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  • On Armenian Orientation Of Ergenekon

    ON ARMENIAN ORIENTATION OF ERGENEKON
    Ruben Melkonyan

    www.noravank.am/en/?page=analitics& nid=1724
    31 March 2009

    You can steadily assert that in the recent period the developments
    around the terrorist organization called Ergenokon are among the most
    important and significant in many aspects happenings in the domestic
    political life on Turkey. This case is very often associated with
    the notion of "deep state". It is mentioned that the disclosure
    of Ergenekon and trial in reality are a kind of struggle between
    pro-Islamic government and secular militaries. The fact that there
    are militaries in Ergenekon, and even high-ranked militaries,
    is irrefutable.

    It is enough to mention that at present the high-ranked Turkish
    militaries, e.g. famous retired general Veli Kucuk, majors Mehmet
    Zekeria Ozturk, Mehmet Fikri Karadag, captain Muzaffer Tekin are all
    targeted in the investigation either as defendants or suspects. There
    were also detainees who were set free after interrogation, for example,
    generals Hursit Tolon, Sener Eruygur, who was set free for health
    reasons. By the way, the problems with health and the usage of that
    reasoning is rather widespread amid the suspects in Ergenekon case. And
    most of them are either already in the hospital, or they applied with
    such a request and militaries are very often taken to Gulhane Military
    Medical Academy. On every court session 5-7 suspects are absent for
    health reasons. At present moment about 100 suspects are targeted in
    the investigation of Ergenekon case and this number constantly tends
    to rise. It is noteworthy that there are representatives of different
    professions and areas. Thus, the chairman of Turkish Labour party
    Dogu Perincek, retired general Veli Kyucuk, retired colonel Mustafa
    Levent Gorgtas, the former acting chairman of Special operative
    administration Ibrahim Sahin, the chief of Department for Combating
    Organized Crime of Istanbul Serdar Sacan, journalist Tuncay Ozkan,
    lawyer Kemal Kerincsiz, scientist Yalcn Kucuk, the chairman of the
    Chamber of Trade of Ankara Sinan Ayguz and many others.

    The fact that among the members of Ergenekon there are many people
    who have definite anti-Armenian attitude and who contend actively
    with Armeniancy and Armenia strikes the eye. It is significant that
    in the course of investigation it became clear that the organized
    nature of their anti-Armenian activity was applied by the Ergenekon
    terrorist structure.

    One of the persons, most well-known for his obvious anti-Armenian
    activity is retired general Veli Kyucuk. He is pan-Turkist and
    today he is regarded by the representatives of those circles as
    one of the most notable pan-Turkists of 20th century. One of the
    most important pledges of that sonorous title was obvious at times
    support to "younger brother" Azerbaijan during the war in Artsakh and
    after it. Kyucuk is implicated in many shady deals and cases but it
    should be mentioned that for us his name became even more interesting
    particularly in the context of the persecutions and the assassination
    of Hrant Dink. Let us remind you that youth nationalist organizations,
    which called themselves "idealists", initiated actions against Dink,
    and especially after Dink published in "Agos" newspaper the article,
    which evidenced about the Armenian descent of Sabiha Gukcen, the
    first Turkish woman-pilot and one of the most important symbols of
    Turkey. "Idealist" arranged protest action in front of the office of
    "Agos" with the poster saying "Dink, you are our target". It should
    be mentioned that "idealists" is the youth wing of radical nationalist
    organization "Grey wolves", and it is not a mere chance that Dink was
    assassinated by a young radical nationalist. General Veli Kucuk is
    a decisive authority for all those circles. There are facts, which
    evidence to the direct contacts of Kucuk and people involved in the
    murder of Dink. He even took part in the trial on Dink's case. By the
    way, that fact bothered Dink and his milieu, as Hrant's brother Khosrov
    Dink said after the assassination, his brother began to realize the
    real danger and the seriousness of the persecutions especially after
    Veli Kucuk had appeared on the scene.

    Within the framework of Ergenekon trial many noteworthy incidents
    also happened. On one of the hearings during his speech for defense,
    while speaking about his activity after he had resigned from the army
    in 2000 he stated: "I took part in the activities arranged by Turkish
    research educational foundation, sometimes I had also made reports. I
    made reports on Eastern issue and I have always been of the opinion
    that it is not Kurdish issue. In every village I explained that PKK
    (Kurdish workers party) is not Kurdish, and that Eastern issue in not
    Kurdish but Armenian issue. The reason I am here today is because some
    people do not like". Such accusations against Armenians are not new in
    Turkish political discourse, but it is interesting that high-ranked
    Turkish military speaks about it openly and points out as their
    main enemy Armenians, who are alien to them, while Muslim Kurds are,
    after all, their coreligionists. By the way, other defendants also
    expressed the same idea and believed that the main reason for their
    arrest was the Armenian problem. It should be mentioned here that
    Turkish officials of different rank have spoken about the alleged
    Armenian belonging of PKK: from the minister of internal affairs
    to the governour; that theme is one of the important components in
    Turkish arsenal of political speculations. From time to time Turkish
    press and different organizations make a big deal about PKK fighters
    and their camps, which are alleged to be situated in Armenia.

    Turkish lawyer Kemal Kerincsiz, who prosecuted a claim against writer
    Orhan Pamuk after his famous statement, has also been detained on
    the case of Ergenekon. He is also one of the "pupils" of Veli Kucuk
    and he took an active part in the trial of Hrant Dink.

    The other suspect, the chairman of the Chamber of Trade of Ankara Sinan
    Ayguz, was the first who expressed his dissatisfaction at the slogan
    used after the assassination of Hrant Dink "We are all Armenians,
    we are all Hrant Dink".

    The other well-known figure who is the target of the investigation
    is the chairman of the Workers' party of Turkey Dogu Perincek. It
    would be not out of place to mention that he is one of the most
    important links in the Tukish propaganda machinery working against
    the international recognition of Armenian Genocide. It is also known
    that Dogu Perincek is of Armenian descent but his activity is directed
    against Armeniancy. Such a phenomenon sometimes can be seen in the
    circles of those who have converted faith or lost their identity1.

    During the process on Ergenkon case it occurred that Perincek was
    one of the leaders and founders of that organization, but the most
    important fact is that the aforementioned organization communicated
    with PKK and its guerillas with his help. The pictures of Dogu
    Perincek and Abdullah Ocalan in one of the fighters' camps were
    also published. In the course of the trial the "advisory" letter
    of Perincek to Ocalan dated on may 26 20002 was presented. By
    showing the alleged connection between PKK and Ergenekon, Turkish
    authorities, in our opinion, gain several aims. Firstly, they show
    the connection between Kurdish guerillas and Turkish "deep state",
    which used all that to destabilize the situation in the country,
    i.e. to create prerequisites for the revolution and to implement it,
    but it is even more important that this exposure caused deep keen
    disappointment among oppositional Kurds, and a part of them have even
    felt themselves deceived. On the other hand, today the present Turkish
    government is engaged in the opening of Kurdish TV channel and radio
    and it is obvious that it would soften Kurdish issue at some extent.

    The phase of the activity of Dogu Perincek, which is devoted to
    the struggle against the international recognition of the Armenian
    Genocide, has also been reflected indirectly in the trial. Thus, it
    is known that, that the organization with unequivocal name "Taleat
    Pasha" arranged many actions particularly against the recognition
    of the Armenian Genocide in Europe. Perincek was one of the active
    members of that organization.

    "Taleat Pasha" organization was especially active in 2005-2006, when
    a number of Turkish politicians, scientists initiated joint campaign
    in that line. Among them were the ex-president of the unrecognized
    republic of North Cyprus Rauf Danktas, pseudo-historian Halacoglu and
    others. As a result, the proceedings were initiated against Perincek in
    Switzerland for the denial of the Armenian Genocide (later he turned
    to the European Court of Human Rights making a big noise round that
    issue). But it is remarkable that within the framework of Ergenekon
    trial it became clear that the committee of "Taleat Pasha" was one of
    the structures created by Ergenekon and worked on the instructions of
    the terrorist organization3. While speaking about it Perincek announced
    the following in the court: "That group included Nevzat Yalcndaz,
    Mehmet Dulger and Ibrahim Ozdogan who were the members of parliament
    from the ruling "Justice and Development" party at that time"4.

    Then, after listing the names of scientists and other politicians,
    Perincek stated: "If all that was arranged by Ergenekon, then it
    means that all those people are the members of Ergenekon"5. The
    radical-nationalist leader of the Workers party did not forget about
    the political orientation adopted by him and blamed "imperialist
    powers" and mainly the USA in his arrest.

    Apropos to the radical anti-Armenian views of Perincek it should be
    mentioned, that Turkish press has published recently his statements
    made before on Armenian issue in general, which speaks for his
    changeable and contradictive image. "Zaman" newspaper, the mouthpiece
    of ruling Turkish party, re-published the article of Perincek, which
    had been published in issue 88 of "Turkish left" magazine, entitled as:
    "Ittihan compradores killed hundreds of thousands of Armenians". By
    the way, those views were expressed during the trial which had taken
    place earlier. Thus, in 1961 Perincek establishes "Turkish workers
    and peasants party", which was closed in 1971 after the military
    interference, and Perincek and his friends were arrested. His defensive
    speech in the court later was turned into a book, where, on page 154,
    he spoke about Armenia issue: "Ittihan compradores implemented the
    policy of persecution and massacre of national minorities. In the
    East hundreds and thousands of Armenians were killed, the others
    were deported from the country. Abdul Hamid coloured the Empire with
    the blood of hundreds of thousands of workers killed in Anatolia and
    thousands of Armenians killed in the streets of Istanbul.

    Among the defendants on that case the former chief of Special
    operative department of Turkey Ibrahim Sahin stands out for his
    scandalous testimony. There are interesting details in his testimony,
    concerning Armenian direction. He handled Armenian issues on different
    stages of his activity, mainly in 1983 he was posted a commander of
    a special police forces combating ASALA and he was in Germany and in
    the US to get necessary education7. According to the material of the
    criminal case, Sahin created a group, which consisted of 300 people,
    and it included the officers of Operative department and soldiers who
    were under 308. With the help of that group the terrorist organization
    arranged and implemented various acts. In the court Sahin testified
    that the he had created the group at the at a will of the commander
    of the Seventh corpus of Turkish army, general Bekir Kalyoncu and
    the chief of the department of communications support and public
    affairs of General Staff brigade-general Metin Gurak. In 1993 Sahin
    by the order of the Ministry of Internal affairs of Turkey created
    Special operative department, where he worked till 1996; in 2002 he
    was sentenced to six years in prison on the charge of involvement in
    the well-known case of Susurlik, but Sahin under the pretext of the
    health problems was amnestied by the president. By the way, the name
    of Veli Kucuk was also mentioned in the view of that case.

    As it becomes apparent form the testimony of Sahin, he delt with
    Armenian issues after he had retired. Thereunder we make a quotation
    from his testimony: "I know a woman Fatma Cegiz, nicknamed Asena,
    who lived in Kesaria, and sometimes I visited her. She knew that
    I was interested in Armenian problem and so she acquainted me with
    a writer. During the conversation with him he told that Armenians
    arranged monthly assembly in Tomarza and the person responsible for
    it was a jeweller from Sebastia. So I gathered detailed information
    on that and decided to inform about it intelligence"9. "...a person,
    whose name was Hudayi, told me about a woman, whose name was Sepil. He
    told that the real name of that woman was Matild Sarsanyan and she
    searched gold in the district of Erznka. Hudayi also told that woman
    established houses in different South-Eastern provinces where she
    sheltered Armenians, who had come from abroad. So I told people from
    National Intelligence Service (MIT) whom I knew about it, and they
    wanted to know more"10. It is also remarkable that Sahin tried or got
    the instruction to find out material on the ethnic origin of members of
    different parties, politicians and celebrated persons. According to his
    testimony, there are 520 Armenians in Kurdish Democratic Society Party.

    But there were even more remarkable facts, found in Sahin's notebook:
    there were mentioned different facts on ethnic origin of different
    politicians. There was mentioned in handwriting that the leader
    of Nationalist movement party (MNP, "Grey Wolves") Devlet Bahceli,
    Democratic Society Party leader Ahmet Turk, the parliament deputies
    from MNP Mehmet Sandir, Mahmet Eimur had Armenian origin11. There is
    also a statement in the aforementioned notebook that the population of
    the area between central and south-eastern part of Anatolia allegedly
    consists of Armenians.

    Sahin, just like Veli Kucuk and others puts forward the statement
    that PKK is not a Kurdish, but an Armenian structure: "PKK is not an
    organization, which represents our Kurdish brothers, it is Armenian
    organization13". He asserts that he has struggled against PKK during
    his professional carrier, and after he had gone on pension he began
    to write books, where he presented the idea that PKK was an Armenian
    structure14. He also expressed those views on local TV channels15.

    In the course of investigation it became clear that Sahin's group
    had arranged assassination attempts. Among supposed victims the
    names of Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul Mesrop Mutafyan, the general
    secretary of Alevi-bektasi union Kazem Genci, the chairman of the
    same organization Ali Balkez were mentioned16. It is remarkable that
    Sahin called those planed actions "internal clean-up" and he regarded
    the involvement in the Armenian issue as a priority while choosing
    targets. Thus, Sahin confessed that if he had not been arrested then
    in a week they would have began a campaign against the leaders of the
    Armenians17. Within the framework of "internal clean-up" there were
    also some measures planed against some representatives of Turkish
    intelligentsia, those who had arranged recently "We apologize"
    campaign. During the activity of Sahin and his criminal group Alevi
    organizations also were in the focus of their attention mainly because,
    in accordance with their sources, there were also Armenians in those
    organizations. They also planed the assassination of the leader of
    the Armenian community of Sebastia Minas Duran Guler18. According
    to Minas Guler's brother Ervand Guler the number of the Armenians
    in Sebastia does not exceed 200 and this number reduces day by day,
    though according to the official sources there are 1136 Armenians in
    Sebastia. Minas Guler is also a person responsible for the Armenian
    "communities" of Kesaria, Tokat, Erznka19. It is obvious that one
    could hardly call the shatters of Christian Armenians preserved in
    the eastern parts of Turkey communities. The choice of Sebastia
    by the criminal group of Sahin is explained by the fact that it
    has more or less multi-ethnic picture and is convenient to deepen
    the atmosphere of fear and to boost instability, which finds room
    within the logic of Ergenekon's activity. It should be mentioned,
    as it turned out the assassination of three Christian employees of
    publishing house in Malatya, which caused a stir in Turkey and abroad,
    was also arranged by Ergenekon.

    Thus, this scandalous trial and the exposures made in its course
    come to prove that various anti-Armenian actions were arranged and
    implemented by the Turkish state or its "deep" variant. At the same
    time it is obvious that Turkish propaganda and state machinery, as
    a matter of fact, still regard the Armenians as their enemies. It
    is remarkable and at the same time expected that the issue of ethnic
    origin is in the focus of attention of the state institutions, and this
    once again gives the evidence of the fact that the problem of ethnic
    origin and it various expressions are on the agenda in Turkey today.
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