Ergenekon and Turkey's democracy paradox

11/07/2008

EU candidate Turkey has shown that Islam can co-exist with secular democracy, globalisation and modernity. But another political crisis casts a worrisome shadow.

By Ayhan Simsek for Southeast European Times -- 11/07/08

Retired General Hursit Tolon was arrested in Istanbul on July 6th during the Ergenekon investigation. [File]

Recent weeks have seen tensions between Turkish secularists and the country's leadership, which has roots in political Islam, escalate to new levels. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) faces the possibility of being shut down by the Constitutional Court on the grounds that it is undermining Turkey's secular system.

Meanwhile, a government-backed probe led to the arrests last week of retired generals and other prominent figures known to be strong critics of the government. They allegedly had involvement with a terrorist group called Ergenekon, which authorities accuse of plotting assassinations and social unrest in order to provoke a military coup.

Those detained include retired generals Hursit Tolon and Sener Eruygur, who chairs the Ataturkist Thought Association, as well as businessman Sinan Aygun and journalist Mustafa Balbay, whom police released after a few days. Police are still seeking Turhan Comez, an ex-AKP deputy who has turned against his former party.

The secular opposition has decried the probe as a "revenge trial", while pro-AKP newspapers speak of a network of hard-line secularists determined to overthrow the government at any cost.

Is Turkey's democracy under threat, or will the country succeed in finding a way out of the crisis? The country is deeply polarised, and Turkish bloggers also show sharp divisions.

"This [Ergenekon] probe should continue with determination and courage," writes bektasazizoglu. "In a democratic state with rule of law, not only coups but also any attempt at or defence of a coup is a crime with strong penalties. These recent probes are steps towards a fully democratic Turkey."

Tumener also supports the inquiry but with a condition. "This probe should be in line with the universal principles of human rights," he says, criticising the detention of suspects before presentation of any clear evidence and their prolonged jailing before trial. "Unfortunately, the Ergenekon probe so far has become like the Inquisition of the Dark Ages. The AKP is using the probe to intimidate the critics."

Another blogger, omerozdamar, harbours deep pessimism. "Can we say that there is a functioning democracy and rule of law in this country? No, it didn't exist in the past, and it doesn't exist today," he writes. According to him, the AKP's democracy rhetoric cannot be taken seriously, coming from a party which -- the blogger claims – exploits the religious feeling of the masses.

The current tug-of-war is not about democracy or secularism, insists alfacilllin. Rather, it's simply a power struggle among different factions for control of the state. "Don't we deserve democracy, freedom, well-being and prosperity? Isn't it our right to have a life free from fear?" he asks.

A highly popular blogger, neseevrim, criticises what she describes as the AKP's double standards concerning the independence of the judiciary. When it comes to the closure case against the party, it complains of a "judicial coup", she writes. But when it comes to the Ergenekon probe, the AKP argues that the judiciary is acting independently. According to neseevrim, what Turkey is experiencing today amounts to a "duel" between the secularists and political Islamists, while the law has simply become a gun in their hands.