Posted on 05/13/2007 5:52:35 PM PDT by PajamaTruthMafia
ZMIR, Turkey - Choking the highways and crammed onto ferries, hundreds of thousands of Turks streamed into this port city on Sunday in an enormous show of opposition to the pro-Islamic ruling party, increasing pressure on the government ahead of early elections.
Some 1.5 million protesters carried anti-government banners, red-and-white Turkish flags and pictures of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who founded the secular republic in 1923. Turkish flags hung from balconies and windows, as well as buses and fishing boats and yachts bobbing in Izmir's bay.
"I am here to defend my country," said Yuksel Uysal, a teacher. "I am here to defend Ataturk's revolution." Throughout the morning, thousands were trying to reach Izmir and highways leading to the city were at a standstill. Municipal authorities said some 200,000 people sailed in on ferries.
The political turmoil displayed the growing secular-Islamic rift in this mainly Muslim country of 75 million that is vying for European Union membership and whose secular laws, enshrined in the constitution, are fiercely guarded by the judiciary and by the military. Thousands of police were deployed, a day after a bomb at an Izmir market killed one person and injured 14 others. There was no claim of responsibility for the attack, nor evidence that it was linked to the demonstration. Izmir, on Turkey's Aegean coast, is a bastion of secularism, and Islamic parties fare poorly there.
The rally was organized as a show of strength ahead of general elections on July 22, and follows similar demonstrations in Ankara and Istanbul last month. A military official in Izmir, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to journalists, said the rally drew some 1.5 million people.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Demonstrators wave Turkish flags during a pro-secular rally in Izmir, western Turkey, Sunday, May 13, 2007. Some 1.5 million Turks attended a secular rally in Turkey's third-largest city, which would make it the largest demonstration so far against the Islamic-rooted government. The rally, in the Aegean port city of Izmir, was organized as a show of strength before general elections on July 22, and it follows similar demonstrations in Ankara and Istanbul last month. (AP Photo)
Turkey has been such a pivotal piece of real estate in the 20th and 21st century.
First it was geographical now with these events it’s just as pivotal ideologically.
The truth is that I'm tired of these 'the revolution has just begun' & 'Iran really loves America' posts that for years have been based on nothing. And you know it.
A bunch of shahistas who want another bogus king installed and want Americans to do it use this forum to propogandize. I object to it and will continue to do so.
But go ahead skippy, I put the challege out to you...support what you say using any single post of mine and I'll disappear. We both know you can't.
Knock off the personal attacks.
I’ve seen this sort of stuff before, by one person pretending to be two...
You do agree that "1.5 million" protesters in support of a secular deomcratic Turkey is a good thing, right?
I suppose this is a good thing, but it is ironic that this demonstration against Islamism took place in the very city the great grandparents of these people massacred 250,000 Orthodox Christians in 1922.
It’s good to see these shows of solidarity, but I just can’t help but think that it’s only a matter of time before Islamists begin to penetrate these shows of solidarity wearing suicide belts strapped around their wastes and then begin to blow themselves up amongst the crowds in order to swash all dissent.
Religion is Religion and for the most part, outside of values, should stand aside.
Maybe Turkey doesn’t want to go back to the Turd Century??
Pray for W and Our Troops
Yep, but not my point, was it?
Yep, but not my point, was it?
The point of this thread is the protest in Turkey, isn't it?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.