Global Post: Turkish union blamed for unrest accuses govt of ‘witch hunt’

A leading Turkish union involved in fierce anti-government protests that have rocked Turkey on Thursday accused the ruling party of a “witch hunt” after a law was introduced to curb its powers.

Under legislation pushed through earlier this week by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s party, the Turkish Union of Chambers of Architects and Engineers (TMMOB) will lose its authority to approve urban planning projects.

“This is an AKP-engineered law aimed at weakening the union,” TMMOB head Mehmet Soganci told AFP, referring to Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party.

“There is no doubt that the law is directly connected with the Gezi Park movement,” he said.

“The ruling party is trying to make the TMMOB pay the price for what happened and has started a witch hunt to create an illegal organisation which it can easily blame for the nationwide unrest,” he added.

Protests opposing the development of Istanbul’s Gezi Park provoked a heavy police response on May 31, mushrooming into mass nationwide demonstrations against Erdogan, viewed by many in Turkey as increasingly authoritarian.

Erdogan ordered a crackdown on the demos, sparking unrest that has left five people dead and some 8,000 injured.

The TMMOB, which represents 423,000 professionals, backed the mass demonstrations and brought a lawsuit against government plans to redevelop the park.

An Istanbul court recently scrapped the redevelopment project but authorities said the decision could still be appealed.

The Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner Nils Muiznieks said the government-backed law was sending a “bad signal.”

“Instead of adopting measures which may have chilling effects and may muzzle dissent, the Turkish authorities should focus on regaining public confidence,” Muiznieks told AFP in emailed comments.

“To this end, it is urgent to stop police violence, effectively investigate cases of misconduct of law enforcement officers and release peaceful demonstrators who are currently in custody.”

Muiznieks was in Turkey last week for talks with authorities.

The environment ministry, meanwhile, dismissed claims of a witch hunt, saying the law was not connected to the recent protests.

“It is out of the question to tie the bill … to the Gezi park events of the last month,” the ministry said in a statement.

The Islamic-rooted AKP enjoys a comfortable majority in the 550-seat parliament.
11 July 2013
Source: globalpost.com