Turkey has been a government that wants to enter the west. Looking to become good members of the European Union (not yet) and a member of NATO. However it has its own internal struggles and the debate between remaining a secular, non-religious state and being taken over as a Muslim ruled religious nation remains its biggest problem.
It may also be one of the next places that erupts into violence? If & when it does, its strong ties to the western nations may create a big problem because it borders several mid-Eastern nations.
Thousands of Turks protest government
By BENJAMIN HARVEY, Associated Press Writer 55 minutes ago
More than 100,000 secular Turks gathered in Istanbul Sunday, chanting slogans against the pro-Islamic government that has faced severe criticism from the country's powerful military.
It was the second large demonstration against the government in just two weeks and shows a deepening division between secular and Islamist camps in Turkish society. More than 300,000 secular Turks staged a similar rally in Ankara two weeks ago.
"Turkey is secular and will remain secular," shouted thousands of flag-waving protesters, who traveled to Istanbul from across the country overnight.
The demonstrators sang nationalist songs and demanded the resignation of the government, calling Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan a "traitor."
"This government is the enemy of Ataturk," said 63-year-old Ahmet Yurdakul, a retired government employee, in reference to the founder of the modern republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. "They want to drag Turkey to the dark ages.
Aerial television footage showed a sea of red flags in the packed meeting area in Caglayan district. Turkish flags were seen everywhere, draped on people like capes, cars, motorcycles and also hanging from buildings.
The rally was organized more than a week ago but it came a day after Erdogan's government rejected a stern warning from the military over the country's disputed presidential election, calling its interference unacceptable in a democracy. The ruling party candidate, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, failed to win a first-round victory Friday in a parliamentary vote marked by tensions between secularists and the pro-Islamic government. Most opposition legislators boycotted the vote and challenged its validity in the Constitutional Court.
Gul has promised to uphold the country's secular traditions amid concerns that his victory will strengthen the role of Islam in politics.
The military, which regards itself as the guardian of the secular system and has staged three coups since 1960, said Friday night it was gravely concerned and indicated it was willing to become more openly involved in the process — a statement some interpreted as an ultimatum to the government to rein in officials who promote Islamic initiatives.
Starting in 1923 in the ruins of the Ottoman Empire, Ataturk, a soldier, set about a series of secular reforms that imposed Western laws, replaced Arabic script with the Latin alphabet, banned Islamic dress and granted women the right to vote.
The ruling party, however, has supported religious schools and tried to lift the ban on Islamic head scarves in public offices and schools. Secularists are also uncomfortable with the idea of Gul's wife, Hayrunisa, being in the presidential palace because she wears the traditional Muslim head scarf.
"We don't want a covered woman in Ataturk's presidential palace," said Ayse Bari, a 67-year-old homemaker. "We want civilized, modern people there."
The election has contributed to a sense of polarization in a country that has enjoyed relative economic and political stability for years and is seeking entry into the European Union. The EU has been pressing Turkey to curb the influence of its armed forces in politics.
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Associated Press Writer Selcan Hacaoglu in Ankara contributed to this report.
It may also be one of the next places that erupts into violence? If & when it does, its strong ties to the western nations may create a big problem because it borders several mid-Eastern nations.
Thousands of Turks protest government
By BENJAMIN HARVEY, Associated Press Writer 55 minutes ago
More than 100,000 secular Turks gathered in Istanbul Sunday, chanting slogans against the pro-Islamic government that has faced severe criticism from the country's powerful military.
It was the second large demonstration against the government in just two weeks and shows a deepening division between secular and Islamist camps in Turkish society. More than 300,000 secular Turks staged a similar rally in Ankara two weeks ago.
"Turkey is secular and will remain secular," shouted thousands of flag-waving protesters, who traveled to Istanbul from across the country overnight.
The demonstrators sang nationalist songs and demanded the resignation of the government, calling Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan a "traitor."
"This government is the enemy of Ataturk," said 63-year-old Ahmet Yurdakul, a retired government employee, in reference to the founder of the modern republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. "They want to drag Turkey to the dark ages.
Aerial television footage showed a sea of red flags in the packed meeting area in Caglayan district. Turkish flags were seen everywhere, draped on people like capes, cars, motorcycles and also hanging from buildings.
The rally was organized more than a week ago but it came a day after Erdogan's government rejected a stern warning from the military over the country's disputed presidential election, calling its interference unacceptable in a democracy. The ruling party candidate, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, failed to win a first-round victory Friday in a parliamentary vote marked by tensions between secularists and the pro-Islamic government. Most opposition legislators boycotted the vote and challenged its validity in the Constitutional Court.
Gul has promised to uphold the country's secular traditions amid concerns that his victory will strengthen the role of Islam in politics.
The military, which regards itself as the guardian of the secular system and has staged three coups since 1960, said Friday night it was gravely concerned and indicated it was willing to become more openly involved in the process — a statement some interpreted as an ultimatum to the government to rein in officials who promote Islamic initiatives.
Starting in 1923 in the ruins of the Ottoman Empire, Ataturk, a soldier, set about a series of secular reforms that imposed Western laws, replaced Arabic script with the Latin alphabet, banned Islamic dress and granted women the right to vote.
The ruling party, however, has supported religious schools and tried to lift the ban on Islamic head scarves in public offices and schools. Secularists are also uncomfortable with the idea of Gul's wife, Hayrunisa, being in the presidential palace because she wears the traditional Muslim head scarf.
"We don't want a covered woman in Ataturk's presidential palace," said Ayse Bari, a 67-year-old homemaker. "We want civilized, modern people there."
The election has contributed to a sense of polarization in a country that has enjoyed relative economic and political stability for years and is seeking entry into the European Union. The EU has been pressing Turkey to curb the influence of its armed forces in politics.
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Associated Press Writer Selcan Hacaoglu in Ankara contributed to this report.