Is it a parallel triangle or square?

Ekrem Dumanlı

The lies being told for months suggesting that there is a parallel state in Turkey have obscured the nation's vision. Does the pro-government media care? Unfortunately, no. They have bombarded Turkey with meaningless claims that there is a domestic enemy, and they also keep embarrassing Turkey abroad. They constantly make allegations without offering any evidence. This is a useless effort, because there is no such thing as a parallel state. Those who argue that there is one will face accusations against themselves in the future. I am not sure what they will be called then -- a parallel square, triangle or rectangle? The basis for geometric organizational titles is the subject of another article. I would like to discuss another matter today, so that we will have a better discussion in the future. It should be noted that the easiest part of using the state apparatus to fabricate a crime is the naming stage. It is not hard to find security bureaucrats or media professionals who have sold their souls to Satan to do the rest.

This is what we used to call old Turkey. The people were persecuted based on allegations that they were fundamentalists, and they were further prosecuted based on allegations that they were trying to seize control of the state. This country has returned to those days; besides, this time, the legal violations are even graver. This is a huge disaster. Turkey is becoming a country that is disconnected with the world when it used to be referred to as a model of a new synthesis of Islamic lifestyle and democracy. Is it possible not to be upset about this? The dirty methods of the old Turkey are being used because apparently there is no other way than to fabricate lies and make up accusations, given that the propaganda being spewed is not based on concrete realities. Take the following example: Some guy filed a criminal complaint against Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen. The prosecutor's office initiated an investigation based on this complaint. But the complainant raised allegations against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the parliamentary speaker and many other statesmen as well. This man seems unbalanced. He called the prime minister crazy and other statesmen traitors. Interestingly, an investigation was initiated against Gülen based on this compliant; but no investigation was opened against the other people referred to in the application.

How about the lawsuits that have been filed based on ungrounded accusations? Recently, the Constitutional Court president complained about such letters. He is right to do so. This is the most serious avenue of the most primitive form of state despotism. Informants take action when there is a crisis in this country. And this becomes more evident and visible if official authorities make a call for people to share the information they have. It appears that all of the methods of persecution that were shelved in the past are now being used. Initiating a legal case based on newspaper reports, carrying out a perception operation and persecuting the people cannot be explained with justice and legality. Those who are supposed to govern the country justly and fairly are discriminating against the people, relying on a discourse of hate, polarizing the people and persecuting those who consider themselves dissident or opponents by setting aside all their responsibilities.

The prime minister has recently (and once again) said: “We are still working on laying the groundwork for an investigation into the parallel state. We are working on this; this cannot happen overnight.” Well, this is a confession in itself, suggesting that they were unable to identify suspects and that they are fabricating evidence and a list of criminals. This is a scandal because if there is no crime and culprit, how can you direct strong and serious accusations against people? Those who refer to the principle of the presumption of innocence on those who were prosecuted in connection with these serious accusations and violations -- including corruption, bribery and money laundering -- are declaring that innocent people and groups are criminals despite that no substantial evidence has been offered against them.

Here are two striking examples: 1. The content of a secret meeting on Syria was leaked to the media. This paper made a headline back then asking for accountability for the leak as well as the horrible plans discussed at that meeting. What did the prime minister do? Without offering evidence, he declared that the Hizmet movement was the culprit; a few days ago, he admitted that they were unable to identify the perpetrators. So, why did you declare the movement responsible for it? How would you justify this?

2. The media has been discussing allegations against the Telecommunications Directorate (TİB) for days. A man who spoke on condition of anonymity said that a secret meeting was held in the TİB building and the participants discussed how to fabricate criminal acts in the past and implicate some people for these crimes. And, in fact, the developments confirm that what he said is actually true. This is such a horrible act, and justice and the law are being ignored in this case. They do not think at all that these illegal acts would be someday brought to justice. The solution is obvious: Just as Turkey addressed the despotic and illegal practices and applications in the past, this anti-democratic attempt and plot being carried out through methods of persecution must be aborted. This can be done if the people act wisely and responsibly. This can be done as long as every citizen is aware of his democratic rights as a taxpayer. When this is done, this country will stand against illegal activities and practices and will have a brighter and safer future.

Can you draw a picture of madness?

If you constantly fabricate new lies by making reference to a so-called parallel state, eventually you lose your sense of balance and reason. This is what the pro-government media is suffering from right now. They accuse everybody they dislike of being a part of the parallel structure; they are making reports based on lies. They make such grand efforts to publicize opinions against the Hizmet movement from the very people they once dubbed as Ergenekon members. They praise some figures who once criticized and even insulted leading AK Party members, including the prime minister. They are working hard so that the pro-government media can make critical statements against the movement. They rely on a hostile style of discourse in order to create an environment of intimidation and fear. At the end of the day, when you ask if there is any concrete evidence, you see that they have nothing. Steel vaults, large sums of money, millions of dollars kept in shoeboxes and luxury watches… Nothing is said and done about this.

Recently, I noticed this on TV. A prosecutor made a scandalous move and summoned the Republican People's Party (CHP) leader to testify as a suspect in an investigation. Obviously, this is a scandalous incident. A journalist was asked about this incident. He said we should look at who leaked this information to the public. I was speechless. Thank God the lady who asked the question was aware of the incident. She said this was not a leak and that the summons was made to the CHP headquarters. Well, is not feeling ashamed a virtue? The pro-government media took action and argued that the prosecutor was part of the parallel state. However, prosecutor Mehmet Demir appeared on pro-government TV networks during the Dec. 17 investigation, and he gave the impression that he was an ardent supporter of the AK Party. He even raised bizarre accusations against his colleagues, arguing that they should have informed the chief prosecutor about the probe.

İsmail Saymaz from the Radikal daily asked Demir whether he informed the chief prosecutor when he called CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu to give a statement. Prosecutor Demir said it was not necessary. Well, what should we say now? What would those who called that prosecutor a member of the parallel state do? The person who said the prosecutors should have informed the chief prosecutor before initiating the Dec. 17 operation violated his own rule when he called the CHP leader to take his statement; how will the pro-government media justify this? This does not apply to the judiciary alone. Whoever sides with the universal facts are blamed by the pro-government media for being part of the parallel structure. Almost all EU authorities are accused of supporting the parallel structure. Most recently, they called the German president an imam of Germany. Poet Nazım Hikmet once asked Abidin Dino, the famous artist and a close friend, whether he could draw the picture of happiness. I wish Abidin Dino was alive so that we could ask him whether he is able to draw the picture of madness. I am sure he would say that we are witnessing instances of madness everyday. This is indeed the case now.

You shall not make people believe your arguments

In its report this year, the Freedom House categorized Turkey as “Not Free” in terms of press freedom. Now, some people raise incredible arguments. This is useless. You make a new intelligence bill in which a person who publishes a document on the intelligence agency would be sentenced to 12 years in prison; you rig public tenders, manipulate the media, surrender papers to your former deputies, berate media bosses; you put pressure on media executives to make sure that dissident journalists are dismissed and you urge the people to stay away from certain papers during election campaigns -- and then you argue that the media is free in Turkey and is able to make a report on any subject?

YouTube has been banned for months; which country can Turkey be compared to in this case? Without the involvement of the Constitutional Court, people would not be able to access Twitter in this country. You expect that you can be oppressive and violate many laws and then not attract the attention of the world? Is that possible? Unfortunately, this is how we would depict Turkey right now. No matter how loud you cry saying that the media is free in Turkey, nobody will believe you.

Published on Today's Zaman, 05 May 2014, Monday