Main opposition protests gas use with booklet depicting Turkish PM as ‘Gasman’

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

DAILY NEWS photo, Emrah GÜREL

In order to show his reaction against the steadily increasing use of tear gas during demonstrations under the rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government, a deputy leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has issued a booklet titled “Gazman: The AKP’s history of tear gas,” in reference to “Gas Man” in English.

While issuing the booklet on his personal website, http://www.umutoran.com/2013/05/30/akpnin-biber-gazi-tarihcesi, CHP Deputy Chair Umut Oran also introduced a bill to the Office of the Parliament Speaker for banning both the export and use of tear gas.

  “Politically, tear gas shows two realities. The first is ‘the gas phase’ of the AKP. Those who have been exposed to tear gas have also been experiencing what the AKP really is. The second reality is that those who fire tear gas are growing in their intoxication of power. The governing party becomes dizzy as it fires pepper gas, and it gets tipsy day and night as it puts pressure via tear gas. What has been experienced at Taksim Gezi Park is an example for this. This government does not love people, but has love for tear gas. The prime minister’s name from now on is ‘Gazman,’” Oran said in a written statement released on May 30.

Earlier on May 30 in Istanbul, police once again fired tear gas on demonstrators protesting against the demolition of Taksim Gezi Park. “We have introduced a bill against tear gas, which makes citizens’ lives insufferable, which prevents the use of the most fundamental rights, and which is a form of torture that has taken to the streets,” Oran said, also noting that the bill was predicated on related decisions by the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe’s Committee on the Prevention of Torture.

“All of these principles have been violated in Turkey up until today. So, there is no way out now other than banning. With our proposal, we are banning the export and use of tear gas by public institutions.

If tear gas is banned, Turkey will be liberated. A Turkey that has no tear gas means a happier, more peaceful and more democratic Turkey.”