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Democracy In Action: Sea of Flags in Istanbul in Giant Demonstration Against AKP

Over a million demonstrators from all over Turkey - mostly women and young - flooded Istanbul for the giant demonstration against AKP government, against PM Erdogan and FM Abdullah Gul's presidency. It is reported that the participation in the rally at Caglayan district of Istanbul surpassed the massive rally that took place in Ankara on April 14 - which according to reports was attended by one million people. Ataturk's famous 'speech to the Turkish youth' was read and patriotic songs were sung by Turkey's famous actors and singers accompanied by a massive choir of demonstrators.

The peaceful rally delivered many messages to the Islamist leaders of AKP, such as "Turkey is laic [secular] and will stay laic"; "NO Mullahs, no imams and no Gul in Cankaya"; "Cankaya is closed to Shari'a"; "We are all Mustafa Kemal's soldiers"; "Come Tayyip[Erdogan] and see us - come and count us". The crowds that demanded AKP government's resignation also demanded that the opposition parties "Unite for the Republic" [for the upcoming general elections]. Among their demands were "immediate parliamentary elections" and changing the "undemocratic" election law that left 74% of Turkish voters voiceless in the parliament.

Columnist Bekir Coskun of Hurriyet likened the view in Istanbul [reflcted by the sattelite photos] to the eruption of a formidable volcano and its flowing lava.

Other journalists from secular, mainstream media said that the demonstration was the voice of the 74% of Turkish voters that did not elect AKP, that the AKP government should carefully listen to.



Posted at: 2007-04-30
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