Million rally in Turkey for secularism, democracy
Afp, Ankara
More than one million people took part in a mass rally here Sunday in support of secularism and democracy amid a tense stand-off between the Islamist-rooted government and the army over presidential elections. The crowd, carrying red-and-white Turkish flags and portraits of founding father Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, filled Istanbul's sprawling Caglayan square in a demonstration organized by some 600 non-governmental organizations. "Turkey is secular and will remain secular," "Neither Sharia, nor coup d'etat, democratic Turkey," they chanted. Police at the scene told AFP that the number of demonstrators was well over one million. Organisers said the rally drew people from all over Turkey and abroad. The Istanbul demonstration followed a similar one in Ankara on April 14 that attracted up to 1.5 million people, according to some estimates. Tensions rose after Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, a former Islamist from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), narrowly missed becoming the country's next president in a first round of voting in parliament on Friday. The AKP dominates the 550-seat parliament, but does not have the required two-thirds majority to get Gul elected in the first two rounds of voting. The opposition boycotted the vote because of Gul's Islamist past and because they were not consulted on his candidacy for the non-partisan post. The army, which has carried out three coups in the past, issued a statement saying it was determined to protect Turkey's secular system and was ready to take action if the need arose, making it clear, according to many analysts, that Gul's candidacy was not welcome. The government responded by calling the army to order and Gul on Sunday ruled out withdrawing his presidential bid. "It is out of the question for me to withdraw my candidacy in any way," he told reporters in Ankara. The prospect of Gul becoming head of state has alarmed secularists who fear the strict separation of state and religion will be eroded and Islam will creep into all fields of life if he is elected. The main opposition Republican People's Party has asked the Constitutional Court to cancel Friday's presidential vote in parliament, arguing that the assembly did not have the necessary quorum to open the voting session.
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