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TURKISH ULTRANATIONALIST GANG DISPLAYS THE REALITIES
Ilnur Cevik
The New Anatolian
Jan 30 2008
Turkey
Turkish ultranationalists including ex-military people were caught
while plotting to kill Kurdish politicians and Orhan Pamuk. We warned
about these gangs the years ago and people laughed... But we really
can't laugh today.
Last week police netted an ultranationalist gang which called itself
Ergenekon. The gang included several conservative personalities
including some journalists who have made a habit of displaying us
as targets.
The gang also included ex-military officials and lawyers who have
been very vocal in their anti-Kurdish stance in Turkey.
The gang reportedly was preparing to murder prominent Kurds of Turkey
and Nobel Laureate Orhan Pamuk hoping that such incidents would create
havoc in Turkey and lead to a military coup in 2009.
In late 2004 we had written a banner headline in The New Anatolian
saying Turkish nationalists were being armed against the Kurds in
Turkey. We said ultranationalist gangs were being established. At
the time Ilnur Cevik was accused by conservative writers of trying
to create sensation. Taha Akyol of Milliyet said Ilnur Cevik was
writing nonsense.
Unfortunate for Turkey that time has proven us right.
Ultranationalist gangs have been set up and their targets are not just
our Kurds or those who try to promote Turkish-Kurdish friendship and
brotherhood but also Armenians as we saw in the murder of journalist
Hrant Dink.
What is sad is that there is a connection between retired military
officials and these ultranationalist hotheads.
Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit has reacted to these reports
by saying there are attempts to display the Turkish Armed Forces
like a crime organization. He said whoever is involved in a crime
will face justice.
Yes, of course no one should try to put the blame on the Armed
Forces. But it is a fact that there seems to be some elements in the
Armed Forces who are inclined to commit crimes and try to get away
with it by using the good name of the forces as a shield.
Isn't it a fact that a civilian court sentenced two non-commissioned
officers to massive prison sentences for their involvement against
a Kurdish activist in Semdinli but that under military pressure the
case was switched to a military court upon appeal and the two are
now free? We do not judge whether the two were innocent or not but
we do want to draw attention to the image this has created for Turkey
among international circles.
So when gangs and military links are mentioned of course people will
have question marks in their minds.
It is up to the military to keep its name clean by setting good
examples.
We remember well how military coups were staged in Turkey don't we?
Ilnur Cevik
The New Anatolian
Jan 30 2008
Turkey
Turkish ultranationalists including ex-military people were caught
while plotting to kill Kurdish politicians and Orhan Pamuk. We warned
about these gangs the years ago and people laughed... But we really
can't laugh today.
Last week police netted an ultranationalist gang which called itself
Ergenekon. The gang included several conservative personalities
including some journalists who have made a habit of displaying us
as targets.
The gang also included ex-military officials and lawyers who have
been very vocal in their anti-Kurdish stance in Turkey.
The gang reportedly was preparing to murder prominent Kurds of Turkey
and Nobel Laureate Orhan Pamuk hoping that such incidents would create
havoc in Turkey and lead to a military coup in 2009.
In late 2004 we had written a banner headline in The New Anatolian
saying Turkish nationalists were being armed against the Kurds in
Turkey. We said ultranationalist gangs were being established. At
the time Ilnur Cevik was accused by conservative writers of trying
to create sensation. Taha Akyol of Milliyet said Ilnur Cevik was
writing nonsense.
Unfortunate for Turkey that time has proven us right.
Ultranationalist gangs have been set up and their targets are not just
our Kurds or those who try to promote Turkish-Kurdish friendship and
brotherhood but also Armenians as we saw in the murder of journalist
Hrant Dink.
What is sad is that there is a connection between retired military
officials and these ultranationalist hotheads.
Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit has reacted to these reports
by saying there are attempts to display the Turkish Armed Forces
like a crime organization. He said whoever is involved in a crime
will face justice.
Yes, of course no one should try to put the blame on the Armed
Forces. But it is a fact that there seems to be some elements in the
Armed Forces who are inclined to commit crimes and try to get away
with it by using the good name of the forces as a shield.
Isn't it a fact that a civilian court sentenced two non-commissioned
officers to massive prison sentences for their involvement against
a Kurdish activist in Semdinli but that under military pressure the
case was switched to a military court upon appeal and the two are
now free? We do not judge whether the two were innocent or not but
we do want to draw attention to the image this has created for Turkey
among international circles.
So when gangs and military links are mentioned of course people will
have question marks in their minds.
It is up to the military to keep its name clean by setting good
examples.
We remember well how military coups were staged in Turkey don't we?