Arther C. Withernee, Correspondent for WEMW
Report 29 July 2006
Writer Perihan Mağden has recently been acquitted of "trying to deter Turkish citizens from military service". She had written an article defending the right of concientious objectors against mandatory military service. A judge concluded her not guilty of a crime against the state since her words could only be characterised as "harsh criticism."
Currently best selling Turkish author Elif Şafak is also facing legal action for "insulting Turkishness" with her novel Bab ve Piç (Father and Bastard). She faces up to 3 years in prison under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code. She will probably be found not guilty because the EU would view such a charge as incompatible with EU membership. However, it again illustrates the mind set prevailing in Turkey, though one must be aware the complaint is being sought by ultra-nationalist lawyer Kemal Kerinçsiz. The same lawyer is charging novelist Orhan Pamuk of a crime against the state. Pamuk is said to have accused the Turkish nation of genocide following an interview with a Swiss newspaper last year in which he is quoted as saying "30,000 Kurds and 1,000,000 Armenians were killed on these lands and nobody but me dares talk about it."
It does seem apparent that many died on Turkish soil around the time of the 1st World War, but it also seems apparent that Armenia has been successful in lobbying her claims and accusations against Turkey while the Turks are yet again left lagging behind in the the tactical field of public relations. Turkey denies state involvement of an organised genocide but admits large numbers of Armenians died of starvation and disease during the period in question.
On top of this your WEMW correspondent also noticed this week that in the eastern Turkish province of Van, the local district municipality has implemented segregated swimming and picnic areas around Lake Van for women. This is the home region of Education Minister Hüseyin Çelik who is pro-imam hatip religious schooling. Apparently 7m high barriers were erected at the request of several women seeking a private and segregated area. Van is known as a particularly conservative province with alleged fundamentalist Islamic orders enjoying the support of a local public majority. Of course, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan is an ex-imam hatip student and also supports the reintroduction of Islamic religious teaching within schools. Atatürk established a secular system seperating state education and politics from religion. What Atatürk would make of today's events one can only imagine and how traditional conservative Turkey can be incorporated into the EU's policy of democratic freedom of expression one can only ponder, wait and see; and I haven't even mentioned the matter of honour killings yet - the mind boggles!
Is the AKP government's only interest in EU membership the implication that it will reduce the power of the military and, therefore, lesson the strength of the secular constitution's guarantors? Nah, that's just conspiracy theory none sense - isn't it?! Indeed, is one man's freedom of expression another's fear?
Among the most significant developments in Turkey this week, may well be the acquisition of TV channel TGRT by News International boss Rupert Murdoch and Atlantic Records boss Ahmet Ergegun. Mr. Ertegun once contacted NPP to lend congratulations for Ned Pamphilon's paintings, so we at WEMW keenly watch and await further developments in this part of the modern world.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Monday, July 17, 2006
PM's Least Favourite Cartoonist Awarded
Arther C. Withernee, Correspondent for WEMW
Report 17 July 2006
PM's least favourite cartoonist gets Freedom of Press Award. PM Erdoğan had previously sued cartoonist Musa Kart for this image.......
Penguen Magazine subsequently published a front page cover featuring 8 animal caricatures of the PM in support of the original cartoonist. You could read the background at http://www.fecoweb.org/News/07-4-05Turkish%20cartoon%20lawsuit.html but this link seems to have disappeared. So try http://www.counterpunch.org/dickinson03312005.html instead.
Will the PM ever learn to be tolerant or at least intelligent enough to realise that legal action and attempts to censor expression merely creates a greater spotlight for the "offending" images? After all, this PM should be acutely aware of the need for freedom of expression since he was imprisoned for publicly reciting an Islamic poem including the lines:
"The mosques are our barracks, the domes our helmets, the minarets our bayonets and the faithful our soldiers..."
.......more love, peace and understanding from religious commentators eh!
Back in 1984 British pop group Frankie Goes To Hollywood received invaluable media attention when their single Relax was banned by the BBC for indecent lyrical suggestion. Of course Relax went onto become a No:1 hit for weeks.
Now it is the duty of WEMW to publish the cartoons of the PM so the public can better appreciate the mentality of the PM, his advisers and the prevailing attitude of authorities in Turkey.
While discussing the recent Prophet Mohammad cartoon controversy, a Muslim Turk and close associate of NPP commented that we in the West never produced cartoons about Jesus. Of course, we laughed because Jesus and the Bible have been the brunt end of endless jokes. One need only point to Monty Python's The Life of Brian as an example of the West coming to terms with satirical humour about spiritual belief.
Arther C. Withernee, Correspondent for WEMW
Report 17 July 2006
Report 17 July 2006
PM's least favourite cartoonist gets Freedom of Press Award. PM Erdoğan had previously sued cartoonist Musa Kart for this image.......
Penguen Magazine subsequently published a front page cover featuring 8 animal caricatures of the PM in support of the original cartoonist. You could read the background at http://www.fecoweb.org/News/07-4-05Turkish%20cartoon%20lawsuit.html but this link seems to have disappeared. So try http://www.counterpunch.org/dickinson03312005.html instead.Will the PM ever learn to be tolerant or at least intelligent enough to realise that legal action and attempts to censor expression merely creates a greater spotlight for the "offending" images? After all, this PM should be acutely aware of the need for freedom of expression since he was imprisoned for publicly reciting an Islamic poem including the lines:
"The mosques are our barracks, the domes our helmets, the minarets our bayonets and the faithful our soldiers..."
.......more love, peace and understanding from religious commentators eh!
Back in 1984 British pop group Frankie Goes To Hollywood received invaluable media attention when their single Relax was banned by the BBC for indecent lyrical suggestion. Of course Relax went onto become a No:1 hit for weeks.
Now it is the duty of WEMW to publish the cartoons of the PM so the public can better appreciate the mentality of the PM, his advisers and the prevailing attitude of authorities in Turkey.
While discussing the recent Prophet Mohammad cartoon controversy, a Muslim Turk and close associate of NPP commented that we in the West never produced cartoons about Jesus. Of course, we laughed because Jesus and the Bible have been the brunt end of endless jokes. One need only point to Monty Python's The Life of Brian as an example of the West coming to terms with satirical humour about spiritual belief.
Arther C. Withernee, Correspondent for WEMW
Report 17 July 2006
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Protest Against Mayor Gokcek Using Ataturk
Arther C. Withernee, Correspondent for WEMW
Report 12 July 2006
We awoke yesterday to the story of a staue of Atatürk being removed from the Kızılay district in the Turkish capital Ankara. Apparently, architect-sculptor Ragip Çeçen wanted to publicly demonstrate against Ankara Mayor Melih Gökçek for alleged failure to pay outstanding fees for work done. Aided by 6 frineds, the architect installed a 2.5m high statue of Atatürk at dawn while the attention of the police was focussed on a seperate demonstartion in another part of the town. The statue had to be removed by the Ankara Municipality using a crane. The sculpture depicted Atatürk pointing a finger and would be seen as a symbolic gesture pointing to the mayor's lack of commitment to the principles of Atatürk; Mayor Göçek is a member of the AKP government, an administration widely assumed to be less than enamoured with the legacy of Atatürk.
The next day we wake to find media debate over how appropriate is to use the image of Atatürk for personal demonstration and there is a photo of Mayor Gökçek describing the act of misusing Atatürk as ugly.
In addition to this bizarre story, the daily headlines report that AKP deputy Mr. Eyüp Ayar has been ordered to pay a fine of 5,000TL (approx. $3,200) for insulting Erkan Mumcu, leader of opposition party The Motherland Party (ANAVATAN), one of the opposition parties. The offending words were "You sly dog you" during a parlimentary debate. Also, Sabah newspaper have been fined 10,000TL for publicly humiliating Denis Baykal (Republican People's Party) by accusing him of hiding his financial assets. One really wonders if these politicians don't have anything better to do?
No wonder the most part of 70 million people continue to struggle on while the politicians debate their personal attributes and keep lawyers in fees.
Arther C. Withernee, Correspondent for WEMW
Report 12 July 2006
Report 12 July 2006
We awoke yesterday to the story of a staue of Atatürk being removed from the Kızılay district in the Turkish capital Ankara. Apparently, architect-sculptor Ragip Çeçen wanted to publicly demonstrate against Ankara Mayor Melih Gökçek for alleged failure to pay outstanding fees for work done. Aided by 6 frineds, the architect installed a 2.5m high statue of Atatürk at dawn while the attention of the police was focussed on a seperate demonstartion in another part of the town. The statue had to be removed by the Ankara Municipality using a crane. The sculpture depicted Atatürk pointing a finger and would be seen as a symbolic gesture pointing to the mayor's lack of commitment to the principles of Atatürk; Mayor Göçek is a member of the AKP government, an administration widely assumed to be less than enamoured with the legacy of Atatürk.
The next day we wake to find media debate over how appropriate is to use the image of Atatürk for personal demonstration and there is a photo of Mayor Gökçek describing the act of misusing Atatürk as ugly.
In addition to this bizarre story, the daily headlines report that AKP deputy Mr. Eyüp Ayar has been ordered to pay a fine of 5,000TL (approx. $3,200) for insulting Erkan Mumcu, leader of opposition party The Motherland Party (ANAVATAN), one of the opposition parties. The offending words were "You sly dog you" during a parlimentary debate. Also, Sabah newspaper have been fined 10,000TL for publicly humiliating Denis Baykal (Republican People's Party) by accusing him of hiding his financial assets. One really wonders if these politicians don't have anything better to do?No wonder the most part of 70 million people continue to struggle on while the politicians debate their personal attributes and keep lawyers in fees.
Arther C. Withernee, Correspondent for WEMW
Report 12 July 2006
Monday, July 10, 2006
Rock Against Everything for Peace
Arther C. Withernee, Correspondent for WEMW
Report 10 July 2006
Representatives of NPP visited the Barışarock-Rock for peace HQ in Istanbul last week to offer the inclusion of the Rainbow Bridge peace concept with their festival. NPP had spotted an article in The New Anatolian newspaper featuring the rainbow colours and aligning them with peace.
The article said the festival was sponsored by Coca-Cola which surprised NPP since it had been assumed Barışarock had been initiated as an antithesis to such corporate brands as Coca-Cola. Indeed, it seems there must have been a misunderstanding or misprint in the newspaper because Barışarock representatives denied any association with Coca-Cola and even reject any offer of sponsorship from Coca-Cola or any other corporate party.
Further more, they are against using the national slogan Peace at Home, Peace in the World because Ataturk was a soldier of war and they associate the national 'peace' slogan with nationalism and nationalist parties in Turkey.
NPP came away from the meeting concluding how confused a country Turkey is. Surely the concept of peace must invlove embracement, tolerance and compromise; not be anti-everything. Unfortunately, peace means different things to different people and as the years have passed, NPP has been forced to realise how naive and unrealistic the concept of Rainbow Bridge is.
Barışarock did offer NPP to promote the Rainbow Bridge concept at the festival, but the over whelming feeling of anti-establishment and aligning Ataturk with negative right-ring nationalism left a depressing, sad and uncomfortable taste in the mouth.
Arther C. Withernee, Correspondent for WEMW
Report 10 July 2006
Report 10 July 2006
Representatives of NPP visited the Barışarock-Rock for peace HQ in Istanbul last week to offer the inclusion of the Rainbow Bridge peace concept with their festival. NPP had spotted an article in The New Anatolian newspaper featuring the rainbow colours and aligning them with peace.
The article said the festival was sponsored by Coca-Cola which surprised NPP since it had been assumed Barışarock had been initiated as an antithesis to such corporate brands as Coca-Cola. Indeed, it seems there must have been a misunderstanding or misprint in the newspaper because Barışarock representatives denied any association with Coca-Cola and even reject any offer of sponsorship from Coca-Cola or any other corporate party.Further more, they are against using the national slogan Peace at Home, Peace in the World because Ataturk was a soldier of war and they associate the national 'peace' slogan with nationalism and nationalist parties in Turkey.
NPP came away from the meeting concluding how confused a country Turkey is. Surely the concept of peace must invlove embracement, tolerance and compromise; not be anti-everything. Unfortunately, peace means different things to different people and as the years have passed, NPP has been forced to realise how naive and unrealistic the concept of Rainbow Bridge is.
Barışarock did offer NPP to promote the Rainbow Bridge concept at the festival, but the over whelming feeling of anti-establishment and aligning Ataturk with negative right-ring nationalism left a depressing, sad and uncomfortable taste in the mouth.
Arther C. Withernee, Correspondent for WEMW
Report 10 July 2006
Friday, July 07, 2006
Turkey, Food Production & The EU
Arther C. Withernee, Correspondent for WEMW
Report 07 July 2006
In Turkey, 45% of the country is involved in the agricultural sector, but according to EU regulations this must be reduced to 15%. How is that going to happen and doesn't it seem ridiculous?
Currently, the Turkish Prime Minister is having trouble with the hazelnut producers. One of his closest advisers, Cüneyd Zapsu, has business interests in hazelnut processing. In the late 1980s, he became the chairman of the Association of Hazelnut Exporters. As he further expanded his own business, Zapsu also became the chairman of the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council, which brings together representatives of hazelnut producers from some 50 countries. Subsequently, accusations of personal interest over and above the national and public interest have been publicly voiced, see: http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=51467
This may lead us to the wider subject matter of food production and abstract questions such as how do companies like Coke and Red Bull make so much money from American coloured sugar water and sugared caffine overdose? Because the public apparently want it, buy it and that's democracy.
Nuts innit?! But, nothing we can do but publish a blog! Nuts oh hazelnuts - Cadbury's take them and then cover them chocolate!
Arther C. Withernee, Correspondent for WEMW
Report 07 July 2006
Report 07 July 2006
In Turkey, 45% of the country is involved in the agricultural sector, but according to EU regulations this must be reduced to 15%. How is that going to happen and doesn't it seem ridiculous?
Currently, the Turkish Prime Minister is having trouble with the hazelnut producers. One of his closest advisers, Cüneyd Zapsu, has business interests in hazelnut processing. In the late 1980s, he became the chairman of the Association of Hazelnut Exporters. As he further expanded his own business, Zapsu also became the chairman of the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council, which brings together representatives of hazelnut producers from some 50 countries. Subsequently, accusations of personal interest over and above the national and public interest have been publicly voiced, see: http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=51467
This may lead us to the wider subject matter of food production and abstract questions such as how do companies like Coke and Red Bull make so much money from American coloured sugar water and sugared caffine overdose? Because the public apparently want it, buy it and that's democracy.
Nuts innit?! But, nothing we can do but publish a blog! Nuts oh hazelnuts - Cadbury's take them and then cover them chocolate!
Arther C. Withernee, Correspondent for WEMW
Report 07 July 2006
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