トルコのデモ 首相の強権姿勢が反発招いた

The Yomiuri Shimbun June 13, 2013
Erdogan's heavy-handed policies fan flames of unrest in Turkey
トルコのデモ　首相の強権姿勢が反発招いた（6月12日付・読売社説）

In Turkey, which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited a month ago, police have fired tear gas and water cannons at demonstrators to quell protests calling for the resignation of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that have continued for more than 10 days.
　１か月前に安倍首相が訪れたトルコで、エルドアン首相の退陣を求めるデモが１０日以上も続き、警察が催涙弾と放水で強制排除に乗り出した。

The protests have brought turmoil to the country, leaving several people dead. We hope the serious unrest will be brought under control as soon as possible.
　デモの混乱で死者も出ており、深刻な事態が続いている。一日も早い収拾が望まれる。

Turkey is a strategically important regional power that borders civil war-hit Syria and Iraq, which is in the middle of national rebuilding. If Turkey’s political uncertainty becomes prolonged, its burgeoning economy could suffer a setback. The unrest could also deal a blow to efforts to stabilize the Middle East.
　地域大国のトルコは、内戦が続くシリアや再建途上のイラクと国境を接する要衝だ。政情不安が長引けば、好調だった自国経済への打撃になるばかりか、中東地域の安定化にも影響が出かねない。

The protests were triggered by a heavy-handed crackdown that involved the use of tear gas by police during a protest against a redevelopment plan for a park in the nation’s largest city of Istanbul.
　デモのきっかけは、最大都市イスタンブールの公園の再開発計画に反対する集会を、警察が催涙弾で鎮圧しようとしたことだ。

Angry demonstrators, mostly young people, have harnessed the Internet to call on people to rise up, causing the number of antigovernment protesters to swell into the tens of thousands. The protests have since spread to the capital of Ankara and other cities.
　怒った若者らがインターネットで呼びかけ、数万人規模にふくれあがった。首都アンカラなど他の都市にも広がっている。

Results oriented leader

Despite the criticism, Erdogan has delivered results by rebuilding his country’s economy. In the decade since he took office, Turkey’s gross domestic product has more than doubled, and the nation has raised its international status and become one of the Group of 20 major economies.
　ただ、エルドアン首相は経済再建で実績を上げている。就任以来の１０年で、トルコの国内総生産（ＧＤＰ）は２倍以上になり、主要２０か国・地域（Ｇ２０）の一員として、国際的地位も向上した。

Turkish people apparently gave credit to Erdogan’s achievements, as his Justice and Development Party, a moderate Islamic party, overwhelmingly won in general elections in 2007 and 2011. It is understandable that the prime minister is confident in keeping his administration in power.
　首相が率いる穏健イスラム政党の公正発展党が２００７年と１１年の総選挙で大勝したのも、高い評価の表れである。首相が政権維持に自信を持つのは理解できる。

However, it is evident that public frustration has grown especially among secular people over his Islamic policy and perceived autocratic political style.
　だが、イスラム色が強い政策と強権的な政治手法に、特に、世俗派の国民が不満を強めているのは明らかだ。

Since its foundation in the 1920s, Turkey has applied the principle of secularism, separating religion from politics.
　トルコは、１９２０年代の建国以来、政治と宗教を分離する世俗主義を国是としてきた。

But the recent enactment of a law banning alcohol sales from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. has increasingly alarmed secular opponents that the law was enacted to uphold Islamic values.
　最近、酒類販売を午後１０時から午前６時まで禁じる法律が成立したことに、世俗派は、イスラム的な価値観に基づく立法だと、一層危機感を募らせている。

In the wake of incidents such as the arrests of journalists critical of the government, questions also have been raised over freedom of speech in the country. Some protesters have criticized Turkey’s media as reporting from a pro-government viewpoint.
　政府に批判的なジャーナリストが逮捕されるなど、言論の自由にも疑問符がつく。デモ参加者は国内メディアを「政府のご用聞き」とも批判した。

Authority challenged

According to his party’s rules, Erdogan, who is serving a third term, is supposed to step down as prime minister after the current term. However, there has been speculation that he will seek the presidency after beefing up the presidential authority by amending the Constitution.
　在任３期目の首相は、党規則によれば今期限りで退くことになるが、憲法改正で大統領権限を強化した上で、大統領に転身するのでは、との疑念がつきまとう。

Referring to protesters as “looters,” Erdogan remains defiant, urging loyalists of his party to take part in rallies in Ankara and Istanbul to counter antigovernment protests.
　首相自身、デモ参加者を「ならず者」と非難し、反政府デモに対抗する集会をアンカラとイスタンブールで開くとして、与党支持者に参加を呼びかける強硬な姿勢を崩していない。

Such a firm stance has fueled concern that the confrontation between secularists and supporters of the ruling party will intensify.
　世俗派と与党支持層の対決色が強まることが憂慮される。

Will Erdogan be able to avert further splits in society by listening to the voices of secular people, whose frustration has turned into protests? His ability to handle this incident will no doubt be tested.
　デモに表れた世俗派の不満に耳を傾け、社会の分裂を回避することはできるのか。首相の舵(かじ)取りが問われよう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 12, 2013)
（2013年6月12日01時18分 読売新聞）