While some hail the operation, seeing it as a chance for Turkey to confront its recent history, others question whether the operation will reach the roots of the organization or remain superficial. “I am sorry, Ergenekon lovers. Your efforts to trivialize Ergenekon turned out to be in vain. The mountain did not give birth to a mouse, as you said it would, but to a monster,” says Bugün’s Gülay Göktürk, addressing circles that downplayed the Ergenekon gang and that defined it as the government’s retaliation to suppress its opponents. She states that the horrendous accusations in the Ergenekon indictment still don’t seem to satisfy the supporters of the Ergenekon gang. “They will continue to understate the concrete evidence and testimonies of the witnesses and we will continue to show them the facts,” says Göktürk.
Radikal’s Türker Alkan finds the number of suspects accused in the Ergenekon indictment too high. The 86 suspects include individuals from different walks of life such as professors, retired generals, journalists and academics. “The group of individuals who are claimed to be masterminds of the murders and attacks -- it is a composition that not even the devil would think up,” he says, adding that he cannot understand how these people could come together. “I really have difficulty in believing that some of the suspects whom I personally know could take part in such a criminal organization,” Alkan notes. Nevertheless, he does not understate the allegations in the prosecutor’s indictment, emphasizing that Turkey had experienced many such things in the past. “Even if one out of every 10 allegations in the indictment is real, this means we are faced with a very serious situation,” he states.
Star’s Mahir Kaynak, a strategist, asks a couple of questions about the Ergenekon operation. “Was this operation carried out as a result of a consensus? Are there individuals on both sides who are being sacrificed or is this a fierce wrestling competition? What will the political interpretation of this operation be?” Another thing which occupies Kaynak’s mind is to what extent this operation will be able to dig deeper or will remain superficial. “Will it render only today’s organization ineffective or will it reach down to the roots of the organization, which were formed in the past, and eliminate them?” questions Kaynak.
Sabah’s Mahmut Övür terms the acceptance of the Ergenekon indictment by the court and the launch of the trial process as the most significant events in Turkey’s recent history on the grounds that the Ergenekon dossier presents an opportunity for Turkey to come to terms with its history. “Although some attempt to trivialize it by saying ‘The mountain gave birth to a mouse,’ the Ergenekon case will be a golden opportunity for Turkey to face its dark history. This is only the second step. Turkey is slowly being cleansed,” adds Övür.
