From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2001 22:41:13 +0200
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: "[Ozgurluk.Org]" AFP: Indebted Turkish trader leaps to death as
protests over economy spread
ISTANBUL, April 6 (AFP) - A 26 year-old Turkish carpet seller
hurled himself to his death in a river because of overwhelming debts
caused by the country's economic crisis, which prompted renewed
street protests on Friday, Anatolia news agency said.
At least four people were hurt in the capital Ankara in clashes
between riot police and demonstrators who refused to disperse and
hurled stones, the agency reported.
The carpet dealer flung himself from a bridge in the town of
Adana after being told his property was to be seized over debts, the
agency said.
At Friday Muslim prayers, clerics appealed to the people for
patience.
An imam in the own of Iskenderun prayed for the state and nation
"to surmount current problems and crises hand in hand," appealing to
believers to resist despair and pessimism.
But new demonstrations swept the country over rising prices and
the government's handling of the economic crisis.
For the second day running, thousands of small traders in Ankara
blocked traffic in protest against the devaluation of the currency.
The protestors were eventually dispersed by police using teargas.
Recai Kutan, head of the Islamic opposition Virtue Party, was
booed by enraged traders at the grand bazaar in Istanbul, Anatolia
reported.
Farmers demonstrated by driving tractors through the
southeastern town of Kahramanmaras.
Amid growing unrest, government officials sought this week to
reassure Turkey's financial markets by pressing ahead with economic
reform efforts.
A financial shake-up forced the government on February 22 to
float the Turkish lira, effectively disrupting an IMF-backed
disinflation program in place since December 1999 and causing the
currency to lose more than 30 percent of its value against the
dollar.
The crisis, which originated in the weak and crowded banking
sector on fears of political instability, sent prices skyrocketing,
making the revision of macro-economic targets inevitable.
The government, which has pledged to announce the new reform
plan by mid-April, is desperately lobbying for foreign aid of 10-12
billion dollars to help implement the program.
The IMF and international creditors, however, have said they can
help only after Turkey comes up with a credible reform project.
--
Press Agency Ozgurluk
In Support of the Revolutionary Peoples Liberation Struggle in Turkey
http://www.ozgurluk.org
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