top
Peninsula
Peninsula
Indybay
Indybay
Indybay
Regions
Indybay Regions North Coast Central Valley North Bay East Bay South Bay San Francisco Peninsula Santa Cruz IMC - Independent Media Center for the Monterey Bay Area North Coast Central Valley North Bay East Bay South Bay San Francisco Peninsula Santa Cruz IMC - Independent Media Center for the Monterey Bay Area California United States International Americas Haiti Iraq Palestine Afghanistan
Topics
Newswire
Features
From the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature

Turkey AKP Erdogan's Ally & Ex-Family Minister Sema Ramazanoğlu Cancels Speech in Bay Area

by Labor Video Project
The AKP Erdogan government sent former Family & Social Policies minister Sema Ramazanoğlu to the bay area to rally supporters in the upcoming election to give more dictatorial power to his government. After protests at a hotel and attempted move to a local area masque she was forced to cancel the speaking event. She was charged with covering up rapes at a government funded religious school and defended the people in charge of the school. Other AKP politicians have been banned from many European countries where they have also sought to campaign.
turkey_sema_ramazano__lu_.jpeg
Turkey AKP Erdogan's Ally and Ex-Family and Social Policies Minister Sema Ramazanoğlu Forced To Cancel Bay Area Campaign Speech
https://youtu.be/5KLBx07UmRc

Facing questions about the cover-up of a children rape scandal at the government funded Ensar Foundation religious school Sema Ramazanoğlu, one of the founders of the AKP cancelled her campaign meeting in the bay area.

The AKP Erdogan government has been sending political supporters around the world to rally for a vote for the referendum that would give further dictatorial powers. To the United States, the AKP sent the former Family and Social Policies Minister Sema Ramazanoğlu on March 12, 2017.
People from Turkey in the bay area came to the meeting and had questions about the cover-up of a children rape scandal at the government funded Ensar Foundation religious school. Sema Ramazanoğlu, is one of the founders of the AKP and as a result of the protests cancelled her campaign talk to US supporters. She was supposed to speak at a the hotel Best Western Plus Grosvenor Airport Hotel in South San Francisco but the hotel cancelled the event. Her supporters then tried to move her meeting to a local area masque. There they were confronted with opponents of the Erodgan's party the AKP.
Ramazanoğlu faced large-scale criticism and calls for her resignation in Turkey after it was revealed that 45 children staying at illegal dormitories owned by the Ensar Foundation, a pro-government religious education provider, had been raped by one of Ensar's teachers in Karaman. Ramazanoğlu was ridiculed for her defense of the Foundation, claiming that a 'one-time occurrence of such a situation should not be used to discredit Ensar's contributions to society. She also has supported the destruction of secular education in Turkey and for full government funding for religious schools throughout the country. She is also supporting the mass purge of over 130,000 teachers, academicians, journalists and public workers who they charge with being supporters of Fethullah Gulen. Gulen and his supporters who used to be supporters of the AKP including policies of Islamization of society had a falling out with Erdogan and now the government has charged him and his supporters with trying to overthrow the government. Gulen has set up one of the largest chains of publicly funded charters in the US and his chain receives over $500 million a year for his privately run charter chain.

Additional media:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8oXbTMNhmY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_dQzS5AX4w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk1I2khGFb4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfYmsQnOELk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsT-jdEyOcI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1UTZsAxj-Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM1K12XdOLk

Production of
Labor Video Project
http://www.laborvideo.org


SFLC Resolution In Support Of Journalists In Turkey And Resolution Passed by TNG-CWA Local 39521/Pacific Media Workers Guild

SFLC Resolution IN Support Of Journalists In Turkey
http://sflaborcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/02-08-16TurkeyJournalistsResolution-Ltrhd.doc.pdf

WHEREAS the people have the right to be informed about the issues and events affecting them; and

WHEREAS journalistic freedom is essential to the open flow of information on said issues and events; and

WHEREAS, according to the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK), hundreds of cases of harsh treatment of Turkish and foreign journalists, news outlets, websites and social media took place in Turkey between July 27 and August 28, 2015; and

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the San Francisco Labor Council joins Turkey’s Solidarity Network Against Censorship (including the Journalists Union of Turkey), Alternative Media Association, DİSK’s press branch, the International Federation of Journalists and the Pacific Media Workers Guild (The NewsGuild-CWA Local 39521) in protesting the systematic targeting and repression of journalists and news media in Turkey, and in calling on the Turkish Government to halt these abhorrent practices; and that the San Francisco Labor Council hereby declares its solidarity with Turkey’s journalists and news media and the working people whom they serve.

Submitted Richard Knee, Vice President, Pacific Media Workers Guild CWA Local 39521, and adopted by the Executive Committee of the San Francisco Labor Council on February 1, 2016 and the Delegate Body of the San Francisco Labor Council on February 8, 2016.

Respectfully,

Tim Paulson Executive Director

OPEIU3 AFL-CIO 11

Confirming resource:

Thousands Protest Arrest of 2 Turkish Journalists on Spying Charges

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/28/world/europe/thousands-protest-arrest-of-2-turkish- journalists-on-spying-charges.html?ref=world



CWA Media Workers Resolution in Support Of Journalists in Turkey
Passed on 9/19/15 By TNG-CWA Local 39521/Pacific Media Workers Guild

Whereas, the protection of the rights of journalists are critical for a free exchange of information and for the right of the public to be informed about all issues and,

Whereas according to a report titled "Refeictions of War on Press in 40 Days" by the Turkey Confederation of Progressive Trade Union of Turkey (DISK) which includes violations of the law between July 27 and August 28, 2015.

The report says, 2,544 people were detained, 338 people were arrested, 137 people died, 130 regions of 15 provinces were declared as special areas in 40 days and ‘basic rights were suspended.’

Attacks against journalists and the media

Between July 27 and August 28.

* 103 websites, 23 twitter accounts were blocked. 50 URL were blocked with the attempt of a businessman, Ethem Sancak.

* 10 journalists were attacked, three journalists were threatened by the police.

* Newspapers Evrensel and Sol were threatened by Turkish Revenge Brigade (TİT). Sözcü Newspaper announced ‘they won’t be silent.’

* 20 journalists from Newspapers Hürriyet, Milliyet and HaberTürk.

21 journalists were on trial, two journalists were arrested

* Two British journalists were arrested.

* 21 journalists were put on trial since they published the images of prosecutor Mehmet Kira who was kidnapped by gunmen and they were sued for imprisonment for 157,5 years.

* A media group was raided by policemen, and

Whereas, the Solidarity Network against Censorship which includes the Journalists' Union of Turkey, DİSK’s press branch and Alternative media Association. (EA/BD) said these violations and attacks should be perceived as attacks against freedom of expression and press and,

Whereas, the threat to journalists in Turkey and their right to to their job is a danger to freedom of the press and the right of all people to information about their struggles and lives and,

Whereas, journalists around the world face growing threats to their rights and ability to do their jobs and,

Whereas, the CWA Media workers represents journalists and media workers in Northern California and Hawaii,

Whereas, the International Federation of Journalists IFJ and CWA Newspaper Guild oppose these attacks on the rights of journalists in Turkey,

Therefore be it resolved we protest the systemic targeting and repression of journalists in Turkey and call on the government of Turkey to halt these attacks and this local calls for solidarity with journalists in Turkey and support initiatives such as the Solidarity Network Against Censorship and urge all workers, trade unionists and the San Francsico Labor Council, California Federation of Labor to support the rights of journalists in Turkey.
§Kurdish Students and Teachers Protest Mass Repression
by Labor Video Project
turkey_kurdish_teachers_and_children_protest_gov_attacks.jpg
The AKP government has launched a brutal murderous attack on Kurdish children and teachers in Turkey Kurdistan and the unions along with the students have protested the repression. These areas will likely be prevented from voting in the upcoming election thereby disenfranchising this large minority in Turkey.
§Turkey Journalists Protest Repression
by Labor Video Project
turkey_journalists_protest_repression_of_nedim_sener___ahmet_sik.jpg
There has been the jailing of hundreds of journalists and the closure of the majority of independent news agencies. This mass repression of freedom of speech has been supported by the silence of the United States which has a military base at in Turkey
§Police Attacks On Women Student at Ankara University
by Labor Video Project
turkish_protester_arrested_by_police_outside_of_ankara_university__reuters_.jpg
Sema Ramazanoğlu has supporting the repression and attacks on students and professors in Turkey where the government has purged thousands of professors and teachers without trial or charges and are replacing them with fundamentalist supporters.
Add Your Comments

Comments (Hide Comments)
turkey_religious_school.jpg
AKP Turkey’s racist nationalist education system discriminates against ethnic, religious minorities: Report
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkeys-education-system-discriminates-against-ethnic-religious-minorities-report.aspx?pageID=238&nID=89257&NewsCatID=341
ISTANBUL


CİHAN photo
Turkey’s education system continues to discriminate against ethnic and religious minorities, reinforcing an exclusionist definition of “Turkishness,” a joint report by the History Foundation and the Turkey branch of the Minority Rights Group has stated.

The report, titled “Color, Ethnicity, Language, Religion and Belief-based Discrimination in the Turkish Education System,” is based on 18 months of research and was presented in a press conference on Sept. 30.
As part of the project, a network comprising 17 civil society organizations was formed to monitor discrimination in education. The network interviewed unjustly treated individuals, school administrators and civil society organizations across Turkey in Istanbul, Diyarbakır, Mardin, Ankara, and Edirne, monitoring cases of discrimination, and examining court decisions and news reports in order to paint a detailed picture of the education system.

The report particularly highlights the negative impact of the “ideological” reorganization of education under Justice and Development Party (AKP) governments to create what it calls a “religious” and “nationalist” youth.

“It has been observed that references to religion in school textbooks and academic events have increased in recent years. The doctrine of ‘Turkish-Islamic synthesis’ is being revived and imposed on students,” the report states.

The report particularly stresses problems with education in the mother tongues, compulsory religious education, and discriminatory rhetoric used against individuals who are not Sunni Muslims or ethnic Turks.

It states that weekly hours spent on philosophy, science, the arts and sports have been reduced in favor of religious courses. It details how imam-hatip religious vocational high schools have been opened in Alevi-majority neighborhoods and also how Muslim students who do not wish to receive religious training have been arbitrarily placed in imam-hatip schools against their wishes.

The report also criticizes the fact that education in mother tongues is only permitted in minority schools, causing millions of students to receive education in a language other than their native language and thus putting them at a disadvantage. It underlines that the elective course on “Living languages and dialects” is inadequate because its curriculum was decided without consulting representatives of the groups speaking the various available languages or dialects.

Other limitations include the rule that requires at least 10 students’ enrollment for a school to open an elective class, the fact that adequate textbooks and course materials were not prepared by the Education Ministry but the ministry still did not allocate a budget for civil society organizations to undertake the effort.

The report also underlines that students whose native language is not Turkish are frequently confused for a students with learning disabilities.

Finally, school textbooks are criticized in the report for reinforcing an exclusivist discourse praising Sunni Muslim Turkishness at the expense of ethnic and religious minorities that share Turkish citizenship.

Textbooks do not mention Kurds, Armenians, Jews, Greeks, Abkhazians, or Laz, and portray the country under a monolithic light, the report states. The pronoun “we” is only used to refer to Muslim Turks of Central Asian descent, while others are defined negatively. For example, textbooks accuse atheists of inflicting harm on society.

The report urges reviewing the system for a more pluralistic curriculum and calls for constitutional guarantees for education in mother tongues.

It also urges the state to install adequate and accessible judicial and regulatory mechanisms for students who face discrimination at school.
October/01/2015
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!

Donate

$110.00 donated
in the past month

Get Involved

If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.

Publish

Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.

IMC Network