Additional
reporting by Saad Abdul Majid, IOL Turkey Correspondent
ISTANBUL,
December 1 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Thousands of people
turned out Sunday, December 1, to demonstrate against Turkish
participation in a possible war on Iraq, just two days ahead of a
visit by U.S. officials aimed at drumming up support for
Washington's military aims.
Waving
signs marked with "Peace Now" and "Long live the
brotherhood of men", protesters heeding the call of political
parties, unions and non-governmental groups (NGOs) filled a square
on the European side of the city.
A
statement read aloud to the crowd called on the government not to
take part in a U.S.-led military strike and to refuse Washington the
right to use Turkish bases during its military deployments.
Over
180 NGOs took part in the organization of the peace rally. The
Turkish police, securing the demonstration, did not interfere to ban
any group or organization from participating. The huge rally lasted
more than two hours, even though light rains fell on the crowd.
One
of the leaders of the ruling party, Justice and Development (AKP),
told IslamOnline Sunday that the former government, led by Bulent
Ecivet, had authorized Chief of Staff, Helmi Uzkock to deal with the
Iraqi file.
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Massive crowds
showed their anti-war sentiments
|
“Turkey’s
role in the possible war (against Iraq) has already been settled
during a visit to Washington on November 2, by Uzkock. This means
our government will not be able to hve a say about it now,” the
AKP leader said, asking not to be named.
Turkey,
a key strategic ally for Washington and the only Muslim-majority
member of NATO, will receive a visit Tuesday, December 3, from a
contingent of U.S. officials armed with promises of aid in return
for military backing.
U.S.
Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and Undersecretary of State
Marc Grossman will discuss a huge aid package to help persuade
Turkish leaders to set aside fears that a war could destabilize the
Turkish economy, U.S. officials said.
Ankara,
Iraq's neighbor to the north and regional trade partner, is also
concerned the war would fuel Kurdish independence moves in
southeastern Turkey, as well as flood their border areas with
refugees.
U.S.
and British air forces use Turkey's Incirlik Air Base to fly combat
patrols over northern Iraq to enforce a no-fly zone imposed after
the 1991 Gulf War to protect the region's Kurdish minority.
Over
the weekend, anti-war rallies were also held throughout Australia,
with more than 20,000 people, many of them Middle-Eastern migrants,
protesting in Sydney and other cities.
