GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON MAY 2

HURRIYET

--MAY 1, POLICE STATE

Several incidents occurred at Taksim Square in Istanbul as part of the celebrations for Workers’ Day, May 1. Workers from several provinces gathered in front of headquarters of the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers' Unions (DISK) in the Sisli district in Istanbul. Police used water cannons to break up the group of nearly 500 workers that had gathered.

Turkish riot police used clubs, tear gas and water cannons to disperse other groups of who attempted to enter Taksim Square from Osmanbey, Nisantasi, Dolapdere, Kurtulus, Mecidiyekoy, Bomonti and Istiklal Street. Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler said 530 demonstrators were detained on May Day.

--RECORD IN EXPORTS

Turkish exports increased 39.16 percent in April, 2008 compared to April, 2007. Chairman of the Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM), Oguz Satici announced export figures in April in a press conference in Kutahya. The 12-month export figure (as of April) rose 27.61 percent to $117.4 billion.

 

MILLIYET

--WHY?

The government escalated tensions during the May 1 Labor Day celebrations in Istanbul and the police resorted to the use of extreme force. Security forces used clubs, tear gas and water cannons, even on children. What was the reason for such anger and violence on Labor Day?

The police used clubs, tear gas and water cannons to break up demonstrators attempting to march to the city’s famous Taksim Square. Some 30,000 police were deployed in Istanbul for the celebrations.
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At 11:41 (08:41 GMT), DISK Chairman Celebi said they were abandoning plans to march to the square declaring they did not want to become a mechanism for the government's provocation. At the end of the day, 530 people were detained. A total of 38 people, including eight policemen, were injured. One journalist's arm was broken while another suffered a head injury.
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Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler contents the demonstrators are accountable for the events. He also admitted that police intervention had caused some problems.

--TURKISH JETS BOMB PKK CAMPS IN QANDIL

Turkish warplanes launched air strikes against PKK camps in the northern Iraqi mountain region of Qandil late on Thursday. Meanwhile, eight terrorists including two women surrendered to security forces in the southeastern city of Sirnak.

 

SABAH

--MAY DAY IN ISTANBUL

Police used clubs, tear gas and water cannons to break up demonstrators in Istanbul on May 1, Workers' Day. At least 25,000 police officers were on duty on the streets of Istanbul.

The police cordoned off the building of the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers' Unions (DISK). Tear gas was hurled at the building where some 1,500 people were inside. M. Ali Ozpolat, deputy from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), suffered a minor heart attack. A total of 530 demonstrators were detained in Istanbul.

--UNAKITAN AND SIMSEK TO ANNOUNCE NEW PLAN

Turkey's Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan and State Minister Mehmet Simsek will announce a new medium term economic plan at the weekend. The government will revise macroeconomic targets including primary surplus.

 

VATAN

--WORKERS UNDER FEET

The entire world, from Russia to France, from Cuba to the United States celebrated May 1, Labor Day with a great enthusiasm, while Turkey once again became the scene of clashes and police violence.
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Tensions escalated after workers tried to march to Istanbul's Taksim Square, where May Day gatherings were banned by the government. At least 20000 security forces used clubs, tear gas and water cannons to disperse workers. A total of 530 people were detained.

--DR. OZ AMONG 100 INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE

Prominent cardio surgeon Mehmet Oz of Turkish descent has taken place in the Time magazine's list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2008. Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate Bartholomew was also on the list.

 

CUMHURIYET

--SEVERAL INJURED ON MAY 1 WORKERS' DAY

Tensions rose between police officers and unions members in Sihhiye, Ankara on May 1 Workers' Day. Police fired tear gas and beat workers with clubs. In a separate demonstration, police officers tried to break up a group of people in the southern province of Adana and injured several people. A total of 40 people were detained in demonstrations in Adana.

--POLITICIANS CONDEMN INCIDENTS IN ISTANBUL

Executives from the Republican People's Party (CHP) condemned incidents that took place in Istanbul on May Day and said a repressive mind-set did not comply with democracy. Freedom and Solidarity Party (ODP) Chairman Ufuk Uras said, "They assumed a hostile attitude against workers."

 

RADIKAL

--RULING AKP'S DEMOCRACY ENDS HERE

After the prime minister defined workers as "the mob" and the justice minister described the right to hold demonstrators as an "uprising against the Constitution," security forces displayed the "logic of war" for the sake of protecting Taksim Square from the country’s workers.

--WORLD PUPPETS IN ISTANBUL

The 11th International Istanbul Puppet Festival will begin on Friday. During the festival 18 puppet shows from Turkey, Argentina, Austria, Britain, France, Spain, Germany, Italy and Russia will be performed.

 

YENI SAFAK

--DISK'S BILL

Members of labor unions Turk-Is and Hak-Is celebrated May Day in Istanbul and Ankara. When the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions (DISK) insisted on marching to Taksim Square, police intervened dispersing the demonstrators using tear gas and water canon. The view was "unappealing."