ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party presented Thursday a resolution to the parliament for the investigation of the incidents, disturbing the peace upon Gezi Park protests.
AK Party's deputy chairmen Nurettin Canikli, Mustafa Elitas, Ahmet Aydin, Mahir Unal and Ayse Nur Bahcekapili besides other several parliamentarians, signed the resolution, in which Turkey's unity and solidarity were stressed.
The resolution stated, "Taksim Gezi Park protests started for a particular reason, leading to an aimless, anti-governmental and ideologic violence and vandalism movement. Disinformation was frequently done through social media, incidents were exaggerated and a provocative language was used such as 'massacre', 'rebellion', 'social networks are blockaded', 'a civil war broke on', 'tens even hundreds died', 'a genocide took place' and 'Thousands are lost'. This language is a discriminating and provocative one. Several claims and photos were shared in social networks to provoke masses, websites of some newspapers and some national and international press wrote news on these without any confirmation."
Tweet number increased from 8 million to 35 million in Turkey during Gezi Park protests, the statement said, adding that the tweet 'Friend, it's not only about Gezi Park. Didn't you still get it?' of a Turkish artist meant more than innocent environmentalist sensibility.
Also mentioning the damages and losses during the protests, the resolution said 4 citizens have died since June 25, one security guard being martyred, 668 security guards and 4,152 civilians were wounded.
"Total loss was more than 250 million turkish liras, where 271 civil vehicles, 116 patrol cars, 59 public buildings, 45 ambulances, 4 private buses, 90 public buses, 337 working places, 1 residence building, 5 police centers, 14 political party buildings, one belonging to Republican People Party's (CHP) and others to AK Party, hundreds of bus stations, traffic lights and signboards, mobile electronic system integration cameras, cashomats and pavement were harmed," the resolution stressed.
The protests which started in reaction to a construction project in Taksim, Istanbul turned into nation-wide demonstrations against the AK Party Government on June 1st and 2nd, leaving one death, dozens of injuries during the clashes with police, while hundreds got arrested.
The decision for pedestrianization of Taksim Square, the so-callled Gezi Park Project, including expansion of pedestrian roads by taking the automobile traffic to the underground and re-building of an old military barrack called the Topcu Kislasi, originally built in Taksim in 1780 and destroyed in 1940, was approved in February 2012. According to officials, the new project was not going to decrease but increase the green areas in Taksim.
Accordingly, on May 27 Monday night the Gezi Park walls facing the Elmadag area were demolished by construction workers. Shortly after, a group of protesters came to the park to prevent further uprooting of the trees and demolition of walls, for what they believed aimed at constructing a shopping mall in addition to the military barracks.
Officials and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said there was no concrete plan nor intention to build a shopping mall in the area. Some observers said the issue-based dissent with a specific demand was turning into an ideological opposition with no clear goals. Some even claimed they had now one common point which was their hostility towards AK Party government. Involvement of some leftist, illegal and violent organisations in protests such as DHKP-C which was responsible for attacking US Embasssy in Ankara was reportedly established.
On the first and second days of the events, the police have tried to manage the crowds. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticized the excessive use of tear and pepper gas, while the Interior Ministry has launched an investigation.
On June 1st, Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbas called the representatives of Taksim Gezi Park Platform and the Chamber of Architects for discussing the project, however under pressure from the protesters they refused to participate.
On the same day, police were ordered to withdraw from the Taksim Square and protesters and citizens have been allowed into the Gezi Park.
While in capital Ankara, as well, the groups were allowed to protest in Guven Park, Kizilay, the central square of the city. As some individuals tried to storm the Prime Ministry’s main building, the police intervened to stop them from attacking ministerial buildings.
On Sunday, June 2nd protests spread to provinces, joined by people of various backgrounds, during which few clashes erupted as some radical groups tried to manipulate the peaceful demonstrations.
In his speeches on June 2nd and June 3rd, Erdogan, acknowledging the protestors' right to dissent and protest, underlined that there were the extremists who sought to manipulate those who participated in the demonstrations with good intentions and those extremists were largely responsible for clashes with the police, attacking public buildings, police cars, media, private shops and other places after the police had been ordered to withdraw.
Other government officials including Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc and Interior Minister Muammer Guler confirmed citizens’ right to protest in a peaceful manner.
Starting from Sunday, attacks to Prime Minister's office at Dolmabahce, by extremist elements among demonstrations were causing a lot of damage. Attackers were throwing stones and using clubs.
As of the beginning of June, one person died during the demonsrations in Hatay's Reyhanli town which was previously hit by blasts on May 11. Among the injured, 64 were civilians and 244 were police officers.
Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Kadir Topbas recently announced that the financial loss in Istanbul's Taksim Gezi Park protests exceeded 100 million Turkish liras including the loss of the craftsmen.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
