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Financial Times, UK
March 26 2005
Furious Turks wave the flag demonstrators tried to burn
By Vincent Boland
Published: March 26 2005 02:00 | Last updated: March 26 2005 02:00
If you want to bring the wrath of Turkey down on you, burn its flag.
Three children aged 12, 14 and 15 discovered this to their cost after
they were caught apparently trying to set the Turkish flag alight - a
criminal offence - at a demonstration last weekend, provoking a wave
of nationalist outrage across the country.
In scenes reminiscent of the US after the attacks of September 11
2001, the Turkish flag has been flown in the past few days from
apartment windows in towns and cities, on municipal buildings and
public transport, and displayed constantly on television screens,
after calls from the government and the armed forces for the public
to show "solidarity" with the defiled national emblem, depicting a
white crescent and star on a red background.
Commentators said the reaction to the incident reflected the brittle
state of Turkish self-confidence. Even though the country will begin
talks with the European Union in October, Turks seem already to be
disillusioned with the accession process. They know it will require
concessions of sovereignty, including recognition of the Greek
domination of Cyprus and, perhaps, on Armenian claims of genocide in
1915, and endless lectures by EU leaders on Turkey's imperfections.
The attempted flag-burning happened at a pro-Kurdish rally last
Sunday in Mersin, a port city on the Mediterranean, marking the
Nevroz spring festival. It led yesterday to a call by the state
security apparatus for the courts to consider bringing charges
against the Kurdish political party that organised the demonstration,
despite the insistence of Kurdish leaders that flag-burning was as
much an insult to Kurds as to Turks.
A policeman who intervened to rescue the flag from the children was
praised as a hero and was reportedly awarded a bonus equivalent to 24
times his monthly salary. The three children have been arrested and
their fate is in the hands of a judge. Up to 30 other people have
also been detained after separate demonstrations last weekend, police
said yesterday.
The furious and almost unanimous outburst of patriotism followed a
statement on the incident from the military, Turkey's most respected
institution and guardian of its independence and nationhood. The
general staff said the burning of the flag by "so-called citizens"
was tantamount to treason and added: "The Turkish armed forces, like
their forefathers, are ready to shed their last drop of blood to
protect the country and its flag."
That prompted political leaders to join the condemnation. Ahmed
Necdet Sezer, the president, said he "cursed" the perpetrators.
Abdullah Gul, the foreign minister, called them "miserable". Press
reports speculated that the children were incited to burn the flag by
militant demonstrators, and there was talk of conspiracies. "Somebody
has pushed the button for a plot against Turkey," ran a headline in
the daily Aksam newspaper.
Almost drowned out in the din of nationalism was a call for
moderation by the Turkish Human Rights Association and a plea by
Kurdish leaders for the incident not to be exaggerated.
Nevroz is a celebration of the arrival of spring. In the past it has
sometimes become a focus for expressions of Kurdish nationalism.
Turkey is home to the world's largest Kurdish minority, and its armed
forces and Kurdish separatists fought a vicious war in the 1980s and
1990s that killed 35,000 people.
Gunduz Aktan, a former diplomat, said Turks were upset by what they
saw as disrespect for Turkey at the Mersin demonstration, and
responded by embracing the flag. "There is a malaise in Turkish
public opinion just now," he said. "You could say that Turkey is
vulnerable, and everybody wants to protect their country from a
difficult situation."
March 26 2005
Furious Turks wave the flag demonstrators tried to burn
By Vincent Boland
Published: March 26 2005 02:00 | Last updated: March 26 2005 02:00
If you want to bring the wrath of Turkey down on you, burn its flag.
Three children aged 12, 14 and 15 discovered this to their cost after
they were caught apparently trying to set the Turkish flag alight - a
criminal offence - at a demonstration last weekend, provoking a wave
of nationalist outrage across the country.
In scenes reminiscent of the US after the attacks of September 11
2001, the Turkish flag has been flown in the past few days from
apartment windows in towns and cities, on municipal buildings and
public transport, and displayed constantly on television screens,
after calls from the government and the armed forces for the public
to show "solidarity" with the defiled national emblem, depicting a
white crescent and star on a red background.
Commentators said the reaction to the incident reflected the brittle
state of Turkish self-confidence. Even though the country will begin
talks with the European Union in October, Turks seem already to be
disillusioned with the accession process. They know it will require
concessions of sovereignty, including recognition of the Greek
domination of Cyprus and, perhaps, on Armenian claims of genocide in
1915, and endless lectures by EU leaders on Turkey's imperfections.
The attempted flag-burning happened at a pro-Kurdish rally last
Sunday in Mersin, a port city on the Mediterranean, marking the
Nevroz spring festival. It led yesterday to a call by the state
security apparatus for the courts to consider bringing charges
against the Kurdish political party that organised the demonstration,
despite the insistence of Kurdish leaders that flag-burning was as
much an insult to Kurds as to Turks.
A policeman who intervened to rescue the flag from the children was
praised as a hero and was reportedly awarded a bonus equivalent to 24
times his monthly salary. The three children have been arrested and
their fate is in the hands of a judge. Up to 30 other people have
also been detained after separate demonstrations last weekend, police
said yesterday.
The furious and almost unanimous outburst of patriotism followed a
statement on the incident from the military, Turkey's most respected
institution and guardian of its independence and nationhood. The
general staff said the burning of the flag by "so-called citizens"
was tantamount to treason and added: "The Turkish armed forces, like
their forefathers, are ready to shed their last drop of blood to
protect the country and its flag."
That prompted political leaders to join the condemnation. Ahmed
Necdet Sezer, the president, said he "cursed" the perpetrators.
Abdullah Gul, the foreign minister, called them "miserable". Press
reports speculated that the children were incited to burn the flag by
militant demonstrators, and there was talk of conspiracies. "Somebody
has pushed the button for a plot against Turkey," ran a headline in
the daily Aksam newspaper.
Almost drowned out in the din of nationalism was a call for
moderation by the Turkish Human Rights Association and a plea by
Kurdish leaders for the incident not to be exaggerated.
Nevroz is a celebration of the arrival of spring. In the past it has
sometimes become a focus for expressions of Kurdish nationalism.
Turkey is home to the world's largest Kurdish minority, and its armed
forces and Kurdish separatists fought a vicious war in the 1980s and
1990s that killed 35,000 people.
Gunduz Aktan, a former diplomat, said Turks were upset by what they
saw as disrespect for Turkey at the Mersin demonstration, and
responded by embracing the flag. "There is a malaise in Turkish
public opinion just now," he said. "You could say that Turkey is
vulnerable, and everybody wants to protect their country from a
difficult situation."