In this meeting, it was agreed that we are all deeply concerned that the traditions of democracy and secularism embodied in the Republic of Turkey are in jeopardy. As a result we decided to organize a peaceful demonstration to raise public awareness … in front of the White House. … Join us against creeping authoritarian rule, intimidation of the free press, the erosion of secularism, [and] the threat of theocracy. … Join us, support the rule of law, freedom of speech, individual rights, [and] a free, democratic, and modern Turkey as envisioned by Atatürk. … Please bring Turkish Flags with you."
During the Nevruz celebrations in 2005, a provocative Turkish flag-burning incident took place in Mersin. This led to mass demonstrations all over Turkey and sparked anti-Kurdish sentiment among the public. Following these developments, the deep state structure, Ergenekon-related organizations, the Republican People's Party (CHP) and other statist, secularist and elitist protectionists organized several demonstrations on behalf of the republic and the flag.
However, in the Ergenekon case currently before the courts, evidence from surveillance records has made it clear that all the street theater, from the initial flag burning to the counter-demonstrations, was orchestrated by groups, most of which are also implicated in the Ergenekon case. Amongst other things, the Ergenekon indictment, because of the revelations of witness number 17 and pictures taken by the police as well as others published in the media, claims that the person who gave the children a Turkish flag to burn was Ali Kutlu. Kutlu is a suspect in the Ergenekon investigation and a member of the Association for the Union of Patriotic Forces (VKGB). Kutlu told the witness that flags were burned by the VKGB in order to provoke the public and foment chaos in Turkey. The VKGB selected Mersin as the pilot site, and their sister organization, the Kuvayi Milliye (National Forces), an ultranationalist organization with links to Ergenekon, organized the widely publicized oath-taking ceremony in which members agreed to kill and die, which took place at the Mersin branch of the National Forces. The VKGB urged local villagers in Mersin to engage in war, with the claim that Mersin was "under the control of the [outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party] PKK" and that this is a "war of independence, and everyone with Turkish blood must participate in this war." Within this context, they tried to organize mass demonstrations and protests titled "Respect the Flag." The real intention, it has emerged, was to lay the groundwork for a military coup. This construction of a fake attack and unreal threats leading to military action by the state is the very definition of false flag terrorism.
A day after the flag-burning incident on Nevruz, the Office of the Chief of General Staff released a statement that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) will protect the Turkish flag until the last drop of the TSK's blood is shed. A year later, Ergenekon organized almost 80,000 people for a "Respect the Flag" demonstration, raising tensions in Mersin and other cities, too. Yet, the Ergenekon indictment contains evidence from a telephone conversation in which one VKGB member noted: "There were 4,000 soldiers in the Mersin demonstration. No one was aware of it." To which another VKGB member replied: "First we made the soldiers march. Then civilians participated, and we withdrew the soldiers."
Within the last week, a similar flag-waving demonstration was organized in İzmir. The number of people gathered, including toddlers and infants in strollers, hardly added up to 500. Rather than flags, most of the crowd held placards opposing the Ergenekon trial. Since most people now recognize the ill intentions and dishonesty behind such demonstrations, the outcome was a total failure and embarrassing for those would-be Atatürkist associations.
What exactly are they hiding under the flag? The Washington-based "Atatürkist" group should know that as it organizes its "pro-democracy" demonstration, the Turkish people await an explanation of why such groups did not accept the popular or parliamentary votes that brought to power conservative or practicing Muslims. We would like to hear the justification for the full-page ads these groups put in American and European dailies claiming that Turkey would soon become a theocratic state where women cannot go out on the streets, beaches and universities, work or even drive, that massive clashes would ensue and innocent blood would be shed. We want to know on exactly what grounds "patriotic" groups use scare tactics that cause so much damage to Turkey, Turkish people and Muslims.
The Turkish people, far from rallying behind these false flag groups, intend, through legal means, to finish off the Ergenekon beast, which has tortured, assassinated, burned alive and exterminated people in acid wells and which assumed exclusive, direct control over power, positions and resources within the system despite the will of the people, the rule of law, democracy and respect for freedom and the flag.
At the very least, we expect those so-called Atatürkist groups to give up the money they take from the Turkish government and state for representing them abroad.
