Donme secularists vs Islamofascists

[Gavur]

Gunman's former classmates claim he had police protection

The New Anatolian with Anka / Ankara



The gunman in the attack against the Council of State last Wednesday, Alparslan Arslan, is being described as a "cool-headed" brawler and troublemaker during his time at university by former classmates, who also claim he was protected by police.

Speaking to the Anka news agency yesterday, Marmara University graduate Can Atalay said that Arslan's name was linked to a number of incidents while he was a student at the same university. Underlining that there were frequent fights and high tension in the years from 1996 to 1999, Atalay said that Arslan was a leading figure among ultranationalist students. Saying that Arslan managed to escape punishment despite getting in trouble a number of times, Atalay claimed that the police helped Arslan get out of the university following fracas, although he was usually wielding a cleaver in his hands.

"It's clear what he's done since graduating from university. I believe that he was used by the police back then but the consequences have taken him to where he is today," said Atalay.

An attorney who studied at Marmara University at the same time as Arslan but preferred not to be identified told the news agency that Arslan used to come to school wearing overcoats like those worn by mafia members and chain smoked. The attorney said that some attorneys who signed a joint statement following the attack have been getting threats.

Claiming that he personally saw Arslan in a number of fights at the university, the attorney said that he used to wield hammers, sticks and cleavers in these fights. Stating that he was injured in one of these university conflicts, he added that he came across Arslan at the courthouse following their graduation and was assaulted by him again. "In fact I'm not surprised that he carried out the attack, these people were trained by certain circles and used by them during their university years as well as graduating even though they didn't attend their courses," said the attorney.

[imported_RUDO]

Erdogan: No early elections

Erdogan: No early elections

TNA Parliament Bureau / Ankara



Nobody should expect a decision for early elections from us, said Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday.

Erdogan said that his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party's priority has always been protecting the country's stability and security, openly rejecting demands for an early election.

"Those waiting for an early election decision from us should not be so excited since it's not going to happen," Erdogan told his deputies at a party parliamentary group meeting.

Erdogan said that the attack at the Council of State, in which one judge was killed and four wounded, was a provocative action plotted against democracy and called on everybody to protect democracy.

Erdogan underlined that there would be no step backwards from democratization and economic stability.

Stressing that light has been shed on the tragic event to a great extent and that the gunman's associates were unmasked within a week, Erdogan said, "Without doubt the event was a bloody plot aimed at sabotaging Turkey's peace." He promised a full investigation, saying nothing would be left shrouded in mystery.

Erdogan said that the AK Party is working for all citizens, underlining that they have never had the concept or distinction of "them and us" in their political literature.

"We embrace our people as a whole and we are not in favor of any tension," he added.

The prime minister frequently stressed that the AK Party is a government of not only those who voted for the party but for all citizens, in an attempt to reduce the effect of reactions to his "minority" description of those who protested against the government at the funeral of the Council of State judge.

"We are working for the peace and prosperity of all citizens. Those who want to derail Turkey from its path will not be able to stop our efforts toward development. We have always been in search of reconciliation and we will continue to do so. We are devoted to the republican values and assets, democracy's principles, justice, law and the unity of the nation," he added.

Stressing that if democracy weakens in Turkey the country will lose, Erdogan said everyone should protect the nation's democracy.


The prime minister said that his government was determined to continue the reforms necessary for membership in the European Union, and warned that tensions could harm the country's economy. "Turkey has arrived at a historic opportunity on the road to the EU," Erdogan said, adding, "We will not waste it."

'Treacherous gang' behind bloody plot

Erdogan said that a treacherous gang has been revealed from behind the bloody plot. "This attack targeted our country's ever-improving democratic progress," he added.

Stressing that the gang has been exposed, Erdogan said that he has trust in the security forces and judiciary.

Erdogan also criticized the opposition's stance in his speech. "What increased our sorrow is that some political actors benefited from this provocation and embraced the rhetoric of a provocative crisis language. We see that some still refuse to look at the real face of the murderer. We should all protect democracy more at such times and the political actors are the first line in its protection," he said.

"Turkey needs solidarity, not tension," he added.

At the end of his speech, Erdogan said that they would not be taking the decision for early elections, which was met by long applause from party members.

"Turkey has no problem with early elections. Those demanding them want to reinstate old political ways. We don't play those roles. We want stability and confidence. The election dates are set by the Constitution. Turkey holds elections every five years and our government has no problems at the moment," he added.

[Gavur]

Pledges to Trace Back "Gladio" Unconvincing

BIA News Center
26/05/2006 Tolga KORKUT
BİA (Ankara) -
Saglar: "To open the Susurluk file means challenging the system. Neither Erdogan nor Baykal have such a concern". Birdal: "Agar and the National Security Council should be put on the agenda... Without Susurluk and its continuation unveiled, there can't be democratization".

BIA News Center
25/05/2006 Tolga KORKUT

BIA (Ankara) - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's pledge that the government "will open all shelved files even if it is the Susurluk one" after the recent attack on Turkey's Council of State has been challenged by former Parliament Susurluk Investigation Commission member Fikri Saglar who told Bianet in an exclusive interview that "if he does this, he will go into history. But he doesn't have the strength to do it".

Bianet also interviewed former Human Rights Association chairman Akın Birdal who said that without Susurluk and organisations that are its continuation unveiled, there could be no democratization in the society.

Both Saglar and Birdal were active in their respective roles during the aftermath of what has come to be known as the "Susurluk Scandal" sparked off by a road accident near the northwest Turkish town of Susurluk in 1996 that revealed an intricate and illegal relationship between the government, politicians, security forces and organised crime.

Although a subsequent investigation and trial led to several convictions, it is widely accepted that the more controversial links of Susurluk were never properly investigated

"If the Prime Minister believes in his own words," Birdal told Bianet, "and if he wants to end the debate and get results from a possible early/extraordinary election, he should do what he says. This needs courage and determination. Because extrajudicial organisations in Turkey are institutionalised".

Saglar: Investigating Susurluk is changing the system

Saglar, who was one of the key members of a special commission in the Parliament tasked to investigate the Susurluk incident and relevant links says that to re-open the file comes to the same meaning as changing the regime in Turkey.

"The file known as the Susurluk file is related to the system. Because of this Erdogan does not have the strength. The only thing he has his mind set on is changing the secular democratic republic to moderate Islam. As for Deniz Baykal, when he remembered that the soldiers are also in the Susurluk file, he said nonsense. Much too distant from what the opposition should be doing. They have no concern in changing the system" Saglar said.

He added that in order to get any conclusive result on the Susurluk file, "it must be accepted that the Turkish Republic is a State of Law... Because it will mean a struggle against the system".

As for the system or regime, Saglar described it as "a system that has gone outside of the law, that is intent on shelving democracy, that believes sovereignty belongs not to the people but to the military structure".

Birdal: Agar and NSC should be taken on the agenda

Possible connections between the armed attack on Turkey's State Council during which one judge was killed and four others were wounded surfaced after relations were uncovered linking one of the suspects, retired officer Muzaffer Tekin, to retired general Veli Kucuk who was named in the Susurluk File.

Kucuk, who was a Brigadier General during the period where the Susurluk relations flourished, had refused to testify before the Parliament Investigation Commission on Susurluk.

But there are two other links in the Susurluk folder that have so far, in the last connection with the State Council attack, not been mentioned.

Mehmet Agar, politician-turned-policeman who not only chairs the True Path Party in the following years but serves directly in all operations as Turkey's National Police Chief in the Susurluk buildup. And the highest level security organ in the Turkish system: The National Security Council (NCS) which journalist Ismet Berkan identified as the supreme structure "that authorised the irregular war gang that was revealed with Susurluk".

On Kuuk and Agar, Saglar said "Both of them were in the operations. One of them from JITEM (Gendarme Intelligence) and the other as the Police General Director" and argued that Agar's becoming chairman of the True Path Party (DYP) "does not erase from history what he has done."

"They were both in the system and in the file. What should really be asked is why they [Kucuk and Agar] were not captured. If you are going to get a result on Susurluk they should be brought on the agenda".

Birdal, on the other hand, argued that "No one is immune" and said the Susurluk incident was bound to be discussed. "What happened was developments that almost rewarded those who participated in extrajudicial organisations rather than punishing them." He said that so long as there was no punishment, those involved in such acts were finding courage.

Everyone has a responsibility

Saglar says that with the Susurluk file now on the agenda again "the real duty falls on the people".

"In practice the duty is with the legislative organ, the justice. But it is essential the people own up to this. Otherwise the judges will be scared, so will the legislative."

Birdal adds that, "everyone who has had no relationship with such structures has a duty. Because the judiciary, the executive organs, the security forces, everyone should look into Susurluk and this should be unveiled."

Birdal believes the relations that have been revealed with regard to the State Council attack are not dissimilar to those related to Susurluk.

"What we have here is extrajudicial organisation, attacking, terrorising democratic institutions" he says. "The dysfunctional state of democratic institutions is feeding other institutions... Both the organisation and what they want to achieve is the same. The only thing that changes is the actors." (TK/II/YE)

[Gavur]

Oppn slams Erdogan for chiding ambassador over headscarf issue

ANKARA: Pro-secular opposition parties yesterday accused Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of "undermining" Turkish ambassadors abroad after the premier publicly scolded Turkey's envoy to Germany for allegedly refusing to serve women wearing Islamic-style headscarves. The headscarf issue is a highly divisive one in predominantly Muslim but secular Turkey, a country which is hoping to join the European Union.
Turkey's secular establishment regards Islamic-style headscarves - tied tightly around the head to cover every strand of hair - a symbol of political Islam. Laws bar civil servants and students from wearing them. Erdogan, whose party has roots in Turkey's Islamic movement, has made no secret of his desire to lift the ban on headscarfs in universities and government offices. Erdogan was meeting with representatives of Germany's 2.5-million strong Turkish community during a visit to Berlin Thursday, when a Turkish-born German citizen lamented that the embassy refused her a visa because of her headscarf.
Erdogan furiously turned to Ambassador Mehmet Ali Irtemcelik and asked him if the claim was true. Irtemcelik explained, amid jeers from the audience, that the embassy was only implementing a written decree from Ankara that bars ID photographs in which women's faces cannot be clearly seen. Erdogan tersely told Irtemcelik he did not believe there was such an instruction from Ankara. "My citizen can enter the embassy dressed in that way," he told the ambassador. "If there is such a written decree, we'll send you a new one," he said. The event was broadcast on Turkish television.
The pro-secular Republican People's Party said Erdogan had "denigrated" the ambassador in front of the Turkish and German media and "undermined Turkish ambassadors' esteem" abroad. "Ambassadors represent the Turkish Republic, don't they?" Republican lawmaker Mehmet Sevigen asked in a series of questions submitted to parliament for Erdogan to answer. "To allow an ambassador to be booed amounts to Turkey being booed too, doesn't it?" The prime minister's wife, Emine, wears a headscarf and is excluded from most state functions and dinners while his two daughters opted to study in the United States because of the headscarf ban on Turkish campuses. There is strong opposition to Erdogan running for president in May 2007 because the position - although largely ceremonial - is regarded as the last bastion of secularism, and many do not want to see his wife move into the presidential palace.
Last week, thousands of secular Turks marched in Ankara in protest against Erdogan's government, which they held responsible for an attack that killed a high court judge. The assailant reportedly told police he carried out the attack in protest of the court's decision to bar a teacher from being promoted because she wears an Islamic-style headscarf off-duty. Erdogan had criticised the judge's decision in February. Yesterday, a Turkish court released one of the key suspects, an officer who was expelled from the military 26 years ago, pending trial. No trial date was set. - AP

http://www.kuwaittimes.net/Navariednews.asp?dismode=article&artid=198002679

[Gavur]

Well done, Erdoğan!

Saturday, May 27, 2006








TDN editorial by Yusuf KANLI


Yusuf KANLI
Very much like the government offices within the country, diplomatic missions abroad function along the guidelines set by laws, regulations, written and verbal orders from the Foreign Ministry or written instructions from some other relevant departments of the country forwarded to them by the Foreign Ministry. Of course, there might be nuances in application that reflect the personality, mindset and qualifications of an envoy, but embassies or consulates are neither “autonomous” nor the “farm” of the ambassador or consul general. They just cannot behave any way they like.

The passport rules of this country require that in the photograph of the person applying for the travel document the face must be clearly shown and that it must be a frontal image with both two ears visible. This is a requirement that is more or less applied in all countries. Someone applying with a photograph in a chador or wearing a headscarf covering most parts of the face makes it difficult to make a definitive identification and cannot obtain a passport unless she replaces her photograph with an “acceptable one.” Neither the police department of any Turkish province nor any embassy or consulate general of this country abroad can ignore this rule under the existing laws and regulations of the secular democracy in issuing passports for Turkish citizens.

This is a very contentious issue in this country, for no other reason than as a consequence of the obsession of the secularists to find a way of forcing women wearing religious headgear to at least temporarily bare their heads, and the obsession of political Islam to exploit the headscarf by talking all the time on that issue in the hope of winning the hearts and votes of people wishing to live according to the teachings of their beliefs, while refraining from taking openings to resolve the problem since such a move would strip them of an important political tool.

Otherwise, how is it possible that a government that can ignore the National Security Council (MGK) “recommendation” on the “national Cyprus cause” and lend all-out support to a U.N. settlement plan for Cyprus -- which was rejected later by the Greek Cypriots in a referendum, thus killing it despite a massive Turkish Cypriot vote of approval -- could not come up with legislation resolving the turban problem despite the overwhelming parliamentary majority it enjoys?

This is a problem that is over-exaggerated and over-politicized. The secular republic will not evaporate because of a woman wearing a piece of cloth on her head nor will that piece of cloth become the symbol of Islam. If a government -- despite all the objections of the conservative establishment and the nationalist opposition, firmly believing that a reasonable resolution of that problem through that plan is feasible for the national interests of the country and for the Turkish Cypriots -- can take the risk of being accused of selling out the national cause, it can also take risks on other issues important to itself and its voters. If the “sensitivities” are very high and the government is afraid of a possible backlash from hard-core secularists and the Kemalist establishment, including the military, one way of providing an atmosphere for resolution of this problem is to stop talking about it and let it disappear from the agenda of the country. Once this issue becomes politically insignificant, it can be resolved without much tension.

Is that what the government is doing? Unfortunately not. Right, because of the upcoming presidential election, secularist sentiments on the turban are very high. But the government and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan are doing their best to further aggravate the situation by scratching this issue all the time.

When the country is able to become so polarized because of the recent unfortunate killing and other developments, when a former leader who died politically back in November 2002 can become a national hero on his deathbed because of his secularist understanding and loyalty to Kemalist principles, does it make any sense for the prime minister to scold Mehmet Ali İrtemçelik, the ambassador of this country to Germany and a former state minister, in front of some women wearing headscarves, for applying existing regulations and not issuing passports for those not complying with the regulations?

That's not, at least, how a premier should treat a top diplomat, to say nothing of the fact that such an action will further fuel tension between the secularists and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) flank…

[Gavur]

Which country in the world?

Sunday, May 28, 2006

http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=44132

Which country in the world has a ruling party that is constantly at odds with and picks fights with the core institutions of the country, from the president down to the judiciary, to the academic community, students, nongovernmental organizations and the military?

Ferruh Demirmen *

HOUSTON - TDN Guest writer


Which country in the world has a ruling party that is constantly at odds with and picks fights with the core institutions of the country, from the president down to the judiciary, to the academic community, students, nongovernmental organizations and the military?

A party whose top leaders openly criticize the Constitution, speak out for changes favoring religious edicts, berate the decisions of the highest administrative court, which reaffirms the sanctity of the secular system by upholding the ban on the turban -- and soon afterwards a religious fanatic, a young lawyer in fact, shouting “Allah is Great,” launches a daylight armed attack against that court, killing a top judge and wounding four others, saying later that he wanted to punish the judges for their ruling on the turban?

Or a government from which the foreign minister openly declares his admiration (“my most favorite newspaper”) of a radical-fundamentalist newspaper which, because of its extremist stance, is banned in Germany but not in the country, and which only three months ago published the names and photos of the judges of the high court on its front page with the headline “These were the judges who voted against turban” -- leading many to wonder, then and now, whether the names and photos were published with a nefarious intent in mind?

Or a government from which the prime minister, when asked about the repeated bombings within a week of the office of a prominent, staunchly pro-secular newspaper, shrugs off the incidents almost as insignificant, remarking, “Our party offices, too, are being attacked”?

Which country in the world is ruled by an Islamist party whose leaders in recent history had no particular affection for European institutions -- the top leader, with deep Islamic roots, declaring some years back: “Thank God, we are followers of the Shariah. ... For us, democracy is a tool, not a goal” -- but who, after coming to power, launched an aggressive campaign to join the European Union, leading many to wonder, then and even more so now, whether the drive to join the Christian EU was not rooted in a clever ploy to advance an Islamist agenda by taking advantage of the European norms on liberty and to “soften” and marginalize the army, knowing well that the army had been a staunch defender of secularism, while the EU would want the army to confine itself to the barracks?

Or a ruling party whose leaders conveniently define, or rather redefine, secularism as freedom to practice one's religion and beliefs without interference by the state, running afoul of the standard accepted in the EU and enshrined in the country's Constitution, and yet, using their rhetoric, pass themselves off shrewdly as “secularists” to their countrymen, unmindful of sophistry, and the fact that, years back, the leader once pronounced, “You can't be secular and Muslim at the same time”?

Or a government from which the prime minister, when informed that the European Court of Human Rights had agreed with the country's Constitutional Court on the turban ban because it did not impinge on individual rights, instead of expressing relief, chastises the European court and declares: “Such matters should be left to ‘Ulema' [religious scholars] to decide,” with his foreign minister joining the verbal assault and both displaying disdain for the supremacy of law?

Or a ruling party whose leaders constantly clash with the Constitutional Court, with hostility reaching the point where a hubris-filled parliament speaker has the audacity to declare: “I am the Parliament. ... I can shut down the Constitutional Court”? (King Louis XIV of France, who proclaimed “I am the State,” would have cringed from jealousy.)

Which country in the world is ruled by a government whose leaders consistently register written “reservations” to the army's decisions to expel Islamic fundamentalist elements from its ranks?

A government of which diffidence, after a supposedly maverick prosecutor tried to embroil a top general in a scandal two months ago, caused an uproar in the country, leading many to suspect higher-up complicity in an effort to discredit a senior military officer who is an outspoken anti-Islamist and who is in line to take over the top military post in the country next August?

Or the government which, after receiving presidential veto on many partisan appointments to top posts in state bureaucracy, bypasses the constitutional constraints and makes “temporary” assignments to fill vacated positions with party loyalists, one government office after another, including the state-controlled TV station that now regularly broadcasts faith-based programs?

Which country in the world is being governed by a party which, soon after coming to power, tried to legislate the imposition of prayer units ("masjid") in every residential complex, tried to criminalize adultery, supports an alcohol ban in public places, frowns on mixed gatherings of men and women in public, fraternizes with religious orders (“tarikats”) and cohorts with businesses and financial institutions that have “green” underpinnings?

Or a government whose education minister, from day one of taking over the Cabinet post, has launched a relentless campaign to undermine the secular basis of the education system by trying to infuse religion, including Koran courses, into school curricula, promoting imam-hatip schools (the prime minister is a graduate of such a school) and even interfering with university administrations, thereby running constantly amok with the educational establishment and locking horns with the opposition parties, the president and the judiciary who resist such moves?

Or a government whose leaders, while talking high-mindedly about equality and human rights, see nothing wrong with covering their women from top to toe in public, even in searing heat, xxxxxling on their individual rights and relegating them to second-class status redolent of a darker age, while they themselves dress most primly in the latest Western-style fashion, of course, hopping from one world capital to another, turning a blind eye to the fact that their spouses being turbaned on official foreign trips is a violation of the country's law, with many of their countrymen becoming speechless when they see pictures of these spouses sitting next to the modern-dressed, non-turbaned spouses of other Islamic leaders?

Or a government whose prime minister openly complains to the foreign press that he had to send his daughter to a foreign country for university education because of a ban in his country, without admitting that he cannot change the law in his country where his party holds a clear parliamentary majority, and ignoring the fact that turban in that foreign country carries no political stigma and poses no threat to the regime of that country?

And the same prime minister, while giving lip service to freedom of speech, publicly scolds ordinary citizens whose questions he does not like, files defamation suits left and right against members of the press, the cartoonists and others who criticize him, and even rips apart a page from a nostalgic museum visitor's book on which the writer had chided him and his followers on their ideology? (The 82-year-old man who wrote the remarks is now being sued.)

Which country in the world has a ruling party which, using its majority vote in the Parliament, passed special laws, including a constitutional amendment tailored to benefit the prime minister, the finance minister and even the ex-leader of a defunct Islamic party who at one time was their ideological mentor?

Or the party whose leader declared that he cannot live on a prime minister's salary and that he must have business interests on the side to supplement his salary?

Or the party whose leader on the eve of elections promised on TV that his party, if elected, would abolish parliamentary immunity but reneged on that promise because of purported “distrust” in the judiciary?

Or the ruling party, from which every parliamentarian out of five, including the prime minister, the foreign minister and three other ministers, stand accused of graft or corruption charges -- with the finance minister becoming a butt of joke due to the large number of unwholesome allegations he accumulated -- but remain beyond the reach of the law because of parliamentary immunity?

And what to make of the defense of a Cabinet minister who, asked recently by the press about his lavish expenses in Paris being picked up by a lobbyist, responded that it was all “normal” because he had gone to Paris on invitation to attend a trade fair (never mind that his trip was announced in the Official Gazette) and that similar perquisites had been extended to other Cabinet ministers and bureaucrats in the past? (Compare that to the fate of the hapless ex-majority leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, Tom Delay, who, after a discovery that his lavish foreign trips had been bankrolled by a lobbyist, had to resign from his powerful post, his seat in the House, and now stands under indictment on charges of corruption, his political life finished.)

Which ruling party in the world can wield such power with impunity when it won elections with the support of only 25 percent of registered voters -- yet holding 65 percent of parliamentary votes?

And finally, which country in the world has a government that will resist calls for resignation after the capital city recoiled in disgust in the aftermath of a despicable act that was no less than an attack on the democratic secular regime of the republic -- possibly marking a defining moment in the republic's 83-year history?

There was powerful symbolism in the fact that, among the tens of thousands of citizens who condemned the murderous act at Atatürk's mausoleum, the protestors whose voices were loudest were women. (Women occupy the top two posts in the judiciary including the Constitutional Court.)

And as a large crowd of angry and grief-stricken dignitaries and ordinary citizens paid their last respect to the fallen judge last week, the absence of one dignitary was most notable: Mr. Tayip Erdoğan, the premier.

* Ferruh Demirmen, Ph.D., is a Houston-based energy expert. He can be reached at [email protected]

[Gavur]

Military officials charged for plotting against Turkish PM

Monday, June 05, 2006



ANKARA: A court on Sunday brought charges against three military officers and a civilian who were allegedly planning an attack on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Anatolia news agency reported.

The four were among a dozen detained on May 30 following a raid on a house in an Ankara suburb. Police seized explosives and drawings showing the neighbourhood of Erdogan’s home in Ankara as well as branches of the BIM supermarket chain which is owned by Cuneyt Zapsu, a top aide to Erdogan. The court charged the four with “forming an illegal gang aiming to disrupt the country’s unity” and with possession of explosives, Anatolia said. The other suspects were released after questioning. Court officials could not be reached for comment.

The four face maximum a 15 years in prison if found guilty. Turkey’s powerful military on Saturday chided the police for not informing military authorities about the officers’ detention. In a written statement, the military said it was informed about the detentions from the media the next day. ap

[Gavur]

Misplaced, misconceived, misunderstood

Monday, June 19, 2006

http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=46100

Dogu ERGİL

There is tremendous confusion in the public mind regarding basic political concepts thats result in misunderstandings and tension within the nation and in the outside world. One such misconception is the role of the European Union. For some people the EU is the last phase of Western imperialism that will dismantle Turkey through human and minority rights and the empowerment of civil society that will weaken the guardianship of the state and military, which watch over centrifugal inclinations. Those who think like this don't even bother to look at the short history of the EU to see whether such a development ever took place in any of the EU countries.

Another such misconception is “nationalism” as understood in three ways by three ideological groupings. One is the ultranationalist, which borders on racism. They believe Turkey belongs only to ethnic Turks and that citizenship should be defined by ethnicity. The rest should either be assimilated or purged. They have their share in recent Turkish history for doing what they preach. Since the 1970s they have added Islam to the making of national identity and combined Turkish ethnicity with the Islamic creed, so that one would mean nothing without the other. They call themselves “milliyetci” and resemble the totalitarian German and Italian parties that swept to power during the two world wars. The Nationalist Action Party (MHP) and its youth organization, which is commonly called “ülkücü” (meaning "idealist" in Turkish), is a representative of this kind of nationalism.

The second “nationalist” group unfairly associates themselves with the cult of Ataturk but calls themselves “ulusalcı” rather than milliyetci because they have in the past despised the first group and labeled them as “fascists” and too parochial. They are against the European Union and defend the union of (northern) Cyprus with Turkey. They take pride in their “anti-imperialist” stance and their “leftist” past. Indeed they are rehabilitated leftists of the 1970s and 1980s. They have no regard for popular rule except by paying lip service to “popular power.” The state is the primary mover of things and the people do not necessarily know what is best for them. Their Jacobinism has been coined as “for the people, if necessary, against the people.” Their understanding of democracy and secularism is a form of elite conceptualization in the void of popular historical experience and the social realities of the country. This group is represented by several organizations, the biggest being the Republican People's Party (CHP), which is the main opposition party in Parliament.

The third nationalist group is made up of traditionalists disillusioned with the secular nationalism upheld by a nation-state that preaches secularism like a worldly religion which legitimizes the absolute control of society by the state under bureaucratic tutelage. For them the nation is the community of believers (umma). It is no wonder that the political tradition out of which the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) emerged was called the “national vision.” Now all these disparate nationalisms have come together in an alliance called the “red apple” to oppose diversity in society, pluralism in politics and global trends that they see as Western plots to destabilize the country.

A poisonous tradition called “töre,” or common law, takes the lives of young women with the excuse that they have brought disgrace to their families by their promiscuous behavior. Their male next of kin murder young women in order to redeem the honor of the family. Such a tradition is built on sheer hypocrisy. Take the latest example in this regard. Only 10 days ago a young woman living in one of the shantytown districts of Istanbul was murdered. She was in fact raped by her elder sister's husband early on. She became pregnant, and her parents took her for an abortion and the restoration of her virginity by an operation. But all of this adventure was kept a secret in the family. Soon enough she was married. Her own brother tied a red scarf around her belt indicating that she was a virgin. It seems that the operation she underwent was not convincing enough for the groom, who returned her to her home next morning, complaining that she was defiled. The unfortunate girl's parents asked their son to kill her in order to cleanse their honor. What a misconceived understanding of honor and a tradition still upheld that disgraces the whole society as a primitive and bloodthirsty cabal.

Trying to digest this shock, soon enough the news of a university investigation appeared on the front pages of newspapers. A male student who had put his arm on the shoulder of his girlfriend on the campus of Konya Selçuk University has been attacked by a “nationalist” (of the first category) who claims to be a member of the “organization” (God knows which) for acting against popular ethics. Although the two students are victims of physical and verbal attacks of these self-declared moral police a la Iran, the dean of the faculty of education has formed a committee to interrogate the victims for unethical behavior. Fortunately the rector of the university proved to be a civilized man and aborted such archaic conduct.

But such an act is not isolated. Students drinking beer during festivities at Ankara University's faculty of agriculture were attacked with axes and knives by the so-called “nationalists” only a few months ago. The same group (ülkücü) attacked and severely beat a young faculty member at Gazi University in Ankara because he was wearing long hair and an earring -- idealism and misplaced nationalism that constantly fight with their own nation to create a standard society along small-town traditions through coercion.

What topped all these anachronistic acts is the behavior of the first and last category of “nationalists” during the trial of Perihan Mağden, who was prosecuted for writing a column in defense of conscientious objection. She was dragged to court on charges of “discouraging the public from military service.” Believe it or not there is such a law in the Turkish legal system. As bad as it is for Turkey's image to portray the country as an authoritarian polity that penalizes free thinking and expression, the nationalists were at the court to smear Mağden as the “prostitute of the [outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party] PKK.” Would you be further surprised to hear that they have rallied the mothers of slain soldiers who were killed during the antiterror campaign against the PKK? These grieving women, who are commonly called “martyrs' mothers,” jeered and chanted slogans against the author, whose only fault was to advocate a philosophy that stood against any death and use of violence that consumed their beloved sons. What a misunderstanding. What a misplaced protest in defense of the country against its own citizens.

With so much confusion, misconception and misunderstanding it seems that understanding ourselves, reconciling our differences and adapting to a new world-in-the-making that many of us have no clue about will take more time than we think. The journey to “reaching the level of contemporary civilization,” which was the dictum of the founders of the republic, starts by understanding it. Do we?

[Gavur]

'Stability will continue for the next five years'

The 2007 presidential elections will not cause instability in the country, according to Alarko Holding board of directors Chairman İshak Alaton.









İshak Alaton

Critical of rumors that the presidential elections will create chaos, Alaton said, "There are so many rumors that the country will experience a crisis because of the elections, and that truly tires me," adding that people need to avoid such debates and focus on getting the job done.

In an exclusive interview with Today's Zaman, the chairman of one of the leading industrial groups in Turkey, Alaton provided his personal assessments on northern Iraq, Armenia and the economic effects of the presidential elections. "I still believe that the minds responsible for serving this country will provide a rational solution," he said and noted that he does not expect a crisis to erupt after the elections. "Stability will continue. That is what I believe, I hope and I expect. Turkey will find a solution to maintain stability," the chairman emphasized. Alaton expects stability to continue for another five years because he believes a one-party government will win in the coming elections.

Alaton described the initiatives of nongovernmental organizations to meet with politicians as a positive step. "As members of civil society, we will discuss with the prime minister what we can do to improve the image of Turkey," Alaton said and added that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has provided sincere and valuable support to the business world.

According to Alaton, politicians must be aware of the public’s interest at all times. “Politicians should be able to understand public interests without middlemen. In other words, politicians need to meet directly with the public,” Alaton said, describing Erdoğan’s steps in this regard as “modern” and “very smart.”

“Every party must be able to communicate and take responsibility for their actions. But unfortunately, some parties do not. They just make critiques. They try to find flaws, but then they go overboard. My question is, what do they plan to do when and if they become the leading party? The opposition parties have yet to answer this question,” Alaton said.

“Both Democrats and Republicans in America joined hand-in-hand to overcome the Iraqi problem. Here in Turkey, we have the Southeast problem. Why can’t we manage to cooperate?” Critical of the lack of concrete information regarding developments in Iraq, the businessman said: “The formation of a Kurdistan in northern Iraq is a reality. We all know and see this. We say there isn’t a Kurdistan, but in reality there is. In fact, there has been a Kurdistan since 1991. Kurdistan was born the day America told Saddam Hussein that he could not move past the 36th parallel. Turkey should have been able to say, ‘Yes a Kurdistan was formed that day.’ Turkey should have been able to announce its own policy. But no. Those who spoke of Kurdistan were imprisoned. Although Kurdistan has been formed, this is a reality we still refuse to accept. We refuse to receive the president of Iraq in Ankara. We warn the prime minister not to meet with him. So you see, we have this odd understanding of administration and government. I still can’t make sense of it.” Alaton also highlighted the need to acknowledge the economic aspect of relations with Iraq and said, “The engine of politics is economic realities.”

Referring to the tense relations with Armenia and Turkey’s relations with Azerbaijan, the top man from Alarko Holding said Turkey must pursue balanced policies. “To evaluate the sincerity of Armenian relations, Turkey should open entry points. This would foster economic relations between the two countries. There are people on the other side who are hopeful that entry points will open and business relations will be developed. I think they are right. With the policies to pressure our neighbors, our own citizens are forced to live in poverty. We don’t have the right to do this. The bureaucracy in Ankara does not have the right to make those people poor.”

Asked to comment on the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges’ (TOBB) program to bring together Israeli and Palestinian businessmen in America for the Erez Industrial Zone, Alaton said: “I’ve always believed that businessmen are peace leaders. I think this is a valid conclusion. If peace is on the way, then businessmen are the first to arrive.” Nevertheless, Turkish businessmen have an important role. They should develop employment opportunities for Palestinians in the Erez region and prevent tension between Israel and Palestine, he said.

Alaton told Today’s Zaman that he would visit Israel with a 55-member delegation from a pro-Israeli lobby, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). “The delegation will arrive in Istanbul and then head to Tel Aviv. This is a visit to evaluate the developments first hand. The delegation expects to submit a report before April 24 to the US congress.”

The delegation will also make contact with business tycoons in Istanbul, meetings to which Alaton has been invited. “The goal is to eliminate the possibility of the Armenian genocide legislation passing the Senate,” Alaton said, explaining that the legislation, which would accept that World War I events constituted genocide, would benefit no one. Referring to the Hrant Dink murder, he said: “It was a big loss, everyone knows this. The murder of Hrant Dink was like a bullet against Turkey. Turkey lost a very important figure. Not only did the murder imply that Turkey could not protect its civilians, but it struck a severe blow to Turkey’s image. … Turks took a stance because he was a different person. He was a person who truly wanted the best for Turkey and sincerely loved Turkey. He had announced that he would not accept the genocide, and the diaspora took a stance against him.”

Alaton was critical of the lengthy process of the court and said the justice system works on very limited resources. Alaton said officials are underpaid and that that leads to corruption. The search for reform in Turkey begins with the judicial system. The judicial system will have to win the trust and respect of the citizens. The Turkish businessman also said Article 301 must be removed if Turkey wants to mend its image in foreign countries. He said “the mentality that refuses to debate the article and that refuses to ban it must change. They need to stop saying that similar articles can be found in just about every country.” Alaton believes the Constitution needs a make-over but that Ankara’s atmosphere is dominated by fears. We need to eliminate these fears.

Alaton also criticized policies disfavoring foreign capital flow. “Turkey could have been today’s China 50 years ago. China does not export manpower, it imports foreign capital. We could have been smarter 50 years ago. If in the 1960s our bureaucracy had been more rational, Anatolia would have been an EU member today. But unfortunately, that fanatic style of bureaucracy has made us suffer. … Ankara’s bureaucracy is disconnected from the public. It has a mentality that is afraid to give anything. We have a bureaucracy that dreams only of land. It overlooks human needs and perceives the private sector as an advantage. However, the real goal of life is to make people happy, not to own land. My people our poor but my land is big.”

Turkey can win the Southeast by developing it

İshak Alaton believes the problem in the Southeast can be resolved through the economy. Development in Turkey is unbalanced, Alaton says and adds: “While there are rich people in the country, Anatolia is very poor. This is because we have encouraged people to move to Izmir and Istanbul. We haven’t encouraged investment in the emptied Southeast region. They say a hungry dog will break into a bakery. People want bread. We can’t leave them hungry. These people need to be fed.”

31.03.2007
TURHAN xxxKURT İSTANBUL

[Gavur]

A poem by Nazim Hikmet

Grocer Karabet's lights alid.
This Armenian citizen did not forgive
Massacre of his father in the Kurd mountains.

But he loves you,
because you also did not forgive,
those who which drove black,
on the forehead of Turkfolk.

Nazim Hikmet


(Trans. by me)




Bakkal Karabet’in ışıkları yanmış.
Affetmedi bu Ermeni vatandaş
Kürt dağlarında babasının kesilmesini.
Fakat seviyor seni,
Çünki sen de affetmedin
Bu karayı sürenleri Türk halkının alnına.
Nâzım Hikmet