syrian refugees. The initial panic after the explosions soon turned into rage against the Syrians in the town. It was reported that there were clashes between the local population and the Syrian refugees after the explosions. In addition to the police, Turkish military had to intervene to suppress the clashes. The town with a local population of 70 thousand people has been hosting around 80 thousand refugees. Along with the refugees, there are also armed members of the Free Syrian Army (FSA). Reyhanlı has been the main hub for FSA in its fight in northern Syria. It is on one of the most significant supply routes for FSA, the Cilvegözü-Bab Al Hawa route. FSA militants take refuge in camps setup in Reyhanlı and freely cross the Syrian border to attack the Syrian government forces and cross the border back to Turkey to rest. There has been constant tension between the locals of Reyhanlı and FSA militants since FSA has been in the area.
Media ban by AKP government on coverage from Reyhanlı .
After the incident, the biggest censorship in the Turkish history came into force when AKP government introduced a media ban on coverage from Reyhanlı. Three journalists were detained for violating the ban. According to the state prosecutor, media coverage from Reyhanlı would expose certain "state secrets". Evidence at the scene of incident were cleared by bulldozers . Members of the main opposition party CHP, went to Reyhanlı just hours after the bombings. One of the CHP deputies, Mevlüt Dudu who went to the explosion site said that "Police officers are not gathering evidence; on the contrary they are burying the evidence. Bulldozers are clearing the scene". The government has issued a ban on the media to take pictures or videos of the crime scene. Two cameramen were detained for shooting the explosion site. Reyhanlı incident ignites protests all over Turkey . On Sunday May 12th, there were massive protests held in cities all over Turkey, including İstanbul, Ankara, Mersin, Eskişehir and İzmir. In all the protests, AKP was denounced as the responsible party for the massacre in Reyhanlı. Speaking at the protest in Ankara, Dengiz Sönmez, spokesperson for the main government employees union KESK, said: "As long as the forces of labor, democracy and revolution are standing against US' subcontractor AKP, imperialism and its lackey AKP will eventually pay the price." Sönmez also indicated that what happened in Reyhanlı was an excuse for imperialist intervention in Syria, adding: "We will never leave the people of Syria stranded. We are screaming from here that we will not let our country to be pushed to war."
Previous incidents similar to Reyhanlı
There have been four previous incidents in Turkey that resulted in the deaths of civilians. All of the incidents were a direct result of AKP's policies towards Syria. The first one was in October 2012 when a mortar fire from Syria resulted in the deaths of five Turkish citizens and injury to nine others in Akçakale, a Turkish town on the Syrian border. After the incident, the residents of Akçakale stormed the AKP mayor's office, holding AKP responsible for the deaths. AKP officials blamed the Syrian government and used the incident as an excuse for an artillery attack into Syria. A few days after the incident, evidence pointed to the armed opposition for the mortar attack, not the Syrian army the mortar attack. The second incident took place in January 2013 in the province of Gaziantep. After an explosion that claimed the lives of Syrian citizens in the industrial section of town, AKP officials quickly blamed the Syrian government. Later on, it was revealed that the explosion was caused by an overheated acid boiler in a factory where Syrian refugees were put to work illegally. On February 11th 2013, there was a huge explosion in Cilvegözü border crossing near Reyhanlı which claimed the lives of 14 people and injured more than ten. AKP government blamed Syria again but instead of providing evidence for their claim, the government censored those who sought the evidence. On May 2nd, a group of people belonging to the Syrian opposition wanted to cross the border at Akçakale. When the Turkish police asked to see their passports, the group attacked with assault rifles, killing one police officer and injuring five civilians.The AKP government was did not accuse the Syrian government for this serious boxer incident. The government and the mainstream media dropped the whole issue within a few days after the incident.
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