"Taking Over the State" Takes to the Stage Again
Hasan Cemal of the Milliyet daily had a reminder for us on Tuesday. He said: "It was five years ago. My book, 'Cumhuriyet'i Çok Sevmiştim' (I Had Loved Cumhuriyet Very Much), had recently been published and attracted the media's attention, and the Cumhuriyet newspaper had launched a national campaign. I remember the article that the late İlhan Selçuk had written. He essentially had said, 'This is an operation launched by pro-Fethullah groups against Cumhuriyet.' Once, there was a witch hunt for communists. And it was forgotten. Now, there is a witch hunt for pro-Fethullah people. Some people are feverishly looking for them, especially within the state apparatus."
Hanefi Avci's book was hurriedly published ahead of a referendum that is meant to deal a fatal blow to military tutelage, and it provided precious ammunition for the campaign, "the Community is everywhere and it is taking over the state." And many people who we knew to be friends forget about fairness, and rush to take advantage of this food.
We need to consider the concept of "taking over the state" in a more level-headed manner. Ahmet Altan had a good article about this in the Taraf daily. In Turkey, some groups are defined as "those who administer the state," while some others are labeled as "those who try to take over the state." Some groups claim true ownership of the state congenitally, or by inheritance, and assume the right to enjoy all of the benefits of the regime, while others are scorned and humiliated and kept out of power. Then, this system is called democracy.
For instance, during the single-party regime era, the Republican People's Party (CHP) was equated with the state. And if the CHP is not in power, whoever is elected to office democratically will be described as those attempting to seize the state. When the Democrat Party (DP) came to power, the "those who try to take over the state" argument came into play. This argument was also frequently used against the Justice Party (AP) and the True Path Party (DYP). Likewise, when the Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) took office as the ruling party, its members were scorned as typical Muslims who were trying to take over the state. The parties of the National Vision (Millî Görüş) were teeming with people willing to take over the state. And finally, the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has been guided by only one goal since its establishment: to take over the state.
For instance, former Justice Minister Mehmet Moğultay appointed thousands of pro-CHP people as judges or prosecutors, and, in a party congress of the CHP, asked, "Should we have appointed the fascists of the Nationalist Movement Party [MHP] instead?" But no one saw this as an attempt to take over the state. When only one person who is known to be pious is appointed as a high ranking bureaucrat -- even when the CHP is not in office -- this is advertised as an attempt to take over the state.
The military frequently overthrows governments and thousands of civilian or military bureaucrats are purged in every coup and government positions are filled with their own men, but the military is never accused of taking over the state. Masons are everywhere, holding influential positions within the state apparatus, but they do not qualify as those who attempt to take over the state.
Doesn't the state belong to the nation? Isn't it a democratic right for every individual of the nation to assume positions within the state? Why do they raise hell, saying, "Pro-Fethullah people are taking over the state."?
There is also this: What have these people who are labeled "pro-Fethullah" within the state done? Have they collaborated with the illegal networks and pro-Ergenekon people? Have they connived to the involvement of high-ranking police chiefs in illegal dealings with mafia leaders? Or have they tried to prevent them from hurting the nation and the state? To label these people who abide by professional ethics and uphold the rule of law as "pro-Fethullah" is nothing but an expression of the fear felt in the face of the elimination of an order of mischief and treason.
Yet I should stress this as well: Whoever transgresses the rule of law, regardless of their labels or designations, should be penalized indiscriminately just as has been done to the members of Ergenekon. No one should turn a blind eye to the actions of people who claim to act with fairness and justice, but act in a way that does not represent either in any way.
But no one should attempt to defame or discredit without evidence people who faithfully serve the state and the nation. No one should try to distract attention away from the real issue as military tutelage is in its death throes.
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