Turkey: The Land of the Hijab and the Bikini

Alas, as a Turkish-American, I fear that tourists will opt to gaze upon the bodies of attractive young women in bikinis in the Greek island of Kos as opposed to the Turkish resort of Bodrum which is a mere three miles away from Kos, due to riots and unrest in Istanbul and other Turkish cities, including Ankara and Izmir.

Turkey is a land caught between the Hijab and the Bikini, and Islamist conservative Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose regime is at the center of the chaos, has manipulated his conservative base in central Anatolian cities, like Yozgat, Konya and Sivas, to counter the protests even as it is likely to further divide the country and cost Turkey millions of lost revenue in the tourism sector.

The BBC is reporting that a lone standing man who stood alone in silence in Taksim Square earlier in the day in Istanbul has become a symbol for the Turkish people in their collective stand against an oppressive government. He has been identified as 'The Standing Man of Istanbul."

With that in mind, we are looking at what exactly the definitions of the hijab and the bikini are, as well as the ever intriguing burqini fashion trend in the Muslim world, which we suspect might be popular along the beaches of Dubai and Algeria:

Hijab: A veil which covers the head which is particularly worn by a Muslim female beyond puberty in the presence of non-related adult males.

Bikini: This is a type of women's two-piece swimsuit designed to provide minimal coverage of the body. One part covers the breasts and the part that covers the groin and part or the entire buttocks.

Burqini: A swimsuit for Muslim women designed by Lebanese Australian Ahena Zametti. The suit covers the whole body, except the hands, feet and face,

http://www.kosinfo.gr/

http://www.bodrum.org

http://www.nocturnalguy38.blogspot.com (Our sister blog "The Daily Vampire" which features the same topic, but different text and images)

Tweets on Events in Turkey, 3rd Entry

Here is our third entry on tweets posted within the the last 24 hours about the citizen uprisings throughout Turkey, which was started by environmentalists in the Taksim Square section of Istanbul, and has spread all over Anatolia.

There is one tweet here Ceylan Ozbudak, who is a female reporter for Al Arabiya, which seems like the Fox News off the Middle East as she actually defended the corrupt Turkish Prime Minsiter Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a time of tremendous national unity in opposition to the government in Ankara. The BBC is reporting that police have left the Gezi Park area where the protests originated:

1) ATAA (the main Turkish-American assembly): ATAA CALLS FOR RESTRAINT FROM ALL SIDES DURING PROTEST AND POLICE CLASHES IN ISTANBUL.

2) Emre Kizilkaya: "I saw that the people at #occupygezi are 'ordinary' people young and senior. They're the 99 percent.

3) Ceylan Ozbudak: "Those who think this a protest for democracy know what you are supporting. Communist flags all over Taksim" (she fails to mention that both the the secular right and secular left as well as political centrists are united in opposition to Erdogan).

4) Jose M. Calatayud: "I saw many ATMs damaged. Actually, I have ran out of cash and couldn't anywhere near near the centre."

5) Jeffrey Gibbs:"Yes, yes, but it seems Turkey just passes from one violent hand to another. If Erdogan goes, what comes in his place?" (Though this is a valid point, we differ with the opinion as any government would be better than the current far right Islamist regime)

6) Laetoli: "Access to Facebook in Turkey is blocked right now, we're afraid that Twitter may be blocked soon."

7) Haaretz.com: "Protestors defiant as #Turkey unrest goes into third day; more than 900 arrested ad 1,000 injured so far."

NOTE: The above image if a TRT (Turkey Radio Television) test pattern that was used whenever tv coverage went down during the 1970s and '80s.

http://www.ataa.org

http://www.haaretz.com

More Tweets Regarding Events in Turkey

The BBC is reporting this hour that some 40,000 pedestrians crossed from the European side of Istanbul to the Asian side of the city by walking over the Bosporus Bridge.

This above photo is of Istikal Caddesi, the main street in Beyoglu, the cultural hub of Istanbul, which is in close proximity to Taksim where the initial protests against the right-wing government started, but those protests spread into Istikal Caddesi.

The main issue raised by the protestors is that Prime Minster Recep Tayyip Erdogan is taking Turkey into Islamic fundamentalism, which is in direct conflict with the foundations of the modern state set by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1923.

These protests also originated as an environmental protest to preserve Gezi Park, the only remaining open space in Istanbul. Ironically, there are reports that both Turkish liberals and Turkish secular nationalists have set aside differences to form a coalition in the protests.

Here are the tweets:

1. BBC News: "Fresh clashes in Ankara and Istanbul. Turkey's two biggest cities between anti-government demonstrations and police."

2. Today's Zaman (an English-language edition of the conservative Turkish newspaper "Zaman"): "Stability guaranteed by upholding freedoms, US says on Gezi Park protests."

3. Najwa Mekki: Was in #Taksim #Turkey last weekend and saw riot police but couldn't figure out why. Now I get it. #OccupyGezi

4. Osman Kaytazoglu: "Police is not stepping back heavy teargas use."

5. A Tzanakopolous (A Greek tweeter; Turkey and Greece have been traditional ethnic rivals, but there is no sense of that here): "Our brothers and sisters in Istanbul brutally attacked for defending their city."

6. Gizzy MagicPants (We have no idea what this person's real name is): "This time yesterday, police attacked sleeping protestor in Taksim Gezi Parki and started a chain reaction."

7. Can Yeginsu: "As the crowds surge into #Taksim, Turkish tv refuses to broadcast the popular unrest, a dark day for the press #taksimgeziparki

Tweets Regarding the Revolutionary Stand Against Right-Wing Government in Turkey

Protestors have taken to the streets not only in Istanbul, but in Ankara, Izmir, Bursa and even the eastern Black Sea city of Samsun following police crackdowns against citizens bonding to protest plans to build on Gezi Park, the last remaining open space in Istanbul. The protests are also largely aimed at Turkey's right-wing government lead by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Here are some tweets regarding these events:

1) Hurriyet Daily News: #US and #EU concerned by violent raid against #Taksim Gezi Park protestors.

2) Gigi Ibrahim (a leader of the Tahrir Square movement in Egypt): Latest from a comrade in #Taksim Square: The movement is raising the slogan: "Turn Taksim into Tahrir!".........we support you.

3) Goksen Asia: "Watch Turkish people crossing the bridge for #occupygezi"

4) Zeynep Tufekci: "NYT has Turkey protests on cover. Turkish paper Sabah, not. Why social media matters."

5) Global Revolution: "Everyone has to watch this. All of #Istanbul flashes their lights in solidarity with #occupygezi protestors."

6) Heather Marsh: "More than 40,000 people are now crossing Bosporus Bridge in #Istanbul to join protests."

7) Simge Yarayici: "NYC! Tomorrow! Zuccoti Park! 12 pm! We will be in solidarity with #occupygezi occupiers."