Women, youngsters absent in negotiation

ISTANBUL- Hürriyet Daily News

Demostrators criticize a group meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç on behalf of the Gezi protesters of not representing them. AA photo

A group that carried the demands of the Taksim Gezi Park protesters, who have been involved in the ten day-long street action, to the government has been criticized by demonstrators for not including any women or young activists.

The five-person Taksim Platform Mission, which consisted only of representatives from some non-governmental organizations, held a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç on June 5.

“Women’s existence have always been disregarded,” 21-year-old Duygu, told the Hürriyet Daily News during a visit to Gezi Park, the heart of the protests.

Asked about why the group was not consisting of youngsters including women, Altındaş said: “Because they think that we are ignorant, they disregard our resistance. But there is one thing they forget that it was the youngsters who launched this resistance.

Another 27-year-old woman, Ayşe, thought the situation was unfortunate. “I wish they had also talked about the problems of the women,” she said.

A young lady, 14-year-old Alara agreed. “Why can women not be a part of this?” she asked, while distributing some free food for the crowd in the park.

Members of the platform conveyed their demands to Arınç, saying that Gezi Park should remain as a park with no construction permitted on its grounds; the Atatürk Culture Center should not be demolished; law enforcement officers who have escalated the violence should be investigated and removed from office; the use of pepper gas should be banned.