Carnations, living libraries and stray cats
Written by Vesna Janković and the Hirvatistan crew
Translated by Natalija Gojković, TACSO Croatia
Published on the portal H-Alter on 31.07.2013 (http://h-alter.org/vijesti/europa-regija/istambul-za-aktivistic-e-karanfili-ljudi-knjige-i-ulicne-macke)
The objective of the visit of the group of Croatian peace activists to Istanbul was to exchange
experiences and establish direct collaboration between Turkish and Croatian civil society
organisations. The current negotiations between the Turkish government and the Kurds, which
should hopefully bring about the end of the conflict that has been going on for many years, as well as
the on-going anti-government protests over Gezi park, defined the selection of participants: Vesna
Kesić, Eugen Jakovčić, Sara Lalić, Aida Bagić and Vesna Janković.
TACSO offices in Croatia and Turkey organised the study visit of the five Croatian activists to Istanbul from
10 – 14 July 2013. The objective of the study visit was to exchange experiences and establish direct
collaboration between Turkish and Croatian civil society organisations. The current negotiations between
the Turkish government and the Kurds, which will hopefully bring about the end of the conflict that has
been going on for many years, as well as the on-going anti-government protests over Gezi park, defined
the selection of participants: Vesna Kesić (Centre for Women War Victims), Eugen Jakovčić (Documenta –
Center for Dealing with the Past), Sara Lalić (Center for Peace Studies), Aida Bagić and Vesna Janković
(Antiwar Campaign Croatia, ARKzin).
We arrive in Istanbul on Wednesday, 10 July, early in the afternoon. After quick unpacking we go out to
grab something to eat and to agree on the schedule for the next several days. We did not have time to
meet before and go through the program of the visit, because our trip was confirmed only two days ago.
We are here thanks to the EU-funded project Technical
Assistance to Civil Society Organisations in the Western Balkans
A group of activists stands in
and Turkey (TACSO).
After four years the project ends its
silence in front of the monument
activities in Croatia and TACSO Resident Advisors in Turkey and
holding photographs of people
Croatia, Neslihan Özgüneş and Aida Bagić, wanted to organise
whom
one more meeting and experience exchange of the old and new
has put behind bars during the
activists from Croatia with representatives of the Turkish non-
latest events on the Taksim
government organisations before the project ends. We are
Square.
Erdogan’s
government
excited because, after two weeks of calm, the demonstrations on Taksim Square and in Gezi Park started
again over the weekend, overshadowing the peace process between the Turkish government and the
Kurds.
Aida calls Neslihan on the phone, but because her team is busy with the last preparations for tomorrow’s
event, we agree to meet later on the Taksim. No demonstrations have been announced for today, but we
want to go and see the central place of the many weeks of resistance against commodification of yet
another public space. Somehow all five of us manage to squeeze into one cab and off we go – navigating
the impossible Istanbul traffic, intensified even more due to the Ramadan. The cabby is trying to guess
where we are from. He thinks we are Bulgarians, but we say ”Croatia” and he exclaims: “Hirvatistan!” ”That
is right!” say we and repeat after him: “We are from Hirvatistan!” We arrive at the spacious Taksim, in the
centre of which there are tables set for meal - iftar, at which whole families sit quietly and solemnly. Some
women are covered with hijabs, but there are also numerous women who are ‘uncovered’. There are also
many tables at which sit only men. There are no tables with only women and children. Police barriers made
of iron surround the entire group; at the edge of the square there is a stage from which the traditional
Turkish music blasts away and we assume that it must be of religious significance. Initially, we are
confused, even though the taxi driver kept repeating whilst letting us out of the cab: “Ramadan,
Ramadan…” We later concluded that he tried to draw our attention to
We feel silly, like a bunch of
that which is ‘important’.
political tourists, because
On the other part of the square near the Monument to the Republic
we are not familiar with
there are several police buses, the “robocops” walk to and fro, whilst in
the local customs, yet we
would
like
to
be
the
observers and, supposedly,
also the “participants in
experience exchange”.
front of the monument a group of activists stands in silence, holding
the photos of the people whom Erdoğan’s government put behind
bars during the latest events on Taksim. As much as we were able to
gather,
they
are
mainly
teachers.
Despite
our
cabby’s
‘recommendation’, we walk up the wide access road to Gezi Park that
stands as an extension of Taksim, on an elevated plateau. We find
stalls with T-shirts bearing images of Che Guevara, Deniz Gezmiş (they tell us that he is the “Turkish Che”),
the slogans Original çapulcu [1]" and Occupy Gezi. Vesna K. comments: "Protest economy!". In the park
there are people with children or smaller groups of people, walking about, sitting, reading… stalls with
food and water. It is lively, but also very relaxed. Nothing to indicate the recent protests. We go back to
Taksim, where more and more people gather and form a line in front of the van, out of which boxes with
food are being distributed. They look like the food packages one gets in a plane. But, none of these people
open their boxes or start to eat and all the water glasses are turned upside down. We address a young man
sitting alone, outside of the fenced-off space, but he gives a clear sign that he is not allowed to speak
until… at the moment of the sunset the muezzins from the near-by minarets announced the end of the fast
for the day. We feel silly, like a bunch of political tourists, because we are not familiar with the local
customs, yet we would like to be the observers and, supposedly, also the “participants in experience
exchange”, as that is the role assigned to us on this study visit.
We stand around in expectation. Soon Neslihan arrives and we finally get the explanation. Yesterday the
two Muslim groups – anti-capitalist Muslims and revolutionary Muslims – organised their own iftar on
İstiklal, the well-known pedestrian street opening into Taksim. They invited everyone via Facebook and
Twitter, those that observe the fast and those that do not comply with Ramadan rules, to bring the food
and have a joint meal. But, the police prevented them from entering Taksim and forced them away as
soon as they eat. Today’s joint iftar on Taksim was organised by the city administration, which was not the
usual practice beforehand, and actually represented a symbolic counter-gesture to the yesterday’s
“people’s” iftar and protests in Gezi park. Today it came out that the nineteen-year old Ali İsmail Korkmaz
from Eskişehir, who was beaten up during demonstrations of 2nd June, succumbed to injuries and died this
morning. He was beaten by the plain-clothes police and the hospital would not admit him right away,
because there was no police report. No demonstration has been announced for today, but whilst we are
talking, a group of protesters nears the Taksim. Many of them carry carnations. They chant: “This is only
the beginning!”; “Taksim is everywhere, resistance is everywhere!”; “All together against the fascism!”;
“Through resistance to victory!”… The groups arrive in waves, probably from their universities or some
other centres of the resistance, receiving the information from the social networks, as Turkish media do
not report on the protests and debates. We join one of them.
The protesters pass by peacefully by the part of the square where only a few participants in the religious
rituals remained, they stop on the stairs leading to the park and turned towards the Taksim, they chant
their slogans with their fists raised high. The two groups are separated by several meters of empty space,
but no confrontation occurs, one cannot feel any tension or aggression in the air at all. The protesters
seem to be this excellently self-organised and choreographed group, without any visible leadership,
without any big speeches. The police stand aside and observe the goings-on. The protesters enter the park,
shout their slogans in the park centre for a little while and then they slowly disperse. Neslihan explains
again: the protesters, even though they are a very heterogeneous group comprising the Ataturk followers,
the followers of the Occupy ideology and extreme leftist groups, are determinedly non-violent, they do
not cause conflicts, they do not provoke those that have different opinions from theirs – in this case, those
that gathered for the iftar. We notice that one slogan failed to receive any significant response from the
protesters. That is: “The martyrs of Taksim will live forever!” The majority refuses to accept the
nationalistic and religious narratives.
Day 2: Read me – “the living library”
In the morning I read in the daily newspaper in English Today's Zaman about the ‘midnight law’ adopted
yesterday, pursuant to which the parliamentary body comprised of engineers, architects and related
professions, which had certain power in deciding on spatial policies, has been exempted from deciding on
future spatial and construction plans. It is assumed that this is revenge due to their active role in antigovernment protests of last week. Several comments address the possibilities of a new military coup, and
there are also some texts about the autocratic nature of the current administration and concentration of
the political and economic power within the hands of the current Prime Minister and his family and friends.
The fact remains that in this publication intended for foreigners there is no mention of the yesterday’s
gathering on the Taksim. This is so familiar. I wonder to what extent this carefully measured critique
represents just a “democratic” veil intended for the outsiders. Sara says that according to Reporters
Without Borders data on the number of arrested journalists, Turkey holds the first place and is even worse
than China on that issue.
But, today is the day for our ‘regular’ activities. The ‘living library’ in
which we participate takes place on the prestigious Turkish university
Today it came out that the
Boğaziçi. In addition to us, there will be about sixty representatives
nineteen-year old Ali İsmail
from various non-government organisations who will act as the ‘live
Korkmaz
books’ that the visitors will be able to “take” and “read”. ‘Living
who was beaten up during
library’ method originated in Denmark and its aim is to stimulate
demonstrations of 2nd June,
dialogue and reduce prejudice against minority groups, but today it
succumbed to injuries and
will be used for informal familiarization with the work of specific
died this morning. He was
organisations.
beaten by the plain-clothes
Boğaziçi University is located on the campus the size of which is
police
difficult to estimate, because the rich greenery shades and hides the
would not admit him right
faculty buildings and the residential villas. We follow our instructions
away, because there was no
and arrive at one of the terraces. There are already stands with
police report.
from
and
the
Eskişehir,
hospital
printed materials of NGOs that will be presented during today’s event,
as well as large colourful pillows and some of the participants in the ‘living library’ are already sitting there.
We receive a catalogue with the list and short note on each participating organisation: 'open' radio Açik
and independent news portal, the initiative for democratic constitution, local branch of Helsinki Citizens
Parliament (hCa), numerous associations for gender equality and against family violence, peace initiatives,
several LGBT organisations, ecological associations and associations for the rights of the Roma,
immigrants, children… Impressive! Neslihan gives us brief clarification of the rules and the ‘reading’ can
commence.
While we wait to be ‘taken’, we jointly decide to talk to Ayşegül Güzel, representative of the Net2Ist, the
local branch of the international network Netsquared/Techsoup, the organisation addressing activist
usage of new communication technologies and platforms. Ayşegül is actively included in Occupy Gezi and
she tells us that for the past year a group of activists tried to organise various social facilities and events in
the park, which until that time was neglected and rarely visited. She recounts the story of the early days of
the movement and her incredulity when the movement started spreading to other cities, her feeling of
freedom and community that was established – but, soon the ‘readers’ arrive that wish to ‘take’ us, so we
break our conversation.
The protesters, even though
Eugen tells us about his conversation with Selena Lermioglu
Yilmaz from Winpeace – women peace initiative, which is also
they are a very heterogeneous
active at the Centre for Peace Education of the Boğaziçi University.
group comprising the Ataturk
He says that he described some of the more prominent initiatives
followers, the followers of the
by Documenta concerning the war heritage, building of peace and
Occupy ideology and extreme
facing the past: "I emphasized the importance of our activities on
leftist groups, are determinedly
documenting, i.e. systematic gathering of materials concerning
non-violent, they do not cause
war-related activities, personal memories of the war and the work
conflicts, they do not provoke
of human rights organisations. I explained the importance of
those, who have opinions that
documenting human loss and recording personal memories of the
are different from theirs.
war using the method of historic accounts within the context of
peace building and reconciliation. Speaking of regional initiatives
of civil society organisations I particularly singled out the Initiative for REKOM, the objective of which is to
establish the Regional Committee tasked with establishing facts about war crimes and human rights
violations committed in the former Yugoslavia from 1991 to 2001. Selena showed huge interest for the
REKOM initiative, inquiring about the civil society approaches to realization of this transition justice
mechanism."
Aida is approached by Sinem İçöz, who inquires about institutional mechanisms for civil society support –
the theme on which she prepares a study within the framework of her specialization in the Turkish Ministry
of European Affairs. This was not a usual request for information: "Clearly, Sinem is well acquainted with
our mechanisms, she studied all materials available in English language, she was aware that TACSO
collaborated closely with the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs and the Council for Civil
Society Development, as well as with the National Foundation for Civil Society Development. What she
could not explain is how did it come about that the Office for Cooperation with NGOs was established
already in 1998. She says: “I would have understood if it were established after 2000, after the Coalition
adopted the Collaboration Program of the Government of RoC and Non-Government, Non-Profit sector,
but it seems unusual that the Office was established in time when the wider political context was still
marked by the authoritarian and nationalistic regime." Aida could not remember any official document or
review of civil society history in Croatia that would offer an answer. The question prompted her to recount
civil society organisations’ activities during the second part of the nineties: "During that time many of us
were surprised by the establishment of the Office and were not willing to approach it with trust.
Sometimes outside pressures are mentioned, but somehow this just doesn’t seem like a sufficient
explanation to me. Clearly the more thorough insight into the start of
mechanisms establishment is lacking; a description that would enable us
Sara identifies three most
to convey our experiences to others – from the perspective of the
significant initiatives of
stakeholders themselves, in some form of ethnographic study, not just
social mobilization: Pride
through official documents."
Parade, Right to the City
I talk to Serhan Karatas who works on projects of human rights
and
organisations. He came because he is interested to hear about the Anti-
Varsavska, as well as
War Campaign and our activism in the 1990s. He says that he was actively
student blockade of 2009.
the
Fight
for
involved in the initiative on conscientious objection, which is not legal in
Turkey, and the objectors – just as it was in the former Yugoslavia – are processed by the court martial.
After they serve their sentence, they are drafted again and re-tried for the same “crime”. He is a member
of an informal group "Men Against Patriarchy”. They meet every week and read and discuss feminist or
queer texts. Even though there are only about thirty of them, their Facebook group has almost 4,000
members. He is very critical about some of the practices in non-governmental organisations, amongst
other things about employment methods and insecure status of the paid activists. I tell him that over
fifteen years ago, when the civil scene in Croatia only started to professionalise, Zoran Oštrić was
proposing establishing a union of NGO-employed persons... “And, so – now we sit around and talk at an
event paid for by the European Commission," I conclude, laughing.
The living library ends with the hip-hop and break dance show of the Roma youths.
Day 3: Exchange of experiences on peace processes (and beyond)
We are in overdrive since the early morning. First Aida and Sara have an interview with Radio Açik, where
Neslihan hosts a weekly show on civil society. Then we meet at Cezayir, a large building in the old part of
town, with rooms for public events and a restaurant. They tell us that the owner occasionally gives the
rooms free of charge for their public lectures, as is the case now. At the front page of the current issue of
the Today's Zaman there is a large photo from one of Srebrenica commemorations. I read the comment by
an Armenian journalist on the genocide/genocides that happen over and over again, whilst the political
elite just shrugs it off... unplanned horror context to our today’s schedule.
Three sessions are planned for the afternoon under a common name of "Balkan civil society
representatives’ experiences in peace processes". Kurdish television cameras are in the room and there is
also Al Jazeera journalist and two interpreters and the equipment for simultaneous interpretation. We
start on time. Organisation is again impeccable. Everything is carefully prepared and carries on without
any tension or pressure. We compare it to some events in which we participated in the countries of the
Western Europe and we conclude that we much more
A woman stands up and starts uttering
prefer the relaxed Turkish way.
these horrendous numbers on the
Aida, Sara and I speak in the first part of the event. Aida
missing, arrested, beaten and raped
talks about how Anti-War Campaign came about as a
Kurds, on hunger strikes and other
network of women, human rights and rule of the law,
forms of non-violent resistance and
spiritual and environmental initiatives, out of which
concludes asking: what is the point of
issued a scope of organisations, which even today make
non-violent strategy in a situation when
up the back bone of the critical civil society. She talks
the other side refuses to listen.
about our naïveté and inexperience, of our faith that we
can stop the war in the moment when everything was
already ready for the big slaughter. I speak of Zamir and ARKzine, of the pioneering efforts in using new
communication technologies in activism, on the importance of establishing an alternative public sphere
and on international solidarity and networking. Sara shows a large slide with a photograph of the recent
protests in support of Gezi-movement, which took place in front of Turkish embassy in Zagreb. She talks
about the activism in the last ten years and about the shifts in the topics. She identifies the three most
significant initiatives of social mobilization: Pride Parade, Right to the City and the Fight for Varsavska, as
well as student blockade of 2009.
After a short break Vesna K. and Eugen talk about the processes of facing the past, about the activities of
Documenta and REKOM. Vesna points out that many believe that with the end of the war one should turn
to future, but she thinks that the traumas and unprocessed, non-integrated past, buried deep inside,
prevent the present from being a good one and may become the source of new conflicts in the future.
Therefore, it is important not only to make it possible for victims to speak, but also to face the “own” side
with the crimes committed in “our” name. The audience wants to know how to save the victims from retraumatizing them in the process, but also how to preserve independence of the commission from state
influence. A woman stands up and starts uttering these horrendous numbers on the missing, arrested,
beaten and raped Kurds, on hunger strikes and other forms of non-violent resistance and concludes
asking: what is the point of a non-violent strategy in a situation when the other side refuses to listen?
Someone adds that it was ‘easier’ for us, because our war was short compared to Turkish-Kurdish conflict,
which lasts for over thirty years by now.
During the break the Kurdish journalist interviews Vesna K. She wants to know about Vesna K.’s
experience in working with women victims of sexual abuse during war. We go out to have a smoke. Silence
descends. I tell myself once again that pacifism is not an easy personal choice and that there are no ready-
made models that could be simply transferred from one context to another, no matter how similar they
may be…
The third session is a conversation with women peace initiative, which tries to actively influence the
Turkish-Kurdish negotiations. Aida, Vesna K. and I speak about feminism as an important element in
building up the Anti-War campaign and in the building of the civil society later on. I recount the
experiences of the Centre for Women Victims of the War, but
also the political work on the protection of women’s rights,
Silence descends. I tell myself once
which at the time of establishing the nationalistic regime in
again that pacifism is anything but
Croatia during 1990s, had a particularly subversive action in
an easy personal choice and that
deconstruction of nationalistic homogenization.
there are no ready-made models
We speak of difficult moments in communications with
that may be simply transferred
women from ‘the other side’, of different views and
from one context to another, no
interpretations of the same war reality, but also about how -
matter how similar they may be…
despite of it all – we cherished these relationships. Vesna K.
points out that her choice and commitment to feminism, peace, against the war and the militarism
originates not from her being ‘the woman, the mother, the sister…’, in other words, some supposedly
‘natural’ female role and peace loving, but that that was a rational, political decision. The word ‘mother’
causes furore. They tell us that there are more and more Turkish mothers, who do not want their sons to
die ‘somewhere over there’. We tell them about our Wall of Love and about how it is politically insufficient
to ground peace activism just on mothers’ love. Quite opposite, we tell them, one of the most important
activities of the Anti-War Campaign was to assist the conscientious objectors. After the long and intense
discussion, we are approached by Nükhet Sirman, professor of sociology and anthropology at the Boğaziçi
University. She is a member of women peace initiative and as a scientist she particularly addresses
Turkish-Kurdish relationships in everyday life in big cities. As a true ethnographer she also learned the
Kurdish language. She tells us that it was very important to emphasize this political aspect of the feminism.
Even though, it seemed that the women flinched a little after that… But, it is past nine in the evening and
we are all really tired by now. It was a long day.
Day 4: The Stray Cats of Istanbul
We ask Neslihan what is her
I prepared for the trip by checking the most important political
opinion of what is going to
facts from the recent history of Turkey. But, nothing prepared
happen with the cats once
me for the incredible scenes that we found all over the city –
Turkey becomes EU member
stray cats and dogs, packs of them walking, sleeping, playing on
state. She says that there most
every place imaginable, approaching you trustfully with a low
certainly exists some regulation
or other that will change things
around.
meow when they feel hungry or thirsty, nobody chasing them away – quite contrary, we often found little
bowls with food and water in front of houses – equally for all cats! We saw stray dogs sleeping in shade,
scratching themselves or going about their own business, completely undisturbed by the hyperactive
Istanbul traffic. Many have microchip implant and are vaccinated for rabies. We ask Neslihan what is her
opinion of what is going to happen to the cats once Turkey becomes EU member state. She says that most
certainly there exists some regulation or other that will change things around. We joke that such
harmonious co-existence is a reason enough to give up Europe. Neslihan responds that their views of EU
are not altogether unambiguous: If being in the EU means that the cats will no longer be allowed to stroll
through restaurants and that street sellers will not be allowed to sell fruit and vegetables, then they are
against it, but some other attainments, such as secular and legal state, political stability and basic
freedoms, still remain an unattainable ideal for Turkey.
The first day upon our return home I receive an invitation to sign an online petition against the practice of
cruelty and hunting of stray cats in Switzerland?! Maybe that is not the EU, but it is Europe.