Day Opening - October 26

Halloween in the USA.

Turks Riots in Brussels and Amsterdam; Attack Armenians & Kurds

Update from Brussels Journal: the list of "sensitive urban areas"--a polite term for entire sections of cities where even police dare not go because of Islamic violence--is growing.

In Amsterdam, an Islamic extremist linked to terrorists via both family ties and friends, walked into a police station and began stabbing a policewoman and a colleague.

Barely saving her life, the policewoman shot Bilal Bijacka. The result? Massive Islamic riots because not only an infidel, but an infidel woman, killed an Islamic male.

His attack came two years after his brother was arrested in a terrorist plot to blow up a passenger airliner. And, Bijacka's friends included Mohammed Bouyeri. Bouyeri, one of the Jihadists in the interlinked web of violence and hatred, ritually murdered a Dutch film maker, Theo van Gogh, in 2004.

As both Brussels and Amsterdam grapple with violent immigrants who literally have taken over portions of their cities and sack, loot and plunder them at will, the rest of the western world may want to reconsider immigration. When police simply dare not enforce laws in entire districts, there is no law except that of blood, violence, hatred, and mob rule.

Here's a classic case of how not to get sympathy for your cause. Turks in both Brussels and Amsterdam have been on a rampage as tensions mount on Turkey's borders.
The current riots follow September's Ramadan riots. Brussels was also engulfed in Ramadan riots in 2006.

Last night (Wednesday evening) heavy rioting erupted in Turkish quarters of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. Buses and trams were attacked. Several cars were torched and shops destroyed. Police forces were unable to restore law and order in the boroughs of Sint-Joost-ten-Node and Schaarbeek where since last Sunday the animosity among Turks is running high. Turkish flags are omnipresent. In some streets the Turkish crescent and star adorns almost every house.
The Turks’ anger was provoked by rising tension with Kurds along the Iraqi-Turkish border and by the debate in the American Congress about the Turkish genocide of the Armenians in 1915. On Sunday night Turkish youths in Sint-Joost destroyed the pub of Peter Petrossian, an ethnic Armenian who had to flee for his life.

Red

The streets in many Turkish cities turned red. Protesting the attacks of the PKK against the Turkish military and their presence in Northern Iraq. Fed by the Turkish media, the Turkish public became angrier than it already was. Yusuf Kanli wrote today about the censorship which is placed upon the Turkish media. Read it here.



Psychiatrist Professor Sunar Birsöz from Akdeniz University in Antalya clearly stated today that rallies could transform into individual and mass violence, and, added, “this pressure needs to be relieved”. He calls it anger management, a common term for decades not to steer up the the public. Especially teenagers, as you can see below. Read his comments here.


And what if notorious groups in Iraq are going to join the PKK? A warning has already been given. Also, many people in Iraq fled from the south to northern Iraq since it's relatively stable. Turkey, by its first real confrontation, lost 12 soldiers and 8 were captured.



Until now the Turkish government restrains from a mass cross border action, which would be a tactical blunder. Mustafa Akyol, an expert in Kurdish issues was clear here. Attacks of innocent Kurdish citizens already started in Bursa and Mersin.

Fortunately, the Turkish General of Staff Gen. Büyükanıt asked for caution: 'The reactions of citizens to terrorism must not spiral out of control'. Read it here.



If Turkey is not using its common sense, the streets in Turkey will not be filled by red flags but by blood. Communication seems to be a new word in Turkey. Both the government and media need to learn what 'crisis management' means.

A talk show about Turkey on Italian TV

Last night on one of the Italian TV channels, La7, in the program called L'infedele, conducted by Gad Lerner, they talked about Turkey, Iraq, PKK and the Armenian issue. During the whole day in our mailing lists for Turks living in Italy we received mails asking for Turkish people (around 5 people were asked for) living in Milan who would like to participate in the program as part of the audience to represent the Turkish side. The program was supposed to be on air at 21.30 and the audience was called for 20.30. The problem is, if they were really sincerely willing to have some people representing the Turkish side they would have made this call days before so that people would get ready/cancel appointments etc. to be able to attend the show. When you receive a call just hours before a live talk show it is not easy to say immediately 'OK, I am available'.

I wasn't willing to watch the show, in fact, since I get usually very angry seeing these one-sided discussions that go nowhere. But my husband while zapping had found the program and called me saying 'They are talking about Turkey again'. After finishing whatever it was I doing, I joined him. From the Turkish side there was only Yasemin Taskin, correspondent of the Turkish newspaper Sabah in Rome. Otherwise, there was someone from the Catholic University in Milan, some expert on Pakistan, a guy, whose name I don't remember, born in Turkey but of which origin he is I have no idea, an Armenian woman with the surname Arslan, an Italian economist (she seemed really well informed, and talked quite reasonably) and audience which was just watching... They had a live connection to Murat Belge of Bilgi University, Istanbul. Everything said in the program in Italian was translated to English for him, he gave his answers in Turkish and his words were translated back to Italian. The first sentence, the first translation to Italian and it was not correct, so I lost my interest and belief in the program immediately.

Once again, I am no politician or politics enthusiast, so all I can report is how everything looked to 'a Turkish man on the street'. The 'Turkish side' did not exist. Whoever was chosen to represent the Turkish side was, in fact, on 'the other side', thus it was quite a 'one-sided' discussion, again. Nothing seemed to be resolved, nothing seemed to be clearer, they tried to draw a parallel between the Turkish army and Pakistani army (!!!!), which was opposed by, if I am not mistaken, the guy from the Catholic University in Milan, Murat Belge was himself as usual, Yasemin Taskin was left alone there to give the Turkish view (the cameraman was fixing the camera on her most of the time; she is quite attractive, to tell the truth), and before I fell asleep on the sofa nobody from the audience said a word.. I don't think they said any words at all afterwards either.

Hence, another pointless discussion on TV that caused only a discussion between me and my husband. Yes, me and my husband always have some kind of fiery discussion when we watch these things because he being from the west, although quite ignorant on our issues, thinks to know everything and has the right solution to all the problems, and me being Turkish and quite a nationalist (in his eyes) have to defend myself, my people, my history. I am so fed up being on the defensive side! It is not easy being a Turk outside of Turkey. We are like fish out of the fish bowl....

Day Opening - October 25

Valleta harbor, Malta.

Fun

Explored facebook today. It's fun, addictive, but it didn't challenge my intellect...)
Looks like everybody who is blogging is on facebook as well.
For people interested in the Netherlands the following is a nice group: If you ain't Dutch, you aren't much...fun!

Internet

Of the last 10 workdays, 6 days I had no connection to internet.
Since I am completely dependent on my internet connection it became irritating...
It's not a matter of addiction, everything is digital these days. I can simply not do without.
Let's see how long it takes before it goes down again.

Turkey-Iraq Crisis

Turkish troops head towards the Iraqi border in Silopi, southeast Turkey, yesterday. The Turkish government said it would 'pay whatever price is needed' to crush Kurdish rebels.

Baghdad announced to shut offices of Kurdish terrorists: Is it going to be enough? I think it's late now, Turkish army has to do something about it and they have to do it with professional troops, not with soldiers that are trained only for 6 months. Otherwise we will lose more of our own young lives.
Just to mention: most of the newspapers and TV stations pronounce PKK as rebels or freedom fighters which isn't true, because anybody who kills innocent people over night in the villages and do human shield bombs in middle of the civilized cities are called terrorist groups.
Turkish government’s aim isn’t invading Kurdistan region and they have no eye within Iraq at all, for many centuries they always had great relations with Iraqi people, they want to put an end to PKK terrorists.

Sirnak, Turkey: Dozens of Turkish military vehicles loaded with soldiers and heavy weapons rumbled towards the Iraqi border yesterday after an ambush by rebel Kurds that left eight soldiers missing and 12 dead.

Turkey's foreign minister said his country will pursue diplomacy before it sends troops across the rugged frontier. The military said it had had no contact with the eight soldiers after Sunday's clash. A pro-Kurdish news agency said the eight were captured.

Day Opening - October 24

Emirates Palace Hotel, Abu Dhabi,UAE.
One of the 7 Star hotels after Burj Arab where my husband used to work.

California under fire

San Diego: Firefighters hoped for high winds to abate on Tuesday, enabling them to start containing the fast-moving fires that have engulfed a massive swath of Southern California, claimed some 700 homes and sent thousands fleeing.

At least 13 fires, whipped by hot, gale-force Santa Ana winds have swept unchecked over the lower half of the state over the past two days, overwhelming fire crews and state emergency services. Some 200,000 acres were torched, one person killed and more than three dozen injured. To continue.

Day Opening - October 23

The Koppies — an Afrikaans word for small hills — offer some of the best views of downtown Johannesburg. For more info.

Day Opening - October 22

Apache girl, native American

Social media: being lonely rules the world...

After so many invitations to become a member of Facebook, I bowed and humbly accepted these invitations.
But, checking the site, and after one day, I get incredibly frustrated: the software is sooooo slow.
Anyway: I am there under the name Hans A. de Wit. They don't accept my full name.
Have fun there, it's like an Open Internet Theater...good for some 'statistic' drama...
And it keeps you busy..))

An Iraqi child, asking why...

Can we help him?

The Levi-Prodi law and the end of the Internet in Italy

It looks like that soon we will miss our friend Yasemin.
Ricardo Franco Levi, Prodi’s right hand man, undersecretary to the President of the Council (Prodi is Italian PM), has written the text to put a stopper on the mouth of the Internet. The draft law was approved by the Council of Ministers on 12th of October. No minister dissociated themselves from it. On gagging information, very quietly, these are all in agreement. The Levi-Prodi law lays out that anyone with a blog or a website has to a) register it with the ROC, b) a register of the Communications Authority, c) produce certificates, d) pay a tax, even if they provide information without any intention to make money. Read more here.

This insane plan is of Ricardo Levi: "Ricardo Franco Levi, sottosegretario alla Presidenza del Consiglio e padre della riforma, sdrammatizza: "Lo spirito del nostro progetto non è certo questo. Non abbiamo interesse a toccare i siti amatoriali o i blog personali, non sarebbe praticabile".

Last of the Iraqis - 6 - Struggle of Powers

I think this is a very crucial time and will decide many things. And from another aspect the Kurdistan Issue, I can't believe my eyes when I see the news and what they are saying in it, Turkey wants to use the army and enter Kurdistan borders, the Kurds are shaking and they are asking for help!!!

They want the Iraqi government to do something, the demonstrations are asking for that too while none of them is carrying an Iraqi flag!!!

They carry the Kurdistan flag only, no Iraqi civilian can enter Kurdistan without something like a visa and they have residency laws for the Iraqis, they consider there selves another country and depending on that they behave, why do they want the Iraqi government to do something ? Aren't they another country with a flag and a complete government?

If they can't manage things by them selves and they want the rest of Iraq to be with them, they should carry and use the Iraqi flag with their flag, at least they shouldn't put the ones who carries or wears the Iraqi flag behind bars!!!The Iraqi flag is forbidden in the north!!
Read the complete post.

Day opening - October 21

By day...


...at night.

Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy.

I want a Hammer...no a Hummer!

Just back from shopping. As you know, I live in Maçka, and next to that area is Nisantasi. And from there you go to Fulya. Maybe if you walk it, it will take 15 minutes. But by car 45 minutes, for 1 mile! The problem: too many cars and too many people who think that they can drive. And too many people who think the bigger their lousy German car is the more rights they have..)
Now, I can tell you that I am patient..)) And always tell my Turkish friends that in the Netherlands only pimps and taxi drivers have a Mercedes and the 'nouveau riche' drive BMW.
But people like me, Scandinavian cars! But now I need a Hummer, I want to make my way through Istanbul traffic. I prefer a black one, armored!

The academic side of the issue

Earlier this week an excellent article appeared on Inside Higher Ed. It focuses on the area where the Turkish side would like to see the debate about whether there actually was an Armenian genocide move to, namely that of historians and academic scholars, not that of parliaments and politicians. The "problem" is, that among scholars there is no longer really a discussion about whether it actually was a genocide:

So many experts in the field say that the debate over genocide is settled, and that credible arguments against the idea of a genocide just don't much exist. The problem, many say, is that the evidence the Turks say doesn't exist does exist, so people have moved on.[...]What's happening now [Andras Riedlmayer, a librarian of Ottoman history at Harvard University] said, outside of those trying to deny what took place, "isn't that the discussion has diminished, but that the discussion is more mature." He said that there is more research going on about how and why the killings took place, and the historical context of the time. He also said that he thought there would be more research in the works on one of "the great undiscussed issues of why successive Turkish governments over recent decades have found it worthwhile to invest so much political capital and energy into promoting that historical narrative," in which it had been "fudging" what really happened."

The full article can be found here.

Turkish-Syrian Ties Get a Fillip

By Marwan Kabalan, Special to Gulf News Published: October 18, 2007, 23:33
Last Tuesday, Syrian President Bashar Al Assad paid his second visit to the capital of Turkey in less than four years. The visit signals mutual interests to further improve relations between two neighbours facing serious regional challenges and bad relations with the US. It came after the mysterious Israeli raid inside Syria; during which Israeli warplanes, many believe, may have used Turkish aerospace to reach deep inside the Syrian desert. The visit was also planed amidst rising tension between Damascus and Washington. Syria, under pressure from the US concerning Lebanon, Iraq and the Arab-Israeli conflict and calls for domestic reform, is looking for allies beyond the Arab world to alleviate its security dilemma and improve its economic ties with increasingly prosperous Turkey. To continue.

Day opening - October 20

Somewhere in Amsterdam.
Amsterdam by night.

Turkish Delight

One of the most multi-talented Dutch artists, Jan Wolkers, died tonight at the age of 81.
He was a writer, painter, and made sculptures. His Auschwitz monuments were several times vandalized.
Probably his most famous novel, which was made into a highly successful movie, was: 'Turkish Delight' which shocked the Dutch society in 1973.
The director of this movie was Paul Verhoeven who became later world famous with movies such as Basic Instinct, Robocob and Showgirls, and camera man Jan de Bont, well known by the movies: Speed, Twister, and Die Hard, and Ruther Hauer, the lead actor in Turkish Delight and later in movies such as Blade Runner, Blind Fury etc.

Bathroom talk: Antalya Turkey.

As some of you know, last weekend was a long weekend for me in Antalya, southern Turkey.
I am not into this fabulous concept which the Turks introduced in 1999: a 5 star hotel/resort, with full pension: unlimited eating and drinking, which attracts a lot of people. Lucky that this was a decent hotel in Kemer. And it was fun to drive a car for one day in the area. Antalya as a city depressed me. Looks like Praha 4, 5, 6 etc. for people who ever went to Prague.
But it was fun driving on a non-pavement road into the mountains which are named after me...)
15 kms up, on a narrow path...Ozlem was scared to death...))

Anyway, the first day I had an interesting encounter in the bathroom of the hotel. Just finished lunch, and since my metabolism works very fast, had to rush to the bathroom (in Europe called WC or toilet, in Turkey, tuvalet, but in the USA 'the bathroom').
Anyway, I was sitting down, and since the Turks have 'the cowboy bathroom doors' like in the USA, you can hear everybody. But it was quiet. Until 2 girls, with a huge 'upper class' Dutch accent entered the bathroom. I thought: 'girls, this is a bathroom for men only'. But no way. They started talking, and talking while one was using the toilet, and the other talked about men in the hotel. I must say, they were happy with some French, Israelis and Dutch men, but were not pleased by the Turkish men. Both were blonds (discovered that later).
Anyway. I heard every detail about their plans for the next week..)) And I was still thinking: 'Hello, this is the men's bathroom'. Then a French girl came in and she talked in the same way as these two Dutch girls. Were they in the wrong place or was I? Finally, when it was silent, I sneaked out of the bathroom and saw that I was in the bathroom for Women Only...)
But I know now at least how Dutch women think while they are on an autumn break...

Common sense prevails...

The EU emerged from a 2-year institutional crisis. In the end, everybody got what it wanted: Bulgaria, Italy, the UK and Poland were battling for extra demands.

It's obvious that when a small country, like now Portugal, holds the EU presidency, there is more chance that progress can be made. We saw that in the past, especially during EU presidency of the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The new reform treaty is significantly different than the Constitutional Treaty of 2004 which was rejected through referendums held in France and the Netherlands.

Here you can read the differences.

Day opening - October 19

Chinelo dancers, Mexico

An open letter to the Armenian Diaspora

Last weekend I had some time to read some books about Armenia, its Diaspora, genocide claims and so on. And interviews and articles by Halil Berktay and Fethiye Cetin. And started to read My Grandmother by the latter. Both persons have refreshing ideas about the Armenian and Turkish history. Totally different than the empty rhetoric which dominates mainstream Turkish newspapers.
But today, my good friend Mustafa Akyol, wrote an excellent column which you can read below:

An open letter to the Armenian Diaspora

Thursday, October 18, 2007

An open letter to the Armenian Diaspora (Mustafa AKYOL )

If we will start listening to your narrative, that will not be because we are pushed into a corner by the politics of a powerful lobby, but because our hearts are touched by the memoirs of a terrible tragedy.

Mustafa AKYOL

Dear all,

A few days ago a new friend of mine who happens to be an American Armenian played some beautiful songs for me that come from the deepest roots of her ethnic tradition. While I enjoyed the numinous rhythms of that magnetic Armenian music, I realized how similar they were to the tunes of the Turkish classical music that I have grown up hearing. “Despite all the political warfare,” I said to myself, “alas, look how similar we are.” I actually have a similar feeling when I drive along the magnificent mosques and palaces of Istanbul, some of which were built by Armenian architects – men in fez who devoutly worshipped Christ and proudly served the Sultan.

Well, we were the children of the same empire, weren't we? We actually lived side by side as good neighbors for centuries until the modern virus called “nationalism” descended upon us. And then hell broke loose.
Continue reading here.

Day opening - October 18

View of Garni Village, Armenia.

What's in a name

So who am I? I mean deep down... My first name (or Christian name as we would say in Australia) is Vassili, which is Greek and derives from the word King. (Did you know that the herb Basil is the King of herbs?) But then we come to my surname, Hatzidakis. What many might not know is that it is a Turkish derivative. My grandfather was actually a refugee from Asia Minor, and was born and raised in a little village outside Smyrna (Izmir) called Sevdiki. When he arrived his surname was in some dispute but among the survivors it was agreed that he was a Hatzidakis.

So why is it Turkish? Well it's not Greek... some have told me that the Hatz is a sort of bastardisation of the word Hadji - a title given to pilgrims who have visited Mecca and the -akis is a diminutive, in other words it means 'little pilgrim'. Others have told me that Hatzis is the Greek form for the Ghazi - who were the warriors of Islam. Who knows for sure, records and memories are a blank as to this history.

But in part it epitomises some of the problems with Greek-Turkish relations. Greece won its independence from a largely Turkish controlled Ottoman empire. Following this Greece tried to instill a 'Greek Idea' into its citizens to try to unify this new nation. Despite this however, there are still signs around to remind us that once our destiny was not ours to decide. These signs are in the land registry laws, Ottoman title deeds put forward by the church to claim land, the power structures whereby certain politicians and rich land owners can trace their wealth to Pasha's and tax collectors, and then in our very surnames. Even Greece's Prime Minister, Karamanlis, has Turkish sounding name. Karamanlides is the name given to the Turkish speaking Greek Orthodox people of Cappadocia.

While such similarities could be reason for close relations, in an excessively nationalistic environment, they are also the reason for tense relations. And for this reason perhaps Greek-Turkish relations need to be slow and steady, giving both sides time to adjust as they dispel myths and come to terms with a history which is still raw.

Holy smokes

Yes, I admit that I am addicted, and that the last 6 days I am tortured...
But Yasimen, or is it Yasmin, or Jasmin - a nice shop for candies in the Netherlands, a Valhalla for good smoking men.)) - I told you what to write, not to make a fool out of me..))
But anyway, thanks dear, you will get a surprise visit this year.))

Day opening - October 17

Aboriginals Australia

News from Hans

I was on the phone with Hans just a few minutes ago. He has no internet connection at home and he is going crazy, literally :-) He said that he has read some books about Turkey and Istanbul these last days (good for him) and has learned a lot. He also said that he decided to learn Turkish (very good for him). He is very worried because he cannot answer any e-mails, nor can write on his blog. When I suggested him to go to an internet cafe he refused it, showing his age (?) as an excuse. And he asked me to write a few lines. Since I have been at home with a sick baby on and off these last three weeks I told him that all I could write right now was a recipe, and guess what: he doesn't want to see any recipes on his blog...

Well friends, I think we should all pray that he gets his internet connection back fast enough.. Otherwise both you and I will suffer.. You, because there won't be anything interesting here to read about, and I, because he will be calling me everyday and begging me to write something, anything!

Day opening - October 16

Dervishes in Konya.

Day opening - October 15

Salsa dance. Latin America.

Turkey turns up diplomatic heat in genocide row with US

Armenians pay their respects to victims of the 1915-17 mass killings at a memorial in Yerevan, April 2007. A diplomatic rift between Turkey and the United States deepened after Ankara recalled its ambassador to Washington over a vote in the US Congress to label the massacre of Armenians by the Ottoman Turks an act of genocide.

A diplomatic rift between Turkey and the United States deepened Friday after Ankara recalled its ambassador to Washington over a vote in the US Congress to label the massacre of Armenians by the Ottoman Turks an act of genocide.

The envoy's recall came as the White House, which opposed the vote by the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, sought to mollify its NATO partner, which is a strategic staging post for US forces fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Continue reading here.

Rice urges Turkey to refrain from military action
Reuters & AP
Moscow/Ankara: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said yesterday she had urged Turkey to refrain from any major military operation in northern Iraq as tensions grew between the two NATO allies.

"I urged restraint," Rice, on a visit to Moscow, told reporters of her telephone conversations with Turkey's President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister.

Two senior US officials flew to Turkey yesterday to try to defuse strains after a US Congressional resolution branded as genocide massacres of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in 1915. Continue reading here.

Day Opening - October 14

Neemrana Fort Palace is one of India's oldest heritage resorts.

Typically, most 'Golden Triangle' trips — Delhi, Jaipur and Agra — are done in a rush. For more info.

Day Opening - October 13

View of Geghard Church, Armenia.

Happy Bayram

Wishing everybody a Happy Bayram.
I am in a place where I see more Dutch and Russian girls, nicely dressed, than Turkish people.
It's fun, walking around and hearing people speaking in your mother language while they are not aware that maybe other people can understand them..))
It's food, drinks, sun and the sea...and they have wireless Internet (the most important),
so I am saved.
The humidity here reminds me of my years in Miami, but I am still in a suit!

Award and nomination

Hatzidakis came today with a nice nomination: read it here...
If you think the same, vote..)) I think we need some more attention, we do what we can.

Al Gore got the Nobel Prize for Peace! Which is really great news. We neglect our environment terribly. We talk a lot about it, but he tries to do at least something!

Day opening - October 12

Sirtaki dance, Greece

Turkey's renaissance and the need for cross cultural communication

Turkey's renaissance and the need for cross cultural communication

Published in Turkish Daily News of October 11, 2007

Hans A.H.C. de Wit

For the past five years I have been asked to help Turkish companies on their way to West Europe, and West European and American companies to get grounded in Turkey. I must say, it was a pleasure, all of these trips to mainly the Netherlands and Germany with my Turkish friends, and to see the surprised faces of West European and American companies on their counter visits when I drove them around in Istanbul. And drinks and food, with a spectacular view over the Bosporus or over the business district of Maslak, Istanbul. But I also noticed something of my West European fellow country people and Americans as well: unfairness toward Turkish business vivacity and culture.

Continue reading here.

Day Opening - October 11

Camel Racing, more info.

Sign of life

I know I have gone MIA since I last posted here (well, uh, that was also my first post here). The reason is that I have had too much on my plate in the past month or six weeks, among them moving to my very own apartment and a good friend ending up in hospital as a result of a car-accident (in Armenia lying in hospital means that your relatives are supposed to stay with you and take care of you. I was part of the care-taking brigade so I spent about three days in hospital). And those are only a few of the things I have been dealing with.

I am trying to juggle a lot of balls and that just does not include writing blog posts at the moment. I think that ball dropped to the floor already a while ago, together with following the news and looking for blog-worthy topics. I will be back, hopefully soon, as things are slowly, slowly falling into their places again and I will be able to find my energy and time back. This is not meant as an excuse, just as an explanation why I seem to have disappeared from the face of the earth.

Editor's note, Hans:
Friends of Myrthe were involved in a traffic accident: one died, two badly injured, and one escaped... This can happen to us; where we live, doesn't matter. Drive safely!

Day Opening - October 10

View near Saghmosavank, Armenia, with Mount Ararat just visible in the background in Turkey.

Talk Metin - The Starving executive..)

The exact role of the starving executive depends on the constitution of the country you are living in. And depends on who executes the instructions given by the legislature, but has no power to act on its own without instructions, because that would put the 'starving executive' in the position of a 'work slave'.
Yes, Talk Turkey, or Talk Metin, written by our good friend Metin is commuting on poor Southern Californian also called the OC. His life must be a hell with all the untouchable beauties around him...and as a starving executive...))

Last week, I had a telephone conversation with Metin and we really had a talk, talk, talk Turkey. A roller coaster of laughs...and we agreed only on one thing: time to get a Margarita in the Blue Dolphin bar in San Diego.. and it was the most pleasant encounter for ages with a person I never faced...
But still I have my doubts: is he a true Turkish patriot or an American one..and he asked me: 'are you a Dutch or a Turkish patriot?' - I ..))

Up to California...to discuss what a 'starving executive' means...I will take my time.. Talk Turkey..)

Day opening - October 9

Italy, Opera by Antonio Capuzzi

Bloggers and commenters wanted

Most of the Turkish bloggers and expats in Turkey who replied to the statements made by Newsweek journalist Fareed Zakaria, Turkish president Abdullah Gül and prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, like Erkan, Bea, Emre and Christine, put all the info about the ongoing discussion on the blog at http://www.sargasso.nl/.
Now it's time for comments of people from Turkey, the Netherlands and elsewhere to discuss these statements and our replies.
Today it's the 4th day of Belief in Democracy. In total there will be 8 statements published - of the three persons mentioned above - and the 8 replies from us. Each day: last day Friday the 12th. But discussion is open. You don't have to use your real name and you don't need to be a blogger!
Below are the first 4 statements, replies and comments.
Friday October 5 click here.
Saturday October 6 click here.
Sunday October 7 click here.
Monday October 8 click here.

So, join the debate.

Messages of Mercy

An advertising agency in Saudi Arabia plans to air public service commercials to promote kinder treatment of domestic helpers in a country where reports of abuse of foreign workers are rife. The ads will air on Arab satellite television stations after the holy month of Ramadan said Kaswara al-Khatib, founder and chief creative director of Full Stop Advertising. Continue reading here.

The three ads cost around $100,000 (dhs367,000) and were financed by a non-profit subsidiary of construction giant Saudi Bin Ladin Group, the family-run business which was set up by the father of Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden. "We deal with helpers as if they are not humans and have no feelings", said the 37-year-old former electrical engineer.

Everybody in the region knows how badly Saudi people are treating their maid/domestic helpers. Hope this awareness campaign creates not only attention for them during the holy month of Ramadan, but for a long time. There were couple of cases here as well, one Middle Eastern couple struggled their Filipino maid at their home, and locked her up in the house. Some kind of revenge like what American soldiers are doing in Iraq. The maid found a way to run away and went to the police station with bruised body and blood marks on her. Sad really:(((

Shop names in Turkish?

This is another ridiculous piece of legislation: all shop names must be renamed in Turkish in Bodrum. To protect the Turkish language....
I don't know how they will translate the BodyShop, McDonalds, Tesco, Reebok Store, Swarovski store etc. into Turkish.
Are the SHELL shop, BP shop, Total shop, still allowed? And what about Carrefour?
What about all the discos, hotels, restaurants?
Why not re-brand Bodrum as a city into Halicarnassus..)) That would be fun..

Day opening - October 8

Haka dance by Maori New Zealand

Fatwas

The last 20 years I was wondering who can issue a fatwa, and who are authorized to do so? So many ridiculous of these kinds of 'verdicts' are issued in the last years.
Here is a list of fatwas, I don't know if we have to take them seriously. And here is a fatwa against naked sex...
But Saudi Arabia came with a solution: a web site with authorized fatwas. A pity that the site is in Arabic only...
Although the Saudi authorities announced to modernize their judiciary, they started this week with giving two gay men each 7.000 lashes. Do you survive that?

Hacking, spam etc.

We always appreciate the comments of people, but discovering this morning that an anonymous person left more than 25, all the same, comments here is annoying. What's the fun about that?
Allowing bloggers only to leave comments is not an option. Many people don't have a blog, but that doesn't mean that they don't have anything worth reading to see.

Day opening - October 7

Belly dancer, Turkey

Day opening - October 6

Folk Music of UAE. For more info.

Talk with Turkey, talk with Holland..

Believe in Democracy

04-10-07 om 17:01 - Carlos

On the 8th of October VPRO Dutch television will broadcast the documentary 'Turkije - Het Dilemma van de Democratie': 'Turkey - the dilemma of democracy'. The documentary will focus on the issue of EU membership for Turkey and the role of islam in a democracy.
Here at Sargasso we will discuss statements made in this documentary by Newsweek journalist Fareed Zakaria, Turkish president Abdullah Gül and prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

From October 5th until October 12th, each day at 13.00h (Amsterdam time, 14.00h Istanbul time) we will post one of these statements. With these statements we will post the views on the statement by a Dutch member of the European parliament, a Dutch journalist and producer, a Dutch-Turkish rapper and bloggers from the Turkish blogosphere.

All posts of this Dutch-Turkish blogging project can be found here. This blogging project is part of the Dutch democracy week WijZijnDeBaas (WeAreTheBoss): the Dutch contribution to the International Week for Democracy.

The statements will be provided in text and after the broadcasting of the documentary also in short video messages. Although normally on Sargasso we write in Dutch in this case we will be discussing in English, because we feel it's important non-Dutch (and especially Turkish) bloggers can join in. In this case we also ask our Dutch 'reaguurders' (commenters) to discuss in English, for the sake of what the internet is all all about: enabling worldwide communication.

Here are some of the blogs from the Turkish blogosphere (turkish and expat) who were contacted and/or contributed to this project:
erkansaka.net,
istanbulian.blogspot,
quirkglobalstrategies,
energynewsletterturkey.blogspot,
internations.blogspot,
arabisto.com,
remarkablesolutionsblog.com
mvdg.wordpress.

The classical dilemma of democracy is that a majority of people can vote within the system to abolish it and therefor eliminate democracy itself. Is democracy about having a majority, or is it about how the majority treats minorities within the system?

In theory a democracy can introduce the sharia. That's why for political commentator and Newsweek journalist Fareed Zakaria Turkey is an interesting test case in the VPRO Tegenlicht documentary. In the VPRO Tegenlicht documentary 'Democratie voor beginners ' (2004): 'Democracy for Starters' Zakaria warns that a political system can end in tyranny of the majority. In the coming documentary VPRO Tegenlicht poses the question: can democracy and islam co-exist?

By engaging in an Dutch-Turkish blogging project Sargasso wants to take the discussions one step further: beyond our own borders. Why have one discussion in Holland and one in Turkey, when we can try to understand each other viewpoints in a bilateral discussion?

Day Opening -October 5

Hotel Dubai
History of Burj Al Arab Hotel.

Last of the Iraqis - 5 - Art of Death in Mesopotaniam

I think many have heard about the methods used for torturing prisoners or politic prisoners to take confessions from them, we heard about the Russian who was poisoned with Uranium , or what happened in Abu-Ghraib, but I don't think that many people know what the militias and AQ does to Iraqis not to take confessions from them or force them to do anything, but just to kill them and enjoy their death and cause the maximum grief and suffer to their parents and beloved, or maybe terrorizing the people even more and make the people wish that they die by a bullet or an explosion, it's a blessing now if an Iraqi dies by a bullet or an explosion. Even death in Iraq isn't like anywhere else, those militias and AQ seems to enjoy killing and I think they look at it as an art or something, the more weird and savage the way they kill people in , the more creative they look at it , because as I said they look at it as an art!
Continue reading here. Warning: shocking pictures.

Day opening - October 4

Tango in Argentina

Time to take a stand

Things are slowly starting to return to normal following the recent Greek elections. As predicted the governing party New Democracy was returned to power and newcomers LA.O.S entered parliament, where they quickly offered their support to ND in electing the house speaker.
While everyone has been talking about why the losers lost, gone virtually unnoticed is the effect these elections have had on ND.

Problems with primary school text book.

For over a year the government had been backing a new primary school book which did not continue old nation building myths (common to many countries and which could be said fanatacised children) and education by repetition. Instead, the schoolbook (funded by the EU) was in line with a pan European education system that encouraged free thought and constructive criticism (and peaceful relations with its neighbours). The book was widely criticised by the pseudo-nationalist elements in Greece, such as LA.O.S and the Church. During the election the education minister lost her seat. Despite winning the election overall the government has instead listened to its racist elements in its party such as Nomarch of Thessaloniki, Mr Psomiades, the bishop of Thessaloniki and LA.O.S, and withdrawn the schoolbook and sent it to be pulped.

The only people protesting this is the small left wing party SYRIZA. They are the only ones in the media protesting the involvement of the church in dictating the education of our children. Meanwhile the foreign minister Dora Bakogianni is talking about the environment.
Not to denigrate green issues, but, if she wants to better relations with Turkey she, and not the small parties, should be at the forefront of defending the schoolbook, in the same way the former minister did. Because sometimes we have to do what is best for the country and not what ensures our re-election.

Day opening - October 3

Greek musician, playing the Gaida Dance.

Afraid

I remember clearly the discussions in the late nineties: was Turkey eligible to become a member state of the EU. I lived in Amsterdam by then.
Most people supported the idea to get Turkey 'in'. But it was weird to hear that the Turkish people in the Netherlands warned us, and I am not talking about Kurdish Turks, I am talking about Turkish people from Istanbul, Izmir, and other developed cities. All of them said 'No'.

As I understand, most of them are living a relatively 'happy life' in the Netherlands. And are not eager to migrate to Turkey. Since they have more freedom to express their opinion and life style there than in Turkey.

Please follow the link below:

In fact, the discussion will be on line on:
This is the site of the the Dutch VPRO's Tegenlicht over the documentary of Oct. 8:
http://www.vpro.nl/programma/tegenlicht/afleveringen/35446086/

Enjoy.

Day opening - October 2

Flamenco performance in Barcelona, September 2007.

Cover millennia in Kyrenia

By Daniel Bardsley,
You could travel to every town on earth but I doubt you would find any place more beautiful than Kyrenia in northern Cyprus. With an imposing castle, a picturesque harbor lined with street cafes and a sweeping mountainous backdrop, it will take your breath away.

While the Greek-controlled Republic of Cyprus — which covers the southern two-thirds of this Mediterranean island — has become over-developed in its quest for the tourist dollar, northern Cyprus retains a quaint charm. For more.

Not many people know that much about northern Cyprus; it's politically isolated, traveling there is only possible through Istanbul (or through Larnaca, taking the bus to the Green Line and walking all the way to a bus or a cab) and it's recognized by Turkey only.

The beaches and everything else in the northern part of the divided island are untouched, although a boom of real estate developments have been seen over the past 3 years.

It's really a pity how the people are left alone, even though they wanted to be re-united with the rest of the island, through the Annan plan in 2004, but that didn't happen.

Is Turkey to blame?

EU, Schengen, and some idiots in Cyprus

Turkish Foreign ministry makes it also clear: visa is still required.
That especially Turkey has to deal with suspicious immigration- and custom officers is also related to the following.
Last week, a former high ranked official (2000-2006) of the Dutch Immigration Office published a book. Turkish people were allowed under a special law to get their spouses, husbands etc. over. After three years this person got a permanent residency and work permit. But what happened, after three years the couples divorced and announced that they planned to marry again with an other. So one person was able to get 8 people a residency etc. Clearly misusing the system.

Now last week, the State Secretary of Justice, announced a general pardon for 30.000 asylum seekers and illegal 'stranded' people. Only those with a criminal past or those who repeatedly lied about their identity will be sent back. There were so many cases pending which was a burden for all the courts in the Netherlands.

That Turkish doctors and dentists can not practice their profession in the Netherlands is normal; there is a well regulated health system, and contact between patient and caretaker must be in Dutch. If they learn Dutch, they still have to go through all kinds of tests.

For journalists the restrictions are tough, too. Just 10 days ago a Turkish friend, who happens to be a journalist and writer as well, asked me to help her/him with a Schengen visa. Since he/she travels at least once a month on invitation to different EU countries, she/he became so tired to get all the time a new visa. But I could not help. Next to that, a Schengen visa is not always, but in general, valid for all the EU member states.
Let me give you an example: Cyprus, the Southern part didn't sign the Schengen Acquis until last year. I was in the northern part with my wife, and wanted to go to the southern part. What happened on the Green Zone, is the most disturbing cross border experience for me, and I crossed a lot of borders. First, I have a Dutch/European passport. But since it was issued in Istanbul they started questioning me where I lived etc. I said: 'in Amsterdam and Istanbul, and none of your business' - my blood was already boiling. Anyway, they could not deny me access. Then, my wife showed her passport with her Schengen visa. They didn't allow her in. I started to make a scene and 'their boss' came over. He saw the fire in my eyes! Okay, he went into his office and started talking for 15 minutes. Came back, took me apart and said: 'I am sorry, you are right'. I told him to f.ck off, and we walked over the border, drank a cola and walked back and made pictures of the guys (not allowed..) but I was very quickly back...in northern Cyprus: safe.

A Saudi way to say 'I am sorry'...you married the wrong guy...

According to the Saudi Arabian newspaper, Al Shams, of last Saturday a man divorced from his wife since she was watching TV programs which are presented by men only. That was for him 'inappropriate behavior' - especially when she was with the television 'alone'.
I don't know if there are female TV talents, looks like a bit difficult since they have to cover themselves completely. Since men don't need to go to a court to get divorced in Saudi Arabia, it's simple: you dump her near the trash...
Women are also (still) not allowed to drive there, so they have to hire a male(!) driver, which costs them half of their salary.
The picture above shows two Saudi journalists during a press conference of UN Commission on Human Rights in Riyadh. What a country...