Observing the Ankara Protests as an Outsider

We’re approaching the end of our second week in Ankara. Despite the political unrest and the 12-hour work days, these two weeks have been slow. In a way I am thankful, for I feel like I had a lot more time to observe and reflect on current events. When we reached Ankara on June 1^st, I had no idea of what had happened the previous day. I had not read the travel alerts in the 24 hours before my arrival, and neither had I seen the news. I thought Turkey had won some important international tournament or sports series, because the ‘protest’ seemed festive, rather than angry. We realized that our apartment was right in the heart of the very neighbourhood where the people of Ankara were holding their demonstrations. While on the one hand this meant that we would bear close witness to the events of the following days, on the other hand, it also involved the occasional tear gas-induced eye irritation, and the incessant banging of pots and pans every single night.

Let’s consider the protesters to collectively be Person A and the government (or rather, Erdogan) to be Person B. Person B, a representative of an essentially Islamist political party has been in power for over 10 years in a country that prides itself over its secular and liberal ethos. Understandably, there are concerns about ‘creeping Islamization’, a movement from liberalism to fundamentalism, and increasing restrictions on various kinds of freedoms. Until the 30^th of May, there were no instances of overt rebellion or opposition towards Person B. Person A was aware of some uncomfortable changes, but chose not to make a big deal of it. Then came the plan to redevelop Taksim Square in Istanbul, where among other things, a new mosque was going to be built. This set off warning bells in the minds of many citizens, who hold this part of the city close to their heart. It wasn’t meant to be a huge anti-government protest – more like a sit-in, in order to voice their concern over the environmental consequences of this redevelopment project. So far, this cannot be called a conflict at all. It all makes sense.


Source: http://recoveringengineer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/why-conflicts-escalate.jpg

 

So what caused this to escalate into a conflict? The instruments of the state, the police (or Person C) came into the picture. They used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the peacefully gathered crowd. This is the part I cannot understand. What provoked the police to use such extreme measures against the peaceful protesters? Who gave them these orders? Was it the government? If so, why did they feel it was important to take such extreme measures?

By now, a conflict situation is created. Person A, who was already beginning to feel threatened, moves to the next stage – anger. They reflect on all the grievances they have had against Person B, including the banning of alcohol after 10 PM, and the restrictions on public display of affection. The very ideals and way of life that set Turkey apart from the other Islamic countries of this region were now being gradually taken away from them. They had to react.

What started as a simple opposition to a redevelopment project has now spiraled into something far more deep-rooted and diverse. In the spirit of the pots and pans metaphor, all these cities are now like little pressure cookers, going off from time to time, to let off some steam. Every morning, the people of Ankara dress up and go to work or to school. Throughout the day, they fulfil their professional or academic responsibilities. Then they get back home in the evening, change into comfortable clothes, pick up their horns, whistles, pots, pans, and flags, and take to the streets. The demonstrations last till 2 or 3 in the morning, until the police arrives and splits them up. More and more people are joining these protests now, and everyone seems to be bringing in their own creative ways of ‘chapulling’.

This is pretty much how it has been here at Tunali, Ankara, for the last 2 weeks. Erdogan, too, seems to be going through the same stages of conflict escalation described above. He perceived a threat from the people, got angry, made inappropriate declarations on national television, left for Morocco hoping that the tension would diffuse in his absence, came back, continued making inappropriate remarks about his lack of patience, used more tear gas, water cannons and riot police to 'intimidate' the people, and has finally agreed to ‘consider’ a referendum on the issue of the park. I’m going to reserve any judgement till the very end of my stay, but so far, it has been most interesting to view this situation through the various lenses of the CR discipline. More later.