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Today's Zaman
Feb 5 2012
Contradictions that beset Turkey
DOÄ?U ERGÄ°L
[email protected]
Those of us who live in Turkey know there is more than one Turkey,
both in economic and socio-cultural terms.
We take these differences and contradictions for granted. But when a
foreigner points out one of those Turkeys we know of and behaves as if
the others do not exist, we get furious and feel indignant. However,
Turkey is really a surprising country with conflicting and
contradicting realities. Let me share with you a few simultaneous
happenings.
According to Reuters, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an warned last
Wednesday of rising racism and Islamophobia in Europe. He mentioned
the French bill outlawing the denial of Armenian genocide that France
has already officially recognized. He said the French bill was a
`serious manifestation of an insidious danger in Europe.
`There is an undeniable racist approach, a racist mentality ¦ hidden
behind this bill.' Mr. ErdoÄ?an added, `I would like to sincerely warn
our friends in Europe that the situation in France is a serious
manifestation of an insidious danger.'
Listening to the prime minister, one would find him very principled
because he advocates common human values and warns of the dangers
against democracy.
The same news agency, Reuters, on the same day, Feb. 1, shed light on
a different Turkey, relying on the rhetoric of the same person. Prime
Minister ErdoÄ?an branded acclaimed novelist Paul Auster ignorant for
refusing to visit Turkey in protest of an increased number of jailed
journalists.
What Mr. Auster points at is the fact that more than 100 journalists
are presently jailed in Turkey. This is one of the highest numbers
worldwide. The government insists they are not being prosecuted
because of what they wrote but because they have engaged in terrorism
or have been affiliated with terrorist organizations.
Mr. ErdoÄ?an expressed his wrath against the renowned author in the
following way: `If you come, so what? If you don't come, so what? Will
Turkey lose prestige?' He criticized the 64-year-old Auster, author of
no less than two dozen books published in Turkey, for visiting Israel,
accusing the Jewish state of repression and a multitude of rights
violations.
`Supposedly Israel is a democratic, secular country, a country where
freedom of expression and individual rights and freedoms are
limitless. What an ignorant man you are,' ErdoÄ?an said, while accusing
Auster of being disrespectful to Turkey.
The Justice and Development Party (AKP), a socially conservative
party, won its third consecutive term in power since 2002 on a
reformist ticket that promised demilitarization of the system,
economic development and democratization that would end inter-ethnic
and inter-sectarian disputes. Almost all democracy-oriented, liberal
and leftist authors and intellectuals have supported the AKP in its
quest. But as the party reached the limits of its reformism, it began
to be criticized by the same people who supported its democratic
advances.
Another Turkey is painted by the Platform of Solidarity with
Imprisoned Journalists on the Media Line, which stated that 105
journalist in Turkey were behind bars. This places Turkey ahead of
such repressive regimes as Iran and China for the largest number
jailed journalists in the world, according to the platform.
Considering that Turkey has been pointed out as an exemplary country
for reconciling democracy and Islam, the fall of Turkey by 10 places
to 148 out of 179 countries on the Reporters without Borders' Press
Freedom Index is noteworthy.
Critics say the judiciary, which is directly responsibility for the
arrests, makes little effort to distinguish between people covering
controversial issues and the people and movements they are covering.
Observers primarily blame the judiciary for the arrests. Turkey's
Counterterrorism Law (TMK) and the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) give it a
lot of latitude to detain people and keep them locked up without
filing formal indictments. But then these laws can easily be changed
with the AKP majority in Parliament. The government keeps its silence
when such criticisms are leveled against it.
Mr. ErdoÄ?an and his government desire a shiny image for the country
they run and accuse other countries of being unfair to Turkey. Last
week, he said, `Turkey does not deserve the negative image portrayed
to the world by the ¦ opposition and some journalists and writers.'
These three simultaneous developments depict a country that has not
yet institutionalized its democracy and rule of law. But it acts as if
it is a done deal. That is the biggest contradiction.
From: Baghdasarian
Feb 5 2012
Contradictions that beset Turkey
DOÄ?U ERGÄ°L
[email protected]
Those of us who live in Turkey know there is more than one Turkey,
both in economic and socio-cultural terms.
We take these differences and contradictions for granted. But when a
foreigner points out one of those Turkeys we know of and behaves as if
the others do not exist, we get furious and feel indignant. However,
Turkey is really a surprising country with conflicting and
contradicting realities. Let me share with you a few simultaneous
happenings.
According to Reuters, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an warned last
Wednesday of rising racism and Islamophobia in Europe. He mentioned
the French bill outlawing the denial of Armenian genocide that France
has already officially recognized. He said the French bill was a
`serious manifestation of an insidious danger in Europe.
`There is an undeniable racist approach, a racist mentality ¦ hidden
behind this bill.' Mr. ErdoÄ?an added, `I would like to sincerely warn
our friends in Europe that the situation in France is a serious
manifestation of an insidious danger.'
Listening to the prime minister, one would find him very principled
because he advocates common human values and warns of the dangers
against democracy.
The same news agency, Reuters, on the same day, Feb. 1, shed light on
a different Turkey, relying on the rhetoric of the same person. Prime
Minister ErdoÄ?an branded acclaimed novelist Paul Auster ignorant for
refusing to visit Turkey in protest of an increased number of jailed
journalists.
What Mr. Auster points at is the fact that more than 100 journalists
are presently jailed in Turkey. This is one of the highest numbers
worldwide. The government insists they are not being prosecuted
because of what they wrote but because they have engaged in terrorism
or have been affiliated with terrorist organizations.
Mr. ErdoÄ?an expressed his wrath against the renowned author in the
following way: `If you come, so what? If you don't come, so what? Will
Turkey lose prestige?' He criticized the 64-year-old Auster, author of
no less than two dozen books published in Turkey, for visiting Israel,
accusing the Jewish state of repression and a multitude of rights
violations.
`Supposedly Israel is a democratic, secular country, a country where
freedom of expression and individual rights and freedoms are
limitless. What an ignorant man you are,' ErdoÄ?an said, while accusing
Auster of being disrespectful to Turkey.
The Justice and Development Party (AKP), a socially conservative
party, won its third consecutive term in power since 2002 on a
reformist ticket that promised demilitarization of the system,
economic development and democratization that would end inter-ethnic
and inter-sectarian disputes. Almost all democracy-oriented, liberal
and leftist authors and intellectuals have supported the AKP in its
quest. But as the party reached the limits of its reformism, it began
to be criticized by the same people who supported its democratic
advances.
Another Turkey is painted by the Platform of Solidarity with
Imprisoned Journalists on the Media Line, which stated that 105
journalist in Turkey were behind bars. This places Turkey ahead of
such repressive regimes as Iran and China for the largest number
jailed journalists in the world, according to the platform.
Considering that Turkey has been pointed out as an exemplary country
for reconciling democracy and Islam, the fall of Turkey by 10 places
to 148 out of 179 countries on the Reporters without Borders' Press
Freedom Index is noteworthy.
Critics say the judiciary, which is directly responsibility for the
arrests, makes little effort to distinguish between people covering
controversial issues and the people and movements they are covering.
Observers primarily blame the judiciary for the arrests. Turkey's
Counterterrorism Law (TMK) and the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) give it a
lot of latitude to detain people and keep them locked up without
filing formal indictments. But then these laws can easily be changed
with the AKP majority in Parliament. The government keeps its silence
when such criticisms are leveled against it.
Mr. ErdoÄ?an and his government desire a shiny image for the country
they run and accuse other countries of being unfair to Turkey. Last
week, he said, `Turkey does not deserve the negative image portrayed
to the world by the ¦ opposition and some journalists and writers.'
These three simultaneous developments depict a country that has not
yet institutionalized its democracy and rule of law. But it acts as if
it is a done deal. That is the biggest contradiction.
From: Baghdasarian