Where are we today? Even if the high judiciary denies it, the steps the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) have taken and the show of support by members of the Supreme Court of Appeals are turning into an emblematic depiction of the deplorable state of the legal system. Brave prosecutors, judges and “honorable soldiers,” who give hope to everyone who wants democratization, are not succumbing to threats and pressure. This attitude and determination is encouraging both society and the ruling party. In other words, we are moving forward on a path from which there is no return for the status quo.The other day Yasemin Çongar wrote an article in the Taraf daily about “honorable soldiers.”
“Yes, there are still some desperate people in the army who make plans to kill non-Muslim citizens and blow up children who go to museums. Yes, there are coup supporters in the army who still make plans about placing weapons in the homes of community members, launching a smear campaign against journalists, using the judiciary, academia and media against the elected government. But now there are also honorable soldiers within the army that are saying ‘stop’ to this situation. They were the ones who took the Sledgehammer suitcase from Selimiye and brought it to Taraf. Yesterday was their day of hope.”
You can see what delivering the suitcase filled with the documents of the Sledgehammer plan to prosecutors led to. The ability of Taraf to shake and rattle the tutelage system with a circulation of around 60,000 is also very hopeful for the media in Turkey. If it weren’t for the alternative media, a coup would have occurred a long time ago. We shouldn’t forget about the brave and democratic writers in the Doğan group either. If the coup planners failed to stage a coup it was because they weren’t able to find the same crony media and because they weren’t able to find politicians who packed their bags and left every time they felt scared. We have reached a point where those who have hope and courage are those who want democracy. The status quo is hopeless, discouraged and despondent.
Just look at the previous Chief of General Staff Gen. Yaşar Büyükanıt trying to redeem himself saying: “C’mon, we did not issue a memorandum on April 27 [2007]. That was no memorandum. Don’t we know what a memorandum looks like?”
The general, who once boasted on television saying, “Yes, I wrote it,” is acting as if he is worried that he might be next in line at a time when former force commanders are being arrested. He’s talking as if he’s about to swear on his honor like retired Gen. Çetin Doğan. “Would we ever interfere in the presidential elections? They are bringing disgrace. … They should read the statements one more time,” he says. The statement is still up on the General Staff’s Web site. I checked it out one more time, and this is what is written: “It should not be forgotten that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) is a side in this debate. It will display its position and attitudes in a clear and direct way when it becomes necessary. The TSK preserves its unshakable determination to fulfill its legal duties.”
So these sentences are not a threat? Isn’t it to recall their “duty” to protect and guard the republic as mentioned in Article 35 of the Internal Service Law, which was used as a basis for all earlier coups? What can I say, this stance does not befit a person who has served as the chief of general staff. It’s not as if we forgot that it became impossible to hold the presidential elections after this memorandum. It’s not as if we don’t remember that the magicians of law found courage from this memorandum in crafting their 367 wizardry.
Certainly, there is a troubling situation for the General Staff, and so generals and admirals have convened. I want to believe that common sense and rationality will prevail. Those who still have hopes in a coup responded to the meeting with excitement, saying: “Yes! Finally the army is taking action.” These people don’t understand what is happening. They can’t understand the new Turkey. How many times have I written -- it’s over for the tutelage regime. Democracy is on the horizon.
