Taksim Dayanışması, a solidarity group that advocated for the preservation of Taksim Gezi Park, has met with Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç this morning and submitted its demands concerning the construction in Taksim Gezi Park.
At 1:30 pm local time, the group held a press conference in Ankara, announcing its demands to the public.
“No referendum can be held for Taksim Gezi Park. You take people’s sensitivities into consideration in democratic societies,” Eyüp Muhçu from Taksim Dayanışması said.
Demands
Chamber of City Planners Istanbul Branch Chairperson Tayfun Kahraman listed the group’s demands from the government as follows:
* Gezi Parkı must stay as a park. An official statement must be made which will ensure that no construction efforts, either Topçu Barracks or another name will be pursued in the park.
* Efforts on the demolition of Atatürk Culture Center (AKM) must be stopped.
* All officials - including governor and police commissioners of Istanbul, Ankara and Hatay provinces - who prevented people from using their democratic rights and caused hundreds of injuries and two deaths, who gave oppression orders, who executed these orders, who caused several injuries must resign immediately.
* The usage of gas bombs and related materials must be banned.
* All those who were detained across Turkey during protests must be released immediately and an official statement must be made to ensure that they will not face any prosecution.
* All public demonstration bans especially in Taksim and Kızılay Square but also throughout Turkey must end. All obstacles against freedom of expression must be removed.
Three dead, 4000 injured
Istanbul Chamber of Medicines General Secretary Ali Çerkezoğlu urged the authorities to release the exact number of injured and dead protestors who were subjected to the police since May 27.
He added that their data confirmed 3 casualties, as the brain death of Ethem Sarısülük - a protestor from Ankara - took place recently. At least 2319 people are injured in Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir, and scores more across Turkey, he said.
"Obstacles against rights must be removed”
Some of the highlights from the press statement were as follows:
“We would also like to pass on to the authorities that the real reason behind the outrage is also related to a variety of other factors including objection to the Act on the Protection of Nature and Ecological Diversity in the cases related to 3rd Bosporus Bridge, 3rd Istanbul Airport, Canal Istanbul, Ataturk Forest Park, hydroelectric power plants; demand for peace against the war policies in our country and region; sensitivities of Alevi citizens; victims of urban renewal projects; rising voice against the conservative male policies on female body; resistance against the pressures on universities, judges and artists; labor violation complaints among laborers including Turkish Airlines workers; struggle against sex and orientation based discriminations; and demands on the removal of all obstacles against access to education and healthcare rights.” (NV/ÇT/BM)
