They represent the conscience of the Turkish state, government and the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), respectively, during the nation's troubled times. There has never been a trio like them in the history of the Turkish Republic. They have a common stance. They have courage. They never think of straying from the path. Those who do not like them are waiting for an opportunity for them to fail. They will have to keep waiting.
Since the start of the multi-party state in Turkey, there have been three periods where we have accelerated towards democracy; these periods occurred under the leadership of Adnan Menderes, Turgut Özal and Tayyip Erdoğan. One of the differences between the era of Erdoğan and the others is that today's prime minister is not alone, and he is better-informed on domestic happenings than previous prime ministers.
Menderes, may he rest in peace, was a lonely man. He worked with a cabinet that had a perspective that contradicted his. He never received information from the government's intelligence unit. Similarly, Özal was a lonely man. He was also working with a cabinet which held a different worldview from him. He was aware that he did not always receive information about what was happening in the nation. Furthermore, neither of them got along perfectly with their respective presidents. Kenan Evren actually considered denying Özal the position of prime minister despite his electoral victory. But with Erdoğan this is not the case. He refers to the president as “my brother.” For the most part, the members in his cabinet are all individuals he has known and worked with for years. He also is very knowledgeable on matters of intelligence. Erdoğan also has another advantage. During the period of Menderes and Özal, the democratic awareness of the people was very low.
Particularly during the time of Menderes, a majority of the people had no clue what had happened in the country. It was only when the prime minister of the country was hanged that people came to realize the situation. Was this man guilty (!), who had returned the adhan (call to prayer) to its original language, Arabic, and found a place in the hearts of the people? After this event, people began seeing things in a new light.
People began to meticulously follow the events that unfolded. The media, however, was one-sided. It concealed and distorted things. There was not a full awakening, but there were some who had been awakened.
The era of Özal worked to further enhance people's awareness. Taboo topics were tackled, and shackles were broken. During a time when the democratic awakening began to spread among the masses, Özal infuriated supporters of the status quo. They thought they had been lied to, saying, “He appeared to be one of us, but he had it in for us.” For the first time, the media aligned itself with the status quo, despite continuing to publish rare writers and academics who possessed a democratic attitude. However, alternative media was also on the rise. The quantity and conditions were not ideal, but there appeared to be a glimmer of hope.
Erdoğan's epoch is a melting pot of expectations. Democratic consciousness had begun to awaken. As Turkey continued to progress towards becoming a member of the EU, voices -- desiring democracy, freedom, accountability and transparency -- began to become louder. Alternative media was growing with each passing day. Many people began to say, “This is enough vileness, hypocrisy and spinelessness.” The Ergenekon case became a driving force in this awakening. People's masks began to fall off. We saw that some people we thought were humans were actually made of ice. Many people were not as they seemed.
Democratic consciousness created brave hearts demanding democracy. The eras of “firsts” began. For the first time, the untouchables were touched.
The words of our esteemed prime minister, during a speech he delivered last Sunday at the AK Party Ankara Provincial Congress, made me think about all of this. He said:
“Gangs, the mafia and illegal actions will no longer be allowed in politics in Turkey. Periods like that are over. We will not recognize those who do not recognize justice, the law and the national will. This is how it is.” The addressees should understand this message, and understand it well.
