2nd Regional Network Against Homophobia in Ankara unites activists from South Caucasus, Balkans and Middle East

Turkish LGBT group Kaos GL hosted 2nd Regional Network Against Homophobia on 16-19 February in Ankara with the participation of organisations from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro, Lebanon, Serbia and Turkey.

First session, moderated by Mamikon Hovsepyan, head of PINK Armenia, welcomed new groups that joined the Network and discussed current developments and changes in participating countries.

There was also “Photography Presentation” by Nazik Armenakyan from Armenia.

Ahead of this meeting, the “Regional Network Against Homophobia” book has been published, with separate chapters on Armenia and Georgia. (see LGBT Situation in Armenia and Georgian Legislation on LGBT Issues)

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Kaos GL reports:

Activists from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro, Lebanon, Serbia and Turkey came together to talk about forming news ways of network and using it as a powerful tool against hate and as a solidarity shelter in the regions. During the meetings, discussions on how and what kind of a network to create, motivations for the network, best practices from each country (such as shelters, legal victories and media…), challenges being faced, organizational needs and future cooperation took place.

Participants agreed that we reach information about each other via far channels and on different platforms; instead, we wish to reach each other in our own countries and in our local realities. The network will be established in a way it is used as a source of information about regional updates and as a pool of knowledge on local policies and developments.

The meeting was started with a welcoming forum for the new organizations and countries. Pro LGBT from Albania, Gender and Development from Azerbaijan and Helem from Lebanon took the floor to introduce their work and the most dominant agendas in the countries. Pro Albania underlined the importance of the current Anti-Discrimination Bill to be implemented. Helem expressed the “Morality Police” pressure on the community, Article 534 in Penal Code which prohibits having sexual relations that are "contradicting the laws of nature” and the BDS campaign they are endorsing. Gender and Development have expressed their stance on the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest by saying: “We do not want Europeans to come and organize a Pride event in our country. We have our own ways of working against homophobia and transphobia in our own local contexts.”

Organizations have shared their organizational needs for a number of work fields. A good number of organizations have expressed their need to reach the regional information from first hand. Other needs were to establish a lawyers network with a wealth of knowledge on local and international court results and establish a media network to promote human rights of LGBTs in the three regions.

One of the outstanding parts of the network meeting was “Existence of Lesbians and Bisexual Women: Looking at Patriachy and Feminism”. Biljana Stankovic from NLO Novi Sad Lesbian Organization and Andrea Gilbert from Athens Pride took the floor to speak on the issue from their own local realities. Stankovic, mainly speaking on women’s solidarity and the influence of wars on women and female sexuality, expressed: “We started as women in peace movements and as conscientious objectors. When Yugoslavia fell apart, there was hate speech spreading all over the Balkans. So we started writing solidarity and peace letters to each other in prisons, in shelters and as refugees.”

The Regional Network meetings will continue with sub-regional meetings in the three regions. The first sub-regional meeting will be hosted by Queer Zagreb in Croatia. The event not only aims to bring the network members together but also support the local activities being held in the hosting country during the time of the visit. The dates of the meeting in Croatia will be announced soon.

(picture - via Kaos GL)

Activists from 13 countries, including Armenia and Georgia, met in Ankara for regional initiative to combat homophobia

‘People against homophobia’ from the Caucasus, Middle East and Balkans came to Turkey for “Regional Network Against Homophobia” initiative, within the scope of the International Meeting Against Homophobia to mark IDAHO.

Activists from Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Bosnia, Lebanon, Serbia, Croatia, Palestine, Israel, Macedonia, Greece, Montenegro and Egypt were present in Ankara on 20 May.

Kaos GL, LGBT group in Turkey, hosted the meeting, with the aim at establishing a Middle East, Caucasus and Balkans LGBTT Network for solidarity in the struggle against homophobia.

The meeting was concluded on 22 May with anti-homophobia march in Ankara.

For more pictures and relevant links, see Antihomofobi.

Turkey: Sex Workers Protest for More Rights

Sex workers in Istanbul and Ankara have protested on occasion of International Sex Workers' Rights Day (3 March). They demand acceptance of their work as an occupation and the right to organise.

Bıanet
4 March 2009
Emine ÖZCAN

“Unfortunately, we cannot celebrate International Sex Workers Day, because we are always faced with violence. The police is also practising and reinforcing this violence.”

Representing around 20 sex workers who had gathered in front of Istanbul’s Galatasaray Highschool in Beyoğlu, Eylem Çağdaş read a statement.

Call for constitutional rights

She said, “We want neither discrimination nor privilege. We only want to make use of the constitutional rights we were all given at birth. Respecting sex work is not a favour, it is a constitutional responsibility.”

The protesters carried red umbrellas, an internationally used symbol on the day. The day originated in 2001 when over 25 000 sex workers gathered in India for a sex worker festival. The organisers wanted to celebrate the lives of sex workers as well as highlight sex workers' determination and strength. Sex worker groups across the world have subsequently celebrated 3 March as International Sex Workers' Rights Day.

One protester, Derya, told bianet: “We don’t have anywhere to work, so we are forced to walk the streets. But there we may face death. This week a friend of ours was savagely beaten. If I don’t work, how will I get by?”

The statement was signed by the Women’s Door (Kadın Kapısı), Lambdaistanbul LGBTT Solidarity Association, Amargi Women’s Solidarity Cooperative, the Revolutionary Socialist Workers' Party (DSİP), the Global Action Group (KEG) and the Solidarity Network against Sexism.

Protest in Ankara

In Ankara, the day was marked by a group of around 50 people carrying placards and red umbrellas. The protest was organised by the Ankara Red Umbrella Sex Workers’ Initiative.

Some of the placards read, “Health is also a right for sex workers”, “We want a world without bosses and pimps”, “End police violence”, “End the labour hierarchy” and “Sex work is also labour”.

The protesters made the following demands:

- Sex workers’ rights to life, personal freedom and personal safety have to be guaranteed
- Sex work must also be accepted as a profession and certain standards must be set
- Healthy and safe spaces must be provided
- Sex workers must be able to benefit from social security rights just like other citizens
- The right to organise must be safeguarded
- Discriminating laws must be abolished, discrimination and police violence must end

Around 100,000 sex workers

According to data from the initiative, there are 56 brothels in Turkey with around 3,000 women work as registered sex workers there.

In the whole of Turkey, 15,000 women work as registered sex workers. However, many women and men work in this sector unofficially. Refugee and transsexual sex workers are not included in these numbers either.

The initiative estimates that there are up to 100,000 sex workers in Turkey.

In Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir alone, around 30,000 women are waiting in line to get a license to work in a brothel.

This year is the first year that the day has been marked in Turkey. The Red Umbrella Initiative was founded last year and it was then decided to mark the day in 2009. The iniative is working towards becoming a trade union.

Turkey: LGBTT march for slained transsexual İnce

*Bianet reports

Transsexual Dilek İnce, who was killed by a gun shot in Ankara, was interred by family and friends. The members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transvestite and Transsexual (LGBTT) Rights Platform marched to the Prime Ministry to protest the killing.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexsual, Transvestite and Transsexual (LGBTT) Rights Platform held an activity in Kızılay, Ankara and protested the death of Dilek İnce, who was killed by a gun attack.

After İnce’s funeral, a group of about hundred people marched down the Yüksel Street wearing shrouds protesting the hate killings against the member of the LGBTTs.

“We do not know who is next”

Reading the press release on behalf of the group, Serra Can asked, “how long are you going to watch our getting killed by fueling homophobic and transphobic hatred.”

Stating that İnci was killed by the hetero-sexist hatred, Can said, “We are sad and angry, because we have come here from the cemetery. We are angry, because we do not know which one of our gay and transsexual friend is next.”

“Who killed transsexual İnce at the Capitol by a pump-gun and will they be caught? Who killed gay Ahmet Yılda by a gun and why the Istanbul police has not found the killers yet? Who forced gay Ege Tanyürek to suicide in Adıyaman.”

“Prime Minister, is it not a crime to discriminate between the citizens?”

Saying that they are in fear and anxiety, Can called out to the Prime Minister.

“Mister Prime Minister we are asking you if the homosexuals and transsexuals are not citizens. Is it not a crime to discriminate between the citizens? We are asking you if their killers will be found. Will the prosecutors and the judges quit releasing them because of excessive provocation? We are asking you who will protects our lives and provide our security. We are in fear and anxiety, because we do not know how many homosexuals and transsexuals will the Prime Minister’s citizens who lost their patience kill? We are curious if Mister Prime Minister will create the just and peaceful society by using fear?

Can said the doors their knock to receive justice are not opened to them.

“We have knocked their doors, we have screamed, we have worn shrouds…They kill us just because we are homosexuals, just because we are transsexuals. We seek justice, but we do not get any. It is not much we want; we just don’t want to be killed for out identities of sexual orientation.”

Announcing that “The killing of homosexuals and transsexuals is a political act, we know the killers, the platform leader said, “We will not quit going after these events.”

After the press release was read, the participants marched to the building of the Prime Ministry Human Rights Presidency, clapping their hands and chanting slogans. Demanding the murderers must be caught, they left a kefen in front of the building.

Her friends and her husband bid farewell to İnce

İnce was killed by a gun shot received at an attack in Etlik, Ankara. More than 70 people, including her friends and her husband, were at the funeral.

Umut Güner of Kaos GL told bianet that despite the belief that the people of LGBTT orientation die alone, İnce was not alone. (BÇ/EÜ/TB)

*This news report was prepared with the help received from kaosgl.org

"A little bit of gay history was made in the Turkish capital"

■ The march in Konur Street, Ankara.

Despite widespread homophobia and discrimination, as evidenced in a report released today by Human Rights Watch, UKGayNews says that "a little bit of gay history was made in the Turkish capital on Saturday afternoon" where LGBT activists staged their first ever Gay March to mark International Day Against Homophobia:

Over 100 gay men and women, bisexuals and transgender people assembled in front of the human rights monument in Yuksel Street for a march to Parliament on International Day Against Homophobia jointly organised by Kaos Gay and Lesbian Association and Pink Life LGBTT Association.

Joining local activists were Michael Cashman MRP, the president of the European Parliament’s all-party Intertroup for gay and lesbian rights, and Dutch feminist and author Anja Meulenbelt.

The march encountered minor difficulty. The police, who outnumbered the demonstrators, stopped the march and demanded that the rainbow flags and banners be taken down.

Marchers agreed and were then allowed to continue. There were not other problems.

“I found these two days and in particular the march deeply moving,” said Mr. Cashman.

“There were barely one hundred of us, and it was a reminder to me of how we in countries like the UK take our rights for granted.

“Those Turkish women and men on that march are heroes and warriors who are prepared to put themselves on the front line to achieve equality. I will never forget them and our sense of solidarity.”

Mr. Cashman also spoke at Friday’s conference on LGBT rights and IDAHO where he said that with “courage and conviction”, equality will become a reality.

Earlier on Friday, Mr. Cashman had a meeting with The Queen, UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband and the Prime Minister of Turkey. The Queen was on a state visit to Turkey.

■ Kursad Kahramanoglu (former ILGA-Europe general secretary), Michael Cashman and Anja Meulenbelt (Dutch feminist author)

*photos - by Ismail Alacaoglu, courtesy KAOS GL, via UKGayNews

March against homophobia to be staged in Ankara

UKGayNews reports that to mark International Day Against Homophobia LGBT groups in Turkey plan to hold a "March Against Homophobia” in the capital Ankara on 17 May, for the first time.

“We are marching against homophobia and transphobia this year for the first time,” the organisers said in a statement.

PinkNews details that "the march will start at the Human Rights Monument in the Turkish capital and end at the National Assembly."

Authors, journalists and human rights activists will be marching under the rainbow flag. Michael Cashman (UK) - one of only two out gay MEPs in the 785-member European Parliament - will join the march.