Kurdish activists and politicians detained in Turkey
Gizem Yarbil — January 8, 2010 0 Comments
The detention of human rights workers and elected officials for being part of an alleged “urban network” of an armed, militant group without any real proof except for speaking in parliaments and participating in film festivals, is an outright abuse of democracy and will undoubtedly stall the peace process in the region
Politics
Investigating Turkish atrocities against their Kurdish population
Gizem Yarbil — December 16, 2009 3 Comments
When I was growing up, everything I heard from Diyarbakir involved death and tragedy. Turkish media has covered the conflict extensively through the years, but generally only from the Turkish military’s point of view. Visuals of crying mothers of dead soldiers, coffins and military funerals on the evening news often accompanied our family dinners. But I don’t remember ever seeing a crying Kurdish mother or anything about the other side of the story on the news. For many of us, Kurds were the enemy, the “Other” that existed to destroy the Turkish people and the nation
Editor's Pick, Politics
Turkey, Islam and democracy: A reckoning
Gizem Yarbil — October 26, 2009 0 Comments
I think rather than going towards the East or West, Turkey is becoming more like itself. It is rediscovering its Ottoman past and coming to terms with its history and multiple identities. As long as Turkey remains democratic it will be Janus-faced, looking both to the Islamic world and Europe, just like the Ottoman Empire did for centuries
Politics
Israel condemns Turkish TV drama for “incitement”
Gizem Yarbil — October 19, 2009 3 Comments
In that case, considering the already strained relations between the two “allied” nations, the question becomes, is the Turkish government interested in enlarging the rift between the two countries? And if so, what would this say about the future of the Middle East?
Editor's Pick, Politics
Talented girls level the gender playing field in Turkey
Gizem Yarbil — September 22, 2009 1 Comment
I think it’s a huge step forward to have a professional women’s football league in Turkey; after all, it has been established in so many European countries for many years. Girls playing football or lifting heavy weights are at the beginning of a long road to establish total equality for women and men in Turkey
Editor's Pick, Politics
Erdogan must get rid of the Village Guards in Turkey
Matt Kennard — May 7, 2009 5 Comments
In the aftermath of this horrid massacre, which has demonstrated this anachronistic feudal system in full-view, the AKP must be bold and eradicate these paramilitaries, which, in the absence of a real insurgency to police, have turned to everday criminality including bribery, extrajudicial murder and drug dealing
Editor's Pick, Politics
John Pilger on Obama in Turkey
John Pilger — April 8, 2009 9 Comments
Pilger on Turkey
What They Really Mean
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan is a hypocrite
Matt Kennard — January 31, 2009 29 Comments
Turkish PM is a hypocrite who has committed atrocities similar to Israel.
Editor's Pick, Politics
If Israel tried to launch a coup in Turkey it was a mistake for their interests
Matt Kennard — December 1, 2008 1 Comment
Reports have come out in Turkey that Mossad were involved in a plot to overthrown the democratically-elected ruling Islamic party, the AKP. If this is so, it was a big mistake, for a number of reasons.