August 12, 2013

Please, fade from the scene!

Ekrem Dumanli

A few years ago, an important politician paid a visit to our newspaper. Before the usual pleasantries, he started to harshly criticize Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

When his criticism started to become unfair and offensive, I could not restrain myself and said: "I wish you were not speaking so harshly because such offensive and harsh discourse brings benefit to neither you nor the country." He did not like what I said, but it looked like things were going to get more complicated. And what is happening now? He has become one of the most important executives of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party). He and all those around him have forgotten what he said in the past. It is fortunate that he has forgotten his unfair criticism because neither ties of brotherhood nor political courtesy would be preserved despite these harsh words.

A few days before the July 22, 2011 general elections we chatted with an important columnist. At that time the Taraf daily claimed that if the AK Party garners less than 50 percent of the vote, some high-ranking generals would force the government to drop the coup cases, but if it gets around 50 percent, they would resign. Indeed, these claims proved true, and the chief of General Staff stepped down with his force commanders -- except for Gendarmerie General Command head Gen. Necdet Özel. Imagining the nightmarish scenarios, I hoped for the AK Party's votes to remain around 50 percent so that our democracy would not suffer another military intervention. I wished for the continuation of democracy. The experienced columnist, who shares the same religious background as us, objected to my idea, and picked apart Prime Minister Erdoğan, too. According to him, the AK Party should get around 40 percent so that Erdoğan would know his place. He uttered some harsh words. I did not say anything because he was closer to the AK Party than us. Now he is respected greatly by the AK Party, and he is trying to alienate his other friends, breaking people's hearts by making a series of analyses on the “Gülen Community.”

Was this attitude limited to political and media circles? No. A few years ago, a bureaucrat roared at the AK Party, saying, “Their fate will be worse than that of the Menderes government.” That bureaucrat of course knew what these words meant. In the meantime, things have changed and that bureaucrat has now been appointed to an important position. That bureaucrat, who was chosen for his new post because he was an old Idealist nationalist (ülkücü), is now sitting in the seat of his colleague who was labeled a member of the Gülen Community and discharged. This decision was made by those who appointed him to that post, but those who have served this country and made great sacrifices without expecting anything in return for their service should not be hurt. This is because their friendship is not based on the current political milieu.

Another popular journalist personally told me that "these AK Party members cannot do anything properly; I am really fed up with them." He is greatly respected by those AK Party members he once detested. The person who fueled anger toward both the AK Party and Erdoğan when Erdoğan called a statute in Kars named the "Monument to Humanity" a "freak" has now leaned on the AK Party and attacks the Gülen Community. When old men write insidious articles in the guise of a wise and knowledgeable man in order to pit two groups against one another, it has nothing to do with sincerity and integrity of thought. Those who secretly plotted plans against religious people until very recently have become fervent advocates of the AK Party and are trying to lynch the Gülen Community by sowing seeds of dissent between the AK Party and the Community. Those who have become a toy of intelligence unit(s) proudly proclaim this in a way reminiscent of the infamous Feb. 28, 1997 coup: A process to discharge members of the Gülen Community has been launched. These mischief makers then establish an ally in order to look pleasant to the AK Party and to alienate the Gülen Community.

If you wonder about my answer, I say: Despite our sadness and resentment, we are in the same position in which we stood in the past. Those traveling in opposing directions think they have moved two meters when in fact they have only moved one. But the one who maintains his position prevents the widening of the gap between them. We have given great support to all democratization efforts. This was so in the past and this is so today. Each step taken for the good of the country (no matter who has taken it) deserves to be supported and praised. If we think something is wrong, we will voice our criticism on any issue (and against anybody) frankly, and we deem this as ordered by friendship and our love for the country. In order to make our intentions clear, we should not become obsessed with the efforts and operations of these mischief makers. It is impossible to respond to every false claim, but letting these mischief makers influence people's clean minds is another responsibility. While going though this fire of dissension, some people will destroy themselves through backbiting, lies and slander. The best thing to do in such a situation is to fight against the carnal self, advising what is right and being patient.

Will the government have disagreements with the Community (or communities)? There will and should of course be some disagreements, and the reward of consultation can thereby manifest itself. Because Prophet Muhammad considers disagreement among his followers a reflection of God's mercy, we may consider different opinions as advice to find a way heading to God's mercy. If there is a serious problem, the way to solve it is obvious: The long-standing friendship and ties of brotherhood step in and the disagreements become a source of God's mercy. We do not need the tent theater established by mischief makers who have never experienced pain while defending their cause. We do not need those who change their stance for the sake of their own personal interests to draw a roadmap. There is always a unique form of communication between a social group which has a civilian and independent social reality and a political party that has a political reality. Those who want to satisfy their egos by excusing some problem are doing damage to both the structure they rely on and Turkey. Not only that, they look despicable. This is why we have to say to these busybodies, “Please, fade from the scene, and quit the hypocrisy.”

Panorama

In an interview with a Russian media outlet, an old and experienced colleague likened Mr. Fethullah Gülen to George Soros. Or the Russian journalist conducting the interview likened Mr. Fethullah Gülen to George Soros and he conformed, which amounts to saying the same thing. We need to thank Reha Muhtar for revealing the true face of the Russian journalist conducting the interview and for explaining why he did not continue with the interview. After reading Muhtar's column published on Aug. 7, 2013 in the Vatan daily, we understood how the Russian journalist was using journalism as a shield for her non-journalistic activities and to manipulate the people she interviewed to say what she likes to hear. If Mr. Chief Columnist saw this fact, there is no problem. But if he was not aware of this fact, then his career will suffer a major blow.

A columnist who writes on behalf of the intelligence department has blamed the Gülen Community for making the court punish former Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ. Supposedly, Başbuğ and Constitutional Court Deputy Chairman Osman Paksüt worked hard to prevent the closure of the AK Party in 2007. But the fact is that Paksüt voted for the closure of the AK Party. This, too, is tragicomic. Luckily, AK Party Gaziantep deputy and former journalist Şamil Tayyar clearly explained Başbuğ's role in the closure case filed against the AK Party, and those AK Party members whose support for the AK Party is based on the current political milieu were unable to adopt a clear stance.

There is valid criticism. Changes to the structure of the Turkish judicial system, one of the most hotly debated items in the Sept. 12, 2010 referendum, have been damaged in the draft of the new constitution. Either the things that we were told at the time or the things we are being told now are incorrect.

The government has used the principles formulated in the Venice commission as an excuse to change the structure of the Supreme Court of Appeals, the Council of State and the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), and 58 percent of voters approved this change. Now, the new draft of the constitution politicizes the judicial system through and through.

If the new constitutional amendment package is accepted, the votes of judges and prosecutors will mean nothing since the HSYK candidates will be nominated by the political parties. The Republican People's Party (CHP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) and the Judges and Prosecutors Association (YARSAV), who had formed a “no” block against the Sept. 12 referendum, are welcoming the new amendments. This means that Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin's presentation on the need for a structural change in the Turkish judicial system that he delivered before the referendum and that lasted for several hours, and which the people approval, will be made void.

Some people who claim to be young AK Party members launched an Internet defamation campaign against the Gülen Community and the Zaman daily. I believe either these people do not understand our love for this country or some other people are using their names. Moreover, a large group of people have become upset with them because of the hostile language they used. Everyone can make mistakes, but offending those who you have strong ties of brotherhood with is the biggest mistake. One day the people will ask, "Why do you constantly hurt your brothers while seeking a platform of compromise even with the Kurdistan Workers' Party [PKK] for the interests of the country?”

I do not want to waste my energy by responding to ridiculous claims, but there is one claim that has been frequently voiced. A mini survey was supposedly conducted among Gülen Community members and the majority of them said, “I will vote for the AK Party no matter what anyone says.” If the intention of those who fabricated this was not bad, we would act as if these claims did not exist. But such fabricated claims and such a fabricated operation make the community act in solidarity and deal a devastating blow to those who make plans. There is no need for such stories. And don't worry, when the dust settles, the real friends will be distinguished from the seasonal chevaliers, who act according to the current political atmosphere.

Published on Sunday's Zaman, 11 August 2013, Sunday

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