Source: Russia Today
Tear gas and water cannons met thousands of protesters in
Ankara who had staged a pro-secular rally on Republic Day. The clashes mark a
growing gap between the Islam-leaning government and the country's secular
layers.
“Turkey is secular and will remain secular!”
chanted protesters waving Turkish flags and banners.
The capital’s governor last week banned a planned
pro-secular rally citing fears that “some groups may seek to incite anarchy
in the country.” But Monday, over 30 civil society groups, led by the
Youth Union of Turkey, still took to the streets.
Tens of thousands gathered in Ankara's old city to march
to the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who founded the secular republic on
October 29, 1923 after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.
“We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal!” shouted
the demonstrators, who have been angered by an Islamic bent demonstrated
recently by the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Since Erdogan first occupied the PM’s seat in 2003, his
government has pushed a number of democratic reforms to bring Turkey closer to
EU standards, such as abolishment of many restrictions on freedom of speech and
the press.
But a recent education reform has been slammed by
opposition groups as “promoting more Korans in schools and veil wearing.”
Other criticisms stem from Erdogan’s strong political personality, with many
suspecting the PM of “elected sultan” ambitions.
In recent years, Republic Day celebrations have become a
common date to mark the country’s fears for its secular traditions. But as on
Monday demonstrators failed to reach Mustafa Kemal’s mausoleum, where Erdogan,
President Abdullah Gul and other top officials had laid wreaths hours earlier.
“Great Ataturk… We stand before you with the pride of
being a country that is improving its democracy, protecting human rights and
freedoms, strengthening its economy and maintaining reforms. We are trying our
best to surpass the level of contemporary civilization, to maintain the basic
values of our republic,” President Gul wrote in the special ceremonial
register at the mausoleum.
Riot police use
tear gas and water canons to disperse the crowd as thousands of people holding
national flags marched to the mausoleum of Ataturk to celebrate the country's
Republic Day in Ankara, on October 29, 2012. (AFP Photo / Adem Altan)
Riot police use
tear gas and water canons to disperse the crowd as thousands of people holding
national flags marched to the mausoleum of Ataturk to celebrate the country's
Republic Day in Ankara, on October 29, 2012. (AFP Photo / Adem Altan)
The Ankara
governor's office has banned the Republic Day rally, arguing that the state's
security services received intelligence that groups might be planning
"provocative" actions. (AFP Photo / Adem Altan)
Thousands of
people holding national flags gather at the mausoleum of Ataturk to celebrate
the country's Republic Day in Ankara, on October 29, 2012. (AFP Photo / Adem
Altan)
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