Sulukule Update by Prof. White and more...
Sulukule Update: Wrangling Over Jurisdiction
Turkish municipalities are increasingly invoking Article 5366 of the law passed in 2005 which allows the demolition of shantytowns in the name of urban transformation projects and using them to destroy parts of the urban fabric. The Romani (gypsy) neighborhood of Sulukule, which dates to Byzantine times, has thus become an “urban transformation area” of Fatih Municipality and the old houses of the Romani population will be replaced with Ottoman-style villas under the new project....The lives of Turkish women revolutionized on the silver screen
By Mireille THORNTON ÇOLAK, Istanbul
Amongst an impressive range of artistic direction, two documentary films at the last Istanbul Film Festival stood out for me. Juxtaposed, they complimented each other with a common theme of encountering and transcending stereotypes of Turkish women as veiled and submissive. So, reactions from the apparently more urbane and cosmopolitan audience, provoked on occasion by the potently counter-intuitive humor of the film’s subjects, were fascinating too.
Legs, Heads & 1 May in Taksim-Istanbul
Özcan TIKIT
In 1977, on May 1 demostrations 35 people were killed and 127 demonstrator injured. Second time Istanbul Taksim square is on the verge of becoming an horror scene and I suggest you to keep your eyes on Istanbul. While Labour Unions and lots of NGO’s insisting on to celebrate 1 May Labour day in Taksim, Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler threatened Labour Unions not to demonstrate on May 1 in Taksim Square. Guler said if the unions and the workers march to Taksim Square 16000 policemen will attack and stop them. 
Guler said on 1 May Labor and Solidarity Day, labour unions demostration plan in Taksim would determined as an illegal demostration. He said they heard intelligence reports, some terrorist groups were plannig to attack on police with gunfire on 1 May in Taksim, he added that police would not let them use its force to frustrate these terrorist groups. So some people should tell Mr Guler, if he have recived this intelligence, he must frustrate this terrorist plan, but threatening labour unions and students can not be a solution to prevent terrorist plans.
Pippa and the frightening scene in Gebze
For days on end now, Turkey has been debating the terrible murder of Italian artist Pippa Bacca in the city of Gebze, near İstanbul.Parliament passes controversial Social Security bill
Turkish parliament adopted a controversial, long-delayed bill which envisages amendment to Social Security and General Health Insurance Law on Thursday. The bill was passed in parliament with 225 votes in favour, and 55 votes against. According to the newly IMF-backed reform, the retirement age will be raised to 65 for both women and men in 2048.Dearest Pippa
We were living in a secular republic. And we were so, so happy that there was not even a need for democracy. Our women were modern. Their heads were uncovered.Trade unions seek Gül's support to annul the social security law
Representatives of trade unions and nongovernmental organizations yesterday asked President Abdullah Gül not to approve the controversial social security reform law that willLack Of Women Administrators In Turkey’s Education System
In response to opposition CHP’s parliamentary inquiry AKP Minister of Education Huseyin Celik disclosed that there are very few female administrators in Government's education institutions. According to Ministry of Education figures women are seriously underrepresented in all divisions. All 81 provincial directors of education are men, while only five of the 955 district directors are women. All deputy secretaries in the ministry are men and there is only one woman director among 16 directorates."
