Naturally, the images of women being beaten with truncheons and violently kicked were at the top of the meeting's agenda. The issue has become linked to Turkey's Europe adventure. Echoes of the incident, which has acquired an EU dimension, still continue and it seems certain that it will be carried on into the next days.
Firstly, I have to say that both the culture of demonstration and methods of the security forces to control protests have long been problematic in our country. Both sides cause the problems and there are innumerable examples of this.
Of course it is not right to make generalizations. Demonstrators are made up of many kinds of people. Most of the time, they pour onto the streets to create turmoil and cloud the atmosphere, but there are also those, who look for a solution on the streets only to express their problems through innocent methods. We are not speaking of these for now.
There are also provocateurs, who lie in wait to turn street demonstrators from their real goals, who begin their work as soon as they hear of such a meeting.
Such demonstrators, who directly target the police, commit every kind of incitement in order to provoke the security units. They do not stay within the boundaries drawn for them and they force the limits too much. They see no harm in chanting illegal slogans during demonstrations or unfurling banners, whether related to the issue or not. Even organizers of demonstrations are sometimes surprised with this situation as an ordinary, innocent meeting turns into an illegal protest.
On the other side, the police are too easily provoked and usually respond with force. Truncheons, kicking and guns are among the first resorts of the police. They attack demonstrators as if fighting against an enemy, rather than controlling an incident.
In order for the police to focus on the incident in a more sober mood, the situation should be constantly reassessed. Today, the police face severe problems with working conditions and pay at an unbearable level. Unless these problems are addressed, it is useless to expect them to deal with the incidents in a balanced manner, but this does not justify the faults of the police.
The latest incident, which started with protests from a group of women on the streets to celebrate International Women's Day, has left Turkey in a difficult position against Europe. It is certain that there was both incitement and provocation in the incident. The EU officials, on the other hand, have exaggerated the incident very much.
Certainly, the images are not pleasing, from whichever point of view one takes, but it should not be forgotten that similar incidents, sometimes even more serious and bloody, happen in European capitals, too. The transfer of this to the political sphere and subsequent interpretations of relations with the EU from this is not correct.
Apparently, there are those, who want to obstruct Turkey's journey to the EU both in Turkey and Europe. They use every available opportunity. In order to sabotage the process, they exaggerate any negativity. The result leaves everyone obliged to act very carefully. Once the trump card is given to the opposite side, that is Europe, it implies a serious cost to Turkey.
More time is needed for the culture of demonstration and reaction to settle and for alternative methods to be taken. But let's not give such simple trump cards into the hands of the EU…
March 9, 2005
