Is the Arab Spring Coming to Turkey?

The country of Turkey already has more than its fair share of problems right now.  With Syria as a neighbor, they’ve been dealing with refugees and border skirmishes, not to mention violent acts within their own borders as terrorist factions try to stir up sectarian violence.  Now, older wounds are opening and the people of Turkey are rising up to protest against what they see as an unjust government.

The protests, long in the making, began in earnest a short time ago.  The first conflict was sparked by the proposed demolition of one of the few parks in the country’s capital of Istanbul.  The park is to be replaced by yet another mosque, something that the city has no shortage of, and the people are not happy with the decision. 

This initial protest escalated and now there are a reported 67 different protests going on around the country, the largest of them consisting of more than 100,000 people.  The complaints have steered past the park issue and now the citizens of Turkey are demanding a change in government, saying that the current Prime Minister has become increasingly heavy-handed, implementing too many Islamic policies.

Official responses to the protests have been less than diplomatic.  Police forces marched against the protestors on more than one occasion, firing tear gas into crowds and spraying people down with water cannons.  Nearly 1000 people have been arrested so far, 2 people have died and more than 1000 have been injured.  The Prime Minister has even gone on television to refute the protestors, naming them as illegitimate and responding with threats.

The irony of the situation, of course, is that the Turkish PM supports the overthrow of Syrian President Assad.  Now, he faces a similar problem as Assad does within his own country.  Some are claiming this is a symptom of the Syrian conflict, which has been bleeding over into nearby countries and causing division among political factions throughout the Middle East (and the world).  Others see this as yet another chapter in the Arab Spring revolutionary movements and hope that a more democratic government comes to Turkey, although there is a serious question of whether the region can handle one more civil uprising right now.

Park protestors courtesy of VikiPicture via Wikicommons