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In the final days before Turks vote in a referendum on 16 April on whether or not to give President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dictatorial powers and effectively endparliamentary government, the mood in Turkey is prone to conspiracy theories and suspicion of foreign plots.

A sign of this is the reception given to a tweet that might have seemed to the sender to be exceptionally benign and non-controversial. It was sent in Turkish and English by the British ambassador to Ankara, Richard Moore, and read: Tulips in Istanbul heralding spring. Hooray! Accompanying it was a picture of a bank of tulips blooming outside the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul.

But for television sports anchor Ertem Sener the message had a much more menacing significance according to the Turkish Daily News. He tweeted to his 849,000 followers that the words were intended to show support for the failed military coup against Mr Erdogan in July 2016 and as an encouragement to No voters in the referendum. This is how they are giving a message to Turkey, said Mr Sener. They are saying: If we had prevailed [in the coup attempt] these tulips would have bloomed earlier. British dog. These tulips have been washed in [martyrs] blood.

Mr Moore replied dismissively to this rant, by tweeting in Turkish: Oh dear! Who is this fool?

But Mr Sener is not alone when it comes to hysterical denunciations. On the same day as the sports anchor was unmasking the secret agenda of the British embassy, Mr Erdogan was expressing his thoughts about Europe at a referendum rally in the west of Turkey. He said that, in the eyes of billions of people, Europe today is no longer the centre of democracy, human rights and freedoms, but is one of oppression, violence and Nazism.

Turkey's Erdogan steps up anti-Europe rhetoric

It takes a good deal of cheek to accuse European states of lack of respect for democracy, human rights and freedoms when 134,000 people in Turkey have been sacked, including 7,300 academics and 4,300 judge and prosecutors in the nine months since the failed coup in which there is little evidence that any of them knew anything about or were otherwise involved. Some 231 journalists are in jail and 149 media outlets have been shut down, while 95,500 people have been detained and 47,600 arrested under emergency laws.

The multi-party democracy that has existed in Turkey since 1946 is being gutted by a mix of imprisonment, intimidation and interference in party affairs. Turkey has had military coups in the past, but the current restructuring and purge look far more radical. Even if the political parties were not being crippled by the assault, they would have difficulty in getting their message across. Their media outlets have been taken over or closed down and one television personality who said that he was voting No was immediately fired from his job.

Time allocated to the different parties on television tells the same story with Mr Erdogan and his ruling AKP (Justice and Development Party) receiving 4,113 minutes of airtime up to 30 March and the CHP (Republican Peoples' Party), which received 25 per cent of the vote in the last election, getting just 216 minutes. This is still better than the mainly Kurdish HDP (Peoples DemocraticParty), that won over 10 per cent of the vote and got just one minute of airtime. Twelve of its 59 MPs are in jail and expect long sentences.

Mr Erdogan says he would put No voters in a symbolic political museum, though many of them must fear a more traditional form of incarceration. But just in case there should be too many potential residents of this museum, the police and local officials have been refusing the opposition permission for rallies and ripping down flags, banners and posters advocating a No vote.

Despite the enormous advantages enjoyed by the Yes campaign, opinion polls were last week showing that voters were evenly divided or even that the Nos were a little ahead. But opponents of Mr Erdogan and the executive presidency he intends to establish are not optimistic about their chances of winning, arguing that whatever voters may do in the polling booth the outcome is likely to be a convincing majority for establishing the new authoritarian system.

This may be too cynical, but, if it is not, then Turkey will soon resemble neighbouring states in the Middle East such as Syria and Egypt where parliament and the judiciary are no more than closely monitored supporters clubs for the regimes. It is a depressing end to the modern Turkish secular state that Kemal Ataturk partly succeeded in establishing and which led Turkey to more closely resemble southern European states like Spain and Italy than regimes in the wider Middle East. Ten years ago, Istanbul and other Turkish cities had one of the most interesting medias in the world not to speak of a vibrant intellectual life in general which is now being extinguished. Any expression of critical opinion can now be interpreted as witting or unwitting support for terrorism or the attempted coup.

Of course, many leaders in the world have assumed supreme power only to find that they are at the mercy of events. Whatever the outcome of the referendum, Turkey will remain a deeply divided country along political, ethnic and sectarian lines. Mr Erdogan has for the moment crushed the Kurdish insurgency in the south east of the country, leaving many of the cities in ruins. But the Kurdish rebellion is not going to end and will look for support in the two Kurdish quasi-states across the border in Syria and Iraq. Overall, Mr Erdogans strategy of demonising and seeking to eliminate all his opponents as traitors and terrorists makes Turkey a much more fearful place than it has been in the past. Differences with foreign countries like Germany and the Netherlands have been exaggerated and exploited so Mr Erdogan and his party can present themselves as the heroic defenders of an embattled Turkish people.

It seems to be working, though Turkish elections have brought surprises in the past. Control of the media means that failures can be presented as successes. Overall, Operation Euphrates Shield, whereby the Turkish army entered Syria last year, has not been very successful and has now been ended. It is difficult for Turkey to exert strong influence when it is vying with powerful states like Russia and the US. But these failings and limitations will not count for much if Mr Erdogan and the AKP know that Turkish media coverage will be overwhelmingly positive.

Turkey might stabilise under the under authoritarian rule by Mr Erdogan if it was situated in another part of the world than the Middle East. But its southern border runs along the northern lip of the great cauldron of violence and conflict in Iraq and Syria whose poisonous influence has already seeped into Turkey. It is a measure of this instability that when there are bombings and killings, it is often a moot point whether they have been carried out by Isis, Kurdish separatists or some other dissident group. Mr Erdogan may win the referendum, but how far this will enhance his power is another matter.

See more here:
The upcoming Turkish referendum could end what little democracy is left in the country - The Independent

The United States-based group Freedom House says democracy dropped in more than half of the countries it studied last year.

Freedom House rated the health of democracy in 29 countries in Central and Eastern Europe as well as in Central Asia. All 29 were once under Communist Party rule.

The findings are part of a new report called Nations in Transit 2017.

This is the second-largest drop in democracy ratings in the 22-years Freedom House has produced the report. The group blames the drop on the rise of populism. It noted that leaders in some countries are openly attacking democracy.

FILE: A man holds a poster of Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban that reads "What have I done again" during a protest by opposition parties against Orban's policies on migrants in Budapest, Hungary, Oct. 2, 2016.

Concerns about Hungary and Poland

The report says Hungary, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbn, now has the lowest rating of any country in Central Europe.

Nate Schenkkan works for Freedom House in New York. He spoke to VOA on Skype.

When we talk about populism in Central Europe, Orbn is the first name. He has created a kind of model for member states, even of the European Union, to reject democracy.

There were pro-democracy protests in Hungary last Sunday.

Two days later, Hungarys government press office reacted to the Freedom House report. It said freedom of the press fully prevails in Hungary. Every political opinion can find room and be published in the Hungarian press. And it said, Hungarian citizens can exercise their democratic rights in free elections.

The report also criticized the leader of Polands ruling Law and Justice Party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski. It said that populist leaders in both Poland and Hungary had attacked constitutional courts and sought to weaken the system of checks and balances.

The Freedom House said the spectacular breakdown of democracy in these countries should serve as a warning about the fragility of the institutions that are necessary for liberal democracy."

Health of democracy in Russia

Russia had one of the reports lowest ratings. Yet Freedom House says a highly developed civil society continues to exist there, along with some independent media.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, lays flowers at a place near the subway station in St.Petersburg, Russia, Monday, April 3, 2017. A bomb blast tore through a subway train deep under Russia's second-largest city, killing more than 10 people.

But a former Russian central bank official disagrees. Sergey Aleksashenko now works at the Brookings Institution, in Washington, D.C. He spoke to VOA on Skype.

We say that there was some freedom of Internet. But if you move that 80 percent of (the) Russian population that receives news from television, and there is no, any television news station that is not controlled by the government, then OK, you may argue there is some freedom. Of course, there is. But its not the freedom, its not the freedom of information and in my personal view, its a serious misjudgment of whats going on in Russia.

Democracy in other areas

In the Balkans, the democracy scores for four countries dropped over the past year. Two improved: Montenegro and Croatia.

Sergey Aleksashenko said Balkan countries should not be compared to Western Europe. He noted they have had to create systems, governmental and state cultures since the end of Communist rule. He said that is not an easy process.

FILE: Supporters of detained opposition politician Omurbek Tekebayev, the leader of the Ata Meken (Fatherland) party, hold a rally in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Feb. 26, 2017.

Freedom House once again described Kyrgyzstan as a Consolidated Authoritarian Regime. The country had been removed from the classification after competitive parliamentary elections in 2011.

The report said corruption in Eurasia dropped in five of the 12 countries, but reached new lows in Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Freedom House pointed to progress in Ukraine, Romania and Kosovo. It said the Romanian government dealt with problems in the voting process during its 2015 elections. And it said both Ukraine and Kosovo enacted minor structural reforms. But the group said the two countries face obstacles that could stop the progress.

Im Anne Ball.

VOAs Mariama Diallo reported this story from Washington. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________

prevail v. to be or become effective

checks and balances n. a system that prevents one part of the government from controlling too much power

spectacular adj. causing wonder or excitement

fragility adj. something easily broken or destroyed

norms n. average; normal value

shallow adj. having little depth

tap into v. to use something in a way that leads to good results

obstacle n. barrier

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Freedom House: Democracy Ratings Drop in Many Countries - Voice of America

In 1953, the United States and the United Kingdom overthrew the democratically elected Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, installing in his place the monarchy of Reza Pahlavi. The reason? Mosaddegh was about to nationalize Irans oil, depriving British Petroleum of its control.

In 1954, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) toppled the democratically elected Guatemalan President Jacobo Arbenz, a champion of minimum wage, and agrarian reform in favor of the military dictatorship of Carlos Castillo Armas, who continued the United Fruit Companys exploitation of Guatemalan labor. The country is only now recovering from decades of civil war. Since 1958, the United States supported a series of Pakistani dictatorships instead of Indias non-aligned democracy.

In 1973, the United States overthrew the democratically elected Chilean President Salvador Allende, a supporter of national healthcare and free milk for children, and installed the dictator Augusto Pinochet, who committed horrific atrocities, leading to the disappearing of 300, 000 people.

In 2016, the Russian government meddled in Americas election, installing a narcissistic, racist, xenophobic, and totalitarian billionaire who would do the bidding of whoever stroked his ego, enhanced his power, and enriched his coffers.

The chickens are coming home to roost, at last.

There is poetic justice in the loss of the worlds so-called beacon of democracy, even if one wonders whether to laugh or cry about it. What is startling is that Americas newly minted dictator might well be using the CIAs handbook to take control of the state: first, curb the press and the judiciary; second, brainwash the citizenry by chanting lies and falsehoods; and ultimately, instill the fear of God into everyone.

Its a conspiracy theory you say? Lets examine the facts.

As early as the spring of 2016, the CBI (Central Intelligence Agency), the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), and the National Security Agency (NSA) knew that the Russian government was involved in interfering with the American election. WikiLeaks and its chief Julian Assange were hacking into Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committees emails to sway public opinion against them. At the same time, Trump was giving speeches extolling Putin and promising cooperation with Russia. And Trumps advisors were meeting with Russian intelligence officials, even talking to Gucifer 2.0, the famous Russian hacker.

You connect the dots. There remain a few loose links. The FBIs actions remain murky. Why did the FBI director James Comey release information about Hillarys use of a private email server while withholding what he knew about Trumps collusion with Russia? Was it because Comey and his staff were Republicans who hated Hillary? Used to playing with fire, did they not realize that Trump was playing them? Did they not fully understand the moral bankruptcy of conservatives like Paul Ryan and his Congressional gang who would be prepared to sell the countrys infrastructure, healthcare, and climate to the highest bidder? Did the FBI become wary of Trump only when he started attacking them?

The other loose link is Edward Snowden, who has been living in an apartment in Moscow since June 2013. Allegedly, he works in the field of computers there. Bleeding heart liberals like Laura Poitras, Glenn Greenwald, Michael Moore, Oliver Stone, and Arundhati Roy have put him on a pedestal. Even a stalwart like Daniel Ellsberg has applauded Snowdens revelations regarding the American governments surveillance of its citizens.

But think for a moment. Snowden is a computer hacker who is currently employed in a job no one knows anything about. The person who was instrumental in obtaining asylum for Snowden was none other than Julian Assange. The very same Julian Assange who not only helped Trump win the election but who is now working with the Russians to disarm Trumps opponents by releasing a trove of CIA surveillance methods the very week that Washington was abuzz with talk of an investigation into Trumps collusion with Russia. You still think its a conspiracy theory?

Before you use the label conspiracy theory, you should also know that the CIA created this expression in 1967 to discredit anyone who questioned the official narrative. And before you think I am going off the deep end, note that the hypothesis that Snowden is working for the Russians is not mine; a recent book by Jay Epstein asserts that Snowden was and continues to be a Russian spy. Of course journalists from outlets like The Guardian have harshly criticized the book, at least in part because it makes them look like fools for molding Snowden into a modern-day hero. What bothers me, however, is their refusal to question Snowdens motives.

The liberals embrace of Snowden is yet another proof of their arrogance and naivet, I believe. Not to mention their impotence in preventing the takeover of the American government by a totalitarian, profit-mongering junta.

The truth is, the Obama administration was well aware of the Russian plot, so much so that Secretary of State John Kerry urged Obama to open a special investigation prior to the election. The New Yorker asserts as much, spelling the magazines name in Russian above a picture of Putin on its March 6, 2017 cover.

Alas, true to his cautious and contemplative nature, Obama resisted Kerrys recommendation, believing it would appear a partisan move.

So our democracy died on November 8, 2016. Whats worse, we cant find a doctor who will perform an autopsy, let alone revive the corpse. RIP American Democracy!

Sarita Sarvate (www.saritasarvate.com) has published commentaries for New America Media, KQED FM, San Jose Mercury News, the Oakland Tribune, and many nationwide publications.

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RIP American Democracy! - India Currents

Gibraltar is caught in the crossfire of a historical dispute between the UK and Spain. As tensions grow, the question that becomes most apparent is one of democracy. Espaol

Photo by Ben Birchall/PA Wire/PA Images. All rights reserved.

Gibraltar doesnt appear in the international news very often, but last week it entered the spotlight. As the Brexit process commences, Gibraltarians found themselves at the hands of an unfairly played card, by democratic standards. In the first draft of the Brexit negotiating guidelines came a single clause with a large impact; the EU has stepped behind excluding Gibraltar from any agreements reached between the EU and the United Kingdom, unless Spain is in agreement with it. This is a futile exercise, as Gibraltarians know all too well, following an age old feud over the sovereignty of the Rock.

The EU handing Spain this veto card on the future of the Brexit talks in the name of defending their member state came as somewhat of a shock to many. Whilst coverage events has included sensational stories and falsehoods, namely war-mongering rhetoric from Lord Howard, there has been a lack of empathy for the Gibraltarian position in what will likely be a period of discomfort and uncertainty for its citizens, verging on an existential crisis.

The Brexit referendum was promoted as the ultimate democratic vote. But, was it? Committing the United Kingdom to leave the EU not only ties the current population to the result, but also the generations to come. Elections are cyclical because democracy is about ensuring that the peoples choice is frequently considered, and about allowing them to change their mind should they feel their decisions were wrong, or rather wrongly implemented; but a decision that carries such permanence as Brexit does is quite a different thing.

Rightly or wrongly, referendums have come to be seen as the ultimate exercise of democracy. Ironically, however, in the case of Brexit the referendum ended up undermining democracy. Political campaigns in this battle often misconstrued and at times blatantly lied about its possible outcomes, not to mention the unintended and undesirable consequences, or collateral victims. The Leave campaign even called for Gibraltars support in a tweet claiming it would be better off without the EU a position entirely rejected as shown by the Rocks overwhelming vote to remain.

The debate surrounding the referendums democratic credentials has resurfaced over the Gibraltar question. Gibraltar voted 96% to remain in the EU, and now its sovereignty is under scrutiny as a result of a decision made by 52% in UK, a result that becomes even more questionable if we consider that the turnout was 72.2%, and thus less than 1 out of 3 potential voters voted to leave - 15,188,406 out of a total census of 46,501,241 voters. The Rock made its democratic decision very clear, but yet it is being forced out of the EU against its wishes as it witnesses the UKs electorate completely dwarf its own. Of course, the British demos is constituted by all citizens within its borders and, thus, there is not a Gibraltarian demos of its own, as such. Yet, it evidently contradicts the will of the people as far as their status as Gibraltarians goes, but not their Britishness.

The Gibraltar situation is peculiar, because contrary to the global shift towards independence, it wishes to maintain its British ties and sovereignty, perhaps because its self-governing body politic does not share the same historical roots as the UKs past colonies. The Gibraltar Constitutional Order 2006 granted Gibraltar with a modern political relationship with the United Kingdom,[PP1] since which it has been able to engage in tripartite agreements that have allowed its interests to be voiced, voted and vetoed. When recognised at this level, Gibraltar has been given the ability to be anything but neglected. However, the EU referendum has exposed the cracks in this relationship by reverting it to its colonial core. As this act commences in the name of democracy, it entirely disregards their wishes as they sit, wait, wonder and witness the most remarkably undemocratic act within a democracy taking place.

Theresa May promises the best for these proudly British citizens, but throughout all of the exchanges and reassurances that have taken place in the last few days, there still remains an air of mistrust, and every Gibraltarian can smell it. As they put their faith in the hands of the democratic majority an unanswered question remains: why wasnt Gibraltar included in Theresa Mays letter triggering Article 50?

There is a feeling of betrayal lingering after the shock caused by the fact of not being included in that letter. At the same time, there is also an urgent need on the part of Gibraltarians for their counterparts in the United Kingdom to rise up to the challenge of defending their territory. It is this paradox of needing them more than ever whilst also appearing neglected, which leads Gibraltarians towards much unwelcomed uncertainty.

Neo-colonialism rears its ugly head when things are put into black and white: Gibraltar appears to be a bargaining chip. The fact that Gibraltar derives from colonialism, should not mean that it is exempt from democratic equality. While both Britain and Spain fight for it, why should it still be it, a possession to be owned by one or the other, without having a say? When reduced to a piece of property on the negotiating table, it becomes apparent that there is a question of whether the mind-set of colonialism has evolved with the mind-set of democracy.

The institution that arrived as the pinnacle of democracy is in fact the EU, founded on principles of democratic unity and pro diversity: United in diversity reads its motto. In the EU, Human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights are the core values, but the suggestion that bilateral talks between Spain and the United Kingdom should decide the future of Gibraltar, without Gibraltar even needing to be present, seems so far from democratic it has shocked many. The EU is neglecting an entire peoples democratic wishes in its game of chess. Is this in accordance with EU values? Raising the issue of Gibraltars sovereignty revives a clash in nationalism by forcing two countries into opposition something the EU has long fought to dissolve.

When we were all a part of the European Union, the problem was diluted: on the Gibraltar dispute, Spain and Gibraltar were enemies on the same team and, although it wasnt always plain sailing, there was at least a sense of stability - the perfect example of the EUs struggle towards a common destiny. But now Gibraltar (unwillingly) finds itself on the other side of the fence and it seems as if those values do not matter anymore. The EU values are values to be adhered to at all times. With emerging populist rhetoric around Europe and an increasing divide between neighbouring countries, the EU has lately witnessed a re-nationalisation and finds itself at a critical moment.

As the next big thing in the Brexit negotiations erupts and the Rock fades from the news headlines, the question of whether it is possible for Gibraltar to belong to any given state and still have the democratic right to decide on its own future will remain that is the toughest issue ahead for Gibraltarians. Who is to care about Gibraltars rights and its future? Although the United Kingdom has stepped up to the challenge, this initial free-fall has only provided Gibraltarians with more doubt as they second-guess what is to come. Whilst it may seem as if the Rock is short of friends as it faces one of its toughest challenges in recent history, the only guarantee is the fierceness and drive of this community to hold on to their rights at any cost. And time will tell: it may just be enough to achieve the democratic respect that we have long deserved.

Excerpt from:
The Gibraltar rock reveals the rubble of democracy - Open Democracy

Gladys Berejiklian may have been heartened by the "extremely positive" reception she received from voters on Saturday, but her gastronomical choices certainly left a lot to be desired - namely, a bun and sauce.

The NSW Premier was snapped eating a democracy sausage sans bread on the campaign trail with Liberal candidate James Griffin at Manly West Primary School, in a move that drew the attention of state opposition leader Luke Foley.

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Opposition Leader Bill Shorten takes a 'sideways' bite of a sausage sizzle while visiting the polling booth at Strathfield North Public School.

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Malcolm Turnbull has declared that dictator Bashar al-Assad has disqualified himself from any role in a political settlement in Syria and should be placed on trial for his "horrendous" war crimes. Vision courtesy ABC News 24.

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Matt Davidson's take on India's infamous bureaucracy.

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The US attacks have been limited, but they send some powerful messages, says David Wroe

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US cruise missile strikes on Syrian government positions were proportionate, says Malcolm Turnbull.

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The Federal Treasurer on the issue of Western Australia's GST share. Audio: 6PR.

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As military threats come from multiple quarters, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says the Syria chemical attack "cries out for a strong response".

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When he challenged Tony Abbott for the leadership, bad polls were one reason why. Hear what Malcolm Turnbull thinks about polls now.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten takes a 'sideways' bite of a sausage sizzle while visiting the polling booth at Strathfield North Public School.

"Unlike Gladys, I prefer my sausage sandwich with bread," Foley gleefully tweeted.

Ms Berejiklian's peculiar choice was reminiscent of another key sausage moment during the 2016 federal election campaign, when a seemingly confused Bill Shorten tucked into his roll in a manner that left onlookers stunned.

Last July, Mr Shorten infamously took a 'sideways' bite of his sausage sandwich at Strathfield North Public School, before turning away from cameras to tackle the remainder.

"The taste of democracy," the Labor leader then declared.

Perhaps the only constant amid a tumultuous string of election days, the humble sausage sizzle has continued to rise in prominence, with 'democracy sausage' being crowned Australia's Word of the Year by the Australian National Dictionary Centre in 2016.

However, Ms Berejiklian may well have been practising what she preached, after the premier in February announced plans to overhaul school canteens, ditching Space Food Sticks in favour of freshly-made lunchbox options, including more fruit and vegetables.

"I had too many sausage rolls and cream buns and Zooper Doopers [at school]," she told the ABC.

The Liberal Party was expecting large swings against it after a campaign marred by questions over the integrity of two candidates, James Griffin and Felicity Wilson, and pressure over issues including traffic and council amalgamations.

Originally posted here:
Gladys Berejiklian feels heat over democracy sausage faux pas - The Sydney Morning Herald