The row started last week, when CHP İzmir deputy Canan Arıtman harshly criticized Gül for not objecting to an apology campaign launched by Turkish intellectuals over the killings of Anatolian Armenians at the hands of the late Ottoman Empire in 1915, which Armenians claim constituted genocide. Arıtman said Gül was rubberstamping the campaign because of his ethnic origins. "We see that the president supports this campaign. Abdullah Gül should be the president of the entire Turkish nation, not just of those sharing his ethnicity. Investigate the ethnic origins of the president's mother and you will see," she said.
In response, President Gül released a statement in which he said that both his mother's side and his father's side were Muslim and Turkish, according to centuries of genealogical records. Gül also filed a lawsuit against Arıtman.
Gül's statement, however, fell short of stopping Arıtman from stepping up her criticisms. The CHP deputy subsequently said Gül should prove his Turkish origins through DNA tests. Arıtman's incessant and reckless statements about Gül's ethnic roots have drawn harsh reactions from the Turkish society, with many accusing the CHP deputy of acting like a fascist politician. Many intellectuals and politicians, however, have directed their criticism at the CHP administration for failing to impose any sanctions on Arıtman to stop her from making any other racist statements.
"Arıtman's statements about President Gül are no different from those of a racist. She is explicitly saying that being Armenian is a fault. Such a statement necessitates moral and political sanctions, as well as legal ones. The CHP administration reacted to Arıtman's statements, but this reaction was not strong enough to stop her. What the CHP administration should do is take action and make Arıtman stop talking about sensitive issues through an intra-party sanction," said Ali Bayramoğlu, a columnist for the Yeni Şafak daily and also one of the supporters of the apology campaign.
The CHP administration issued a warning to Arıtman earlier this week after she appeared on two TV programs to discuss her remarks about Gül's ethnic roots. Party leader Deniz Baykal asked Arıtman not to make any other statements to the press without the CHP administration's permission.
İhsan Dağı, a professor at the Middle East Technical University's (ODTÜ) international relations department, pointed to increasing racism among secularist segments of Turkish society as the origin of Arıtman's remarks. "The CHP deputy shows us all the extent to which the trend of racism has expanded among secularists. Arıtman is a female deputy from İzmir, known as Turkey's oldest cosmopolitan city. Given the fact that she is a woman coming from İzmir, I would have expected her to act in a more reconciliatory manner on such issues," Dağı said.
Yıldıray Oğur, a columnist for the Taraf daily, called on CHP officials to immediately expel the reckless politician from the party. "I am not sure if the CHP dares do such a thing. What is more fearsome in the debate over Gül's ethnicity is that a so-called modern female politician is acting like a fascist," he argued.
Oğur is not the only Turkish intellectual to ask the CHP administration to expel Arıtman from its ranks. Hasan Bülent Kahraman, from the Sabah daily, wrote in one of his columns earlier this week that what Arıtman had said about President Gül is could not be accepted by any decent democratic organization, let alone a social democratic political party.
"Social democracy does not question ethnic identity. Unfortunately, we don't have such an understanding of social democracy. For now, let's just put aside the question of what kind of harmony could emerge between neo-nationalism and social democracy, because Arıtman's approach is beyond that question and is related to an issue of ethnic origins in the real sense. Arıtman is a racist. What place can racism and questioning ethnic origins have in social democracy?" Kahraman wrote.
Milliyet's Semih İdiz criticized CHP leader Deniz Baykal for falling short of strongly criticizing Arıtman. "Baykal's attitude, although he had said people's ethnicities and religious beliefs were not important to him, undoubtedly pleased Arıtman. Or else she should have been immediately expelled from the party, which claims to be a social democratic party," İdiz remarked.
Politicians object to Arıtman's racist stance
Several politicians from diverse ideological backgrounds have expressed disapproval of Arıtman's statements, saying the Turkish nation would not agree with such a racist discourse.
Two deputies from the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), Sırrı Sakık and Şerafettin Halis, said labeling people based on their ethnicities is unacceptable. "It was a similar stance that led German dictator Adolf Hitler to burn thousands of people of Jewish origin. Arıtman sees Armenians as enemies. The CHP should rid itself of such beliefs," they said.
Edibe Sözen, from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), deemed Arıtman's remarks "disrespectful." "Politics is an art of discourse. Hers is not a discourse that can be appreciated," she said.
Arıtman drew the ire of CHP politicians, as well, with many stressing that they don't share her ideas. "Arıtman made a very wrong statement. I don't approve of such talk of ethnicity," CHP Chief Accountant Mustafa Özyürek said.
CHP Adana deputy Hulusi Güvel criticized the party administration for failing to act in the face of Arıtman's statements. "I asked CHP officials to take action against Arıtman. However, I don't know what they will do. No step has been taken against her yet. But we cannot turn a blind eye to what she said. These remarks do not conform to the political line of a social democratic party," he said.
Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP) leader Ufuk Uras indicated that it was a shame to see people engaging in politics based on ethnicity.
Democratic Left Party (DSP) İzmir deputy Recai Birgün recalled that the CHP keeps criticizing the pro-Kurdish DTP for its ethnic politics. "There is a difference between criticizing people and disdaining ethnic groups. I don't think that CHP administration will punish Arıtman, because they are not sincere in any of their initiatives," he remarked.
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