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[NEWS ANALYSIS] Three EMASYA regiments still active in İstanbul
Among these regiments are the Samandıra 23rd Motorized Infantry Regiment, the Hasdal 6th Infantry Regiment and the Metris 47th Infantry Regiment. The Protocol on Cooperation for Security and Public Order (EMASYA) authorizes the military to conduct operations and intelligence gathering in cities without the approval of the civilian administration. It recently rose to the top of the Turkish agenda in connection with an alleged military coup plan. The regiments carry out military training a few times each month and are mobilized on occasions such as May 1, Workers' Day, and the anniversary of the capture of Abdullah Öcalan, leader of the PKK.
The regiments were further activated after Maj. Gen. Bülent Dağsalı was appointed commander of the Samandıra 23rd Motorized Infantry Regiment. The major general increased the number of monthly training sessions for the regiment and forced officers to continue their training even over the weekend, which led some to resign from their positions and many others to ask for transfers to regiments in other provinces.
Dağsalı made his way into news reports in January of last year when he paid a visit to former İstanbul Police Chief Celalettin Cerrah after the detention of some high-ranking military members as part of an ongoing probe into Ergenekon, a clandestine criminal organization accused of working to instigate chaos in society with the intent of overthrowing the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government. While Dağsalı refused to comment on the reason for his visit, Cerrah told reporters that the major general visited the İstanbul Police Department to issue an invitation to a military seminar on natural disasters.
The major general was also known for his role in a military memorandum, or “andıç,” prepared by the General Staff classifying journalists and activists on the basis of their views vis-à-vis the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). The term andıç was first introduced in Turkey during the Feb. 28, 1997 period. The generals of the TSK prepared a memorandum that contained false claims about some journalists and human rights activists that were opposed to military interventions into politics.
The memorandum was intended to destroy the respect and trust the public had in these people. Several journalists, including Mehmet Ali Birand and Cengiz Çandar, were removed from their posts, and Akın Birdal, then chairman of the Human Rights Association (İHD), was threatened and attacked. He survived the attack, but suffered severe injuries.
Military training sessions based on EMASYA usually focus on occasions in which members of the military are allowed to interfere if the police fails to take the necessary steps against a violent rally or demonstration.
EMASYA training sessions are carried out under the coordination of an officer at an intelligence department. Soldiers are shown through detailed maps how to bring a violent group under control. The addresses and phone numbers of district governors and local officials in regions where violent demonstrations are expected are compiled beforehand. Training is based on various hypothetical scenarios.
Soldiers are authorized to intervene in violent protests with tear gas, batons and firearms, if necessary. Training sessions of military units are supervised by the commander of the unit, whether it is a regiment or a battalion.
The controversial protocol was signed by the General Staff and the Interior Ministry on July 7, 1997 and empowers the military to intervene in social incidents on its own initiative.
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