We must not forget
20 years ago the student demostrations at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China took place. And at this day 20 years ago the same students were violently put to silence by the government. Today is a day to remember. A day when we have to remember to never forget. We, the people outside China, have the possibility to know what happened. We know. We can read about it. See pictures. The people in China can't. The parents of the students that were killed aren't allowed to talk about it. The survivors aren't permitted to discuss what happened to them. The Chinese government is trying to make them forget. And us as well. But we won't forget. We just won't.
Still no on one knows who the brave man facing the tanks were. What happened to him? No one knows...
Speak up. It is time to face the truth. For everyone.
Sign the Amnesty petition.
Stand up for our rights.
Still no on one knows who the brave man facing the tanks were. What happened to him? No one knows...
Speak up. It is time to face the truth. For everyone.
Sign the Amnesty petition.
Stand up for our rights.
Turkey in the European Union?
I've just finished reading about Enlargement Policies within the European Union. It's actually quite interesting. Why states want to join and why the current members accept them into the union.
The last part of the chapter talked about Turkey and their application of membership. They applied early to become a member, allthough it was first in 1987 they formally put an application forward. Still today they are not members. Unlike the other 13 member states that applied after that year. The question is why. To me it seems very easy why they should not become a member of the European Union. For me Turkey is not European. Geographically only a tiny bit is part of Europe. And culturally the situation is similar. The culture is more that of the Middle East than Europe. And there's nothing wrong with that. Absolutely nothing. The European Union has declined membership application from Morocco and Tunisia on the basis that they are not European. The difference of opinion within this debate is clear since just by looking at statements by different representatives of Britain and France. Britain has once said: "Europe is never complete without Turkey." France said: "It will be the end of Europe."
Another issue to me is the human rights situation. To become a member of the European Union there are certain criterias that has to be met. Three to be more specific. One of them is a political criterion that says that states must have stable institutions, gurantee democracy, human rights and protection of minorities. To me, Turkey does not fulfill that requirement.
I am no expert on the subject. I know that. But to accept at state into the union based on geo-political reasons (like Britain wants to) seems very Cold War'ish to me. Like when the US supported dictatorships in Latin and South America to avoid communism. It is not correct. And it is not fair. Not to the existing member states. And not to the population of Turkey.
The last part of the chapter talked about Turkey and their application of membership. They applied early to become a member, allthough it was first in 1987 they formally put an application forward. Still today they are not members. Unlike the other 13 member states that applied after that year. The question is why. To me it seems very easy why they should not become a member of the European Union. For me Turkey is not European. Geographically only a tiny bit is part of Europe. And culturally the situation is similar. The culture is more that of the Middle East than Europe. And there's nothing wrong with that. Absolutely nothing. The European Union has declined membership application from Morocco and Tunisia on the basis that they are not European. The difference of opinion within this debate is clear since just by looking at statements by different representatives of Britain and France. Britain has once said: "Europe is never complete without Turkey." France said: "It will be the end of Europe."
Another issue to me is the human rights situation. To become a member of the European Union there are certain criterias that has to be met. Three to be more specific. One of them is a political criterion that says that states must have stable institutions, gurantee democracy, human rights and protection of minorities. To me, Turkey does not fulfill that requirement.
I am no expert on the subject. I know that. But to accept at state into the union based on geo-political reasons (like Britain wants to) seems very Cold War'ish to me. Like when the US supported dictatorships in Latin and South America to avoid communism. It is not correct. And it is not fair. Not to the existing member states. And not to the population of Turkey.
