What kind of shift towards a “single man regime” is this that the leader of a party makes a “high court” threat almost every day of the week and can enjoy power with this threat? There is actually a very strong connection between the “civilian tutelage” debate and the emergence of rumors that the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is going to be closed down. I am not saying that this was the purpose of those who started the civilian tutelage debate because not only is it impossible to prove this, but there are some people involved who I think would not want to pave the way for a judicial dictatorship by starting this kind of a debate. But unfortunately the issue has shifted in a completely different direction and has become exposed to exploitation.
Nowadays people act hysterically when talking about “civilian dictatorship” because they are actually making a criminal complaint to prosecutors. In other words, when they are saying, “Close down this party, or else civilian tutelage is going to turn into a nightmare for us,” the purpose behind the debate turns into an ultimate goal. Statements that are made verbally and in writing as warnings supposedly also constitute evidence for “closure case dossiers.”
If this is the case, won’t some intellectuals that have unfortunately become embroiled in this debate regret it later on in the future? Of course they will because they will have left behind an anti-democratic legacy that would shame even their ancestors. The reason is very clear: While trying to run away from a suspicion such as “civilian dictatorship,” they will have brought the country to the brink of a juristocracy (judicial dictatorship), where anti-democratic despotism prevails.
Behind previous closure cases there were some military officers and some militant personalities from the judiciary who put aside laws and rights to fulfill the orders that were given to them. But the people took revenge against every closure case. The people had the final word. Meanwhile, those engaged in politics while in uniform, which is one of the most sacred positions of trust in a country, damaged the reputation of the institution they worked for. Some members of the judiciary -- who devastated the judicial mechanism, which is the last place people turn to seek refuge -- not only ruined their own careers but also got a slap in the face in the polls, albeit by way of new parties.
It’s time to leave the practice of closing down parties in the past. Even debating party closures is an outdated, primitive and humiliating situation. This is the situation for all parties. The leader of a political party has been in jail due to the Ergenekon case for a very long time, but the judiciary isn’t doing anything. It doesn’t matter. The party’s leader and its executives need to give an account for the gang, but even their party should not be closed down because it is up to the people to close down and set up parties. If parties are closed down because of some judges who come together and pay off political engineers behind closed doors, then everyone should be prepared for the wrath of the people.
This nation will not and can not bow down to any dictatorship after this point.A military coup cannot be staged, nor can the hegemony of judges be accepted. If there are people who are worried that civilians will overstep the democratic line, they need to know that this nation will not stay blindly committed to a party until the death. Those who are in search of new and dirty means because they don’t trust the people’s will and ability to choose are chasing after a different dictatorship. The people are following this reality very carefully. This is without a doubt the situation.
Not pursuing these allegations would be a betrayal to the nation.
The Taraf daily has just broken another news story that will go down in the history of journalism. Now they are publishing more details on the comprehensive coup plan that was prepared in 2003. The plan includes hair-raising allegations and documents pertaining to these allegations. For example, it mentions the junta’s plan to bomb the Fatih Mosque and a plan to create civil unrest. It includes several maps and gives a list of military personnel who will take charge in the action plan. Even causing the country enter a war was considered in the coup plan, in which 29 generals and 162 military officers allegedly were involved. These are allegations that make a person’s blood run cold. But none of them are trivial because they are not groundless; there is evidence for each one. There were plans to carry out the “Thunderstorm Air Operation” plan, spark an international crisis in the Aegean and if necessary, deliberately down one of our own jets.
May God give common sense, intelligence and a consciousness to these people. Can a person do such things to his or her own people? To his or her own army? This must be what a junta is all about. When the hunger for power takes over, the mental balance disappears, and common sense is destroyed. Turkey is passing through a critical period. Secret and underhanded plans that were prepared in the recent past are slowly being exposed. It is this process of becoming transparent that is disturbing some forces. Those who until recently were able to drag the country into chaos through psychological warfare can no longer manipulate the people as they wish. Those who pit people against each other by provoking those on both the right and the left, who are unable to sow discord between Kurds and Turks and who can’t create trouble between Alevis and Sunnis are in a state of great despair. Instead of giving up on preparing plans of chaos and attending to their real duties, they are putting pressure on the judiciary to have the AK Party closed down and the investigations into gangs and juntas covered up.
Clearly the junta members are in panic. Those who have been caught red-handed are seeking help from their friends in the judiciary and the media. The members of the judiciary and especially Chief Prosecutor Abdurrahman Yalçınkaya need to put their hands on their hearts, think carefully and avoid making a mistake for which they will be remembered by future generations. The situation is even clearer now. The junta, their logistical supporters and supporters in the media are putting pressure on the judiciary in order to escape the grasp of the law. If this pressure yields any results, justice and politics will disappear, and it will become impossible to save the country’s reputation and integrity. This is what we call losing when you are so close to winning. This country cannot fall prey to the predatory and costly junta plans just when it is about to become a leader in the region and one of the most respected democracies in the world.
The Taraf daily noted that it is going to continue reporting on the 5,000-page coup plan tomorrow as well. They deserve to be applauded for sharing this truth with the public. Now everyone has a responsibility to fulfill. Everyone, including journalists, politicians and businessmen, needs to take some time to mull over the junta and its extensions.
