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SEPARATING ARMY FROM POLITICS: EX-PRESIDENT INDICTED IN TURKEY
By Aris Ghazinyan
ArmeniaNow
12.01.12 | 16:09
The court of Ankara has decided to accept the indictment submitted
by a prosecutor's office and order a trial against former president
of Turkey Kenan Evren and retired General Tahsin Sahinkaya held
responsible for staging a military coup.
Evren, 94, and Tahsin Sahinkaya, 86, former air force commander, are
the only surviving leaders of the military coup d'etat of 1980. Never
before have Turkish military leaders been prosecuted for usurpation
of power.
Evren gaine popularity also with his letter of 1984 addressed to US
President Ronald Reagan, warning about potential complications in
the Turkish-American relations if the US House of Representatives
adopted the House Joint Resolution designating April 24, 1985, as
National Day of Remembrance of Man's Inhumanity to Man and "a day of
remembrance for all the victims of genocide, especially the one and
one-half million people of Armenian ancestry who were the victims of
the genocide perpetrated in Turkey between 1915 and 1923..."
Nonetheless, it's obvious that the prosecution's indictment is
conditioned by domestic political developments within Turkey and is in
no way related to the ex-president's anti-Armenian activities. Turkish
authorities' view of the Armenian factor is invariable regardless of
party affiliation or ideological positions.
Analysts say this step should be viewed within the context of the
current authorities' attempts to minimize the role of the military
in the country's political life.
It's commonly known that the armed forces of Turkey are perceived as
guarantor of temporal power, whereas the current leadership of the
country adheres to Islamist positions and positions itself as the
chief defender of Muslim countries' interests in the modern world.
Not surprisingly last week an Istanbul court took into custody Turkey's
ex-army chief, General Ilker Basbug on charges of complicity in the
campaign to discredit the ruling Justice and Development party.
Basbug is the first military of that rank to undergo court trial.
Several hundred people have been detained under suspicion of conspiracy
with a purpose of overthrowing the Turkish government.
Apparently, Turkish authorities keep increasing pressure on the
generals.
Some western countries and structures are not very happy with the
Turkish authorities' efforts at "defending Muslim countries" and
developing closer relations with Iran, in particular.
"The USA is increasing pressure on Turkey to cut down on its trade
and financial ties with Iran and demands to observe the recently
imposed sanctions against that country," reports Hurriyet Daily News.
All this is happening in the highlight of escalated tensions between
the West and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, a key water route for
oil transfer.
However, as Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu stated in one of
his interviews: "Sanctions imposed by Europe and the United States
against Iran do not restrict Turkey. Turkey has to be exempt from
those sanctions."
The unequivocal international position on Turkey's standpoint is
forcing this country to finally decide for itself whether it will
stay temporal or become an Islamic country.
Some analysts believe that the ruling top has made 'a final decision'
and that's the reason why it has started arresting high-ranking
politicians and military leaders who were considered "guarantors of
temporal power" and bearers of Republican Turkey's founder Mustafa
Kemal's ideological legacy.
By Aris Ghazinyan
ArmeniaNow
12.01.12 | 16:09
The court of Ankara has decided to accept the indictment submitted
by a prosecutor's office and order a trial against former president
of Turkey Kenan Evren and retired General Tahsin Sahinkaya held
responsible for staging a military coup.
Evren, 94, and Tahsin Sahinkaya, 86, former air force commander, are
the only surviving leaders of the military coup d'etat of 1980. Never
before have Turkish military leaders been prosecuted for usurpation
of power.
Evren gaine popularity also with his letter of 1984 addressed to US
President Ronald Reagan, warning about potential complications in
the Turkish-American relations if the US House of Representatives
adopted the House Joint Resolution designating April 24, 1985, as
National Day of Remembrance of Man's Inhumanity to Man and "a day of
remembrance for all the victims of genocide, especially the one and
one-half million people of Armenian ancestry who were the victims of
the genocide perpetrated in Turkey between 1915 and 1923..."
Nonetheless, it's obvious that the prosecution's indictment is
conditioned by domestic political developments within Turkey and is in
no way related to the ex-president's anti-Armenian activities. Turkish
authorities' view of the Armenian factor is invariable regardless of
party affiliation or ideological positions.
Analysts say this step should be viewed within the context of the
current authorities' attempts to minimize the role of the military
in the country's political life.
It's commonly known that the armed forces of Turkey are perceived as
guarantor of temporal power, whereas the current leadership of the
country adheres to Islamist positions and positions itself as the
chief defender of Muslim countries' interests in the modern world.
Not surprisingly last week an Istanbul court took into custody Turkey's
ex-army chief, General Ilker Basbug on charges of complicity in the
campaign to discredit the ruling Justice and Development party.
Basbug is the first military of that rank to undergo court trial.
Several hundred people have been detained under suspicion of conspiracy
with a purpose of overthrowing the Turkish government.
Apparently, Turkish authorities keep increasing pressure on the
generals.
Some western countries and structures are not very happy with the
Turkish authorities' efforts at "defending Muslim countries" and
developing closer relations with Iran, in particular.
"The USA is increasing pressure on Turkey to cut down on its trade
and financial ties with Iran and demands to observe the recently
imposed sanctions against that country," reports Hurriyet Daily News.
All this is happening in the highlight of escalated tensions between
the West and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, a key water route for
oil transfer.
However, as Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu stated in one of
his interviews: "Sanctions imposed by Europe and the United States
against Iran do not restrict Turkey. Turkey has to be exempt from
those sanctions."
The unequivocal international position on Turkey's standpoint is
forcing this country to finally decide for itself whether it will
stay temporal or become an Islamic country.
Some analysts believe that the ruling top has made 'a final decision'
and that's the reason why it has started arresting high-ranking
politicians and military leaders who were considered "guarantors of
temporal power" and bearers of Republican Turkey's founder Mustafa
Kemal's ideological legacy.