Everyone’s heard about this, but there’s still benefit to be had in recalling the facts. The highly developed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) called Herons determined that the PKK was preparing for an attack. Despite the fact that the necessary intelligence was conveyed to the proper authorities, what unfolded was gross negligence, all while saying, “We’ve got everything under control.” And even more painfully: When the PKK launched its attack, the entire thing was seen at surveillance centers, frame by frame. How piteous is it that our boys out there were not helped. No reinforcements were sent in, no helicopters. Why? Who wants terrorism to continue in this country, who is gaining strength from this extraordinary situation, who is conducting political brokerage using the funerals of fallen soldiers as a tool? A hair-raising scene!It is now time to settle accounts. Billions of dollars are being spent so that our soldiers can emerge from the fight against terrorism with their heads held high. But it appears that thermal cameras aren’t being used nor are UAVs being sent on operations. If the chief of General Staff isn’t going to answer for this, who is? If the defense minister isn’t going to brief the public in the face of this horrible scene, then who is going to emerge and quench the fire raging in people’s hearts?
Alas and alack! The Herons aren’t on the command echelon’s agenda. It’s clear that they haven’t even thought of giving an account for why those who watched via live broadcast as our soldiers were killed did not rush to their aid. They are concerned only about one issue: assignments and promotions. For this reason, this year’s YAŞ gathering is jammed. Why? Supposedly there is a “precedent” at hand, and according to that precedent, what is done at these gathering is that the military command’s future is decided. Then is there no reason for the participation of the defense and prime ministers at YAŞ, no wisdom behind this? The civilian authority is not the military’s notary. Thus Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan objected to names recommended this year for assignments and promotions. He’s absolutely right. And, on top of that, within the law. The chief of General Staff’s insistence is meaningless. Why should a chief of General Staff headed for retirement arrange one by one the authorities in the commands to succeed him? Alright, so he has the right to make recommendations with regard to these assignments; when an opposing proposal comes for an officer of equivalent qualifications, why would he choose that one over the other officer? In what state institution is there any such practice?
The assignment/promotion quarrel that’s been going on for a week has proven one thing: In the view of the highest-ranking commanders, the battle over rank is more important than the betrayal that those fallen soldiers faced. A full week has passed since the Heron images were published. And still nothing. Relatives of the fallen soldiers are gathering in front of the General Staff, waiting for a satisfying statement from military authorities. But it’s all silent at the General Staff. Associations for the families of fallen soldiers are issuing pleas along the lines of “Please, let an acceptable explanation regarding the Herons emerge so that our pain can be lessened.” The General Staff isn’t moving a muscle. Civil society is demanding to know, “What a shame this is, are there individuals within the military that benefit from PKK terror such that our children are killed during a live broadcast?” The General Staff is turning a deaf ear. Who cares about assignments and promotions? What about the martyred soldiers?
And what about the miserable state of the media? If an event like our Heron scandal were to take place in any other country, and some media groups didn’t cover even an atom of the story, would that be allowed? Wouldn’t civil society be up in arms, wouldn’t politicians debate the topic and ask those responsible to account for it, wouldn’t the relatives of those killed rebel against the ignoring of the topic? When it comes to journalism, some media establishments that until just the other day were doing a lot of big talking are suddenly failing the class on the Heron story. For the love of God, tell me, when a nation’s sons are given away as victims of terrorism so openly, why would the media of that country choose to remain silent? Why wouldn’t it take anyone to account for it? And why would it, in an attempt, as you know, to cover it all up, redirect to different events and change the focus? What kind of cooperation, solidarity and war of interests is this?
There’s no need to mince words here. Not writing about the Heron incident is not protecting military institutions. And writing about the Heron atrocity is not anti-military. The worst thing that can be done to the military is to insist upon overlooking its mistake. In transparent democracies, if everyone who makes a mistake has to account for it, then so does the military. We’re talking about an institution that stays on its feet through the public’s tax money. And the military authorities whose negligence and errors have been seen many times must definitely be held to account for the mistake they have made. To say otherwise is to side with the continuation of such errors. The Dağlıca raid, the Reşadiye attack, the attack on the Aktütün outpost, the İskenderun attack… And now the horrible story of Hantepe under the surveillance of Herons.
They say of Nero that he looked down upon the city of Rome with joy from a hilltop after having it set ablaze. He was experiencing the gratification of ability. The same situation is at hand with the Heron story. Heron, Nero, what’s the difference? Those whose main duty is security, and those whose main jobs are democratic supervision, just watch the massacre as if it’s no big deal. Those who get their pens wagging at every issue and who declare their views on every topic take refuge in deep silence when faced with documents saying that our sons were knowingly sent off to their deaths. They want to cover up this grave scene by giving priority to other, unrelated news stories and viewpoints instead of this frightening betrayal. But the public conscience has reached its breaking point. Exactly who is doing what and who is writing what is being noted with consternation and compunction.
