Press release by the Turkish Medical Association. "PRESS RELEASE 3 JUNE 2013 GAS CHAMBERS Dear press members, As you know during the weekend protests against the destruction of Gezi Park in Taksim have been held all over Turkey. In Ankara ten thousands crowded Guven park and Kizilay Square from early in the morning until late in night to express their feelings. These demonstrations that were absolutely non-violent, peaceful and democratic have been terrorized by the Turkish police at each moment. The police showered tear gas in crowds, and doing this, they aimed the gas capsules from a very close distance into the head, eyes, torso, arms of people, they also used baton rounds. Hundreds of people were injured in these attacks, of which some are still in critical condition. Some citizens will be amputated or will permanently carry the marks of these attacks on their body. Since 2 days doctors, dentists, medical students, medical staff voluntarily gathered around Kizilay square and provided healthcare services to the population that are wounded by police violence. At those health points, patients with respiratory failure, incision, fracture, black out have been treated and discharged or referred to hospitals if necessary. Yesterday, those health points have been raided by the police, have been drown in tear gas, in close spaces where we had patients, wounded and medics inside. The health points in cafes and shops (YKM, Starbucks, Leman Kültür) have been locked down, infirmary in Nazim Hikmet Cultural Center has been looted. Doctors, dentists, nurses, medical students all together with wounded people inside have been violently attacked and arrested. Another health point in Mülkiyeliler Birliği Club has been also heavily attacked. The police surrounded the building around 21:30 and thrown countless gas capsules in the garden. The gas leaking inside from closed windows has quickly affected people, everybody ran to upstairs. One of our colleagues expressed his feelings saying “he thought he was in Madimak Hotel” (refers to the events of July 2, 1993 which resulted in the killing of 37 people, mostly Alevi intellectuals, after a mob of enraged fundamentalists intentionally set fire to the hotel where artists, intellectuals, writers were gathered for a cultural festival). Our friends, helpless, waited for one hour in this gas together with the wounded, among them directors of Turkish Medical Association and Ankara Chamber of Commerce, members of Turkish Dentists Association, some members of parliament and the president of Turkish Bar Association. We intensely condemn this attack that cannot be justified by any explanation, cannot be tolerated, cannot stand any “yes, but”. The International law, the principles of World Medical Association, the International Humanitarian Law make this very clear; above all, consciousness should be enough! In any kind of conflict context, the health workers, the health points and vehicles cannot be targeted, interfered. Yesterday, the police of Ankara had admittedly commit a crime by blocking, delaying the treatment of wounded, by preventing the health workers from giving emergency healthcare services, and moreover, by their irresponsible and uncontrollable acts that might have been resulted by a massacre. We condemn these attacks and the first level responsible of these attacks, the Government and the Ministry of Interior that we believe should give account. All health workers and medical students who were giving medical assistance in health points and who are under arrest should be immediately released. This situation is unacceptable! Turkish Medical Association Turkish Dentists Association Ankara Medical Association Social Workers Labor Union Turkish Psychiatrists Association
Posted on: Tue, 04 Jun 2013 18:23:02 +0000
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